Japanese probe ready to enter orbit around Venus
Japan's $300 million Akatsuki spacecraft will fire its main engine Monday and drop into orbit around Venus for up-close investigations of the sweltering planet's noxious atmosphere.
 FULL STORY
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Proton failure dooms navigation satellites
Three Russian navigation satellites crashed into the Pacific Ocean Sunday during the launch of a Proton rocket from Kazakhstan. Officials have established a board of inquiry to investigate the cause of the mishap.
FULL STORY
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Falcon 9 rocket lights engines for readiness test
Accomplishing a crucial test before its scheduled launch next week, SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket fired nine main engines for three-and-a-half seconds Saturday morning, briefly ramping up to nearly a million pounds of thrust while the booster was firmly held to the ground. The engine firing occurred at 10:50 a.m. EST (1550 GMT).
FULL STORY
MISSION STATUS CENTER - live updates!
IMAGES: FALCON 9 ROLLOUT
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Home again: U.S. military space plane returns to Earth
Flying back to Earth after nearly 225 days in space, the U.S. Air Force's X-37B space plane blazed through the atmosphere over the Pacific Ocean Friday and swooped into a California air base under the cloak of darkness. Touchdown occurred at 1:16 a.m. local time (4:16 a.m. EST; 0916 GMT).
SPACE PLANE BACK ON EARTH - with video!
IMAGES: ON THE RUNWAY
SPACECRAFT COULD LAND FRIDAY MORNING
LAUNCH COVERAGE
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Discovery's final launch postponed until February
Launch of the shuttle Discovery on a space station resupply mission will be delayed until at least Feb. 3, NASA managers announced Friday, to give engineers more time to carry out tests to help figure out what caused cracks in the ship's external tank and what, if any, modifications might be needed before the ship can be cleared for flight.
FULL STORY
MISSION STATUS CENTER - live updates!
THE FLIGHT PLAN
STS-133 ARCHIVE
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Special fueling test could be ordered for Discovery's tank
NASA managers and engineers met Thursday to discuss the potential root cause of cracks in the shuttle Discovery's external tank, what additional tests might be needed and what, if any, modifications might be required before another launch attempt can be made.
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VIDEO:
INSTALLING DOUBLERS OVER STRINGERS PLAY | HI-DEF
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OPENING UP TANK'S ENTRANCE DOOR PLAY | HI-DEF
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GUCP DETACHED AND SEALS REMOVED PLAY | HI-DEF
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BROKEN FOAM REMOVED FROM THE TANK PLAY | HI-DEF
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Arsenic-eating bacteria may redefine 'life as we know it'
Researchers have discovered a bacteria that can substitute toxic arsenic for phosphorous, the first organism ever identified that appears to thrive in the absence of an element thought to be critical to life as it has long been defined. The discovery may require a redefinition of the basic requirements for life while expanding the potential environments on Earth -- and across the cosmos -- where life might be possible.
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NASA, White House officials share budget concerns
Responding to lawmakers' worries over the implementation of NASA's exploration manifesto, the agency's senior financial official and President Obama's science advisor Wednesday blamed a stalled government spending package and budget anxiety for the sluggish start of new programs.
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Alaska sees opportunity to snare more rocket launches
Nestled on a barren bluff on the southern shore of Kodiak Island - Alaska's emerald isle - a state-owned launch complex is vying to draw space business to America's last frontier.
FULL STORY
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Secret mini-shuttle due for landing as soon as Friday
The U.S. Air Force's clandestine X-37B space plane will glide back to Earth as soon as Friday and land on a concrete runway in California, the military announced Tuesday.
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SpaceX test flight still on track for next week
The test flight of SpaceX's Dragon cargo capsule remains set for Dec. 7, assuming final launch preps go as planned and an engine firing is successful Friday, a company spokesperson said Tuesday.
MISSION STATUS CENTER
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Photo gallery: Three space travelers land Soyuz-style
The Soyuz TMA-19 spacecraft with Expedition 25 commander Doug Wheelock and flight engineers Shannon Walker and Fyodor Yurchikhin return from the International Space Station with a landing near Arkalyk, Kazakhstan. They had spent 163 days in orbit, flying to and from the station aboard the Russian-made transport capsule. This collection of landing images was taken by NASA photographer Bill Ingalls.
