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News Archive: August 1-31 |
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Water vapor 'raining down'
on young star system
NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope has detected enough water vapor to fill the oceans on Earth five times inside the collapsing nest of a forming star system. Astronomers say the water vapor is pouring down from the system's natal cloud and smacking into a dusty disk where planets are thought to form.
 FULL STORY
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Mars rovers begin new observations on atmosphere
Mars rover scientists have launched a new long-term study on the Martian atmosphere with the Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer, an instrument that was originally developed at the University of Chicago.
FULL STORY
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NASA satellites eye coastal water quality from orbit
Researchers armed with data from two NASA satellites have invented a way to map the fleeting changes in coastal water quality from space. The task long had evaded researchers and coastal managers relying only on ground-based data.
FULL STORY
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Space station crew relocates docking port
The crew of the international space station ran into unexpected problems Thursday detaching a docking port on the left side of the multi-hatch Unity module. After considerable troubleshooting on the ground, flight controllers cleared the crew to press ahead.
FULL STORY
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NASA finds no evidence of astronaut alcohol abuse
Based on scores of interviews with current and former astronauts, flight surgeons, managers and technicians, an internal NASA investigation has found no evidence of past or present alcohol abuse by space shuttle or Soyuz crew members that might represent a flight safety issue.
FULL STORY
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Kennedy Space Center to become a moonport again
While the space shuttle fleet continues its countdown to retirement, Kennedy Space Center teams are already at work to transition the Florida spaceport into the home of the Ares rocket family that promises to carry astronauts to the moon by the end of the next decade.
FULL STORY
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Boeing to build NASA's upper stage for Ares I
The Boeing Company has been awarded a NASA contract valued at approximately $514.7 million to produce the upper stage of the Ares I crew launch vehicle. This element provides the navigation, guidance, control and propulsion required for the ascent of the second-stage Ares I into low-Earth orbit.
FULL STORY
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Lunar eclipse images
A lunar eclipse graced the skies early Tuesday morning. These images of the event were taken from Daytona Beach and the Ponce Inlet lighthouse in Central Florida. The total lunar eclipse occurred as daybreak approached.
PHOTO GALLERY
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Neutron stars warp space-time, astronomers observe
Using European and Japanese/NASA X-ray satellites, astronomers have seen Einstein's predicted distortion of space-time around three neutron stars, and in doing so they have pioneered a groundbreaking technique for determining the properties of these ultradense objects.
FULL STORY
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Signs of long-term changes in tropical rainfall
NASA scientists have detected the first signs that tropical rainfall is on the rise, using the longest and most complete data record available.
FULL STORY
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NASA's twin Mars rovers resume driving after storms
After six weeks of hunkering down during raging dust storms that limited solar power, both of NASA's Mars Exploration Rovers, Spirit and Opportunity, have resumed driving.
FULL STORY
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Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter concern resolved
Diagnostic tests and months of stable, successful operation have resolved concerns raised early this year about long-term prospects for the powerful telescopic camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.
FULL STORY
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Spitzer marks anniversary with celestial fireworks
A newly expanded image of the Helix nebula lends a festive touch to the fourth anniversary of the launch of NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope. This spectacular object, a dying star unraveling into space, is a favorite of amateur and professional astronomers alike. Spitzer has mapped the expansive outer structure of the six-light-year-wide nebula, and probed the inner region around the central dead star to reveal what appears to be a planetary system that survived the star's chaotic death throes.
FULL STORY
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Tank fix not expected to delay next shuttle launch
Shuttle program managers have ordered repairs to downstream external fuel tanks to remove underlying insulation around propellant feedline support brackets because of cracks found in the wake of a foam-shedding incident that damaged the shuttle Endeavour's heat shield earlier this month. The work is not expected to delay the next shuttle flight, targeted for launch around Oct. 23, but the schedule is extremely tight for the flight after that in December.
FULL STORY
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Astronomers find gaping hole in the universe
University of Minnesota astronomers have found an enormous hole in the universe, nearly a billion light-years across, empty of both normal matter such as stars, galaxies and gas, as well as the mysterious, unseen "dark matter."
