Human Spaceflight

Chinese space station testbed ends mission with controlled re-entry

July 19, 2019 Stephen Clark

A prototype space lab module for China’s planned space station re-entered the atmosphere over the South Pacific Ocean Friday to end a nearly three-year mission that included a visit from Chinese astronauts and an in-orbit refueling demonstration.

Soyuz crew vehicle arrives at launch pad in Kazakhstan

July 18, 2019 Stephen Clark

A Russian Soyuz rocket rolled out to a launch pad in Kazakhstan early Thursday in preparation for liftoff Saturday with a Russian commander, Italian flight engineer and U.S. astronaut heading for the International Space Station.

NASA boss pleads for funding to ensure 2024 moon landing

July 17, 2019 William Harwood

NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine told a Senate panel Wednesday that a budget impasse and subsequent spending freeze later this year would be “devastating” to the agency’s goal of sending the first woman and next man to the moon by the end of 2024.

China set to deorbit disused Tiangong 2 space lab

July 16, 2019 Stephen Clark

China’s Tiangong 2 space lab, a precursor to the country’s planned space station, is scheduled to fall out of orbit Friday and plunge back into Earth’s atmosphere for a destructive re-entry.

SpaceX points to leaky valve as culprit in Crew Dragon test accident

July 15, 2019 Stephen Clark

Investigators believe a leak of propellant inside the Crew Dragon spacecraft’s propulsion system led to the capsule’s explosion April 20 during a ground test at Cape Canaveral, and a senior SpaceX official said Monday that delays are making it “increasingly difficult” to fly astronauts on the commercial spaceship before the end of the year.

Final assembly and test milestones on tap for NASA’s first Orion moon ship

July 15, 2019 Stephen Clark

The pressurized crew module and European-built service module for NASA’s first Orion spacecraft to travel to the moon will be joined together for the first time in the coming weeks at the Kennedy Space Center, with preparations — at least for Orion — on a pace to be ready for launch on an unpiloted test flight next year.

Chinese space station testbed ends mission with controlled re-entry

Soyuz crew vehicle arrives at launch pad in Kazakhstan

NASA boss pleads for funding to ensure 2024 moon landing

China set to deorbit disused Tiangong 2 space lab

SpaceX points to leaky valve as culprit in Crew Dragon test accident

Final assembly and test milestones on tap for NASA’s first Orion moon ship

Photos: NASA conducts key Orion abort test

Watch replays of the Orion inflight abort test

Orion abort test post-launch briefing (members only)

NASA successfully tests Orion launch abort system before moon flights