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Sunday:
December 12, 1999 | |
1753 GMT |
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Titan 2 rocket successfully launches from California
A U.S. Air Force Titan 2 rocket launched a military weather satellite today from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. Launch occurred right on time at 1738 GMT (12:38 p.m. EST). Read all about the countdown and launch with Spaceflight Now's Mission Status Center.
MISSION STATUS CENTER
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Brazilian rocket misfires, destroys national satellite
Brazil's VLS-1 rocket failed Saturday in a launch designed to place a research satellite into space and kick-start the country's space program.
FULL STORY
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New hydrogen line installed inside shuttle Discovery
The replacement of a damaged liquid hydrogen recirculation fuel line aboard space shuttle Discovery has gone according to plan, NASA officials said Saturday. Launch remains scheduled for December 16 at 9:18 p.m. EST (0218 GMT on 17th).
FULL STORY
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New XMM telescope takes pictures of itself in space
The European Space Agency's X-ray Multi-Mirror observatory has relayed to Earth two images of itself as it orbits high above the planet. XMM was successfully launched into space Friday aboard the first operational Ariane 5 rocket.
FULL STORY
LAUNCH PHOTO GALLERY
ARIANE INDEX
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DAILY BRIEFING Other stories making news today
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Europe's Galileo navigation satellite program moves on -- The European Space Agency has signed the contract for the GalileoSat study, the ESA's contribution to the definition phase of the Galileo satellite navigation program.
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Saturday:
December 11, 1999 | |
0400 GMT |
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U.S. Air Force weather satellite to launch Sunday
The U.S. Air Force has resolved a technical glitch that forced a one day delay in the launch of a new weather satellite from California.
FULL STORY
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Workers make progress in repairing shuttle Discovery
A damaged liquid hydrogen line was removed from shuttle Discovery on Friday and workers expect to have a new one installed by Saturday. If the repair work continues to go smoothly, NASA officials are hopeful the shuttle could be cleared for a December 16 launch to fix the Hubble Space Telescope.
FULL STORY
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DAILY BRIEFING Other stories making news today
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DirecTV orders high-power spot beam satellite -- DirecTV Inc. has ordered a new high-power spot beam satellite from its sister company, Hughes Space & Communications Co.
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NEWSWIRE Links to news across the internet
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Researchers suspect Mars had ocean -- (AP/Yahoo!) Scientists studying polar areas of Mars have found features that might once have been an ancient coastline.
China to build fourth space launch center -- (Reuters/CNN) China plans to build a fourth space launch center for commercial satellites on the southern island of Hainan, the official China Economic Times reported.
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Friday:
December 10, 1999 | |
2150 GMT |
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Europe's Ariane 5 rocket achieves success
The first commercial flight of the Ariane 5 rocket was successful today. Liftoff occurred on schedule at 1432 GMT (0932 EST) from Kourou, French Guiana. The massive rocket deployed ESA's X-ray Multi-Mirror observatory into space. Read all about the final countdown and launch in Spaceflight Now's Mission Status Center.
MISSION STATUS CENTER
LAUNCH PHOTO GALLERY
ARIANE INDEX
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SPACEHAB, Energia to build commercial module for ISS
SPACEHAB today announced an historic agreement with RSC Energia of Korolev, Russia, to establish the first permanent commercial presence in space. SPACEHAB and Energia will build a pressurized module, named Enterprise, which will be attached to the International Space Station.
FULL STORY
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Discovery's Hubble fix-it mission postponed yet again
Discovery's astronauts will spend Christmas in space to repair the crippled Hubble Space Telescope, if workers can replace a damaged fuel line in time to launch the shuttle this year.
FULL STORY
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Launch of U.S. weather satellite delayed one day
A U.S. Air Force weather satellite will miss its planned launch date Saturday because engineers must conduct more tests to ensure the $250 million craft will work properly in space.
FULL STORY
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DAILY BRIEFING Other stories making news today
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Controllers work docking, battery problems on ISS -- The International Space Station's first two components are in good shape with only minor issues facing the flight control teams in Houston and Moscow - none of which affect the operation of the complex.
Boeing named SkyBridge launch service provider -- The Boeing Company has been named the strategic launch service provider for the SkyBridge constellation, moving Boeing one step closer to becoming the world's leading launch services provider.
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NEWSWIRE Links to news across the internet
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Astronaut radiation limits urged -- (AP/Yahoo!) U.S. and Russian astronauts working on the international space station should limit their exposure to radiation during intense solar activity, a scientific advisory panel recommended Thursday.