FULL STORY
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Dark matter mystery deepens in 'train wreck'
Astronomers have discovered a chaotic scene unlike any witnessed before in a cosmic "train wreck" between giant galaxy clusters. NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory and optical telescopes revealed a dark matter core that was mostly devoid of galaxies, which may pose problems for current theories of dark matter behavior.
FULL STORY
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What makes Mars magnetic?
If you could pick up a rock from the surface of Mars, then the chances are it would be magnetic. And yet, Mars doesn't have a magnetic field coming from its core. These rocks are clinging to the signal of an ancient magnetic field, dating back billions of years, to the times when Mars had a magnetic field like Earth's.
FULL STORY
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Astronomers spot brightest galaxies in distant universe
By combining the capabilities of several telescopes, astronomers have spotted extremely bright galaxies hiding in the distant, young universe. The newfound galaxies are intrinsically bright due to their large rate of star formation-1000 times greater than the Milky Way. However, much of that light is hidden by surrounding dust and gas, leaking out only in the infrared.
FULL STORY
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Space shuttle Endeavour returns to Earth
Shuttle Endeavour sailed into the Kennedy Space Center on Tuesday, touching down on Runway 15 at 12:32 p.m. EDT after traveling more than five million miles on its 20th spaceflight.
FULL STORY
PHOTOS: ENDEAVOUR'S LANDING
MISSION STATUS CENTER
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CREW GIVEN THE "GO" FOR DEORBIT BURN PLAY
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SHUTTLE ENDEAVOUR'S LANDING AS SEEN LIVE PLAY
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LANDING REPLAY: CAMERA LOOKING OUT PILOT'S WINDOW PLAY
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LANDING REPLAY: WIDESCREEN TRACKER PLAY
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LANDING REPLAY: VAB ROOF CAMERA PLAY
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LANDING REPLAY: RUNWAY NORTH PLAY
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LANDING REPLAY: RUNWAY WEST PLAY
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LANDING REPLAY: MID-FIELD PLAY
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LANDING REPLAY: RUNWAY EAST PLAY
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POST-LANDING NEWS CONFERENCE PLAY
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CREW'S POST-FLIGHT NEWS CONFERENCE PLAY
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Endeavour headed for landing in Florida
Shuttle Endeavour is scheduled for landing at Kennedy Space Center on Tuesday, weather permitting, to close out its station assembly flight. Program managers say a small-but-deep gouge in the shuttle's heat shield poses no threat to Endeavour or its crew. But the jury is still out on what sort of near-term fix might be needed to keep shuttles flying until the external tank problem that caused the damage can be eliminated.
FULL STORY
MASTER FLIGHT PLAN
TUESDAY'S LANDING GROUND TRACKS
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MISSION RECAP FROM PROGRAM MANAGERS PLAY
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THE FLIGHT DAY 13 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY
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FLIGHT DAY 13 MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
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EDUCATIONAL EVENT WITH CANADIAN STUDENTS PLAY
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Crew preps for entry
The Endeavour astronauts are preparing the shuttle for landing Tuesday, packing up equipment and testing the ship's re-entry systems before enjoying a final few hours of off-duty time Monday afternoon.
FULL STORY
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Endeavour departs station after successful visit
The space shuttle Endeavour undocked from the space station Sunday morning, departing at 7:56 a.m. EDT after nine days of orbital construction and supply transfer work. Endeavour is due home at the Kennedy Space Center on Tuesday, with touchdown targeted for about 12:30 p.m. EDT.
FULL STORY
PREVIEW STORY
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THE FLIGHT DAY 12 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY
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FLIGHT DAY 12 MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
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ENDEAVOUR UNDOCKS FROM THE SPACE STATION PLAY
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NASA decides to bring Endeavour home a day early
The Endeavour astronauts staged a final, abbreviated spacewalk Saturday and closed hatches between the shuttle and the international space station to set the stage for undocking early Sunday and landing Tuesday - a day early because of concern about Hurricane Dean - to close out a dramatic station assembly mission.
