Shuttle Discovery is being readied for its final spaceflight before retirement. Here's a look at key upcoming dates:
-Sept. 8: Depart hangar @ 6:30 a.m. for move to VAB -Sept. 20: Rollout to pad 39A @ 8 p.m. EDT -Oct. 7: Payload to the pad -Oct. 15: Launch day dress rehearsal test -Oct. 28: Astronauts arrive at KSC for launch -Oct. 29: Countdown clocks begin ticking -Nov. 1: LAUNCH @ 4:40 p.m. EDT (2040 GMT) -Nov. 3: Docking @ 1 p.m. -Nov. 5: Spacewalk No. 1 -Nov. 6: Install cargo module on station -Nov. 7: Spacewalk No. 2 -Nov. 10: Undocking from station @ 5:45 a.m. EST -Nov. 12: LANDING in Florida @ 10:43 a.m. EST (1543 GMT)
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Decision on extra shuttle flight remains in limbo
Protecting their options while awaiting word on funding for a final shuttle mission next June, NASA managers believe flight processing probably can continue through the end of the year with the shuttle program's current budget or under a continuing resolution. But after that, sources say, additional money will be required or the hoped-for flight may not be possible.
FULL STORY OUR SHUTTLE ARCHIVE
Chinese broadcasting satellite placed in orbit
A Chinese communications satellite launched Saturday on a Long March rocket, beginning a mission to broadcast civil television and radio signals across China.
FULL STORY
Spacewalk to tidy up station deferred to shuttle crew
In the wake of a three-spacewalk coolant pump replacement, space station managers decided this week to defer additional maintenance work until the next shuttle crew arrives in November.
FULL STORY REVISED FLIGHT PLAN EARLIER SPACEWALK COVERAGE
Solar Probe Plus will brave the sun's fiery wrath
NASA is developing a fortified satellite that will nearly touch the sun starting in 2018, collecting unprecedented data on the super-heated solar atmosphere.
FULL STORY
Investigators probing what went wrong with AEHF 1
As tiny thrusters continue to nudge the U.S. military's AEHF 1 satellite toward a higher orbit, investigators hope to know within the next few weeks what knocked out the craft's main engine and whether the program's next launch will be delayed.
FULL STORY LAUNCH HIGHLIGHTS VIDEO EARLIER LAUNCH COVERAGE
Indian moon mission to launch with Russian lander
India's Chandrayaan 2 moon mission will launch in 2013 with a lander from Russia, but the first announcement of the lunar probe's science instruments does not include contributions from the United States or Europe.
FULL STORY
Retired space shuttle launch pad to be dismantled soon
NASA is expected to give final approval this week to demolish the servicing towers at a mothballed space shuttle launch pad, clearing the complex for a still-unknown rocket of the future.
FULL STORY
Navigation satellites launched by Proton rocket
A Proton rocket blasted off overnight Wednesday with three spacecraft to help expand Russia's satellite navigation system to provide positioning services around the world. FULL STORY
Test article could facilitate space station applications
Engineers at the Kennedy Space Center are cleaning and studying a grounded space station module that could be launched in a few years as a hub for inflatable habitats and technology demonstrations. FULL STORY
Big rocket tested in Utah
Locked in a massive horizontal test fixture near Promontory, Utah, a huge five-segment solid-fuel booster roared to life with a torrent of flame Tuesday, generating some 3.6 million pounds of thrust in a ground-shaking $75 million test of a rocket the Obama administration wants to cancel. FULL STORY
Additional coverage for subscribers: VIDEO:
SOLID ROCKET MOTOR GROUND TEST-FIRING PLAY VIDEO:
POST-TEST NEWS BRIEFING PLAY SUBSCRIBE NOW
Military satellite relying on backup plan to save itself
A rescue plan is being implemented to salvage the U.S. military's pricy new communications satellite despite a serious malfunction that knocked out its main engine and stymied the craft's maneuvering ability. FULL STORY EARLIER LAUNCH COVERAGE
ICESat takes a plunge to conclude successful mission
The ICESat spacecraft fell back into Earth's atmosphere Monday after a seven-year mission to measure the thickness of the planet's land and sea ice, according to NASA. FULL STORY
This Week In Space
The International Space Station's antimatter detector gets ready to launch aboard the space shuttle, next Martian rover gets an arm, SpaceX drop-tests its Dragon and new planetary discoveries. Subscribe on iTunes to This Week in Space. Support This Week in Space by making a contribution to keep the show online. If you're interested in supporting This Week in Space through advertising, contact our team to find out how we can connect your organization with our viewers.
