Spaceflight Now

Sunday: July 20, 2003		0309 GMT

Cosmic mirage: Discovery of quasar with Einstein ring Using the ESO telescope at La Silla, Chile, an international team of astronomers has discovered a complex cosmic mirage in the southern constellation Crater. This "gravitational lens" system consists of at least four images of the same quasar as well as a ring-shaped image of the galaxy in which the quasar reside - known as an "Einstein ring". FULL STORY

Saturday: July 19, 2003		0312 GMT

Detailed maps reveal early Universe galaxy distribution Peering back in time more than 7 billion years, a team of astronomers using a powerful new spectrograph at the Keck Observatory in Hawaii has obtained the first maps showing the distribution of galaxies in the early universe. The maps show the clustering of galaxies into a variety of large-scale structures, including long filaments, empty voids, and dense groups and clusters. FULL STORY

Mars-bound Opportunity rover adjusts trajectory NASA's Opportunity spacecraft made its first trajectory correction maneuver Friday, a scheduled operation to fine-tune its Mars-bound flight path. For the trajectory adjustment, flight team members commanded Opportunity to perform a prescribed sequence of thruster firings. FULL STORY

Friday: July 18, 2003		0721 GMT

Enhanced version of Atlas 5 rocket debuts successfully The largest and most powerful Atlas rocket in history rushed off its Cape Canaveral pad on a river of golden flame Thursday evening to expand Lockheed Martin's launcher family. FULL STORY MISSION STATUS CENTER

Video coverage for subscribers only: VIDEO: 5 1/2-MINUTE CLIP OF ATLAS 5 LAUNCHING RAINBOW 1 QT VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY FROM CAMERA ON VIF ASSEMBLY BUILDING QT VIDEO: CLOSE-UP VIEW OF SOLID ROCKET BOOSTER AT IGNITION QT VIDEO: REPLAY FROM ATLAS SPACEFLIGHT OPERATIONS CENTER QT VIDEO: ATLAS 5 ROLLS OUT OF ASSEMBLY BUILDING THURSDAY QT VIDEO: THE ROCKET ARRIVES ON COMPLEX 41 LAUNCH PAD QT VIDEO: WATCH ENTIRE 41-MINUTE PRE-LAUNCH NEWS CONFERENCE QT SUBSCRIBE NOW
Hubble tracks down a galaxy cluster's dark matter Using the powerful trick of gravitational lensing, a European and American team of astronomers have constructed an extensive "mass map" of one of the most massive structures in our Universe. They believe that it will lead to a better understanding of how such systems assembled and the key role of dark matter. FULL STORY

Orphaned star clusters roam the Universe US and UK astronomers have discovered a population of previously unknown star clusters in what was thought to be the empty space between galaxies. FULL STORY

Thursday: July 17, 2003		0350 GMT

New version of Atlas 5 rocket to launch Thursday The largest and most capable Atlas rocket in history will take flight Thursday evening from Cape Canaveral as Lockheed Martin's launcher fleet evolves to carry larger and heavier cargos into space. FULL STORY MISSION STATUS CENTER -- updates!

Movies from Atlas 5 tour Lockheed Martin hosted an extraordinary tour for media representatives earlier this week, giving the reporters an upclose look at the fully assembled Atlas 5 rocket inside the Vertical Integration Facility at Cape Canaveral's Complex 41. The rocket's new nose cone and solid rocket boosters were of particular interest since they will be flying for the first time on this launch.

Video coverage for subscribers only: VIDEO: VIEWS OF THE AEROJET-MADE SOLID ROCKET BOOSTERS QT VIDEO: FOOTAGE OF THE CONTRAVES-BUILT PAYLOAD FAIRING QT VIDEO: TECHNICIAN CLIMBS INTO THE FAIRING FOR WORK QT VIDEO: ATLAS 5 AND SPACE SHUTTLE PADS FROM ATOP THE VIF QT SUBSCRIBE NOW
Smoking supernovae solve ten billion year old mystery A team of UK astronomers have announced the discovery that some supernovae have bad habits -- they belch out huge quantities of 'smoke' known as cosmic dust. This solves a mystery more than 10 billion years in the making. The new observations answer long-standing questions about the origin of the first solid particles ever to form in the Universe. FULL STORY

NASA seeks to discover if comets seeded life NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center will lead the effort to discover if comets supplied the raw material for the origin of life on Earth, and if they could do so for alien worlds, as part of its participation in NASA Astrobiology Institute research. FULL STORY

Wednesday: July 16, 2003		0631 GMT

Crew module likely survived shuttle breakup The astronauts aboard the shuttle Columbia, strapped into a reinforced module built to withstand extreme forces, likely survived a minute or more beyond the commander's final transmission, sources say. Engineers believe the crew died when the module, buffeted by increasingly extreme aerodynamic forces, finally broke open as it plunged steeply into the thickening atmosphere above Texas. FULL STORY

