Sunday: June 22, 2003  0114 GMT
Work on launch vehicle delays next Mars rover
Officials have delayed the launch of NASA's Mars Exploration Rover "Opportunity" so workers can replace insulation of the Boeing Delta 2 rocket that will propel the spacecraft to the Red Planet.
   MISSION STATUS CENTER - updates
Trio peeks at secret recipe for stormy solar weather
A three-spacecraft collaboration recorded for the first time the entire initiation process of a high-speed eruption of electrified gas from the Sun, providing clues about the Sun's secret recipe for stormy weather.
   FULL STORY
Universe slightly simpler than expected
The universe just became a little less mysterious. Using images from the Hubble Space Telescope, astronomers at the University of Florida have concluded that two of the most common types of galaxies in the universe are in reality different versions of the same thing.
   FULL STORY
Saturday: June 21, 2003  0230 GMT
Space shuttle tile repair options in development
Shuttle engineers believe the tools and techniques needed for spacewalking repair crews to access and patch areas of potentially catastrophic damage to an orbiter's heat-shield tiles should be in place by the end of the year, sources say, assuming upcoming tests go well.
   FULL STORY
Mars-bound Spirit rover adjusts trajectory
NASA's Spirit spacecraft, the first of twin Mars Exploration Rovers, performed its first trajectory correction maneuver Friday. The craft first performed a calibration and check of its eight thrusters, then fired the thrusters to fine-tune its flight path toward Mars.
   FULL STORY
Friday: June 20, 2003  0640 GMT
The secret lives of galaxies unveiled in deep survey
Two of NASA's Great Observatories, bolstered by the largest ground-based telescopes around the world, are beginning to harvest new clues to the origin and evolution of galaxies. It's a bit like finding a family scrapbook containing snapshots that capture the lives of family members from infancy through adolescence to adulthood.
   FULL STORY
Stardust tweaks course for comet rendezvous
198 days before its historic rendezvous with a comet, NASA's Stardust spacecraft successfully completed the mission's third deep space maneuver. This critical maneuver modified the spacecraft's trajectory, placing it on a path to encounter and collect dust samples from comet Wild 2 in January 2004.
   FULL STORY
Molniya satellite deployed from Plesetsk spaceport
Russian space forces successfully launched a military communications satellite into orbit from its northern cosmodrome Thursday, wire reports said.
   FULL STORY
Lu talks of 'silver lining' from the Columbia tragedy
Space station science officer Ed Lu sees a potential "silver lining" in the aftermath of the Columbia disaster, saying today the loss of the shuttle may prompt renewed debate about development of more modern follow-on vehicles.
   FULL STORY
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Thursday: June 19, 2003  0552 GMT
Space shuttle flights could restart in December
NASA expects to announce its shuttle return to flight plans soon after the Columbia Accident Investigation Board reports this summer and could realistically resume missions as early as December, a senior space agency official said Wednesday.
   FULL STORY
Engineers assess bi-pod redesign options
NASA is considering five options for redesigning the so-called "bi-pod" ramp system on the shuttle's external fuel tank, the area where a chunk of foam insulation broke away during Columbia's launch, hit the left wing and possibly caused a catastrophic breach. The currently favored option calls for eliminating the use of foam in the area in favor of an exposed fitting equipped with heaters to prevent pre-launch ice buildups.
   FULL STORY
   STS-107 STORY DIRECTORY
Two key modules for space station arrive in Florida
Despite the on-going grounding of space shuttle flights, work continues at Kennedy Space Center to ready massive pieces of the international space station for launches to finish assembling the orbiting complex.
   FULL STORY
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Wednesday: June 18, 2003  0116 GMT
Have a question for station crew? Here's your chance!
Spaceflight Now will be conducting an exclusive live interview with the Expedition 7 crew living aboard the international space station on Tuesday, June 24. As part of this event, we are giving readers the opportunity to submit questions for commander Yuri Malenchenko and science officer Ed Lu. Please include your name and location in the email with the question.
   SUBMIT YOUR QUESTION
Space station transport ship gets go-ahead
In early June, the European Space Agency's Automated Transfer Vehicle program reached a milestone in successfully passing the Critical Design Review during which some 140 international space experts expressed their full confidence in the design of the vehicle after analysing 55,000 pages of technical documentation. The ATV will deliver supplies to the space station.
   FULL STORY
Scientists image 3-D surface of the sun
Solar physicists have analyzed the highest resolution images ever taken near the solar limb, and found a surprising variety of structure. Their results address long-standing theories on how the brightness of the Sun varies over the course of its magnetic cycle. Such changes may influence the Earth's climate on long timescales.
   FULL STORY
Tuesday: June 17, 2003  0111 GMT
New launch date set for 'Opportunity' rover
Launch of NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity has been put off one day -- to June 26 -- to give workers more time to complete pre-flight preparations, the space agency said Monday.
   MISSION STATUS CENTER - updates
   LAUNCH WINDOWS CHART
Delta 2
'Solar tsunamis' used to study the solar corona
Since the launch of the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory in 1995, scientists have used it to study flares, filaments and coronal mass ejections. The telescope has also discovered solar tsunamis, huge propagating waves that are triggered along with coronal mass ejections and can travel the entire diameter of the sun. Researchers are applying this unusual phenomenon for the first time to new studies of the solar corona.
   FULL STORY
Monday: June 16, 2003  0159 GMT
Evidence for meteor in early mass extinction found
It's the stuff of science fiction movies. Bruce Willis, by a mighty effort, saving the world from extinction by a huge meteor. But Bruce Willis won't do it, and in our current state of readiness, neither will anyone else.
   FULL STORY
Veteran astronaut begins new adventure in education
James Voss, one of NASA's most experienced astronauts having logged five shuttle flights and served as a member of the space station's Expedition 2 crew, has left the agency for a position at Auburn University.
   FULL STORY
News Archive
June 9-15: 'Spirit' rover begins seven-month cruise to Mars; Cargo-carrying craft docks to space station; Bolt catcher a possible shuttle return to flight issue; Comets survive plunge through Sun's atmosphere; Ariane 5 launches double cargo with success; Sea Launch rocket lofts second Thuraya spacecraft.

June 2-8: Foam impact cracks wing leading edge panel; Europe's first adventure to Mars successfully launched; Russian Proton rocket flies its 300th launch; Thermal data from Odyssey reveals a changing Mars; 'Razor-sharp image' of star cluster snapped from Earth.

May 26-June 1: Foam impact test causes significant T-seal movement; Demonstration flight not likely for space shuttle; 'Slick Six' launch pad hosts its first Delta 4 rocket; Japanese science cargo returns to Earth for study; Mars rover launch delayed.

More news  See our weekly archive of space news.


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.
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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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Mars Rover mission patch
A mission patch featuring NASA's Mars Exploration Rover is available from our online.
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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.
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An insider's view of how Apollo flight controllers operated and just what they faced when events were crucial.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Mars rover poster
This new poster features some of the best pictures from NASA's amazing Mars Exploration Rovers Spirit and Opportunity.
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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.
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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.
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Mars Rover mission patch
A mission patch featuring NASA's Mars Exploration Rover is available from our online.
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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.
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Apollo Collage
This beautiful one piece set features the Apollo program emblem surrounded by the individual mission logos.
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STS-127 Patch
The official embroidered patch for shuttle Endeavour's flight to finish building Japanese section of the space station.
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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.
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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.
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Fallen Heroes Patch Collection
The official patches from Apollo 1, the shuttle Challenger and Columbia crews are available in the store.
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