News Headlines
Europe's GOCE satellite set to receive software patches
Engineers expect to know in September whether a series of software patches will restore functionality in two faulty computers on GOCE, a European gravity-mapping satellite that stopped transmitting science data in July. FULL STORY
Europe, Japan weigh cargo return from space station
The European and Japanese space agencies are considering upgrades to outfit their robotic space station servicing spacecraft to return cargo to Earth, potentially laying the groundwork for crewed capsules by the 2020s. FULL STORY
Astrophysics experiment touches down in Florida
An international particle physics experiment flew into the Kennedy Space Center on a U.S. Air Force cargo plane Thursday, reaching the mission's last stop on Earth before launching in February on a hunt for an anti-universe and dark matter. FULL STORY
Kepler finds first double planet transiting system
The Kepler space mission has discovered two new Saturn-sized planets and a possible third planet one-and-a-half times bigger than Earth orbiting a star over 2,200 light years away in the constellation Lyra. The discovery also heralds the first time that it has been possible to measure the masses of planets using transit observations. ASTRONOMY NOW STORY
Canadian government supports Radarsat fleet
Canada's prime minister endorsed the development of a constellation of Radarsat remote sensing satellites Wednesday, promising $397 million in fresh funding over the next five years. FULL STORY
Russia plans to start cosmodrome work in 2011
The construction of a new rocket launch site in Russia's Far East will begin next year, the country's top space official said in a scientific council meeting. FULL STORY
Dark matter experiment is space shuttle's 'last hurrah'
After a late magnet switch forced NASA to order a six-month deferment of the final planned space shuttle flight, the Kennedy Space Center is preparing to receive a $1.5 billion physics experiment Thursday to seek out the cosmic signature of enigmatic, ubiquitous dark matter. FULL STORY
Astronomers discover another solar system
Using the European Southern Observatory's sensitive HARP instrument, astronomers have discovered a solar system containing at least five planets, with indications that two more, including a hot, rocky world, might also be present. ASTRONOMY NOW STORY
A new way to weigh planets
Instead of determining the mass of a planet by measuring the orbits of moons or spacecraft around them, astronomers have come up with a new method using radio signals from pulsars. ASTRONOMY NOW STORY
Chinese mapping satellite deployed in Earth orbit
A Chinese mapping satellite is circling Earth after launching on a Long March rocket Tuesday, according to official media reports. The Tianhui 1 satellite was released in a circular orbit more than 300 miles above Earth following liftoff aboard a Long March 2D booster. FULL STORY
Air Force takes steps to build more WGS satellites
The U.S. Air Force is paying Boeing $182 million to lay the groundwork for a seventh wideband military communications satellite to route video, voice and data messages to deployed troops, the company announced Monday. FULL STORY
New GPS satellites pass critical design review
The U.S. Air Force and Lockheed Martin have completed the critical design review for an upgraded Global Positioning System constellation, clearing the way for the production of a new generation of navigation satellites. FULL STORY
SpaceX: Dragon testing will determine launch schedule
SpaceX delivered the first space-worthy Dragon capsule to Florida in early August as engineers dropped a replica of the craft in the Pacific Ocean to simulate the ship's return from orbit. FULL STORY
NASA considering June 2011 for final shuttle flight
Awaiting word on whether one additional shuttle flight will be approved by Congress and the Obama administration, NASA managers are protectively considering June 28, 2011, for launch of shuttle Atlantis on a rescue mission if a major problem threatens the crew of the final planned shuttle flight in late February. If not, and if NASA gets the required funding, the agency would launch Atlantis on an actual space station resupply mission to close out the shuttle program. FULL STORY
Station crew recaps repairs as coolant system restarts
The International Space Station's coolant system is back up and running normally after a three-spacewalk repair job, the astronauts said Thursday, allowing the crew to power up science equipment and other systems that had to be shut down when an ammonia pump shorted out July 31.
FULL STORY
Additional coverage for subscribers: VIDEO:
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Lunar orbiter images show signs of moon shrinkage
The moon may be shrinking. That's the word from scientists analyzing data from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, a NASA probe returning tantalizing pictures of young faults on the moon.
FULL STORY
Iridium merges science with communications
Working under a U.S. government grant, researchers are calling upon the Iridium satellite constellation for the first real-time global space weather observations from low Earth orbit.