New version of Atlas 5 rocket to launch Thursday The largest and most capable Atlas rocket in history will take flight Thursday evening from Cape Canaveral as Lockheed Martin's launcher fleet evolves to carry larger and heavier cargos into space. FULL STORY MISSION STATUS CENTER

Atlas 5 carrying three onboard video cameras Three video cameras are mounted aboard the Atlas 5 rocket to give engineers live views of critical events during Thursday's launch sequence. FULL STORY

Link between black holes, galaxies discovered nearby By studying more than 120,000 nearby galaxies observed as part of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, a team of astronomers from Germany and the United States has been able to show that the growth of supermassive black holes is closely linked with the birth of new stars in their host galaxies. FULL STORY

Boeing, Loral report commercial space setbacks The commercial space industry was hit with a double dose of bad news on Tuesday when satellite operator Loral announced it was filing for bankruptcy protection and selling six of its satellites, while Boeing announced it would take a billion-dollar charge against its launch and satellite businesses while suspending commercial sales of its Delta 4 rocket. FULL STORY

Boeing pulls Delta 4 from commercial satellite market The Boeing Company announced Tuesday that as a result of continued weakness in the commercial space launch market, higher mission and launch costs on its Delta 4 program, and cost growth in its satellite businesses, the company will recognize pre-tax charges of approximately $1.1 billion, or $0.87 per share, when it announces second quarter results on July 23. FULL STORY

Tuesday: July 15, 2003		0500 GMT

Satellites see lightning strikes in ozone's origins During summertime ozone near the Earth's surface forms in most major U.S. cities when sunlight and heat mix with car exhaust and other pollution, causing health officials to issue "ozone alerts." But in other parts of the world, this low level ozone appears to originate naturally in ways that have left scientists puzzled. Now, NASA-funded scientists using four satellites can tell where low level ozone pollution comes from and whether it was manmade or natural. FULL STORY

Digging high and low for 'dirt' on soil moisture A water-sensing satellite orbits high above Earth. Airplanes packed with research instruments, circle 25,000 feet above three U.S. states and Brazil. Scientists, college students and other volunteers troop into the countryside, armed with sensors and notepads. It's all about "getting the dirt." In this case, collecting detailed information about the soil. FULL STORY

Weather odds look good for Thursday's Atlas 5 liftoff The weather forecast for Thursday's launch of Lockheed Martin's Atlas 5 rocket carrying the Rainbow 1 direct-to-home TV broadcasting satellite from Cape Canaveral is generally favorable, Launch Weather Officer Jim Sardonia reported Monday. MISSION STATUS CENTER EARLIER STORY ABOUT MISSION

Monday: July 14, 2003		0325 GMT

Fresh, rayed impact crater seen on Mars This Mars Global Surveyor image shows a fresh, young meteor impact crater on the martian surface. It is less than 400 yards across. While there is no way to know the exact age of this or any other martian surface feature, the rays are very well preserved. FULL STORY

U.S. Air Force studies solar phenomenon The Air Force Research Laboratory experiment to study solar activity from Earth orbit, the Solar Mass Ejection Imager, launched in January aboard the Coriolis spacecraft, has accomplished a major milestone -- observing its first Earth-directed ("halo") coronal mass ejection. FULL STORY

News Archive
July 7-13: Earth's Opportunity rover launched to Mars; Foam impact test blows hole in shuttle wing panel; Detailed failure scenario released by Columbia board; Shuttle team to attempt recovery of Atlas 5 boosters; Farthest and oldest known planet confirmed; Pluto's atmosphere is expanding, researchers say.

June 30-July 6: Foam strike email to shuttle commander released; Shuttle program announces personnel changes; Launch of Mars rover Opportunity delayed; Celestial fireworks; Solar system 'most similar' to our own discovered; Minimal data loss expected from SOHO problem; Rockot booster launches 9 payloads.

June 23-29: Foam 'most probable' cause of Columbia disaster; Columbia board issues tile repair recommendation; Spaceflight Now interviews station's resident crew; SOHO engineers battle to overcome antenna problem; Commercial Earth imager launched into space by Pegasus; Helios prototype solar aircraft lost in mishap.

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. - 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.

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.

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

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).

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. - U.K. - E.U. - 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. - U.K. - E.U. - 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. - U.K. - E.U. - Worldwide

Expedition 20

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

U.S. STORE

WORLDWIDE STORE

Current Shuttle Mission Patch

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

U.S. STORE

WORLDWIDE STORE

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

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.

U.S. STORE

WORLDWIDE STORE

Expedition 21

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

U.S. STORE

WORLDWIDE 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