FULL STORY
SPACEWALK PREVIEW
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Additional coverage for subscribers:
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THE FLIGHT DAY 11 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY
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FLIGHT DAY 11 MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
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FAREWELL CEREMONY BETWEEN THE CREWS PLAY
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SPACE STATION FLIES OVER HURRICANE DEAN PLAY
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ANTENNAS INSTALLED BY THE SPACEWALKERS PLAY
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EXTERNAL EXPERIMENT PACKAGES RETRIEVED PLAY
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FOURTH AND FINAL SPACEWALK BEGINS PLAY
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New engine valves installed on Atlas and Delta rockets
A team of U.S. government and contractor investigators is nearing the end of a two-month inquiry into a fuel leak that left two top secret spy satellites in the wrong orbit during a June launch of the Atlas 5 rocket.
FULL STORY
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NASA studies options as hurricane threat looms
NASA's Mission Management Team, after resolving concerns about damage to the shuttle Endeavour's heat shield, shifted gears Friday and began discussing the possibility of bringing the astronauts back to Earth on Tuesday, a day early, because of concern Hurricane Dean could threaten a shutdown of mission control at the Johnson Space Center in Houston.
FULL STORY - updated
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THE FLIGHT DAY 10 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY
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EVENING UPDATE FROM MISSION MANAGEMENT TEAM PLAY
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FLIGHT DAY 10 MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
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CREW NEWS CONFERENCE U.S. PART | CANADIAN PART
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Crew preps for Saturday's station spacewalk
The Endeavour astronauts were working through a busy day in space Friday, trying to trace a subtle communications wiring problem, transferring supplies and equipment to and from the international space station and preparing for a fourth and final spacewalk Saturday.
FULL STORY
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Final decision: No repair needed on tile damage
NASA's Mission Management Team on Thursday ruled out an unprecedented heat shield repair spacewalk and cleared the shuttle Endeavour for re-entry and landing next week "as is" based on computer modeling and tests in a high-temperature furnace that show a small gouge in the ship's belly will not cause serious damage during the fiery plunge to Earth.
FULL STORY
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THE FLIGHT DAY 9 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY
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FLIGHT DAY 9 MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
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CREW RECEIVES NEWS THAT NO REPAIR NEEDED PLAY
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Barbara Morgan chats with students from space station
The Endeavour astronauts are content to follow the guidance of mission control when it comes to a divot in the shuttle's heat shield. Teacher-turned-astronaut Barbara Morgan said Thursday "we have a lot of faith in the program and we'll do what the engineers decide is the best thing for us to do. We have all confidence we're going to be able to do the right thing."
FULL STORY
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EDUCATIONAL EVENT WITH CHALLENGER CENTER PLAY
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BARBARA MORGAN CALLS HER FORMER SCHOOL PLAY
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CREW INTERVIEW WITH THE ASSOCIATED PRESS PLAY
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CREW INTERVIEW WITH REUTERS PLAY
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CREW INTERVIEW WITH IDAHO PUBLIC TV PLAY
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Cameras aboard shuttle give amazing launch views
Now you can take a virtual trip aboard shuttle Endeavour's recent launch thanks to video cameras mounted inside the ship's cockpit as well as outside on the twin solid rocket boosters and external tank. A camera in the crew module shows what it's like for the astronauts during the climb to orbit, while the booster cameras offer unique forward-facing and Earth-facing views of the launch, separation from the shuttle and the fall into the Atlantic. The external fuel tank had a camera showing the entire trek to space.
(Movies include live launch audio)
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VIDEO:
CREW MODULE CAMERA SHOWS FIRST MINUTES OF LAUNCH PLAY
VIDEO:
CREW MODULE CAMERA SHOWS ARRIVAL IN SPACE PLAY
VIDEO:
LEFT-HAND BOOSTER LOOKING UP PLAY
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LEFT-HAND BOOSTER LOOKING DOWN PLAY
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RIGHT-HAND BOOSTER LOOKING UP PLAY
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RIGHT-HAND BOOSTER LOOKING DOWN PLAY
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THE EXTERNAL FUEL TANK'S CAMERA PLAY
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NASA awaits final test data before decision on repair
As expected, the Endeavour astronauts will delay their fourth spacewalk, from Friday to Saturday, to protect against the possibility of an unprecedented heat shield repair. Mission Management Team Chairman John Shannon said late Wednesday a decision one way or the other will be made Thursday, after a final round of tests.
