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News Archive: Feb. 1-29 |
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Take a rocketing ride into orbit aboard shuttle Atlantis
We present some dramatic footage from space shuttle Atlantis' recent launch into orbit carrying the Columbus science lab. External video cameras on the solid rocket boosters and fuel tank, plus a cockpit camera on the flight deck show what the shuttle and its astronauts experience during the trek to space. And the movies are synched with the live call of the launch.
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Additional coverage for subscribers:
 VIDEO:
FLIGHT DECK CAMERA IN THE COCKPIT PLAY
VIDEO:
LEFT-HAND BOOSTER LOOKING UP PLAY
VIDEO:
LEFT-HAND BOOSTER LOOKING DOWN PLAY
VIDEO:
RIGHT-HAND BOOSTER LOOKING UP PLAY
VIDEO:
RIGHT-HAND BOOSTER LOOKING DOWN PLAY
VIDEO:
PROBLEM WITH SRB PARACHUTE PLAY
VIDEO:
EXTERNAL FUEL TANK CAMERA PLAY
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STS-122 VIDEO COVERAGE
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Shuttle Endeavour cleared for its March 11 launch
NASA managers completed a two-day flight readiness review Friday and formally cleared the shuttle Endeavour for blastoff March 11 on a 16-day space station assembly mission featuring five spacewalks, delivery of a new Japanese module and assembly of a complex Canadian hand-like attachment for the station's robot arm.
 FULL STORY
STS-123 QUICK-LOOK
MISSION FLIGHT PLAN
LAUNCH WINDOWS CHART
COUNTDOWN TIMELINE
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FLIGHT READINESS REVIEW NEWS BRIEFING PLAY
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Spacecraft at Mars prepare for new kid on the block
Three Mars spacecraft are adjusting their orbits to be over the right place at the right time to listen to NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander as it enters the Martian atmosphere on May 25.
FULL STORY
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Potential lunar landing site explored by radar
NASA has obtained the highest resolution terrain mapping to date of the moon's rugged south polar region. Scientists collected the data using the Deep Space Network's Goldstone Solar System Radar located in California's Mojave Desert.
FULL STORY
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OTHER HEADLINES Additional stories today
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Lake Erie crew describes satellite shot -- The crewmembers of the USS Lake Erie were calm as they fired the latest shot heard round the world. The Aegis-class cruiser fired the missile that destroyed a dead spy satellite that posed a threat to humans.
Rigorous test completed for first AEHF satellite -- Lockheed Martin has successfully completed acoustic testing of the first Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) military communications satellite. The Advanced EHF system will provide survivable, highly secure, protected, global communications for all warfighters serving under the U.S. Department of Defense.
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Scientists probe intriguing phenomenon on Enceladus
An enormous plume of dust and water spurts violently into space from the south pole of Enceladus, Saturn's sixth-largest moon. This raging eruption has intrigued scientists ever since the Cassini spacecraft provided dramatic images of the phenomenon.
FULL STORY
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Concept vehicle takes off-roading out of this world
In a car commercial, it would sound odd: active suspension, six-wheel drive with independent steering for each wheel, no doors, no windows, no seats and the only color available is gold.
FULL STORY
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OTHER HEADLINES Additional stories today
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New theory of star formation -- In order for a rare, massive star to form inside an interstellar cloud of gas and dust, small "helper" stars about the size of the sun must first set the stage, according to a new theory proposed by astrophysicists at the University of California, Berkeley, and Princeton University.
Race to find dark matter -- Scientists of the Cryogenic Dark Matter Search experiment say they have regained the lead in the worldwide race by a number of different research groups to find the particles that make up dark matter. The CDMS experiment, which is being conducted a half-mile underground in a mine in Soudan, Minnesota, again sets the world's best constraints on the properties of dark matter candidates.
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Former shuttle chief upbeat about management shuffle
Wayne Hale, a veteran ascent-entry flight director who helped steer NASA through its recovery from the 2003 Columbia disaster, says the agency's decision last week to replace him as shuttle program manager caught him by surprise. But in an interview, Hale embraced the change and said his replacement, deputy program manager and Mission Management Team Chairman John Shannon, is the right man for the job.
FULL STORY
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Spitzer's eyes perfect for spotting diamonds
Diamonds may be rare on Earth, but surprisingly common in space -- and the super-sensitive infrared eyes of NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope are perfect for scouting them, say scientists at the NASA Ames Research Center.
