Spaceflight Now

Sunday: September 14, 2003		0107 GMT

Dark gamma-ray bursts more flighty than shy Astronomers have solved the mystery of why nearly two-thirds of all gamma-ray bursts, the most powerful explosions in the Universe, seem to leave no trace or afterglow: In some cases, they just weren't looking fast enough. FULL STORY

Europe opens new window to our origins A team of European astronomers has performed a uniquely detailed study of Comet LINEAR. As comets are believed to carry "pristine" material -- left-overs from the formation of the solar system, about 4,600 million years ago -- studies of these objects are important to obtain clues about the origins of the solar system and the Earth in particular. FULL STORY

Saturday: September 13, 2003		0117 GMT

Cosmic X-ray flashes reveal their distance Astronomers using X-ray, radio, and optical telescopes have announced a big leap in solving the origin of mysterious objects known as X-ray flashes by finding that they originate from blue star forming galaxies. This discovery of the cosmic distant scale effectively ends the widely-held speculation that X-ray flashes are the death-cries from stars exploding in infant universe. FULL STORY

Marine picks first public Mars Global Surveyor image If you were given a chance to aim the camera on NASA's Mars Global Surveyor Mars Orbiter and take a picture of something on the red planet, what would you shoot? FULL STORY

Friday: September 12, 2003		0125 GMT

Sunlight makes asteroids spin in strange ways A new study has found that sunlight can have surprisingly important effects on the spins of small asteroids. The study indicates that sunlight may play a more important role in determining asteroid spin rates than collisions, which were previously thought to control asteroid spin rates. FULL STORY

Solar wind makes waves "Killer" electrons capable of wreaking havoc on orbiting spacecraft may "surf" magnetic waves driven by the solar wind, according to a team of space scientists. The solar wind is a stream of electrically charged particles blown constantly from the Sun. FULL STORY

IN OTHER NEWS Additional stories making news today

Alcatel wins contract to supply XM Radio satellite payload -- Boeing has selected Alcatel Space for a multi-million US dollar contract to build a digital radio broadcasting payload on behalf of XM Satellite Radio Inc., the leading satellite digital radio broadcaster in the United States. The payload will be built by Alcatel Space's facility in Toulouse, then integrated on a Boeing 702 platform in Boeing's facility in El Segundo, California.

Thursday: September 11, 2003		0434 GMT

MIT researchers reassess asteroid hazards Of the approximately 1,000 near-Earth asteroids larger than one kilometer in diameter, one strikes the Earth on average once every 600,000 years, MIT Lincoln Laboratory researcher J. Scott Stuart reported at a recent planetary sciences meeting. FULL STORY

Mirror for James Webb Space Telescope approved NASA on Wednesday announced a major milestone in the development of the James Webb Space Telescope, the selection of a beryllium-based mirror technology for the telescope's 6.5-meter primary mirror. FULL STORY

IN OTHER NEWS Additional stories making news today

EchoStar awards Lockheed Martin contract for new satellite -- Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems has been awarded a contract to build an A2100 geosynchronous satellite for EchoStar Communications Corp. The satellite, designated EchoStar 10, will provide distribution of direct-to-home broadcast services across the continental United States, Alaska and Hawaii following its scheduled launch in third quarter, 2005.

Wednesday: September 10, 2003		0425 GMT

Chandra 'hears' a black hole NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory detected sound waves, for the first time, from a super-massive black hole. The "note" is the deepest ever detected from an object in the universe. The tremendous amounts of energy carried by these sound waves may solve a longstanding problem in astrophysics. FULL STORY

The slant on Saturn's rings NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has captured detailed images of Saturn's Southern Hemisphere and the southern face of its rings during a recent study of the gas giant. FULL STORY

Photo gallery: Titan 4's midnight streak to space This collection of images from Tuesday morning's launch of the Lockheed Martin Titan 4 rocket carrying a classified payload follows the first minutes of flight as seen from still and video cameras. It also includes some impressive time-lapse "streak shots" of the rocket's ascent from Cape Canaveral. ENTER GALLERY

IN OTHER NEWS Additional stories making news today

NASA, NOAA, Lockheed investigate satellite accident -- On Saturday, while performing work on the NOAA-N Prime weather spacecraft, being prepared to launch in 2008 for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the satellite was dropped. ILS Proton to launch Amazonas satellite -- International Launch Services will launch the Amazonas satellite for HISPASAT of Spain on a Proton/Breeze M vehicle next year under a contract announced Tuesday. The Amazonas launch, planned for mid-2004, is scheduled to be the first Proton mission for HISPASAT. Wanted: Public's opinion about station research institute -- NASA released a draft Statement of Work for public comment Tuesday for a proposed International Space Station Research Institute. NASA seeks comments from industry, academia, organizations and individuals regarding contracting to a non-government organization to establish an Institute for International Space Station research management.