FULL STORY
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THE FLIGHT DAY 8 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY
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FLIGHT DAY 8 MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
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Glove damage brings early end to spacewalk
Making a routine inspection of his spacesuit gloves, a recently implemented safety procedure because of damage found after a December shuttle flight, astronaut Rick Mastracchio spotted a small hole in one of the outer layers of his left glove, prompting mission control to order him back to the space station's airlock as a precaution.
FULL STORY
PREVIEW STORY
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VIDEO:
THE THIRD SPACEWALK BEGINS PLAY
VIDEO:
MOVING AN S-BAND COMMUNICATIONS ANTENNA PLAY
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STATION RAIL CART RELOCATED PLAY
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SPACESUIT GLOVE DAMAGE SPOTTED PLAY
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PREVIEW OF SPACEWALK NO. 3 PLAY
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THE FLIGHT DAY 7 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY
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NASA 'cautiously optimistic' shuttle won't need repairs
Sophisticated computer analysis indicates the aluminum skin directly below a small gash in the shuttle Endeavour's heat shield will not exceed NASA's 350-degree safety limit during re-entry, a top NASA manager said late Tuesday, despite temperatures of up to 2,100 degrees just outside the gouge.
FULL STORY
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Additional coverage for subscribers:
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FLIGHT DAY 7 MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
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EDUCATIONAL EVENT WITH CHILDREN IN IDAHO PLAY
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CREW INTERVIEW WITH ABC NEWS PLAY
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CREW INTERVIEW WITH CBS NEWS PLAY
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CREW INTERVIEW WITH CNN PLAY
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CREW INTERVIEW WITH NBC NEWS PLAY
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CREW INTERVIEW WITH FOX NEWS PLAY
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Ariane 5 puts another double payload into orbit
An advanced space-based Internet switchboard-in-the-sky and a Japanese direct broadcasting satellite were successfully hauled into space Tuesday aboard an Ariane 5 rocket, making its third flight of the year.
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Crew installs spare parts platform outside the station
The Endeavour astronauts worked to robotically install a 7,000-pound equipment storage platform on the international space station Tuesday, a complex procedure requiring tight choreography between the shuttle and station robot arms.
PREVIEW STORY
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STOWAGE PLATFORM ATTACHED TO THE STATION PLAY
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THE PLATFORM IS RAISED OUT OF PAYLOAD BAY PLAY
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SHUTTLE ARM GRAPPLES THE STOWAGE PLATFORM PLAY
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STOWAGE PLATFORM INSTALLATION EXPLAINED PLAY
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Shannon says tile damage not a threat to astronauts
The foam-damaged heat-shield tiles on the belly of Endeavour do not represent a Columbia-class threat of catastrophic failure during re-entry, the chairman of NASA's Mission Management Team said Monday.
FULL STORY
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THE FLIGHT DAY 6 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY
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SHANNON GIVES UPDATE ON TILE DAMAGE ANALYSIS PLAY
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Spacewalkers replace a failed station component
Astronauts Rick Mastracchio and Dave Williams successfully replaced an ailing control moment gyroscope on the space station Monday to accomplish the primary goal of their second spacewalk.
