Luck may lead to secret of ultimate explosions
A chance observation by a NASA satellite, designed to study the sun, may have uncovered one of the most important clues yet obtained about the mechanism for producing gamma ray bursts, the most powerful explosions in the Universe. FULL STORY
Saturday:
May 31, 2003
0133 GMT
3-D map of local interstellar space shows neighborhood
The first detailed map of space within about 1,000 light years of Earth places the solar system in the middle of a large hole that pierces the plane of the galaxy, perhaps left by an exploding star one or two million years ago. FULL STORY
New method of estimated dwarf novae distances
Astronomers using the Fine Guidance Sensors of the Hubble Space Telescope to study dwarf novae unexpectedly discovered a new method of estimating the distances to these strange double-star systems, using their orbital periods and outburst brightness. In the process they learned that dwarf novae tend to be farther away and much brighter than previously thought. FULL STORY
Japanese science cargo returns to Earth for study
A small Japanese retrievable space capsule landed back on Earth Friday, carrying with it a load of scientific investigations from orbit, Japanese news agencies reported. FULL STORY
Friday:
May 30, 2003
0230 GMT
Foam impact test causes significant T-seal movement
Engineers for the first time Thursday fired a large chunk of foam insulation at a Fiberglass wing leading edge panel, knocking a so-called T-seal out of place and leaving a long gap between two panels. Such a gap on a real shuttle wing leading edge would provide an entry point for deadly super-heated gas during the descent from orbit. FULL STORY - updated
Astronomers 'weigh' planets around pulsar
For the first time, the planets orbiting a pulsar have been "weighed" by measuring precisely variations in the time it takes them to complete an orbit, according to a team of astronomers from the California Institute of Technology and Pennsylvania State University. FULL STORY
Galaxy mission honors lost Columbia crew
NASA's Galaxy Evolution Explorer has gathered its first celestial images, a "first light" milestone dedicated to the crew of the space shuttle Columbia. The ultraviolet survey mission, launched on April 28 from Cape Canaveral, made the observations using its onboard telescope. FULL STORY
Thursday:
May 29, 2003
0001 GMT
Demonstration flight not likely for space shuttle
The chairman of the Columbia Accident Investigation Board said Wednesday he has no plans to require NASA to recertify shuttle systems before flights resume or to mount a test flight of some sort to validate recommended design changes or to collect more data.
FULL STORY
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Twin roving geologists bound for surface of Mars
Building on past successes -- and learning from embarrassing failures -- NASA is poised to jump start its Mars exploration program by sending a pair of "monster truck" rovers to the Red Planet in an $800 million mission to search for clues about what happened to the water than once carved the martian surface. FULL STORY
Giant airbags will give rovers' landings a bounce
If all goes well, Mars Rover-A will slam into the atmosphere of Mars on January 4, 2004, at an angle of 11.5 degrees, an altitude of about 80 miles and a velocity of 12,000 mph. Eight seconds before touchdown, giant airbags will suddenly inflate, encapsulating the spacecraft in a protective cocoon. FULL STORY
NASA has Mars missions planned through decade
The Mars Exploration Rovers represent the next step in an ambitious, on-going program to explore the Red Planet, to map out its structure, composition and meteorology and to determine whether it ever harbored life. FULL STORY
The Beagle has landed...