FULL STORY
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High energy electron holes reveal unseen rings
Gaps in the soup of high energy particles near the orbits of two of Saturn's tiny moons indicate that Saturn may be surrounded by undiscovered, near-invisible partial rings. A new paper suggests the larger Saturnian moons may not be the only ones contributing material to Saturn's ring system.
FULL STORY
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Endeavour astronauts strap in for practice countdown
The crew of the shuttle Endeavour strapped in Monday at pad 39A for a dress-rehearsal countdown that sets the stage for launch March 11 on a 16-day space station assembly mission featuring five spacewalks, installation of a Japanese logistics module and assembly of a complex hand-like attachment for the lab's robot arm.
FULL STORY
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Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO:
TCDT TRAINING HIGHLIGHTS PLAY
VIDEO:
PRESS CHAT WITH CREW AT LAUNCH PAD PLAY
VIDEO:
CREW ARRIVES AT KSC FOR PRACTICE COUNT PLAY
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STS-123 VIDEO COVERAGE
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Ulysses solar mission coming to a natural end
Ulysses, the mission to study the Sun's poles and the influence of our star on surrounding space is coming to an end. After more than 17 years in space - almost four times its expected lifetime - the mission is finally succumbing to its harsh environment and is likely to finish sometime in the next month or two.
FULL STORY
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Broadband Internet satellite launched by Japan
A cutting edge Japanese satellite was hurled into orbit Saturday, beginning a mission to plant the seeds for a space-based infrastructure to spread access to information in remote corners of the Far East and Southeast Asia.
FULL STORY
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NASA names new space shuttle program manager
John Shannon, chairman of NASA's Mission Management Team and the man responsible for the conduct of space shuttle missions, was named manager of the shuttle program Friday, replacing N. Wayne Hale, a veteran ascent-entry flight director who helped steer NASA's recovery from the 2003 Columbia disaster.
FULL STORY
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Debris from spy satellite falling back to Earth
A missile fired from a Navy cruiser struck a wayward U.S. spy satellite late Wednesday, likely obliterating its load of toxic propellant that could have posed a threat to people on Earth.
FULL STORY
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Cassini finds mingling moons may share dark past
Despite the incredible diversity of Saturn's icy moons, theirs is a story of great interaction. Some of them are pock-marked, some seemingly dirty, others pristine, one spongy, one two-faced, some still spewing with activity and some seeming to be captured from the far reaches of the solar system. Yet many of them have a common thread -- black "stuff" coating their surfaces.
FULL STORY
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Many nearby sun-like stars may form rocky planets
Astronomers have discovered that terrestrial planets might form around many, if not most, of the nearby sun-like stars in our galaxy. These new results suggest that worlds with potential for life might be more common than we thought.
FULL STORY
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Lunar eclipse photos
A beautiful lunar eclipse Wednesday night turned the moon a deep red. These images of the eclipse were taken from Central Florida. It is the last total lunar eclipse that will occur until 2010.
PHOTO GALLERY
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Space shuttle Atlantis streaks back to Earth
Taking advantage of calm weather, the shuttle Atlantis dropped out of orbit and glided to a smooth Florida landing Wednesday, closing out an extended mission to deliver a new European research lab and a French astronaut to the international space station.
FULL STORY
MISSION STATUS CENTER - live updates
PREVIEW STORY
EARLIER STORY
NASA TV SCHEDULE REV. N (.pdf download)
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Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO:
ATLANTIS LANDS AT KENNEDY SPACE CENTER PLAY
VIDEO:
LANDING REPLAY: CAMERA LOOKING OUT PILOT'S WINDOW 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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PRE-LANDING NEWS CONFERENCE PLAY
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FLIGHT DAY 13 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY | XL SIZE
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FLIGHT DAY 12 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY | XL SIZE
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FLIGHT DAY 11 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY | XL SIZE
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FLIGHT DAY 10 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY | XL SIZE
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Atlantis leaves station after construction mission
The Atlantis astronauts undocked from the international space station Monday, looped around the outpost to collect spectacular pictures and video and then pulled out ahead of the lab complex before starting a final heat shield inspection to clear the way for re-entry and landing Wednesday.