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PREVIEW OF SPACEWALK NO. 2 PLAY
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SPACEWALK NO. 2 BEGINS PLAY
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SPACEWALKERS UNBOLT THE FAILED GYROSCOPE PLAY
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THE FAILED GYRO IS REMOVED FROM THE STATION PLAY
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NEW GYRO IS RETRIEVED FROM SHUTTLE PAYLOAD BAY PLAY
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SPACEWALKERS BRING NEW GYRO UP TO THE STATION PLAY
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THE NEW GYRO IS INSTALLED AND BOLTED DOWN PLAY
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FAILED GYRO PUT ON STATION STOWAGE PLATFORM PLAY
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Thermal tile gouge almost reaches shuttle's skin
A "focused inspection" of the shuttle Endeavour's heat shield Sunday, prompted by concern over foam impact damage spotted earlier in the mission, revealed a deep gouge that nearly penetrates two adjacent tiles on the orbiter's belly. The damage was not apparent in realtime imagery downlinked from the shuttle, but higher resolution photos seen later in the day clearly showed a small but deep, scooped-out pit in the heat shield.
FULL STORY
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THE FLIGHT DAY 5 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY
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HURRICANE FLOSSIE ON SUNDAY EVENING PLAY
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CREW INSPECTIONS SHUTTLE TILE DAMAGE PLAY
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INSPECTION BOOM FOR DAMAGE CHECK PLAY
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FLIGHT DAY 5 MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
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Space station computer up and running again
Amid planning for an afternoon inspection to assess the extent of shuttle heat shield damage, space station controllers successfully restarted a command-and-control computer that locked up Saturday because of an apparent software glitch.
FULL STORY
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THE FLIGHT DAY 4 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY
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FLIGHT DAY 4 MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
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Extra shuttle inspection to answer tile damage concern
Digital video from cameras mounted on Endeavour's solid-fuel boosters shows debris that hit the underside of the orbiter during launch Wednesday was a chunk of foam, not ice. A focused inspection Sunday using a laser scanner and a high-resolution camera is needed to fully assess the extent of the damage and what, if any, impact it might have during re-entry.
FULL STORY
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New station truss installed during spacewalk
Amid ongoing work to assess the health of the shuttle Endeavour's heat shield, astronauts Rick Mastracchio and Dave Williams conducted a six-and-a-half-hour spacewalk Saturday to attach a 5,000 pound spacer segment to the space station's main solar array truss.
SPACEWALK STORY
EVA PREVIEW STORY
U.S. COMPUTER SHUTS DOWN
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SPACEWALK NO. 1 BEGINS PLAY
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SPACEWALKERS REMOVE LAUNCH LOCKS ON S5 TRUSS PLAY
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ROBOT ARM INSTALLS STARBOARD 5 TRUSS ON STATION PLAY
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STARBOARD 5 TRUSS BOLTED TO THE SPACE STATION PLAY
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TRUSS'S GRAPPLE FIXTURE REMOVED PLAY
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PREVIEW OF SPACEWALK NO. 1 PLAY
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STARBOARD 5 TRUSS INSTALLATION EXPLAINED PLAY
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Endeavour pulls into port
at the space station
Shuttle Endeavour glided to a gentle docking with the station Friday after a spectacular trans-Atlantic somersault to give the lab crew a chance to inspect the orbiter's heat-shield tiles. While analysis of high-resolution digital images will take several days to complete, engineers spotted a small gouge in the tile behind the right landing gear door that may have been caused by a chunk of ice that hit the orbiter 58 seconds after launch.
FULL STORY
PREVIEW STORY
DOCKING TIMELINE
MISSION FLIGHT PLAN
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THE FLIGHT DAY 3 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY
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FLIGHT DAY 3 MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
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STARBOARD 5 TRUSS PULLED OUT OF PAYLOAD BAY PLAY
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TRUSS HANDED FROM SHUTTLE ARM TO STATION ARM PLAY
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SHUTTLE ASTRONAUTS WELCOMED ABOARD STATION PLAY
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SHUTTLE DOCKS TO THE STATION AS SEEN LIVE PLAY
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ENDEAVOUR AND STATION FLY INTO ORBITAL SUNRISE PLAY
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SHUTTLE DOES BACKFLIP BELOW THE STATION PLAY
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ENDEAVOUR INTERCEPTS THE SPACE STATION PLAY
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SHUTTLE TI BURN SEEN FROM STATION PLAY
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ANIMATED PREVIEW OF DOCKING PLAY
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FIRST IN-SPACE COMMENTS FROM BARBARA MORGAN PLAY
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THE FLIGHT DAY 2 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY
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Photo gallery: The launch of space shuttle Endeavour
The space shuttle Endeavour was launched at 6:36 p.m. EDT Wednesday to begin its 20th voyage in orbit. This collection of images begins with retraction of the service tower at pad 39A on the evening before launch and shows various views of the liftoff.
