Spaceflight Now

Sunday: January 26, 2003		0550 GMT

Air-launched rocket gives boost to climate research Cruising about 39,000 feet above the open waters of the Atlantic, an air-launched Pegasus rocket was dropped from the belly of a carrier jet Saturday afternoon to blast a science satellite into orbit to study the Sun's influence on Earth's environment. FULL STORY MISSION STATUS CENTER SORCE SATELLITE FACT SHEET LAUNCH EVENTS TIMELINE GROUND TRACK

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Science mission continues Space shuttle Columbia's astronauts completed an experiment studying the activity of bone cells in microgravity and began final tests with a technology demonstration designed to investigate the behavior of capillary-pumped loops in space as the 16-day international science mission completed Flight Day 10. MISSION STATUS CENTER UPDATED NASA TV SCHEDULE ASTRONAUTS' MASTER FLIGHT PLAN

Saturday: January 25, 2003		0320 GMT

Launch campaign underway for second Delta 4 flight With a countdown dress rehearsal successfully completed, Boeing's Delta 4 launch team is preparing to mount an Air Force communications satellite cargo atop the rocket next week for the planned early February liftoff from Cape Canaveral. FULL STORY - updated with pictures!

Distant world in peril When, in a distant future, the Sun begins to expand and evolves into a "giant" star, the surface temperature on the Earth will rise dramatically and our home planet will eventually be incinerated by that central body. Fortunately for us, this dramatic event is several billion years away. However, that sad fate will befall another planet, just discovered in orbit about the giant star HD 47536, already within a few tens of millions of years. FULL STORY

Friday: January 24, 2003		0250 GMT

Air-launched Pegasus to carry NASA craft Saturday A spacecraft designed to study how the Sun influences the Earth's atmosphere and climate will ride an air-launched Pegasus XL rocket into orbit Saturday afternoon in a mission originating at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's runway. MISSION STATUS CENTER - updates! SORCE SATELLITE FACT SHEET LAUNCH EVENTS TIMELINE GROUND TRACK

Shuttle Columbia midway through science mission The scientific research mission aboard Columbia is passing the halfway mark as the 80 microgravity investigations continue on schedule. Highlighting the investigations Thursday for both the Blue and Red Teams were the Structures of Flame Balls and Advanced Respiratory Monitoring System experiments, although both teams continued to support other experiments with a variety of activities. MISSION STATUS CENTER UPDATED NASA TV SCHEDULE ASTRONAUTS' MASTER FLIGHT PLAN
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Shock waves may explain water in meteorites Shock waves through icy parts of the solar nebula could well be the mechanism that enriched meteorites with water -- water that some believe provided an otherwise dry Earth with oceans, according to a new study published in the current issue of Science. FULL STORY

NASA assigns 'Living with a Star' missions to APL NASA has authorized the John Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory to proceed with the implementation of the Geospace missions under NASA's existing "Living with a Star" contract. LWS sets out to quantify the physics, dynamics and behavior of the Sun-Earth system over the 11-year solar cycle and improve understanding of solar variability and disturbances on terrestrial climate change. FULL STORY

Thursday: January 23, 2003		0420 GMT

First Milky Ways found at edge of Universe Astronomers have found the first direct evidence that galaxies as large as the Milky Way already had formed when the Universe was less than a billion years old. FULL STORY

X-rays reveal nature of galaxy's boisterous activity Chandra's image of M83 shows numerous point-like neutron star and black hole X-ray sources scattered throughout the disk of this spiral galaxy. The bright nuclear region of the galaxy glows prominently due to a burst of star formation that is estimated to have begun about 20 million years ago in the galaxy's time frame. FULL STORY

Wednesday: January 22, 2003		0402 GMT

Crew deals with cooling problem in laboratory The Columbia astronauts were pressing ahead with a full-slate of orbital research Tuesday, adjusting the shuttle's air conditioner to make up for a loss of cooling in their Spacehab research module. NASA managers describe the problem as an "annoyance," saying it will have no impact on the crew's science agenda. FULL STORY

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NASA announces Educator Astronaut Program Administrator Sean O'Keefe and Florida First Lady Columba Bush on Tuesday outlined a unique NASA program designed to show learning in a whole new light by giving students and teachers across the country an out-of-this-world experience. FULL STORY

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New challenge with Rosetta After the initial disappointment of postponing the Rosetta mission, the European Space Agency's Director of Science David Southwood expressed his firm determination to accept the delay and take it on as a galvanising challenge. FULL STORY

Tuesday: January 21, 2003		0703 GMT

'Stray particles' in engine blamed for launch failure The State Commission investigating the failure of a Proton/Block DM launch vehicle, which left the ASTRA 1K satellite in a lower-than-planned orbit, has submitted its final report to the Russian government, International Launch Services announced Monday. FULL STORY

Science research continues Columbia's astronauts conducted scientific studies ranging from the behavior of granular materials in weightlessness to the effects of microgravity on fungi, and filmed the sprites associated with thunderstorms across the globe as their scientific research flight continued in its fifth day. MISSION STATUS CENTER

Magnetic 'slinky effect' may power aurora The spectacular aurora borealis displays that light up the northern nights could be powered by a gigantic "slinky" effect in Earth's magnetic field lines, according to research performed at the University of Minnesota. FULL STORY

