Spaceflight Now

Sunday: June 29, 2003		0617 GMT

Winds aloft delay launch of Opportunity rover to Mars Shifting high-altitude winds forced the postponement of Saturday night's attempt to launch NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity aboard a Boeing Delta 2 rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida. Another launch attempt is scheduled 11:46:14 p.m. EDT on Sunday (0346:14 GMT Monday). Check our Mission Status Center for the latest news. MISSION STATUS CENTER - live updates! LAUNCH EVENTS TIMELINE GROUND TRACK MAP

Video coverage for subscribers only: VIDEO: DECISION TO SCRUB THE LAUNCH IS ANNOUNCED QT VIDEO: TIME-LAPSE VIEW OF MOBILE SERVICE TOWER ROLLBACK QT VIDEO: THE MOBILE TOWER IS RETRACTED SATURDAY AFTERNOON QT VIDEO: NARRATED MOVIE SHOWS 'OPPORTUNITY' LAUNCH PREPS QT VIDEO: FOOTAGE OF DELTA 2 ROCKET BEING STACKED QT PHOTO: 12-PICTURE GALLERY FROM SATURDAY'S COUNTDOWN OPEN VIDEO: FRIDAY'S "OPPORTUNITY" PRE-LAUNCH PRESS CONFERENCE QT VIDEO: ANIMATION OF DELTA LAUNCHING MARS ROVER QT VIDEO: ONBOARD CAMERA VIEW OF MER-A "SPIRIT" LAUNCH QT PHOTO: 19-PICTURE GALLERY FROM 'SPIRIT' ONBOARD CAMERA OPEN FULL VIDEO COLLECTION SUBSCRIBE NOW
Saturday: June 28, 2003		0510 GMT

Mars Exploration Rover awaits launch tonight It is deja vu all over again. Two-and-a-half weeks after the successful departure of the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit, the twin Opportunity spacecraft is sitting atop its rocket launcher at Cape Canaveral for this evening's late-night blastoff. MISSION STATUS CENTER - updates LAUNCH EVENTS TIMELINE GROUND TRACK MAP

Board issues tile repair recommendation As expected, the Columbia Accident Investigation Board has released an interim recommendation requiring NASA to develop a capability to inspect the shuttle's heat shield system in orbit and to repair any significant damage that might be found. FULL STORY STS-107 STORY DIRECTORY

Youngest astronomers are mostly woman, study shows The latest study of American Astronomical Society members reveals that almost 60 percent of the astronomers in the youngest age bracket are women. The report was made today at the Conference on "Women in Astronomy II: Ten Years After" at the California Institute of Technology. FULL STORY

Friday: June 27, 2003		0222 GMT

Commercial Earth imager launched into space A commercial satellite that will snap sharp photos of Earth's surface soared into space Thursday, boosting a Virginia-based company's hopes of establishing a foothold in the high-resolution imaging business. FULL STORY MISSION STATUS CENTER

Video coverage for subscribers only: AUDIO: LAUNCH TEAM GIVES PLAY-BY-PLAY CALL OF THE FLIGHT QT SUBSCRIBE NOW
Helios prototype solar aircraft lost in mishap The remotely operated Helios Prototype aircraft, a proof-of-concept solar-electric flying wing designed to operate at extremely high altitudes for long duration, was destroyed when it crashed Thursday on the Hawaiian island of Kauai. FULL STORY

Mars Exploration Rover awaits weekend launch The "Opportunity" Mars rover is slated for launch Saturday night from Cape Canaveral aboard the first flight of Boeing's Delta 2-Heavy rocket. Liftoff will occur at precisely 11:56:16 p.m. EDT (0356:16 GMT Sunday). MISSION STATUS CENTER - updates

NASA's Odyssey orbiter watches a frosty Mars NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft is revealing new details about the intriguing, dynamic character of the frozen layers now known to dominate the high northern latitudes of Mars. The implications have a bearing on science strategies for future missions in the search of habitats. FULL STORY

New director named to lead Kennedy Space Center NASA has named James W. Kennedy as the new director of the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Kennedy has served as KSC's deputy director since November 2002. He will succeed General Roy Bridges, who was appointed to lead NASA's Langley Research Center. FULL STORY

Thursday: June 26, 2003		0424 GMT

Winged booster to launch Earth imager today An air-launched Pegasus XL rocket will ferry the OrbView 3 commercial Earth-imaging satellite into polar orbit today. Flying off the central coast of California, the winged booster will be dropped from the belly of a modified jet around 1855 GMT (2:55 p.m. EDT) for its 9-minute flight to space. MISSION STATUS CENTER