FULL STORY
ATLANTIS UNDOCKS
UNDOCKING TIMELINE
NASA TV SCHEDULE REV. M (.pdf download)
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Shuttle astronauts bid space station crew farewell
The Atlantis astronauts gathered for a final time aboard the international space station Sunday, bidding the lab crew farewell in a tearful ceremony that marked the end of a complex assembly mission.
FULL STORY
MORNING STORY
NASA TV SCHEDULE REV. L (.pdf download)
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Commanders say satellite shoot-down no threat
The commanders of the shuttle Atlantis and the international space station said Saturday they have no safety concerns about an upcoming attempt to destroy a falling spy satellite.
FULL STORY
CREW ENJOYING BONUS DAY
NASA TV SCHEDULE REV. K (.pdf download)
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Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO:
GOVERNMENT BRIEFING ON SATELLITE SHOOT-DOWN PLAN PLAY
VIDEO:
FLIGHT DAY 9 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY | XL SIZE
VIDEO:
FLIGHT DAY 8 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY | XL SIZE
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FLIGHT DAY 7 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY | XL SIZE
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FLIGHT DAY 6 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY | XL SIZE
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NASA will land shuttle before satellite shoot down
The shuttle Atlantis is scheduled to land Wednesday at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida but NASA officials said they will staff the agency's backup landing site in California to get the shuttle down as soon as possible and "give the military the biggest possible window" for destroying a falling satellite.
FULL STORY
NASA TV SCHEDULE REV. J (.pdf download)
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Spacewalkers attach experiments to Columbus
Astronauts Rex Walheim and Stan Love successfully mounted a pair of science packages on the hull of the new Columbus research module today and moved a faulty space station gyroscope to the shuttle Atlantis for return to Earth. This was the third and final spacewalk planned for Atlantis' mission.
EVA COMPLETED
PREVIEW STORY
NASA TV SCHEDULE REV. I (.pdf download)
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NARRATED PREVIEW OF SPACEWALK NO. 3 PLAY
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U.S. plans to fire missile at falling spy satellite
The U.S. Navy, acting on orders from the Bush administration, is finalizing plans to fire a modified tactical missile at a falling 2.5-ton spy satellite in an unprecedented attempt to break up the dead spacecraft and disperse its load of toxic hydrazine rocket fuel before it can re-enter on its own and possibly pose a threat to the public.
FULL STORY
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Spacewalkers swap out depleted tank on station
Astronauts Rex Walheim and Hans Schlegel successfully conducted a spacewalk Wednesday to swap out a 550-pound nitrogen tank used to push ammonia through the station's main cooling system. Mission managers, meanwhile, decided to extend the mission one more day to give the crew additional time to activate the new Columbus research module.
FULL STORY
PREVIEW STORY
NASA TV SCHEDULE REV. F (.pdf download)
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VIDEO:
NARRATED PREVIEW OF SPACEWALK NO. 2 PLAY
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Schlegel won't discuss illness, says he's fine now
German astronaut Hans Schlegel, a 56-year-old father of seven who was replaced on a spacewalk Monday because of an undisclosed medical problem, told CBS News Tuesday he's feeling fit and ready for a spacewalk Wednesday to service the space station's cooling system.
FULL STORY
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European astronauts begin Columbus module activation
Newly arrived French astronaut Leopold Eyharts and German shuttle flier Hans Schlegel opened hatches to partially enter the European Space Agency's Columbus research module today, marking the moment with a call to flight controllers in Houston, Moscow and now, Oberpfaffenhofen near Munich, Germany.
FULL STORY
MORNING STORY
NASA TV SCHEDULE REV. E (.pdf download)
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Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO:
FLIGHT DAY 5 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY | XL SIZE
VIDEO:
MONDAY'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
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STS-122 VIDEO COVERAGE
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Station becomes more international with Columbus
The European Space Agency's Columbus laboratory module was successfully removed from the shuttle Atlantis' cargo bay Monday and bolted to its permanent home on the front right side of the international space station to accomplish the primary goal of the year's first shuttle mission.