Scientists propose new theories on planet formation -- (Reuters/Yahoo!) New planetary systems being discovered do not look much like our own because they may have been formed in a very different way, scientists say.
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Thursday:
December 9, 1999 | |
2002 GMT |
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NASA slips Discovery's launch date to Dec. 16
Senior shuttle managers today decided to replace a crushed liquid hydrogen line aboard Discovery. The work will push back Discovery's long-delayed mission to service the Hubble Space Telescope to no earlier than Dec. 16 at 9:18 p.m. EST (17th at 0218 GMT). Check back for a full story later.
EARLIER STORY
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Ariane 5 rocket makes trip to launch complex
Arianespace officials Wednesday conducted a readiness review and cleared the first commercial Ariane 5 rocket for launch. Today the massive rocket was rolled from its assembly building to the ELA-3 launch complex in Kourou, French Guiana. Liftoff remains scheduled for Friday at 1432 GMT (0932 EST). Ariane 504 will place the XMM X-ray observatory into space for ESA.
ARIANE MISSION REPORT
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DAILY BRIEFING Other stories making news today
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Transmissions commence from new DirecTV satellite -- The DirecTV-1R television broadcast satellite has successfully entered service less than two months after being carried into space aboard first commercial flight of Sea Launch.
Portugal becomes ESA's 15th Member State -- On December 15, an agreement will be signed for Portugal's accession to the ESA Convention. The ceremony will take place at ESA Headquarters in Paris.
European Astronaut Center gears up for new era -- In preparation for its new role in the training of International Space Station astronauts, whether European or otherwise, the European Astronaut Center in Cologne, Germany has appointed two astronauts to key positions.
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NEWSWIRE Links to news across the internet
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Congressman raps NASA for Mars failure; Clinton says 'don't quit' -- (Florida Today) Failure of NASA's twin missions to Mars should force the civilian space agency to vigorously re-examine its policies, procedures and personnel as it did after the 1986 shuttle Challenger explosion, a key congressman said Wednesday.
Mars lander topped bad year for NASA -- (AP/Yahoo!)
A grounded space shuttle fleet. An international space station on hold. A crippled Hubble Space Telescope. Two failed Mars probes. One launch delay after another. For NASA, this has been the worst year since the Challenger disaster in 1986.
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Wednesday:
December 8, 1999 | |
2050 GMT |
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Shuttle Discovery's launch delayed for sixth time
A crushed liquid hydrogen line inside shuttle Discovery's cramped engine compartment has forced NASA officials to delay this weekend's mission to fix the Hubble Space Telescope by at least one day.
FULL STORY
EARLIER STORY
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Problems force 'Minotaur' rocket to be destacked
Workers plan to remove the top half of the maiden U.S. Air Force Minotaur rocket today to repair faulty electronics that have stalled the launch of several research satellites.
FULL STORY
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DAILY BRIEFING Other stories making news today
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New European satellites will join global weather watch -- ESA and EUMETSAT signed a contract Tuesday with Matra Marconi Space for the development and production of a series of three Metop weather satellites.
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NEWSWIRE Links to news across the internet
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Japan to end troubled H-2 rocket -- (Reuters/Yahoo!) Japan will stop its flagship H-2 rocket project following a failed launch last month, NASDA said Wednesday. Japan will now use the less expensive H-2A beginning in 2001.
NASA to examine entire Mars program -- (AP/Yahoo!) NASA abandoned any real hope Tuesday for saving Mars Polar Lander, promised to investigate every aspect of the failed mission and delay future expeditions if necessary.
Past losses yield NASA frugality -- (AP/Yahoo!) NASA's policy of exploring the solar system with less expensive, more frequent missions stems from the loss of Mars Observer in 1993 and budget cuts imposed by Congress.
More Mars missions scheduled despite latest loss -- (Reuters/Yahoo!) Ever since an Italian astronomer saw "canals" on Mars, humans have looked to the Red Planet for clues of life in space, and the loss of MPL won't stop that.
Missing Mars spacecraft for sale on Internet -- (Reuters/Yahoo!) The Mars Polar Lander may be lost in outer space -- but in cyberspace it is already sitting pretty and up for sale.
John Glenn talks Mars, launches new book -- (CNN) Glenn sympathizes with NASA's red planet woes, saying the same "far out quest for information" that put him in orbit in the 1960s drives the agency's Mars missions in the 1990s.