Powerful 'conveyor belts' drive Sun's 11-year cycle NASA and university astronomers have found evidence the 11-year sunspot cycle is driven in part by a giant conveyor belt-like, circulating current within the Sun. The astronomers made their discovery by reviewing the positions and sizes of all sunspots seen on the Sun since 1874. FULL STORY

On-orbit checkout of final Milstar satellite completed A U.S. Air Force/Lockheed Martin-led team has successfully accomplished an accelerated on-orbit checkout of the last Milstar 2 secure communications satellite and transferred full operational control of the spacecraft to the Air Force Space Command. The satellite will now be quickly placed into service to support current military operations. FULL STORY

Wednesday: June 25, 2003		0021 GMT

Foam 'most probable' cause of Columbia disaster A member of the Columbia Accident Investigation Board said Tuesday, for the first time, that a foam strike during the shuttle's launching is the "most probable cause" of the disaster. He also said analysis of recovered debris indicates a large portion of the ship's left wing broke off in the shuttle's final seconds at the point where the catastrophic breach occurred. FULL STORY

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Spaceflight Now interviews station's resident crew The international space station's Expedition 7 crew -- commander Yuri Malenchenko and science officer Ed Lu -- spent about 20 minutes talking with Spaceflight Now's Steven Young on Tuesday in an exclusive live interview. The interview is presented here in its entirety. WATCH THE INTERVIEW [3.2MB QuickTime file]

Mars orbiter eyes Phobos over planet's horizon Images from the Mars Orbiter Camera aboard NASA's Mars Global Surveyor capture a faint yet distinct glimpse of the elusive Phobos, the larger and innermost of Mars' two moons. The moon, which usually rises in the west and moves rapidly across the sky to set in the east twice a day, is shown setting over Mars' afternoon horizon. FULL STORY

Astrobiology Institute announces new teams NASA has announced 12 new teams would join the NASA Astrobiology Institute (NAI), a national and international research consortium that studies the origin, evolution, distribution and future of life on Earth and in the universe. FULL STORY

Tuesday: June 24, 2003		0620 GMT

'Rosetta stone' decodes gamma-ray burst mystery Scientists have pieced together the key elements of a gamma-ray burst, from star death to dramatic black hole birth, thanks to a "Rosetta stone" found in March. This telling burst in the constellation Leo, one of the brightest and closest on record, reveals for the first time that a gamma-ray burst and a supernova -- the two most energetic explosions known in the Universe -- occur simultaneously, a quick and powerful one-two punch. FULL STORY

NASA reviewing Educator Astronaut applications The countdown has started for teachers from around the United States striving to become permanent members of NASA's Astronaut Corps. NASA will review more than 1,600 applications from teachers for the three to six slots in the first class of Educator Astronauts. FULL STORY

Atlas 5 rocket undergoes countdown dress rehearsal Lockheed Martin's third Atlas 5 rocket -- the first to fly in the 500-series configuration -- was rolled to the pad Monday for a full launch day rehearsal at Cape Canaveral. MISSION STATUS CENTER - updates

Monday: June 23, 2003		0620 GMT

SOHO engineers battle to overcome antenna problem One of the world's premiere Sun-watching observatories has suffered a glitch that threatens to hamper its future studies of our nearest star. FULL STORY

Atlas 5 set for countdown dress rehearsal Lockheed Martin's third Atlas 5 rocket -- the first to fly in the 500-series configuration -- rolls to the pad Monday for a full launch day rehearsal at Cape Canaveral. MISSION STATUS CENTER

Nighttime clouds shed light on space weather NASA is looking for the opportunity, beginning Monday, to launch rocket experiments that will form nighttime clouds in a project intended to shed light on space weather. Three of the four rocket experiments, launched from the NASA Wallops Flight Facility, Virginia, will include the formation of milky, white clouds. The clouds will allow scientists to view winds in a high and poorly accessible layer of Earth's atmosphere called the ionosphere. FULL STORY

News Archive
June 16-22: Space shuttle tile repair options in development; Engineers assess bi-pod redesign options; Lu talks of 'silver lining' from the Columbia tragedy; The secret lives of galaxies unveiled in deep survey; Evidence for meteor in early mass extinction found.

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.

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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Apollo 11 special patch

Special collectors' patch marking the 35th anniversary of the historic Apollo 11 moon landing is now available.

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Apollo 11 special patch

Special collectors' patch marking the 35th anniversary of the historic Apollo 11 moon landing is now available.

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Inside Apollo mission control

An insider's view of how Apollo flight controllers operated and just what they faced when events were crucial.

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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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Next ISS crew

Own a little piece of history with this official patch for the International Space Station's Expedition 11 crew. We'll ship yours today!

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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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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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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 1-X Patch

The official embroidered patch for the Ares 1-X rocket test flight, is available for purchase.

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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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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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