PHOTO GALLERY
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NASA says tank appears to have performed well
Preliminary analysis of launch photography indicates about nine small bits of foam insulation came off the shuttle Endeavour's external fuel tank during the climb to space Wednesday. But only three are believed to have possibly struck the orbiter and there are no obvious signs of any impact damage, officials said Thursday.
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JETTISONED EXTERNAL TANK FALLS AWAY PLAY
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FLIGHT DAY 2 MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
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SHUTTLE INSPECTIONS EXPLAINED PLAY
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Crew gives Endeavour thorough inspection
The Endeavour astronauts are working through a busy first full day in space, completing setup of the ship's laptop computer network, checking out their spacesuits and carrying out an exhaustive inspection of the shuttle's nose cap and wing leading edge panels.
FULL STORY
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THE FULL LAUNCH EXPERIENCE PLAY
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THE FLIGHT DAY 1 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY
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LAUNCH REPLAY: EXTERNAL TANK CAMERA PLAY
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LAUNCH REPLAY: UCS-23 WIDESCREEN PLAY
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LAUNCH REPLAY: PLAYALINDA WIDESCREEN PLAY
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LAUNCH REPLAY: CAMERA 009 PLAY
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LAUNCH REPLAY: CAMERA 049 PLAY
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LAUNCH REPLAY: CAMERA 050 PLAY
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LAUNCH REPLAY: CAMERA 051 PLAY
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LAUNCH REPLAY: CAMERA 054 PLAY
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LAUNCH REPLAY: CAMERA 060 PLAY
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LAUNCH REPLAY: CAMERA 061 PLAY
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LAUNCH REPLAY: CAMERA 063 PLAY
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LAUNCH REPLAY: CAMERA 070 PLAY
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LAUNCH REPLAY: CAMERA 071 PLAY
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LAUNCH REPLAY: WEST TOWER PLAY
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LAUNCH REPLAY: PAD PERIMETER PLAY
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LAUNCH REPLAY: COMPLEX 41 PLAY
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LAUNCH REPLAY: KSC RUNWAY PLAY
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LAUNCH REPLAY: PAD FRONT PLAY
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LAUNCH REPLAY: CAMERA CS-1 PLAY
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LAUNCH REPLAY: CAMERA CS-2 PLAY
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LAUNCH REPLAY: CAMERA UCS-12 PLAY
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LAUNCH REPLAY: PRESS SITE PLAY
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LAUNCH REPLAY: VAB ROOF PLAY
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LAUNCH REPLAY: BEACH TRACKER PLAY
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Shuttle Endeavour thunders back into space
The shuttle Endeavour, making its first flight since the 2003 Columbia disaster, blasted off Wednesday on a space station assembly mission carrying a crew of seven that includes teacher-turned-astronaut Barbara Morgan, Christa McAuliffe's backup in the original Teacher in Space program.
