Spaceflight Now

Sunday: March 30, 2003		0210 GMT

Plan calls for shuttles to be imaged by spy satellites The National Imagery and Mapping Agency, one of the government organizations that sets targets for spy satellites, has agreed to routinely inspect space shuttles in orbit for signs of possible damage. FULL STORY

Delta 2 to loft replacement GPS satellite Monday With war raging half-a-world away, a routine but crucial rocket launch from Florida on Monday will deploy a fresh tactical navigation satellite into the U.S. military's Global Positioning System -- the orbiting network that ground, air and sea forces rely upon for guidance. MISSION STATUS CENTER - updates! PREVIEW STORY UPDATED WEATHER FORECAST LAUNCH EVENTS TIMELINE GROUND TRACK MAP

Wide annual fluctuations found in Arctic ozone loss Ozone depletion over Earth's Arctic region varies widely from year to year in its amount, timing and pattern of loss. That's the conclusion of a research team using data from the Microwave Limb Sounder on NASA's Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite. FULL STORY

Saturday: March 29, 2003		0410 GMT

Shape of Universe seen during adolescent years Scientists using NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory have taken a snapshot of the adolescent Universe from about five billion years ago when the familiar web-like structure of galaxy chains and voids first emerged. FULL STORY

A gamma-ray burst bonanza ESA's Integral satellite is detecting gamma-ray bursts at a rate of nearly one per day, establishing itself as a key player in the hunt for these enigmatic explosions. Launched in October 2002, Integral has just captured four bursts in the last four months right in the middle of its field of view. FULL STORY

Friday: March 28, 2003		0930 GMT

Japan enters spy satellite arena with rocket launch Breaking from over 30 years of strict non-military use of the high frontier, Japan launched its first pair of reconnaissance satellites Friday that will serve as spying eyes to keep tabs on neighboring North Korea. FULL STORY

Teams studying Columbia data recorder tape A preliminary review of Columbia's OEX data recorder indicates that potential data may exist as late as 9:00:18 a.m. EST on Feb. 1. That would be several seconds after the last known data received on the ground from Columbia and just moments before the vehicle broke apart. INVESTIGATION STATUS CENTER TIMELINE OF COLUMBIA'S FINAL HOUR

Video coverage for subscribers only: VIDEO: COLUMBIA DATA RECORDER ARRIVES AT KSC QT MORE COLUMBIA INVESTIGATION VIDEO SUBSCRIBE NOW
Thursday: March 27, 2003		0204 GMT

Foam impact centered on panel 6 of wing's edge Engineers hope to begin analyzing data this weekend from a recovered tape recorder that stored readings from some 721 sensors throughout the shuttle Columbia during its final 45 minutes of flight. Analysts hope the data will help them precisely map out the flow of hot gas through the doomed ship's left wing to confirm and refine - or possibly modify - current theories about where the initial breach occurred and how the deadly plume then worked its way through the interior of the wing. FULL STORY

Video coverage for subscribers only: VIDEO: NASA OFFICIALS TESTIFY ON DEBRIS COLLECTION QT VIDEO: EXPERTS DISCUSS DEBRIS ANALYSIS, RECONSTRUCTION QT VIDEO: COLUMBIA ACCIDENT BOARD NEWS CONFERENCE QT SUBSCRIBE NOW
Launch to replenish U.S. Global Positioning System With war raging half-a-world away, a routine but crucial rocket launch from Florida next week will deploy a fresh tactical navigation satellite into the U.S. military's Global Positioning System -- the orbiting network that ground, air and sea forces rely upon for guidance. FULL STORY

Stunning Hubble images of mysterious erupting star In January 2002, a dull star in an obscure constellation suddenly became 600,000 times more luminous than our Sun, temporarily making it the brightest star in our Milky Way galaxy. The mysterious star has long since faded back to obscurity, but observations by NASA's Hubble Space Telescope of a phenomenon called a "light echo" have uncovered remarkable new features. FULL STORY

Wednesday: March 26, 2003		0420 GMT

Expert says NASA lost sight of safety margin An independent aerospace expert told the Columbia Accident Investigation Board Tuesday NASA managers somehow missed the obvious when it came to the potential threat of foam debris falling off the space shuttle's external fuel tank. FULL STORY

Video coverage for subscribers only: VIDEO: DIRECTOR OF KENNEDY SPACE CENTER TESTIFIES QT VIDEO: CHIEF OF SHUTTLE PROCESSING SAFETY IS QUESTIONED QT VIDEO: TECHNICAL AND MANAGEMENT CONSULTANT APPEARS QT SUBSCRIBE NOW
Main search for wreckage passes halfway mark As the search of more than 500,000 acres of primary recovery area for Space Shuttle Columbia material reached its halfway mark, NASA Administrator, Sean O'Keefe, visited key sites in east Texas to thank recovery crews for their diligence and hard work. FULL STORY

Doomed matter near black hole gets 2nd lease on life Supermassive black holes, notorious for ripping apart and swallowing stars, might also help seed interstellar space with the elements necessary for life, such as hydrogen, carbon, oxygen and iron, scientists say. FULL STORY

Tuesday: March 25, 2003		0622 GMT

New class of hot-tempered black holes bucks trends NASA scientists have found two smoking-gun features of an intermediate-mass black hole that suggest these newly identified objects are fundamentally different from other types of black holes, running hotter than expected. FULL STORY