ENTER PHOTO GALLERY
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Photo gallery: Ariane 5 soars in daytime launch
Check out this collection of photos showing the Ariane 5 rocket rolling the pad and launching on a commercial mission carrying the Intelsat 17 and HYLAS 1 communications satellites.
ENTER PHOTO GALLERY
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Intelsat, Avanti get a lift from Ariane 5 launcher
An Ariane 5 rocket blasted off from French Guiana and soared into a deep blue sky Friday, hauling into space a video broadcasting satellite for Intelsat and a high-tech British-owned spacecraft to meet the ever-changing demands of the vibrant European broadband market.
TWO PAYLOADS RIDE ARIANE TO SPACE
ARIANE ROLLS TO LAUNCH PAD
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Space station trio comes back to Earth inside Soyuz
Two American astronauts and a Russian cosmonaut departed the International Space Station and returned to Earth late Thursday in a parachute-equipped Soyuz descent capsule after a half-year in orbit. Undocking occurred at 8:23 p.m. EST and touchdown in Kazakhstan was at 11:46 p.m. EST (0446 GMT).
MISSION STATUS CENTER - live updates!
PREVIEW STORY
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Chinese satellite rides Long March rocket to orbit
China orbited a military communications satellite Wednesday on a Long March rocket, continuing the country's busiest year of space launches since the Chinese space program dawned more than four decades ago.
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Discovery's launch delayed until at least mid-December
NASA managers reviewing the progress of repairs to the shuttle Discovery's external tank and the rationale for making another launch attempt decided Wednesday to pass up an early December launch window, delaying the flight to at least Dec. 17 and possibly all the way to February.
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U.S. military space plane nearing end of design life
Observers tracking movements of the U.S. Air Force's X-37B secretive space plane report the spacecraft is dropping altitude, a possible sign the clandestine mission is near landing as it approaches the limit of the its design life.
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GAO: Medium-class probes face launch concerns
The next generation of NASA remote sensing satellites and space science probes could be burdened by rising launch costs and delays as the agency incorporates new medium-lift rockets, according to a Government Accountability Office report released Monday.
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FAA issues first commercial re-entry license to SpaceX
The Federal Aviation Administration granted SpaceX a commercial re-entry license Monday for next month's roundtrip test flight of the Dragon spacecraft, clearing a major regulatory hurdle before the first demo under NASA's commercial cargo development program.
FULL STORY
MISSION STATUS CENTER
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Eavesdropping craft heads to space atop Delta 4-Heavy
The triple-barreled power of America's biggest unmanned rocket Sunday launched "the largest satellite in the world" to hear the whispers of evil. Liftoff of the Delta 4-Heavy booster carrying this reconnaissance spacecraft for national security occurred on schedule at 5:58 p.m. EST (2258 GMT) from Cape Canaveral's Complex 37 at the Florida spaceport.
FULL STORY
IMAGES: LAUNCH PHOTO GALLERY
MISSION STATUS CENTER - live updates!
PREVIEW STORY
IMAGES: ROCKET POISED FOR COUNTDOWN
IMAGES: MOBILE GANTRY ROLLBACK
OUR DELTA ARCHIVE
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Minotaur 4 launches to send research to new heights
A Minotaur rocket topped with a payload of seven satellites launched Friday from the Kodiak Launch Complex in Alaska. The booster orbited a cache of experiments to prove new space capabilities and exercise growing minds.
MISSION STATUS CENTER
PREVIEW STORY
IMAGES: SUNSET ROCKET LAUNCH
IMAGES: MINOTAUR READY FOR LIFTOFF
LAUNCH TIMELINE
OUR MINOTAUR ARCHIVE
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Space shuttle Discovery's launch delayed to Dec. 3
Work to repair the shuttle Discovery's external tank is going well, but more time is needed to complete an engineering review and to develop the necessary flight rationale, the justification for launching with a repaired tank after unexpected damage. As a result, NASA announced Thursday, the flight will remain on hold until at least Dec. 3, four days after the opening of a short end-of-year launch window.
FULL STORY
MISSION STATUS CENTER - live updates!