FULL STORY
STS-118 QUICK-LOOK
LAUNCH WINDOWS CHART
COUNTDOWN TIMELINE
ASCENT TIMELINE
IMAGES: GANTRY ROLLBACK
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VIDEO:
ENDEAVOUR LAUNCHES PLAY
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ASTRONAUTS ARRIVE AT LAUNCH PAD 39A PLAY
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CREW DEPARTS QUARTERS FOR THE LAUNCH PAD PLAY
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ASTRONAUTS FINISH DONNING THEIR SPACESUITS PLAY
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CREW'S LAUNCH MORNING PHOTO IN DINING ROOM PLAY
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TIME-LAPSE MOVIE OF GANTRY ROLLBACK PLAY
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UPCLOSE FOOTAGE OF THE GANTRY ROLLBACK PLAY
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PRE-FLIGHT INTERVIEW: SCOTT KELLY PLAY
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PRE-FLIGHT INTERVIEW: CHARLIE HOBAUGH PLAY
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PRE-FLIGHT INTERVIEW: TRACY CALDWELL PLAY
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PRE-FLIGHT INTERVIEW: RICK MASTRACCHIO PLAY
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PRE-FLIGHT INTERVIEW: DAVE WILLIAMS PLAY
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PRE-FLIGHT INTERVIEW: BARBARA MORGAN PLAY
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PRE-FLIGHT INTERVIEW: ALVIN DREW PLAY
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Shuttle preview: A flight for education and the station
Fresh out of a lengthy overhaul, the shuttle Endeavour is poised for blastoff Wednesday on a space station assembly mission, the orbiter's first flight since the 2003 Columbia disaster. The high-profile multi-spacewalk mission features Barbara Morgan, a 55-year-old elementary school teacher-turned-astronaut who has waited 21 years for a chance to fulfill Christa McAuliffe's legacy as the original Teacher in Space.
FULL REPORT
VIDEO: STS-118 MISSION COVERAGE
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TUESDAY MORNING'S STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
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STS-118 PRE-LAUNCH NEWS CONFERENCE PLAY
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MONDAY MORNING'S STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
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A wide-ranging interview with the leader of NASA
NASA Administrator Mike Griffin said Tuesday he believes a recent independent report that included anecdotal allegations of alcohol abuse among some unnamed astronauts was "inflammatory" and not credible based on his own personal experience with the men and women who risk their lives on the high frontier.
FULL STORY
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Largest extrasolar planet found around distant star
An international team of astronomers have announced the discovery of a new extrasolar planet in the constellation of Hercules. It is the largest known exoplanet and is about 70 percent bigger than Jupiter.
FULL STORY
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A monster galaxy pileup
Four galaxies are slamming into each other and kicking up billions of stars in one of the largest cosmic smash-ups ever observed. The clashing galaxies will eventually merge into a single, behemoth galaxy up to 10 times as massive as our own Milky Way.
FULL STORY
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The launch of Phoenix |
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Phoenix launch gallery
These collections of images show the Phoenix spacecraft leaving Earth for its interplanetary cruise to Mars. The mobile service gantry at pad 17A was rolled back Friday evening to reveal the Delta 2 rocket in the final hours of the countdown. The successful liftoff followed early Saturday.
IMAGES: TOWER ROLLBACK
IMAGES: LIFTOFF!
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From Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, these panoramas show the Complex 17 launch pads used by Delta 2 rockets. Spaceflight Now photographer Chris Miller captured the panoramas before and after the Phoenix launch from pad 17A. The rocket to loft the Dawn asteroid probe stands on pad 17B.
PANORAMA 1 | PANORAMA 2 | PANORAMA 3 | PANORAMA 4
PANORAMA 5 | PANORAMA 6
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Lander targets Mars' water
When NASA's Phoenix lander arrives at Mars next May, it will join a flotilla of spacecraft already at the red planet working as a team of robotic scientists to probe the existence of water.
FULL STORY
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Phoenix takes flight!
NASA's Phoenix spacecraft has embarked on its 10-month, 420-million-mile cruise from Earth to Mars, departing aboard a Delta 2 rocket Saturday morning bound for the Red Planet to examine the frozen water in the northern plains that could be a habitable zone for life.
FULL STORY
MISSION STATUS CENTER - updates!