FULL STORY
Task force recommends grants to aid Space Coast
A presidential task force released its recommendations Tuesday on how to best invest $40 million in aid for Florida's Space Coast workforce as the space shuttle program is retired next year.
FULL STORY
Chinese mini-station moves one step closer to liftoff
China has finished building an unmanned module that will be the centerpiece of the country's first space laboratory, state media reported Tuesday. The Tiangong 1 spacecraft is scheduled to launch in 2011.
FULL STORY
This Week In Space
Spacewalkers continue working on repairs, an interview with EVA'er Dave Wolf, success for Atlas 5 rocket and a new shot from Hubble. Subscribe on iTunes to This Week in Space. Support This Week in Space by making a contribution to keep the show online. If you're interested in supporting This Week in Space through advertising, contact our team to find out how we can connect your organization with our viewers.
Additional coverage for subscribers: VIDEO:
POST-SPACEWALK STATUS BRIEFING PLAY VIDEO:
SPACEWALKERS CONCLUDE THE THIRD EVA PLAY VIDEO:
AMMONIA HOSES ARE ATTACHED TO THE PUMP PLAY VIDEO:
POWER AND DATA LINES BRING PUMP TO LIFE PLAY VIDEO:
REPLACEMENT PUMP SECURELY BOLTED DOWN PLAY VIDEO:
PUMP INSERTED INTO SPACE STATION SLOT PLAY VIDEO:
SPACEWALKER HAULS PUMP OVER TO TRUSS PLAY VIDEO:
RETRIEVING THE REPLACEMENT PUMP PLAY VIDEO:
SPACEWALK NO. 3 BEGINS PLAY SUBSCRIBE NOW
Cassini sees three Saturn moons in one flyby
The Cassini orbiter has returned more vivid imagery from Saturn after collecting snapshots of three moons during a flyby Friday. This photo gallery showcases a handful of raw images from Cassini last weekend.
IMAGES:PHOTO GALLERY
Dark energy, alien planets are focus of decadal survey
NASA's top new astrophysics mission should be a multipurpose infrared space telescope to study planets beyond our solar system and seek out dark energy, the driving force of the universe, according to an independent science panel.
FULL STORY
Photo gallery: Atlas on pad
An Atlas 5 rocket stands perched atop Cape Canaveral's Complex 41 on the eve of its scheduled launch to deploy the Advanced Extremely High Frequency 1 military communications satellite.
ENTER PHOTO GALLERY
Photo gallery: Prepping the Atlas rocket's payload
This collection of photographs shows the inaugural AHEF satellite being encapsulated within the Atlas 5 rocket's nose cone at the Astrotech processing cleanroom near Titusville and then delivered to the Vertical Integration Facility at Cape Canaveral's Complex 41 for mating atop the launch vehicle.
ENTER PHOTO GALLERY
NASA says JWST cost impeding new missions
NASA will be listening when scientists present their recommendations for the next decade of astrophysics research Friday, but some of the proposed missions could be at the mercy of soaring costs on the $5 billion successor to the Hubble Space Telescope.
FULL STORY
Additional coverage for subscribers: VIDEO:
POST-SPACEWALK STATUS BRIEFING PLAY VIDEO:
FAILED COOLANT PUMP REMOVED FROM THE STATION PLAY VIDEO:
ROBOT ARM MANEUVERS SPACEWALKER AROUND PLAY VIDEO:
POWER AND DATA LINES UNPLUGGED PLAY VIDEO:
TROUBLESOME UMBILICAL DETACHED PLAY VIDEO:
NO REPEAT OF AMMONIA LEAK PLAY SUBSCRIBE NOW
Asteroid probe, rocket get nod from Japanese panel
The board governing Japan's space program last week formally approved a successor to the Hayabusa asteroid explorer and the Epsilon small satellite launch vehicle to continue development.
FULL STORY
Sweden's Prisma satellites go their separate ways
Two small Swedish satellites split apart Wednesday, commencing several months of trials in orbital formation flying and rendezvous techniques using sensors from across Europe.
FULL STORY
Government contract will hasten new imaging birds
A $7.3 billion imaging contract awarded by the U.S. government to two commercial satellite operators will help accelerate the launch of new privately-owned reconnaissance spacecraft.