Gamma-ray burst, supernova link confirmed Scientists announced Monday that they have used NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory to confirm that a gamma-ray burst was connected to the death of a massive star. This result is an important step in understanding the origin of gamma-ray bursts, the most violent events in the present-day Universe. FULL STORY

Recovered data tape in relatively good condition Magnetic tape inside a data recorder recovered last week in Texas appears to be in remarkably good shape. Engineers are increasingly optimistic about recovering potentially valuable data from the salvaged tape that could shed additional light on the aerodynamic forces and temperatures the shuttle experienced during its final minutes. FULL STORY

Long-term planning process for shuttle being developed NASA is taking new steps to ensure Space Shuttles fly safely into the future. Last week, during the first of what will be an annual Service Life Extension Program Summit, NASA led the U.S. space flight community in a comprehensive debate on the long-term requirements to extend the life of the Space Shuttle fleet. FULL STORY

Video coverage for subscribers only: VIDEO: NEWS CONFERENCE ON SHUTTLE LIFE EXTENSION EFFORTS QT SUBSCRIBE NOW
Monday: March 24, 2003		0224 GMT

Rocket troubles delay pair of ESA research projects The problems experienced by the Ariane 5 rocket program since its failure last year have impacted a pair of European science missions -- one to explore a comet, the other to orbit our moon -- that were due to launch in the first half of 2003. FULL STORY

News Archive
March 17-23: Columbia data recorder recovered; could hold key insights; Hearing focuses on debris, breakup mechanics; NASA's Columbia mishap team reorganized; Weighing a black hole at the edge of the universe; Race to gamma ray burst reveals gigantic explosion.

March 10-16: Board studies wing edge, wind shear, foam repair; Debris may strengthen breach scenario; Readdy says 'no rationale' for spy satellite inspection of Columbia; Data shows autopilot on through last transmission; Delta 4 rocket successfully begins military service; Hubble discovers an evaporating planet.

March 3-9: Investigators begin public hearings into accident; Plume may have entered wheel well from within wing; Delta 4's first Air Force launch scrubbed; China reportedly planning lunar exploration; Team pegs brightness of history's brightest star.

Feb. 24-March 2: Video shows Columbia crew unaware of impending disaster; Flight controllers downplay emails about Columbia; Europe pushes ahead with its new Vega rocket; Massive gas cloud around Jupiter revealed; Pioneer 10 sends last signal; Remnants of ancient stars found in Earth's atmosphere.

Feb. 17-23: New data shows Columbia's state in final moments; Crew agrees manned space in 'very serious situation'; Melting snow could be cause of gullies on Mars; Missing mass exists as warm intergalactic fog; Where's the coolest place in the Universe?

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.

U.S. STORE

U.K. WORLDWIDE STORE

Columbia Report

The official accident investigation report into the loss of the space shuttle Columbia and its crew of seven. Includes CD-ROM.

Choose your store:
U.S.

Gemini 7

Gemini 7: The NASA Mission Reports covers this 14-day mission by Borman and Lovell as they demonstrated some of the more essential facts of space flight. Includes CD-ROM.

Choose your store:
U.S. - U.K. - E.U. - Worldwide

Apollo patches

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

Choose your store:
U.S. - U.K. - E.U. - Worldwide

Mars Rover mission patch

A mission patch featuring NASA's Mars Exploration Rover is available from our online.

Choose your store:
U.S. - U.K. - E.U. - Worldwide

Apollo 9 DVD

On the road to the moon, the mission of Apollo 9 stands as an important gateway in experience and procedures. This 2-DVD collection presents the crucial mission on the voyage to the moon.

Choose your store:
U.S. - U.K. - E.U. - Worldwide

Get e-mail updates
Sign up for our NewsAlert service and have the latest news in astronomy and space e-mailed direct to your desktop (privacy note: your e-mail address will not be used for any other purpose).

Apollo 12 tribute DVD set

New! Featuring the jovial crew of Pete Conrad, Dick Gordon and Alan Bean, the Apollo 12 mission was struck by lightning shortly after liftoff but proceeded on the second successful exploration voyage to the lunar surface. This three-disc DVD brings the mission to life with extraordinary detail.

Choose your store:
U.S. - U.K. - E.U. - Worldwide

Fallen Heroes special patch

This special 12-inch embroidered patch commemorates the U.S. astronauts who made the ultimate sacrifice, honoring the crews of Apollo 1, Challenger and Columbia.

Choose your store:
U.S. - U.K. - E.U. - Worldwide

Women in Space

Women of Space: Cool Careers on the Final Frontier is for girls, young women, and anyone else interested in learning about exciting careers in space exploration. Includes CD-ROM.

Choose your store:
U.S. - U.K. - E.U. - Worldwide

Mars rover poster

This new poster features some of the best pictures from NASA's amazing Mars Exploration Rovers Spirit and Opportunity.

Choose your store:
U.S.

Expedition 18 patch & pin

The official embroidered patch and lapel pin for the International Space Station Expedition 18 crew is now available to from our stores.

U.S. STORE: PATCH | PIN

WORLD STORE: PATCH | PIN

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.

U.S. STORE

Apollo patches

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

Columbus mission patch

The official astronaut embroidered patch of Atlantis' STS-122 mission that launched the Columbus science lab in February is available to U.S. customers from our store.

U.S. STORE

Contact us
If you have a comment or question for Spaceflight Now, just send us an e-mail.

INDEX | PLUS | NEWS ARCHIVE | LAUNCH SCHEDULE
ASTRONOMY NOW | STORE

ADVERTISE