COLUMBUS INSTALLED
CREW TOLD TO WRAP UP EVA
COLUMBUS HOISTED FROM SHUTTLE
SPACEWALKERS GET STARTED
PREVIEW STORY
MISSION STATUS CENTER - live updates
NASA TV SCHEDULE REV. D (.pdf download)
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Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO:
COLUMBUS MODULE HOISTED OUT OF SHUTTLE BAY PLAY
VIDEO:
NARRATED PREVIEW OF COLUMBUS' ATTACHMENT PLAY
VIDEO:
OVERVIEW ANIMATION OF COLUMBUS MODULE PLAY
VIDEO:
GUIDED TOUR OF ATLANTIS' PAYLOAD BAY PLAY
VIDEO:
NARRATED PREVIEW OF SPACEWALK NO. 1 PLAY
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Shuttle Endeavour was transported from its processing hangar to the Vehicle Assembly Building on Monday. Endeavour will be mounted to the external fuel tank and solid rocket boosters inside the 52-story VAB in preparation for rollout to pad 39A next week. The shuttle is slated for liftoff March 11.
PHOTO GALLERY
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ENDEAVOUR ROLLS TO THE VAB PLAY | XL SIZE
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Norwegian satellite put in geostationary orbit
A Proton rocket carrying a Norwegian communications satellite blasted off from the snow-covered plains of Kazakhstan Monday, delivering its $217 million cargo to orbit more than nine hours later.
FULL STORY
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Schlegel could take Wednesday's spacewalk
NASA managers expect German astronaut Hans Schlegel to participate in a spacewalk Wednesday, the second of three excursions planned by the shuttle Atlantis' crew. Schlegel, a 56-year-old father of seven, originally planned to join astronaut Rex Walheim for the crew's first spacewalk Sunday. But the EVA was delayed 24 hours to Monday - and Schlegel was replaced by Stan Love - when the European Space Agency astronaut apparently became ill after launch last week.
FULL STORY
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Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO:
FLIGHT DAY 4 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY | XL SIZE
VIDEO:
SUNDAY'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
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Mission controllers release revised flight plan
The Atlantis astronauts geared up for a hastily replanned day in space Sunday, putting off their first spacewalk one day and instead focusing on equipment transfers to and from the space station and a robotic inspection of a protruding insulation blanket on one of the orbiter's aft rocket pods.
FULL STORY
MISSION FLIGHT PLAN
NASA TV SCHEDULE REV. C (.pdf download)
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Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO:
FLIGHT DAY 3 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY | XL SIZE
VIDEO:
SATURDAY'S POST-MANAGEMENT TEAM BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO:
SATURDAY'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
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Maiden launch of Europe's resupply ship gets new date
Europe's first Automated Transfer Vehicle, an intricate 43,000-pound resupply ship, will have to wait two more weeks to begin its voyage to the international space station after managers ordered a delay to add a "final level of robustness" to the crucial mission, officials said last week.
FULL STORY
VIDEO: INTRODUCTION TO ATV
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Spacewalk delayed 24 hours by crew medical issue
In a surprise announcement, flight controllers Saturday told the shuttle-station astronauts shortly after Atlantis docked with the lab complex to delay a planned Sunday spacewalk - and installation of the new Columbus research module - by 24 hours, extending Atlantis' mission by one day because of a crew medical issue. German Hans Schlegel will be replaced on the EVA.
FULL STORY
BLANKET AND COMPUTER ISSUE
NASA TV SCHEDULE REV. B (.pdf download)
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Shuttle brings Columbus to the space station
Wrapping up a textbook rendezvous, commander Steve Frick guided the shuttle Atlantis to a smooth docking with the international space station Saturday after a spectacular slow-motion back flip directly below the outpost to let the lab crew photograph the ship's heat shield tiles.
DOCKING STORY
POST-TI BURN UPDATE
PREVIEW STORY
UPDATED NASA TV SCHEDULE (.pdf download)
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Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO:
SHUTTLE ATLANTIS DOCKS TO SPACE STATION PLAY
VIDEO:
ATLANTIS PERFORMS THE 360-DEGREE BACKFLIP PLAY
VIDEO:
VIEWS OF THE SHUTTLE APPROACHING FROM BELOW PLAY
VIDEO:
ATLANTIS COMPLETES THE "TI" BURN PLAY
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FLIGHT DAY 2 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY | XL SIZE
VIDEO:
NARRATED PREVIEW OF THE DOCKING PLAY
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Shuttle performance near flawless going into docking
Atlantis came through its eight-and-a-half-minute climb to space Thursday in good shape with no obvious signs of impact damage to the ship's protective heat shield. John Shannon, Mission Management Team chairman, said Friday the shuttle was operating near flawlessly and while it will take several more days to complete a detailed post-launch inspection and analysis, "it looks like we had an extremely clean launch."