FULL STORY
This Week In Space
Space station repairs run into trouble, NASA budget makes slow progress through Congress, Commerce Secretary visits shuttle workers, retirement homes for the shuttle, Ariane 5 launch and more. Subscribe on iTunes to This Week in Space. Support This Week in Space by making a contribution to keep the show online. If you're interested in supporting This Week in Space through advertising, contact our team to find out how we can connect your organization with our viewers.
News Headlines
NASA changes spacewalk strategy for station repair
Flight controllers are revising plans for a second spacewalk Wednesday to replace a coolant pump aboard the International Space Station, adding work to isolate an ammonia leak that should clear the way for installation of a new pump during a third spacewalk Sunday.
FULL STORY
Previous NASA chief survives plane crash
Former NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe and his son have survived the plane crash in Alaska Monday night that took life of former Sen. Ted Stevens.
ASSOCIATED PRESS STORY
New spy satellite launched by Long March rocket
A secret Chinese reconnaissance payload successfully launched on a Long March rocket Monday, the sixth time China has sent a satellite into orbit so far this year.
FULL STORY
Cassini's latest dispatches reach across a billion miles
The Cassini probe continues to send back dramatic images of Saturn as it nears the end of its first extended mission at the iconic ringed planet a billion miles from Earth.
FULL STORY
Robotics work held up by spacewalks, stuck spring
The first maintenance task for a Canadian space robot is on hold until astronauts finish up urgent repairs to the International Space Station's external cooling system.
FULL STORY
Troubles stall replacement of station coolant pump
An unexpected ammonia leak and a jammed quick-disconnect fitting disrupted an eight-hour spacewalk Saturday to replace a faulty coolant system pump on the International Space Station. Assuming engineers can come up with a quick fix for the leak, the astronauts may attempt to replace the pump during a second spacewalk Wednesday.
FULL STORY LEAK HALTS FAILED PUMP REMOVAL TROUBLE WITH STUCK CONNECTOR SPACEWALK BEGINS PREVIEW STORY MISSION STATUS CENTER - LIVE COVERAGE!
Additional coverage for subscribers: VIDEO:
POST-SPACEWALK STATUS BRIEFING PLAY VIDEO:
PROBLEM CONNECTOR FINALLY FREED BUT THEN LEAKS PLAY VIDEO:
LEFT-HAND AMMONIA UMBILICAL COMES OFF WITH EASE PLAY VIDEO:
SKIPPING OVER PROBLEM CONNECTOR TO DO ANOTHER PLAY VIDEO:
TROUBLES AND ADVICE FOR STUCK AMMONIA LINE PLAY VIDEO:
PUMP'S SMALL COOLING LINE UNPLUGGED PLAY VIDEO:
SPACEWALKER DOUG WHEELOCK WORKS ON OLD PUMP PLAY VIDEO:
BRIEFING ON PUMP FAILURE AND SPACEWALKS PLAY SUBSCRIBE NOW
Funnel cloud develops over Kennedy Space Center pad
A funnel cloud appeared over the Kennedy Space Center on Friday, hanging over the space shuttle's launch complex and triggering warning sirens. Check out photos of the ominous cloud above the launch pad.
FULL STORY
Senate approves bill adding extra space shuttle flight
The U.S. Senate passed a compromise NASA bill Thursday night that would order the agency to fly an extra space shuttle mission next June and immediately start work on a new heavy-lift rocket for human voyages beyond Earth.
FULL STORY
Executives provide outlook on ATK's rocket business
Two different NASA authorization bills assembled winding through Congress are both encouraging for rocket-builder ATK, a top contractor for the endangered Ares rocket family, company officials said Thursday.
FULL STORY
Station EVAs delayed
Citing the need for more time to finalize details for the upcoming spacewalks to replace a failed cooling pump module outside the International Space Station, officials have pushed back the EVAs to Saturday and next Wednesday.
FULL STORY
Atlas 5 rocket receives its satellite passenger
An advanced satellite for relaying secure U.S. military communications and the Atlas 5 rocket that will launch the craft into space next week were brought together inside a Cape Canaveral assembly building Thursday.
FULL STORY THE ROCKET GROUND TRACK MAP LAUNCH EVENTS TIMELINE OUR ATLAS ARCHIVE
Ariane 5 rocket powers African satellites to orbit
Europe's Ariane 5 rocket accomplished its third commercial mission of the year Wednesday, delivering to orbit two African communications satellites to broadcast television programming and boost connectivity with rural villages.