Homestretch for Mars rover naming contest NASA is reminding America's school kids that time is running out on a chance to make history by naming two rovers being launched to explore Mars. The "Name the Mars Rovers" contest closes January 31, so there is still time to submit the winning entries. FULL STORY

Monday: January 20, 2003		0602 GMT

Vandenberg receives first Boeing Delta 4 rocket The first Boeing Delta 4 rocket destined to fly from California came ashore Sunday, bringing closer a new era in launching critical national security satellites from the West Coast. FULL STORY

Panel says space tourism prospects upbeat for 2003 Despite the well-publicized failure of a pop star to buy a seat on a Soyuz flight to the International Space Station, the young space tourism business is alive and well with a number of key developments scheduled to take place in the coming year. FULL STORY

First 'full-body scan' of evolving thunderstorm A doctor gets a better view inside a patient by probing the body with CAT and MRI scanning equipment. Now, NASA meteorologists have done a kind of "full-body scan" of an evolving thunderstorm in the tropics, using advanced radar equipment to provide a remarkable picture of the storm's anatomy. The observations are expected to help double-check satellite rainfall measurements, improve computer models of storms, and make the skies safer for airplanes to navigate. FULL STORY

News Archive
Jan. 13-19: Shuttle Columbia rockets into orbit for science flight; Delta 2 pulls double duty with launch of two satellites; Three new moons found around Neptune; Researchers seek 'heart' of black hole mystery; Stellar cocoons found in harsh environment; Rocket issues keep Rosetta grounded indefinitely.

Jan. 6-12: Farthest known planet discovered; Coriolis launched to track ocean winds, solar storms; ; Nozzle failure doomed Ariane 5 rocket; Biggest zoom lens in space extends Hubble's reach; New lower limit for age of universe claimed.

Dec. 30-Jan. 5: China launches fourth Shenzhou capsule; Russian rocket delivers Canadian satellite in space; Ariane 5 launch failure investigation delays Rosetta; Engine 'destroyed' in Proton mission failure; Volcanoes on Jovian moon spew salt into atmosphere.

Dec. 23-29: Giant X-ray disk sheds light on elliptical galaxies; Integral's first look at the gamma-ray Universe; First elusive 'dark' gamma-ray burst caught; NASA tests future flight vehicle concepts.

Dec. 16-22: Clouds discovered at south pole of Saturn's moon Titan; Workhorse Ariane 4 rocket flies its next to last mission; Titan 2 off till January; Second Delta 4 rocket erected on the launch pad; Young star cluster aglow with mysterious cloud; Six satellite cargos ride Dnepr booster to space.

More news See our weekly archive of space news.

The ultimate Apollo 11 DVD

This exceptional chronicle of the historic Apollo 11 lunar landing mission features new digital transfers of film and television coverage unmatched by any other.

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Apollo patches

The Apollo Patch Collection: Includes all 12 Apollo mission patches plus the Apollo Program Patch. Save over 20% off the Individual price.

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Columbia Report

A reproduction of the official accident investigation report into the loss of the space shuttle Columbia and its crew of seven.

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Mars Panorama

DISCOUNTED! This 360 degree image was taken by the Mars Pathfinder, which landed on the Red Planet in July 1997. The Sojourner Rover is visible in the image.

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Apollo 11 Mission Report

Apollo 11 - The NASA Mission Reports Vol. 3 is the first comprehensive study of man's first mission to another world is revealed in all of its startling complexity. Includes DVD!

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Rocket DVD

If you've ever watched a launch from Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral, Vandenberg Air Force Base or even Kodiak Island Alaska, there's no better way to describe what you witnessed than with this DVD.

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Soviet Space

For the first time ever available in the West. Rocket & Space Corporation Energia: a complete pictorial history of the Soviet/Russian Space Program from 1946 to the present day all in full color. Available from our store.

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Viking patch

This embroidered mission patch celebrates NASA's Viking Project which reached the Red Planet in 1976.

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Apollo 7 DVD

For 11 days the crew of Apollo 7 fought colds while they put the Apollo spacecraft through a workout, establishing confidence in the machine what would lead directly to the bold decision to send Apollo 8 to the moon just 2 months later.

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Gemini 12

Gemini 12: The NASA Mission Reports covers the voyage of James Lovell and Buzz Aldrin that capped the Gemini program's efforts to prove the technologies and techniques that would be needed for the Apollo Moon landings. Includes CD-ROM.

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Expedition 20

The official embroidered patch for the International Space Station Expedition 20 crew is now available from our stores.

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Current Shuttle Mission Patch

The official embroidered patch for shuttle Atlantis' flight to deliver critical spare equipment to the space station.

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Ares Patch

The Ares Project will develop two new rockets to launch astronauts back to the Moon under NASA's Vision for Exploration. The Ares 1 will employ a single space shuttle solid rocket booster to loft the Orion crew capsule. The gigantic Ares 5 will haul the equipment and cargo needed for such lunar voyages. This is the Ares emblem.

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One Giant Leap

Hosted by Corbin Bernsen, this award winning documentary marks the 50th anniversary of the U.S. space agency and features exclusive interviews with veteran astronauts.

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Expedition 21

The official embroidered patch for the International Space Station Expedition 21 crew is now available from our stores.

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Station Calendar

NEW! This beautiful 12" by 12" wall calendar features stunning images of the International Space Station and of the people, equipment, and space craft associated with it, as it takes shape day by day in orbit high above the Earth.

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