Tuesday: September 9, 2003		0820 GMT

Titan 4 rocket launches cargo cloaked in secrecy Riding over three million pounds of thrust from its two solid-fueled booster rockets, a Titan 4B launcher tore through a cloud-filled sky Tuesday morning to heave a massive national security cargo into space. FULL STORY MISSION STATUS CENTER

Video coverage for subscribers only: VIDEO: TITAN 4 ROCKET LAUNCHES WITH SECRET CARGO QT PANORAMA: 360-DEGREE VIEW OF TITAN 4 ON THE PAD QT VR SUBSCRIBE NOW
European science equipment reaches station Preparations for the Spanish Soyuz mission on the International Space Station in October took another step forward with the recent successful docking of an unmanned Progress spacecraft. FULL STORY

IN OTHER NEWS Additional stories making news today

Proton to launch AMC-15 communications satellite -- International Launch Services and SES AMERICOM have set the launch of the AMC-15 satellite for the second half of 2004 on a Proton launch vehicle. The companies made the announcement Monday during the Euroconsult World Satellite Business Week conference. ASTRA 1KR satellite to be launched by Arianespace -- Arianespace announced Tuesday that it will orbit the ASTRA 1KR telecommunications satellite under terms of a launch services contract signed by SES ASTRA.

Monday: September 8, 2003		0001 GMT

Titan 4 rocket to put secret spy satellite into space The United States is poised to place a giant reconnaissance satellite into orbit from Cape Canaveral for the first time in over five years Monday night using Lockheed Martin's heavy-lifting Titan 4B rocket. PREVIEW STORY MISSION STATUS CENTER - updates! LAUNCH EVENTS TIMELINE RESTRICTED LAUNCH HAZARD AREA

Farthest, faintest solar system objects found Astronomers using NASA's Hubble Space Telescope have discovered three of the faintest and smallest objects ever detected beyond Neptune. Each object is a lump of ice and rock -- roughly the size of Philadelphia -- orbiting beyond Neptune and Pluto, where the icy bodies may have dwelled since the formation of the solar system 4.5 billion years ago. FULL STORY

News Archive
Sept. 1-7: Mysterious 'giant domes' of Europa could be explained; 'Cannonball pulsar' seen flying across space; Hubble assists Europe's Rosetta comet mission; Progress ship leaves station for Russian science mission.

Aug. 25-31: CAIB report blasts NASA for Columbia tragedy; 300th Delta rocket launches new window on Universe; Delta 4 rocket delivers last Air Force DSCS satellite; Cargo vessel safely docks to space station; NASA gives Chandra X-ray Observatory life extension.

Aug. 18-24: Brazilian rocket explodes on pad; New findings could dash hopes for past Mars oceans; Titan 4 rocket launch postponed into September; Distance data solves astrophysical mysteries.

Aug. 11-17: What to do with Hubble? Telescope's future debated; Canada's ozone research project launched into space by Pegasus rocket; Hot spots on Mars give hunt for life new target; Horseshoe nebula flows with 'X-ray champagne'; Galaxy torn apart in dark matter halo.

Aug. 4-10: Shuttle return-to-flight task group outlines plans; Asteroids dedicated to fallen Columbia astronauts; 'Phoenix' lander headed for Martian North Pole; Sea Launch rocket lofts communications satellite; Gravity variations predict earthquake behavior.

More news See our weekly archive of space news.

Soviet Space

For the first time ever available in the West. Rocket & Space Corporation Energia: a complete pictorial history of the Soviet/Russian Space Program from 1946 to the present day all in full color. Available from our store.

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Viking patch

This embroidered mission patch celebrates NASA's Viking Project which reached the Red Planet in 1976.

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Apollo 7 DVD

For 11 days the crew of Apollo 7 fought colds while they put the Apollo spacecraft through a workout, establishing confidence in the machine what would lead directly to the bold decision to send Apollo 8 to the moon just 2 months later.

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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.

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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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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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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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