FULL STORY PREVIEW STORY OUR ARIANE ARCHIVE
Two Delta 4-Heavy rockets now pointed toward space
Heavy-duty Delta 4 rockets now stand atop the nation's two launch pads in Florida and California for vitally important missions carrying clandestine spy satellites.
FULL STORY OUR DELTA ARCHIVE
Solar blast heads for Earth
The sun appears to have jolted from its deep slumber, blasting tons of plasma into interplanetary space on Sunday in an eruption aimed squarely at planet Earth.
FULL STORY
Game plan coming together for station spacewalks
NASA astronauts and engineers are refining plans for two spacewalks by astronauts Douglas Wheelock and Tracy Caldwell Dyson to replace a large ammonia pump module that shut down Saturday, knocking out one of the International Space Station's two cooling loops. The EVAs are now scheduled for Friday and Monday.
FULL STORY EARLIER STORY THERMAL CONTROL SYSTEM INFO (.pdf download)
Joint panel selects payload for 2016 Mars orbiter
NASA and the European Space Agency have selected five instruments for a methane-sniffing Mars orbiter scheduled for launch in 2016, the first mission of a transatlantic partnership to reconnoiter the Red Planet.
FULL STORY
This Week In Space
Russians take a spacewalk, Elon meets the Colbert Nation, touring Titan's Lake District, ZombieSat looms and KSC to the turtle rescue. Subscribe on iTunes to This Week in Space. Support This Week in Space by making a contribution to keep the show online. If you're interested in supporting This Week in Space through advertising, contact our team to find out how we can connect your organization with our viewers.
News Headlines
Long March rocket delivers Chinese satellite to space
Another Chinese navigation satellite blasted off late Saturday on its way to a 22,000-mile-high perch above Earth to bolster the government-owned fleet of Beidou positioning spacecraft.
FULL STORY
Will Mars rover Spirit eventually phone home?
NASA's aging Spirit Mars rover, stuck in loose soil and forced to endure the harsh martian winter with reduced solar power, has not phoned home since March 22 and officials warned Friday "a miracle" may be needed to restore the rover to limited operation.
FULL STORY
Three main engines bolted to space shuttle Endeavour
The shuttle Endeavour's three main engines were installed this week as workers prepare the ship's two solid rocket boosters and external tank for the program's final scheduled launch.
FULL STORY
Fishing industry agrees to more Japanese launches
The Japanese space agency can start launching rockets year-round next April after an influential fishing lobby agreed to lift a seasonal ban on flights from two space centers in the southern part of the country.
FULL STORY
Air Force will streamline launch manifest strategy
Future U.S. military satellites will be matched to Atlas and Delta launch vehicles as late as six months before launch, a new strategy the Air Force hopes will limit cascading delays stemming from late payload deliveries.
FULL STORY
Getting to Mars on a budget
NASA is discontinuing the Mars Scout line of relatively low-cost missions to the Red Planet, but there is still an opening for resourceful scientists seeking an inexpensive ticket for Mars research.
FULL STORY
Kepler mission on the verge of more planet discoveries
The Kepler space telescope has uncovered a treasure trove of candidate planets the size of Earth circling other stars, potentially reshaping scientists' view of the universe.
FULL STORY
Sea Launch reorganization plan wins court approval
A Delaware bankruptcy court confirmed Sea Launch's plan to reorganize under majority Russian ownership Tuesday, clearing a key hurdle on the firm's path to emerge from bankruptcy later this year.
FULL STORY
Spacewalkers complete overnight excursion
Two Russian cosmonauts working outside the International Space Station in the wee hours Tuesday morning wired up the autopilot homing beacon on the newest docking compartment and threw away a broken television camera on the outpost's back-end.
FULL STORY
Additional coverage for subscribers: VIDEO:
STEP-BY-STEP PREVIEW OF SPACEWALK PLAY VIDEO:
RUSSIAN SPACEWALK OVERVIEW BRIEFING PLAY SUBSCRIBE NOW
GAO finds Constellation slowdown is within the law
NASA has not broken federal law by diverting or withholding funds from the Constellation program, the Government Accountability Office reported Monday.
FULL STORY
Zombiesat has three more satellites in its crosshairs
The out-of-control Galaxy 15 spacecraft will pass near three more orbiting broadcast platforms before it loses power in late August or early September, putting an end to the zombie satellite's menacing tour of the geostationary arc.