Well, not quite but the innovative Beagle 2 will soon be on its way to Mars aboard European Space Agency's Mars Express. Once at the Red Planet, it may turn up evidence of past or present life. FULL STORY
Mars rover launch delayed
NASA has postponed the launch of its first Mars Exploration Rover at least three days to give managers more time to complete pre-flight engineering reviews. The liftoff is now targeted to occur June 8 aboard a Boeing Delta 2 rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. FULL STORY LAUNCH WINDOWS CHART
Tuesday:
May 27, 2003
0408 GMT
'Slick Six' launch pad hosts its first Delta 4 rocket
The Boeing Delta 4 rocket and its rebuilt West Coast launch pad came together for their first meeting this month, giving technicians the opportunity to test how everything fits. FULL STORY
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Deal finally reached to fund Europe's navigation system
Plans to develop the European Galileo satellite navigation network are finally one step closer to reality after the nations contributing to the project reached an agreement Monday on funding. FULL STORY
Monday:
May 26, 2003
0210 GMT
SOHO investigates source of 'fast' solar wind
We have known for 40 years that space weather affects the Earth, which is buffeted by a 'wind' from the Sun, but only now are we learning more about its precise origins. Solving the mystery of the solar wind has been a prime task for ESA's SOHO spacecraft. Its latest findings may overturn previous ideas about the origin of the 'fast' solar wind, which occurs in most of the space around the Sun. FULL STORY
China lofts navigation craft on Long March booster
A Chinese Long March rocket launched the final centerpiece of a satellite navigation system Saturday that aims to provide users with precise positioning information in three dimensions, state-run news reports said. FULL STORY
News Archive May 19-25: Columbia rescue mission feasible, but unlikely; Slag on shuttle debris suggests location of breach; Martian view of Earth; Satellite of Milky Way found in retrograde orbit. May 12-18: Clearest video yet of foam strike as tests get underway; NASA chief, CAIB chairman testify at Senate hearing; First Greek satellite launch performed by Atlas 5 rocket; Brighter Neptune suggests a change of seasons; NASA picks in-space propulsion innovations. May 5-11: CAIB accepts, agrees with NASA failure scenario; Japan launches asteroid sample return mission; New shuttle program manager named; Deepest view of space yields young stars in halo; India launches second GSLV rocket. April 28-May 4: Columbia could not be saved, NASA study shows; Off-target Soyuz with outgoing station crew found after hours of searching; Satellite launched to trace the evolution of galaxies; BeppoSAX takes the plunge; Freewheeling galaxies collide in blaze of star birth; Hubble gyroscope fails. More news See our weekly archive of space news. 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. -
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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. -
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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. -
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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.
An insider's view of how Apollo flight controllers operated and just what they faced when events were crucial. 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. -
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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. -
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Worldwide Mars Rover mission patch A mission patch featuring NASA's Mars Exploration Rover is available from our online. Choose your store: U.S. -
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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. -
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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). Columbia Report A reproduction of the official accident investigation report into the loss of the space shuttle Columbia and its crew of seven. Choose your store: U.S. -
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Worldwide 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. Choose your store: U.S. 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! Choose your store: U.S. -
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Worldwide 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. Choose your store: U.S. -
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Worldwide Apollo Collage This beautiful one piece set features the Apollo program emblem surrounded by the individual mission logos. U.S. STORE STS-127 Patch The official embroidered patch for shuttle Endeavour's flight to finish building Japanese section of the space station. U.S. STORE WORLDWIDE STORE Hubble Patch The official embroidered patch for mission STS-125, the space shuttle's last planned service call to the Hubble Space Telescope, is available for purchase. U.S. STORE WORLDWIDE STORE Project Orion The Orion crew exploration vehicle is NASA's first new human spacecraft developed since the space shuttle a quarter-century earlier. The capsule is one of the key elements of returning astronauts to the Moon. U.S. STORE Fallen Heroes Patch Collection The official patches from Apollo 1, the shuttle Challenger and Columbia crews are available in the store. U.S. STORE WORLDWIDE STORE Contact us
If you have a comment or question for Spaceflight Now, just send us an e-mail.
Choose your store:
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.
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.
This new poster features some of the best pictures from NASA's amazing Mars Exploration Rovers Spirit and Opportunity.
An insider's view of how Apollo flight controllers operated and just what they faced when events were crucial.
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.
The Apollo Patch Collection: Includes all 12 Apollo mission patches plus the Apollo Program Patch. Save over 20% off the Individual price. 
A mission patch featuring NASA's Mars Exploration Rover is available from our online.
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.
A reproduction of the official accident investigation report into the loss of the space shuttle Columbia and its crew of seven. 
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!
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.
This beautiful one piece set features the Apollo program emblem surrounded by the individual mission logos.
The official embroidered patch for shuttle Endeavour's flight to finish building Japanese section of the space station.
The official embroidered patch for mission STS-125, the space shuttle's last planned service call to the Hubble Space Telescope, is available for purchase.
The Orion crew exploration vehicle is NASA's first new human spacecraft developed since the space shuttle a quarter-century earlier. The capsule is one of the key elements of returning astronauts to the Moon.
The official patches from Apollo 1, the shuttle Challenger and Columbia crews are available in the store.