VIDEO: COVERAGE OF PHOENIX
PODCAST: WATCH | FREE SUBSCRIPTION
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Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO:
PHOENIX LAUNCHES! PLAY
VIDEO:
POST-FLIGHT COMMENTS FROM LAUNCH MANAGER PLAY
VIDEO:
WIDE-SCREEN FROM PATRICK AFB CAMERA PLAY
VIDEO:
TRACKER FOLLOWS ROCKET TO MECO PLAY
VIDEO:
LAUNCH AS SEEN FROM THE PRESS SITE PLAY
VIDEO:
PAD'S MOBILE GANTRY ROLLED BACK FOR LAUNCH PLAY
VIDEO:
NARRATED HIGHLIGHTS OF PHOENIX CAMPAIGN PLAY
VIDEO:
NARRATED HIGHLIGHTS OF ROCKET CAMPAIGN PLAY
VIDEO:
THE PRE-LAUNCH NEWS CONFERENCE PLAY
VIDEO:
OVERVIEW OF PHOENIX MISSION TO MARS PLAY
VIDEO:
ANIMATION OF PHOENIX WITH NARRATION PLAY
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Earlier News |
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Station gets supply ship
A Russian cargo delivery craft reached the space station at 2:40 p.m. EDT Sunday, successfully docking to the Pirs module following a three-day trek since launch. The Progress freighter is carrying about 5,000 pounds of supplies for the outpost, including new parts for the Russian computer system.
FULL STORY
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Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO:
PROGRESS 26P DOCKS TO THE STATION PLAY
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With new valve tested, shuttle countdown begins
Engineers at the Kennedy Space Center started the shuttle Endeavour's countdown Sunday evening at 8 p.m. EDT, setting the stage for launch on a space station assembly mission at 6:36 p.m. EDT Wednesday. Forecasters are predicting a 70 percent chance of good weather for launch.
EARLIER STORY
NASA TV SCHEDULE
COUNTDOWN TIMELINE
LAUNCH WINDOWS CHART
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Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO:
SUNDAY COUNTDOWN AND WEATHER UPDATE PLAY
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Shuttle launch postponed;
Crew flies to Cape
Launch of space shuttle Endeavour with teacher-turned-astronaut Barbara Morgan is being postponed 24 hours, with liftoff now targeted for 6:36 p.m. EDT on Wednesday. The decision was made to give engineers more time to catch up on pre-flight work, which fell behind schedule with this week's replacement of a faulty pressure valve in the shuttle's crew module.
FULL STORY
MISSION STATUS CENTER - updates!
VIDEO: STS-118 MISSION COVERAGE
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Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO:
CREW ARRIVES AT KENNEDY SPACE CENTER PLAY
VIDEO:
COMMENTS FROM EACH OF THE ASTRONAUTS PLAY
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Educator-astronaut Morgan finally about to fly
Twenty-one years after the shuttle Challenger crashed to Earth, the fallen astronauts, their mission and the management failures that cost them their lives have faded from public memory. Once eulogized by President Ronald Reagan, the crew's names now grace schools, bridges and other public works, quiet honors that symbolize the inevitable transition from front page news to somber history.
FULL STORY
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Cassini finds possible origin to one of Saturn's rings
Cassini scientists may have identified the source of one of Saturn's more mysterious rings. Saturn's G ring likely is produced by relatively large, icy particles that reside within a bright arc on the ring's inner edge.
FULL STORY
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Planet orbiting a giant red star discovered
A planet orbiting a giant red star has been discovered by an astronomy team led by Penn State's Alex Wolszczan, who in 1992 discovered the first planets ever found outside our solar system. The new discovery is helping astronomers to understand what will happen to the planets in our solar system when our Sun becomes a red-giant star, expanding so much that its surface will reach as far as Earth's orbit.
FULL STORY
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Resupply vessel launches toward the space station
A space station cargo ship rocketed into orbit atop a Soyuz booster Thursday, launching from the Baikonur Cosmodrome at 1:34 p.m. EDT. The Progress freighter is carrying about 5,000 pounds of supplies for the outpost, including new parts for the Russian computer system. Docking is planned for Sunday. An old Progress departed from the station Wednesday and reentered the atmosphere.
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Shuttle valve to be replaced without impact to launch
NASA managers Wednesday ordered engineers to replace a suspect positive pressure relief valve in the shuttle Endeavour's crew module to fix an apparent leak that showed up over the weekend during routine launch pad testing.
FULL STORY
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Read our earlier news archive page.
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