FULL STORY
Troubled weather satellite receives final instrument
The next U.S. weather satellite has received its final observing instrument and will begin pre-launch environmental testing in October, NASA announced last week.
FULL STORY
Curiosity goes for a spin
The Curiosity rover took its first steps Friday inside a clean room at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, kicking off a test campaign to prove the $2.3 billion robot can operate on the surface of Mars.
FULL STORY
ESA space science missions await decisions abroad
The European Space Agency's selection of its next generation of space science probes will depend on upcoming decisions before science and budget panels in the United States and Japan.
FULL STORY
Competing NASA bills on collision course in Congress
House and Senate committees voted Thursday on vastly different visions for NASA's future, setting up a legislative clash on the roles of the agency and commercial vendors in the next phase of space exploration.
FULL STORY
Orbital plans Taurus 2 test flight with extra money
The Taurus 2 rocket could be launched on a standalone test flight next summer if NASA provides supplemental funding for commercial cargo services, Orbital Sciences Corp. officials told investment analysts Thursday.
FULL STORY
This Week In Space
A special edition of "This Week In Space" profiles the 35th anniversary of Apollo-Soyuz with exclusive interviews, plus Virgin Galactic takes flight and the Senate approves extra shuttle launch and heavy-lift rocket. Subscribe on iTunes to This Week in Space. Support This Week in Space by making a contribution to keep the show online. If you're interested in supporting This Week in Space through advertising, contact our team to find out how we can connect your organization with our viewers.
News Headlines
Boeing space capsule could be operational by 2015
Boeing executives pulled back the curtain on their concept for a commercial human space capsule this week at the Farnborough International Airshow, saying the CST-100 spacecraft could be ready for operational space station flights by 2015 if NASA awards contract money next year.
FULL STORY
Booster stacking underway for final shuttle launch
Workers started assembling twin solid rocket boosters this week to help power Endeavour toward orbit in February on the final scheduled launch of the space shuttle program.
FULL STORY
Mars sample return mission could begin with 2018 rover
Space officials in the United States and Europe are planning an ambitious dual-rover mission that could start collecting Martian soil samples in 2018 to be picked up by a subsequent mission and returned to Earth in the 2020s.
FULL STORY
House legislation does not compromise on NASA
A draft NASA bill being considered by the House Science Committee does not provide for an extra space shuttle mission and undercuts a compromise forged last week between the White House and Senate.
FULL STORY
Watch shuttle crews tell the joy of human spaceflight
It's a tradition for space shuttle astronauts to share their adventure with space enthusiasts, school children and the public. Spaceflight Now+Plus subscribers can watch presentations from nearly every space shuttle mission in our video archive, including two flights earlier this year.
SHUTTLE CREW PRESENTATIONS SUBSCRIBE NOW
Red Planet rover could emerge from slumber soon
NASA officials say the best chance to hear from the napping Spirit rover again will be in September or October, but the timing of the robot's revival from winter hibernation is an engineering guessing game.
FULL STORY
WISE mission completes first look through universe
The WISE infrared telescope finished surveying the universe Saturday, but its $320 million mission will continue until its funding and hydrogen coolant run out later this year.
FULL STORY
Second Falcon 9 rocket begins arriving at the Cape
Six weeks after the first Falcon 9 rocketed into orbit, pieces of the second launcher have begun arriving at Cape Canaveral for a shakedown flight of SpaceX's Dragon capsule in September, according to the company's top executive.
FULL STORY
Maneuvering engine attached to Discovery
Workers installed the shuttle Discovery's right-side Orbital Maneuvering System pod Thursday at the Kennedy Space Center after replacing a faulty helium valve.
FULL STORY AND PHOTO GALLERY
Compromise NASA bill gets bipartisan endorsement
A pivotal NASA authorization act passed Thursday by a U.S. Senate committee directs the space agency to fly an extra space shuttle mission next year and immediately start developing a heavy-lift rocket to send humans to an asteroid and Mars.
FULL STORY
Orbiting camera turns Martian surface into art
A sharp-eyed camera aboard NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has sent back more stunning images of the Red Planet's surface showing colorful sand dunes, polar frost, and rocky features visible from space.
PHOTO GALLERY
Fuel tank for final shuttle welcomed at spaceport
The external fuel tank for the final scheduled space shuttle launch has arrived at the Kennedy Space Center after a five-day, 900-mile barge ride from Louisiana to the Cape.