LAUNCH WINDOWS
MISSION FLIGHT PLAN
STS-133 ARCHIVE
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Tank repairs proceed amid work on 'flight rationale'
Engineers are pressing ahead with work to repair small cracks in Discovery's external tank and to finish installation and tests of a replacement hydrogen vent line fitting. At the same time, troubleshooters are assessing the structural integrity of the tank and its foam to develop the necessary flight rationale for proceeding with another launch.
FULL STORY
IMAGES: DISCOVERY STILL WAITING
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Solar sail demo packed up to prove new technologies
For less than $1 million, scientists are planning to show off an innovative solar sail experiment beginning with a blastoff from the Alaska frontier Friday, proving new propulsion technologies that could help rid space of unnecessary debris.
FULL STORY
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Japan says Hayabusa returned asteroid samples
Japanese scientists have concluded the Hayabusa probe limped back to Earth with the first flakes of an asteroid ever returned to terrestrial labs from deep space.
FULL STORY
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Minotaur team completes countdown simulation
The Minotaur launch team practiced countdown procedures Monday at the Kodiak Launch Complex in Alaska. Check out photos from tower rollback at the picturesque facility on the Pacific Ocean.
IMAGES: LAUNCH TOWER RETRACTION
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Fourth crack found on shuttle Discovery's fuel tank
Engineers inspecting the shuttle Discovery's external tank have found a fourth crack in the structural ribs, or stringers, making up the outer skin of the compartment between the liquid oxygen and hydrogen sections.
FULL STORY
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Multi-billion dollar dream rockets into reality
Designed to beam broadband messages to smart phones from more than
22,000 miles in space, a massive spacecraft blasted off Sunday from the
plains of Kazakhstan on a Proton rocket in the first phase of deploying
a unique wireless communications network stretching across North
America. Officials declared the mission a total success.
SKYTERRA SUCCESSFULLY LAUNCHED
ROCKET
POISED FOR BLASTOFF
IMAGES: PROTON
INSTALLED ON LAUNCH PAD
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Orbital attains engine feat, targets 2012 for cargo flight
Orbital Sciences Corp. this week successfully test fired the Russian engine that will propel the Taurus 2 rocket from the launch pad next year, but the accomplishment comes as the company says the first operational flight of its space station cargo freighter is delayed until early 2012.
FULL STORY
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Second cracked stringer found in Discovery's tank
Engineers removed additional foam insulation near a cracked structural support strip, or stringer, in the shuttle Discovery's external tank and found yet another crack in an adjacent stringer, NASA officials confirmed late Friday.
FULL STORY
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Minotaur rocket readied for liftoff from Alaska this week
Seven satellites will share a ride to space on a Minotaur rocket Friday, launching from the southern shore of Alaska to an orbital perch more than 400 miles above Earth with a legion of U.S. military, NASA and university experiments.
FULL STORY
IMAGES: SATELLITES PREPARED FOR LAUNCH
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ATK sets rocket priorities under continuing resolution
Responding to guidance directing NASA to lean on space shuttle and Ares rocket technologies for a new heavy-lift launch vehicle, rocket-builder ATK is fast-tracking work on parts of an extended five-segment solid-fueled booster likely to be incorporated on future exploration missions.
FULL STORY
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Apparent seal problem found in shuttle vent line
A leaking hydrogen vent line attachment fitting on the side of the shuttle Discovery's external tank was removed and disassembled overnight, revealing an unevenly compressed internal seal. The quick-disconnect hardware also may have a less concentric fit than pre-fueling measurements indicated.
FULL STORY
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Hubble successor mired in budgetary black hole
The James Webb Space Telescope, already in the running for the most expensive robotic mission in NASA's history, will need an extra $1.5 billion just to blast off more than a year later than currently planned, according to an independent review panel.
FULL STORY
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Underlying metal cracks found on Discovery's tank
Cracked foam insulation on the shuttle Discovery's external tank was cut away early Wednesday, revealing serpentine cracks in an underlying structural rib, or stringer. Based on experience repairing similar cracks on other tanks, sources said, engineers believe the damage can be fixed at the pad before the next launch window opens at the end of the month.