Boom market for satellites despite doubts -- (Reuters/Yahoo!) Demand for commercial satellites, launches and related services is booming and looks to continue despite uncertainties in LEO and MEO constellations.
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Tuesday:
December 7, 1999 | |
2020 GMT |
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Mars lander likely failed
Mars Polar Lander and its mission to search for water on the Red Planet are likely lost. NASA officials say the chances are now remote for establishing contact with the missing craft. The Deep Space 2 microprobes also appear to have failed. Visit Astronomy Now's Mission Status Center for the latest on the effort to make contact.
MISSION STATUS CENTER
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Shuttle launch delayed again by wiring problem
NASA officials today decided to again postpone space shuttle Discovery's star-crossed mission to service the Hubble Space Telescope. The delay was ordered so workers could replace a bundle of wires connected to main engine No. 2. Launch is now scheduled for Sunday at 0442 GMT (11:42 p.m. EST Saturday).
EARLIER STORY
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DAILY BRIEFING Other stories making news today
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Terra Earth-observing satellite nears launch -- The launch of NASA's Terra spacecraft aboard a Lockheed Martin Atlas 2AS rocket is scheduled to occur on Thursday, December 16 from Space Launch Complex-3 East at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.
This week on Galileo -- Galileo continues to orbit Jupiter with a bounty of science information and
images stored safely on its onboard tape recorder. The science data were
acquired during the spacecraft's latest venture, an extremely close flyby
of Jupiter's fiery moon Io performed on Thanksgiving.
Software fix keeps Stardust comet probe out of safe mode -- A Flight Software patch was developed and
installed in late August aboard Stardust. This patch successfully prevented the spacecraft from entering Safe Mode a recent control unit reset.
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NEWSWIRE Links to news across the internet
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European Union probes Astrium merger plan -- (Reuters/Yahoo!) The European Commission on Monday launched a full probe into a space joint venture between DaimlerChrysler Aerospace AG (DASA) and Dutch-based Matra Marconi Space NV on fears the new company, Astrium, would be too strong in observation and scientific satellites, space systems and launchers in Europe.
Son of Star Wars looms over U.S. national security -- (Reuters/Yahoo!) Washington's renewed enthusiasm for a national missile defense system -- a slimmed down version of the "Star Wars" concept of President Ronald Reagan -- is expected to dominate the U.S. national security debate in 2000.
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Monday:
December 6, 1999 | |
0721 GMT |
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NASA to keep listening for Mars Polar Lander
The U.S. space agency failed to hear a signal from the silent Mars Polar Lander early today during another communications attempt. The next try to establish contact is scheduled for Tuesday at 0820 GMT (3:20 a.m. EST). Meanwhile, the Deep Space 2 microprobes also remain missing. Visit Astronomy Now's Mission Status Center for the latest on the effort to make contact.
MISSION STATUS CENTER
COMMUNICATIONS OPPORTUNITIES WITH MPL
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Shuttle crew heads to Cape for Saturday's launch
The seven international astronauts that will launch aboard space shuttle Discovery on Saturday are scheduled to fly from their home base in Houston to Kennedy Space Center tonight. The crew is expected to arrive after 7 p.m. EST (0000 GMT Tuesday). Discovery's 10-day mission will feature four spacewalks to repair the Hubble Space Telescope's crippled pointing system and replace aging electronics.
MORE WIRING INSPECTIONS ORDERED [Dec. 4]
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Europe plans solar-electric mission to the moon
The European Space Agency and the Swedish Space Corporation have signed a contract for the development of the SMART-1 space probe to be used in a science and technology mission to the moon in about three years time.
FULL STORY
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DAILY BRIEFING Other stories making news today
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Combination rocket stuck on ground at Vandenberg -- A converted U.S. Air Force Minuteman 2 missile slated to launch a cluster of research satellites into space remains grounded due to an electronics problem.
ISS Expedition 2 crew takes trip to Kennedy Space Center -- Members of the International Space Station's Expedition 2 crew, the second team to inhabit the orbiting outpost, visited Kennedy Space Center last week.
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NEWSWIRE Links to news across the internet
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NASA prepares to save Hubble Space Telescope -- (AP/Yahoo!) After two months of aggravating launch delays and shuttle problems that never seemed to end, astronauts are about to embark on a mission to save the crippled Hubble Space Telescope.
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