FULL STORY AND PHOTO GALLERY
Additional coverage for subscribers: VIDEO:
TIME-LAPSE OF TANK ARRIVING AT THE CAPE PLAY VIDEO:
EXTERNAL TANK LEAVES THE FACTORY PLAY VIDEO:
TANK ROLLOUT CEREMONY IN NEW ORLEANS PLAY SUBSCRIBE NOW
NASA hopes to launch high-tech demos early and often
NASA's new space technology development program is taking a page from Google. The innovative Internet firm's mantra of launching products early and often could be the tagline for NASA's consolidated initiative to develop revolutionary space capabilities, according to the agency's chief technologist.
FULL STORY
Taurus 2 could launch astronauts from Florida
Orbital Sciences Corp. could reevaluate moving some of its Taurus 2 rocket missions from Virginia to Florida if the company wins a contract to launch astronauts or stacks its backlog with satellite launches, a senior company official said Tuesday. FULL STORY
This Week In Space
This Week: The search for hazards from unknown near-Earth asteroids, the last shuttle fuel tank leaves factory, next round of workforce layoffs and NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden's Muslim comment. Subscribe on iTunes to This Week in Space. Support This Week in Space by making a contribution to keep the show online. If you're interested in supporting This Week in Space through advertising, contact our team to find out how we can connect your organization with our viewers.
News Headlines
Bankrupt Sea Launch signs contract with AsiaSat
Sea Launch netted a contract last week to send an unspecified AsiaSat communications satellite to orbit between 2012 and 2014, strengthening the company's backlog as it hopes to emerge from bankruptcy later this year. FULL STORY
Indian rocket successfully hauls five satellites to orbit
India sent an all-purpose Earth observation satellite into orbit early Monday, replenishing the country's fleet of mapping spacecraft for resource planning and security applications. FULL STORY
Comet-bound probe returns pictures of cratered asteroid
Europe's Rosetta spacecraft flew less than 2,000 miles from asteroid Lutetia Saturday, snapping pictures of the new world and collecting bonus science on a primitive relic of the solar system. FULL STORY IMAGES:FIRST VIEWS OF LUTETIA
Popular American television system gets a new satellite
A powerful reinforcement to bolster DISH Network's fleet of direct-to-home television broadcasting satellites climbed into orbit Saturday. FULL STORY PREVIEW STORY
Japanese craft goes solar sailing in deep space
An innovative solar sail launched in May has been accelerated by sunlight, successfully demonstrating a new fuel-saving propulsion technique in interplanetary space, the Japanese space agency announced Friday. FULL STORY
India blames April rocket mishap on third stage pump
The doomed launch of India's most powerful rocket in April was brought down by a turbopump failure in the vehicle's homemade third stage engine, the Indian Space Research Organization announced Friday. FULL STORY
Space agencies tackle waning plutonium supplies
While NASA is counting on an act of Congress or a renegotiated deal with Russia to acquire plutonium for its next robotic deep space missions, the European Space Agency is considering alternative nuclear fuels to power its own probes traveling into the sun-starved outer solar system. FULL STORY
Better safe than sorry: Rocket software being fixed
An improbable pitfall discovered in the Minotaur rocket's flight software, posing only a minuscule chance of ruining a mission, nevertheless will be patched before the booster launches a unique space surveillance craft, officials explained Thursday.
FULL STORY GROUND TRACK MAP LAUNCH EVENTS TIMELINE OUR MINOTAUR ARCHIVE
Rosetta will encounter unseen asteroid Saturday
The comet-bound Rosetta spacecraft will use its powerful instruments to see and sniff asteroid Lutetia Saturday, taking advantage of a fortuitous flyby of the perplexing object, which could be a chunk of primordial rock from the ancient solar system. FULL STORY
Ceremony marks unveiling of final shuttle fuel tank
The external tank for the final planned shuttle mission was rolled out of Lockheed Martin's Michoud Assembly Facility Thursday to begin the 900-mile voyage to the Kennedy Space Center for launch next February. FULL STORY
Cassini spies tiny moon
The Saturn-orbiting Cassini spacecraft has captured the best picture yet of the tiny moon it discovered in 2005, scientists said Wednesday. The miniature moon Daphnis is just 4.3 miles across. FULL STORY
Europe hopes to rescue Galileo from budget crunch
The European Union could request more funding for the Galileo navigation system from its cash-strapped member states by the end of this year, but it is unlikely European governments can afford to fully deploy the satellite fleet until after 2015, according to top space officials.