FULL STORY
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Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO:
FRIDAY'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO:
HEAT SHIELD INSPECTIONS EXPLAINED 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 CS-6 PLAY
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LAUNCH REPLAY: WEST TOWER PLAY
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LAUNCH REPLAY: FRONT CAMERA 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 070 PLAY
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LAUNCH REPLAY: CAMERA 071 PLAY
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Astronauts use boom to inspect Atlantis' heat shield
The Atlantis astronauts spent the morning scrutinizing the shuttle's nose cap and wing leading edge panels in a now-standard post-Columbia inspection carried out the day after launch to look for any signs of ascent debris impact damage. The crew also broke out equipment and began readying the orbiter for docking with the international space station Saturday.
FULL STORY
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Space shuttle Atlantis sails into orbit with Columbus
Running two months late, the repaired shuttle Atlantis thundered safely into orbit Thursday after expected storms from a weakening cold front failed to materialize. The low-level hydrogen fuel sensor circuits that derailed two launch tries in December worked normally, clearing the way for launch of Atlantis and a European Space Agency research module bound for the international space station.
FULL STORY
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Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO:
FLIGHT DAY 1 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY | XL SIZE
VIDEO:
NARRATED REVIEW OF ATLANTIS' LAUNCH PREPS PLAY | XL SIZE
VIDEO:
NASA AND ESA POST-LAUNCH NEWS BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO:
FULL LENGTH LAUNCH MOVIE! PLAY
VIDEO:
ATLANTIS BLASTS OFF WITH COLUMBUS PLAY
VIDEO:
POLLS GIVE THE FINAL "GO" TO LAUNCH PLAY
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ASTRONAUTS ARRIVE AT LAUNCH PAD 39A PLAY
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CREW DEPARTS QUARTERS FOR LAUNCH PAD PLAY
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ASTRONAUTS DON THEIR SPACESUITS FOR LAUNCH PLAY
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RUSSIAN CARGO SHIP DOCKS TO STATION THURSDAY PLAY
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PAD GANTRY ROLLED BACK THE NIGHT BEFORE LAUNCH PLAY
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COLUMBUS AND ATV OVERVIEW BRIEFING PLAY
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PRE-LAUNCH NEWS CONFERENCE PLAY
VIDEO:
TUESDAY MORNING'S COUNTDOWN STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
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STS-122 VIDEO COVERAGE
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This collection of images shows the scene at Kennedy Space Center as the rotating service structure moved away from the space shuttle the night before launch.
PHOTO AND PANORAMA GALLERY
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This collection of images shows space shuttle Atlantis launching with the European Space Agency's science laboratory module, named Columbus, at 2:45 p.m. EST.
PHOTO GALLERY
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An interview with NASA leader Mike Griffin
NASA Administrator Mike Griffin, in an interview with CBS News on Thursday, said he remains optimistic the agency can complete the international space station and retire the shuttle as planned by the end of fiscal 2010 despite recent delays to recover from hail damage and problems with critical fuel sensors.
FULL STORY
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Newly-launched satellite beset by major problem
The life of an African communications satellite will be drastically shortened after a helium leak forced engineers to use much of the craft's maneuvering propellant reserves to reach its final orbit.
FULL STORY
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Saturn has a 'giant sponge'
One of Saturn's rings does housecleaning, soaking up material gushing from the fountains on Saturn's tiny ice moon Enceladus, according to new observations from the Cassini spacecraft.
FULL STORY
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Ultimate test for shuttle sensor fix comes Thursday
LeRoy Cain, manager of shuttle integration at the Kennedy Space Center, said Tuesday he is confident the redesigned connectors intended to fix on-going problems with low-level fuel sensors in the shuttle Atlantis' external tank will work properly Thursday when the ship is fueled for takeoff. But engineers will be paying close attention to the sensors and if any problems develop that might cast doubt on the fix, the shuttle will remain on the ground.
