Space Station – Spaceflight Now

NASA chief warns of gap after retirement of International Space Station

November 11, 2020 Stephen Clark

The International Space Station is likely to continue operating for another decade, but without more government support, a privately-owned outpost may not be ready in time to replace it, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said.

Axiom strikes deal with SpaceX to ferry private astronauts to space station

March 5, 2020 Stephen Clark

Axiom Space, a Houston-based company with plans to develop a commercial outpost in space, announced Thursday it has signed a contract with SpaceX to ferry a professional astronaut and three paying passengers to the International Space Station as soon as next year on the first fully private human spaceflight mission to Earth orbit.

First supply ship for Chinese space station lifts off on test flight

April 20, 2017 Stephen Clark

A Long March 7 rocket lifted off Thursday with Tianzhou 1, an unpiloted refueling freighter heading for China’s Tiangong 2 mini-space station to conduct several months of robotic demonstrations, practicing for the assembly and maintenance of a future permanently-staffed orbital research complex.

NASA, Roscosmos open to extending station operations to 2028

April 8, 2017 Stephen Clark

Top officials from NASA and Roscosmos, the Russian space agency, could decide soon to commit to keeping the International Space Station staffed and flying through at least 2028, four years after the research lab’s current retirement date.

NASA flight director discusses curtailed spacewalk

January 16, 2016 Spaceflight Now

NASA’s lead spacewalk flight director Royce Renfrew talks with public affairs office Rob Navias about the curtailed spacewalk by astronauts Tim Kopra and Tim Peake on January 15, 2016. Although the spacewalk’s major objective to replace a failed voltage regulator was a success, the spacewalk was cut short when a small water bubble had formed inside Kopra’s helmet.

Space Station Live: January 4, 2016

January 7, 2016 Spaceflight Now

A video update from mission control Houston on activities aboard the International Space Station. (Membership required)

Atlas 5/Cygnus post-launch news conference

December 7, 2015 Spaceflight Now

Watch the post-launch news conference from the Kennedy Space Center following the successful launch of an Atlas 5 rocket on December 6, carrying the Orbital ATK Cygnus cargo ship bound for the International Space Station.

Space Station Live: October 7, 2015

October 7, 2015 Spaceflight Now

A video update from mission control Houston on activities aboard the International Space Station. (Membership required)

Live coverage: Japanese cargo craft departs International Space Station

September 27, 2015 Spaceflight Now

Live coverage of the departure of a Japanese cargo craft from the International Space Station. The fifth HTV cargo freighter delivered a 9,500-pound package of food, spare parts and experiments.

Ratchet wrench ’emailed’ to space station

December 22, 2014 Stephen Clark

A future where mission control can digitally dispatch tools, spare parts and other vital materials to far-flung space crews took one giant leap toward reality when a 3D printer aboard the International Space Station produced a ratchet wrench on demand.