FULL STORY
United Space Alliance announces shuttle layoffs
With only two shuttle flights remaining on NASA's manifest, prime contractor United Space Alliance plans to lay off about 15 percent of its 8,100-strong space shuttle workforce Oct. 1, company officials announced Tuesday. FULL STORY
Scientists find dust inside Japan's asteroid capsule
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency announced Monday they found particles inside the Hayabusa mission's capsule that was supposed to scoop up a sample from the surface of asteroid Itokawa in 2005. FULL STORY
Europe's Planck telescope sees radiant universe
The European Space Agency released a spectacular picture of the microwave sky Monday, an artful mosaic of interstellar dust and the relic light from the birth of the universe.
FULL STORY LAUNCH COVERAGE
Resupply ship returns and docks to space station
The Russian-American crew living aboard the International Space Station welcomed the safe arrival of a cargo-delivery tug Sunday, two days after the freighter aborted its initial rendezvous and sailed by the orbiting complex. The second approach was flawless, leading to docking at 12:17 p.m. EDT.
FULL STORY SATURDAY UPDATE FRIDAY'S STORY
Additional coverage for subscribers: VIDEO:
FULL BROADCAST OF SUPPLY SHIP'S DOCKING PLAY VIDEO:
WATCH CARGO FREIGHTER DOCK TO SPACE STATION PLAY SUBSCRIBE NOW
Workers put finishing touches on new Soyuz pad
Engineers in South America finished constructing the framework of a 17-story mobile gantry for the Soyuz rocket in June, but the installation of pad systems continues in hopes of launching the Russian booster from the new facility by December, an Arianespace spokesperson said Friday.
FULL STORY
Europe, Canada eye extra Soyuz for station access
European and Canadian space officials are in talks with Russia to purchase dedicated Soyuz capsules to ferry their astronauts to the International Space Station.
FULL STORY
Thruster firing puts New Horizons back on track
The New Horizons mission speeding toward a fleeting visit to Pluto fired its thruster system for 35.6 seconds Wednesday, correcting a small error in the probe's trajectory into the outer fringes of the solar system.
FULL STORY
New launch dates targeted for remaining shuttles
After assessing payload processing issues and projected traffic to and from the International Space Station, NASA managers Thursday formally retargeted the program's final two missions for launches Nov. 1 and Feb. 26.
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Telescopes.com
Largest selection and the best prices anywhere in the world. Free shipping on select items. Telescopes.com is the largest dealer of both Meade and Celestron Telescopes. Visit Telescopes.com or call toll free 1-800-303-5873.
Next Shuttle Mission Patch Free shipping to U.S. addresses! The final planned flight of space shuttle Discovery is symbolized in the official embroidered crew patch for STS-133. Available in our store! U.S. STORE WORLDWIDE STORE STS-134 Patch Free shipping to U.S. addresses! The final planned flight of space shuttle Endeavour is symbolized in the official embroidered crew patch for STS-134. Available in our store! U.S. STORE WORLDWIDE STORE Special shuttle history patch Free shipping to U.S. addresses! This special commemorative patch marks the retirement of NASA's Space Shuttle Program. Available in our store! U.S. STORE WORLDWIDE STORE Apollo Collage This beautiful one piece set features the Apollo program emblem surrounded by the individual mission logos. U.S. STORE WORLDWIDE STORE
Fallen Heroes Patch Collection The official patches from Apollo 1, the shuttle Challenger and Columbia crews are available in the store. U.S. STORE WORLDWIDE STORE
Largest selection and the best prices anywhere in the world. Free shipping on select items. Telescopes.com is the largest dealer of both Meade and Celestron Telescopes. Visit Telescopes.com or call toll free 1-800-303-5873.
The final planned flight of space shuttle Discovery is symbolized in the official embroidered crew patch for STS-133. Available in our store!
U.S. STORE
The final planned flight of space shuttle Endeavour is symbolized in the official embroidered crew patch for STS-134. Available in our store!
This special commemorative patch marks the retirement of NASA's Space Shuttle Program. Available in our store!
This beautiful one piece set features the Apollo program emblem surrounded by the individual mission logos.
The official patches from Apollo 1, the shuttle Challenger and Columbia crews are available in the store.
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SOLID ROCKET MOTOR GROUND TEST-FIRING 