FULL STORY
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Proposed '09 NASA budget calls for $17.6 billion
President Bush's budget request for the 2009 fiscal year keeps NASA on track to transition from the space shuttle to the Constellation program and puts additional emphasis on robotic science missions to study the Earth and the universe, senior agency officials said Monday.
FULL STORY
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NEWS BRIEFING ON NASA FY '09 BUDGET PLAY
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Atlantis mission preview:
A new voyage of Columbus
Running two months late, the shuttle Atlantis and its crew are set for blastoff Thursday on a long-awaited flight to attach the European Space Agency's Columbus research lab to the space station. The module represents Europe's first manned toehold in orbit and promises to open a new era of international research with Japanese lab modules scheduled to follow in March and April.
FULL STORY
NASA TV SCHEDULE (.pdf download)
STS-122 QUICK-LOOK
MISSION FLIGHT PLAN
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Shuttle Atlantis launch countdown underway
Two months after their launch was stalled by fuel sensor troubles, the seven space shuttle Atlantis astronauts have returned to the Kennedy Space Center for another shot at rocketing into orbit. And countdown clocks began ticking Monday afternoon for a planned Thursday liftoff.
FULL STORY
MISSION STATUS CENTER - live updates
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VIDEO:
MONDAY'S CARGO SHIP UNDOCKING FROM STATION PLAY
VIDEO:
ATLANTIS' PAYLOAD BAY DOORS CLOSED FOR FLIGHT PLAY
VIDEO:
CREW RETURNS TO KENNEDY SPACE CENTER FOR LAUNCH PLAY
VIDEO:
MONDAY MORNING'S COUNTDOWN STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO:
CREW INTERVIEW WITH STEVE FRICK PLAY
VIDEO:
CREW INTERVIEW WITH ALAN POINDEXTER PLAY
VIDEO:
CREW INTERVIEW WITH LELAND MELVIN PLAY
VIDEO:
CREW INTERVIEW WITH REX WALHEIM PLAY
VIDEO:
CREW INTERVIEW WITH HANS SCHLEGEL PLAY
VIDEO:
CREW INTERVIEW WITH STANLEY LOVE PLAY
VIDEO:
CREW INTERVIEW WITH LEOPOLD EYHARTS PLAY
VIDEO:
STS-122 MISSION OVERVIEW BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO:
BRIEFING ON THE SPACEWALKS PLAY
VIDEO:
CREW'S PRE-FLIGHT BRIEFING PLAY
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X-rays betray giant particle accelerator in the sky
ESA's orbiting gamma-ray observatory, Integral, has made the first unambiguous discovery of highly energetic X-rays coming from a galaxy cluster. The find has shown the cluster to be a giant particle accelerator.
FULL STORY
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OTHER HEADLINES Additional stories today
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Beatles song to be beamed into deep space -- For the first time ever, NASA will beam a song -- The Beatles' "Across the Universe" -- directly into deep space at 7 p.m. EST on Feb. 4. The transmission will commemorate the 40th anniversary of the day The Beatles recorded the song, as well as the 50th anniversary of NASA's founding and the group's beginnings.
Vertical treadmill to improve astronaut health in space -- NASA is using a new treadmill that allows people to run while suspended horizontally to help astronauts prepare for long-duration missions to the moon and beyond.
NASA data link pollution to rainy summer days -- Rainfall data from a NASA satellite show that summertime storms in the southeastern United States shed more rainfall midweek than on weekends. Scientists say air pollution from humans is likely driving that trend.
NASA says glacial sediments adding to Louisiana coast's sinking -- A study by NASA and Louisiana State University scientists finds that sediments deposited into the Mississippi River Delta thousands of years ago when North America's glaciers retreated are contributing to the ongoing sinking of Louisiana's coastline.
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NASA opts to move forward to Thursday's shuttle launch
NASA managers Friday decided to press ahead with preparations for launch of the shuttle Atlantis Feb. 7 pending final work Monday to make sure a kinked Freon flex hose retracts as required when the ship's payload bay doors are closed for flight.
FULL STORY
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Five years since we lost space shuttle Columbia
Columbia and seven astronauts were lost five years ago today as the shuttle disintegrated above Texas just minutes from the planned landing at the Kennedy Space Center.
'COMM CHECK' CHAPTER ONE
MISSION COVERAGE ARCHIVE
OUR JOURNAL FROM FEB. 1, 2003
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Read our earlier news archive page.
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