Spaceflight Now

Sunday: November 30, 2003		0249 GMT

Biggest star in our galaxy sits in ball-shaped cocoon Ever since 1841, when the until then inconspicuous southern star Eta Carinae underwent a spectacular outburst, astronomers have wondered what exactly is going on in this unstable giant star. FULL STORY

Saturday: November 29, 2003		1600 GMT

Japanese launch fails The second pair of Japanese spy satellites, destined for a reconnaissance mission to observe the activities of North Korea, was destroyed Saturday during a failed launch aboard the H-2A rocket. The vehicle didn't achieve the necessary speed for orbit, prompting controllers to send a destruct command to the rocket. FULL STORY - updated!

Sea recons readied A National Reconnaissance Office secret space mission, important for tracking potential terrorist movements involving ships, is poised for liftoff from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. The 13,700-pound payload of 2-3 ocean surveillance spacecraft is to be launched as early as about 2 a.m. local time Tuesday on board a U.S. Air Force/Lockheed Martin Atlas-Centaur. LAUNCH PREVIEW STORY GROUND TRACK MAP

Friday: November 28, 2003		0252 GMT

Atlas 2AS rocket poised for predawn liftoff Tuesday Delivery of a top-secret reconnaissance payload into space by a Lockheed Martin Atlas rocket remains scheduled for early Tuesday from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. MISSION STATUS CENTER

The last cry of matter 'Black holes' are truly black. When an object gets within a certain distance from a black hole, it will get swallowed forever with no chance to escape. That includes light, which means that black holes do not shine. FULL STORY

Thursday: November 27, 2003		0053 GMT

Radiation monitoring device fails on Mars spacecraft The martian radiation environment experiment on NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey orbiter stopped working last month during a period of intense solar activity, the space agency announced Wednesday. FULL STORY

Thanksgiving in space: Reflecting on difficult year Expedition 8 commander Mike Foale and flight engineer Alexander Kaleri -- living aboard the International Space Station -- offer a Thanksgiving Day message and remember the fallen crew of Columbia. They will dine on packaged turkey and talk to their families on Thursday. The video is available to Spaceflight Now Plus subscribers.

Video coverage for subscribers only: VIDEO: THANKSGIVING DAY MESSAGE FROM SPACE STATION QT MORE VIDEO! SUBSCRIBE NOW
Solution for Kuiper belt mystery A new study by researchers provides an explanation for one of the more mysterious aspects of the population of objects beyond Neptune. In doing so, it provides a unique glimpse into the proto-planetary disk from which the Solar System's planets formed. FULL STORY

Wednesday: November 26, 2003		0001 GMT

Cheap method developed for solar system hunt Astronomers have invented an inexpensive method to determine if other solar systems like our own exist. Among the more than 100 stars now known to have planets, astronomers have found few systems similar to ours. It's unknown if this is because of technological limitations or if our system is truly a rare configuration. FULL STORY

Sea Launch set for three-launch opener in 2004 Sea Launch is currently preparing to launch the Telstar 14/Estrela do Sul 1 communications satellite for Space Systems/Loral in January. This mission will be the first of three Loral missions early next year. FULL STORY ESTRELA DO SUL 1 SHIPPED TO SEA LAUNCH

Why constants of nature may be changing Light signals from exceedingly bright and distant galaxies called quasars seem to indicate that the bond between electrons and protons was weaker in the early universe. FULL STORY

Key milestones achieved on next-generation engine NASA, the U.S Air Force and two prime aerospace contractors have successfully completed testing of two key rocket engine components - critical milestones in the development of innovative engine systems that could, within decades, power a new generation of American space launch vehicles. FULL STORY

Tuesday: November 25, 2003		0203 GMT

Galactic winds blow away idea of 'island Universe' It was the 17th Century English preacher and poet John Donne who wrote the immortal lines "No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main." Today, astronomers have determined we also do not live in an "island Universe" - that is, a Universe in which the vast agglomerations of gas and stars known as galaxies are wholly independent of the influence of neighboring galaxies and their surrounding environment. FULL STORY

Proton rocket lifts off A Russian Proton K rocket fitted with a Block DM upper stage launched from Baikonur Cosmodrome at 0622 GMT (1:22 a.m. EDT) Monday carrying a pair of domestic communications spacecraft. The Yamal 200-series satellites will provide services across Russia, Europe and Southeast Asia from geostationary orbit. This was the third Proton launch of 2003, with two more scheduled next month.

Monday: November 24, 2003		0001 GMT

NASA successfully tests futuristic ion engine NASA's Project Prometheus recently reached an important milestone with the first successful test of an engine -- a High Power Electric Propulsion ion engine -- that could lead to revolutionary propulsion capabilities for space exploration missions throughout the solar system and beyond. FULL STORY

Pluto mission to study Jupiter en route The main goal of NASA's New Horizons mission may be to explore Pluto-Charon and the Kuiper belt beginning in 2015, but first the mission plans to fly by the solar system's largest planet, Jupiter, in 2007. The Jupiter flyby would be used by New Horizons to provide a gravitational assist that shaves years off the trip time to Pluto-Charon and the Kuiper belt. FULL STORY

Space station's Expedition 9 crew named Veteran NASA astronaut William S. McArthur Jr., a retired U.S. Army colonel, and Russian Air Force Colonel Valery I. Tokarev are the next crew for the International Space Station. They will launch to the station aboard a Russian Soyuz spacecraft in April for a six-month mission. FULL STORY

Video coverage for subscribers only: VIDEO: MCARTHUR TALKS ABOUT THE FUTURE QT MORE VIDEO! SUBSCRIBE NOW

News Archive
Nov. 17-23: O'Keefe: time is right for new space vision; Shuttle Enterprise arrives at Smithsonian museum; Launch of Einstein's space experiment postponed; Feature story on Heavy-lifting version of Delta 4; Ulysses gives first 3-D observations of sun storms.

Nov. 10-16: Images give new insight into Mars' ancient rivers; Nascent star is forming Jupiter-like planet; Radar shows no evidence of thick ice at lunar poles; China puts communications satellite into orbit; Europe's first step towards Mars sample return.

Nov. 3-9: Solar storms continue to pummel Earth; Biggest solar X-ray flare ever classified as X28; NASA increases return-to-flight shuttle crew to seven; Budget ax falls on planet finder, Mercury lander; Voyager approaching solar system's outer limits.

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.

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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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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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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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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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Expedition 18 patch & pin

The official embroidered patch and lapel pin for the International Space Station Expedition 18 crew is now available to from our stores.

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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.

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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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Columbus mission patch

The official astronaut embroidered patch of Atlantis' STS-122 mission that launched the Columbus science lab in February is available to U.S. customers from our store.

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