FULL STORY
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Shuttle gaseous hydrogen vent line inspections begin
Engineers worked to disconnect a 7-inch hydrogen vent line from a leaky quick-disconnect fitting on the side of the shuttle Discovery's external tank Tuesday that grounded the ship last Friday.
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Next Falcon 9 launch pushed back to December
SpaceX is aiming to launch the first test flight of the Dragon cargo spacecraft as soon as Dec. 7, a delay of two-and-a-half weeks to give teams more time to complete testing on the ground.
MISSION STATUS CENTER
FALCON ARCHIVE
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Discovery troubleshooting plans being formulated
Engineers extended a launch pad access platform Monday in preparation for inspections and disassembly of a 7-inch hydrogen vent line quick-disconnect fitting to find out what caused a potentially dangerous leak that forced NASA to cancel the shuttle Discovery's planned launching last Friday.
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Eutelsat abandons lost satellite after fuel leak
Deciding the W3B communications satellite leaked too much propellant to drive itself back into Earth's atmosphere, Eutelsat has abandoned the crippled spacecraft in the same transfer orbit it was left in by an Ariane 5 rocket.
FULL STORY
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350 launches and counting for family of Delta rockets
There was a sentimental blastoff from California on Friday night as the venerable Delta 2 made its one-and-only flight of the year, chalking up a major milestone for the rocket family's lasting legacy while also finishing deployment of Italy's radar satellite quartet that images the world for peace and security.
FULL STORY
MISSION STATUS CENTER - live updates!
IMAGES: POISED FOR LAUNCH
LAUNCH EVENTS TIMELINE
GROUND TRACK MAP
OUR DELTA ARCHIVE
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Martian water went underground, rover finds
NASA's troubled Mars Exploration Rover Spirit found evidence that liquid water once seeped underground from the Martian surface, despite the rover still being stuck in a spot of bother.
ASTRONOMY NOW STORY
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Photos show space shuttle's week on the launch pad
Stormy weather, a fuel leak and cracked foam thwarted NASA's attempts to launch the shuttle Discovery this week, eventually prompting managers to push the shuttle's final blastoff until at least Nov. 30. Spaceflight Now chronicled the week in pictures.
IMAGES: DISCOVERY'S COUNTDOWN BEGINS
IMAGES: SHUTTLE WAITS FOR NEXT COUNTDOWN
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Shuttle Discovery's launch delayed to November 30
Friday's liftoff of space shuttle Discovery has been postponed due to a "significant" leak in the gaseous hydrogen venting system between the launch pad and external fuel tank. It's the same problem that delayed a pair of shuttle missions last year. NASA says the next launch attempt won't be made until the next window opens on Nov. 30 at 4:05 a.m. EST.
FULL STORY
NASA TV SCHEDULE REV. C (.pdf download)
ASCENT EVENTS TIMELINE
LAUNCH COUNTDOWN
SRB HISTORY
STS-133 ARCHIVE
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Comet flyby showcases science on small budget
Thursday's daring flyby of comet Hartley 2 not only collected a treasure trove of spectacular imagery, it also served as a model for future opportunities to reuse old NASA spacecraft for new missions.
FULL STORY
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Deep Impact spacecraft completes flyby of icy comet
NASA's Deep Impact probe flew by the second comet of its mission Thursday, successfully navigating near an unusually active ball of ice and rock more than 13 million miles from Earth. The closest approach occurred at 1401 GMT (10:01 a.m. EDT).
IMAGES: FIRST VIEWS OF HARTLEY 2
SUCCESSFUL FLYBY
DEEP IMPACT ON FINAL APPROACH
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Weather postpones shuttle Discovery's final launch
The Mission Management Team met early Thursday morning and decided the weather conditions at Kennedy Space Center were too unfavorable to attempt launching space shuttle Discovery that day. The countdown will hold for 24 hours and retarget a liftoff on Friday at 3:04 p.m. EDT (1904 GMT).
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Shuttle Discovery will shoot for launch Thursday
Despite threatening weather, NASA managers Wednesday cleared the shuttle Discovery for launch Thursday on its 39th and final mission, deciding an electrical glitch that prompted a 24-hour delay was not a threat to flight safety.
FULL STORY
NASA TV SCHEDULE REV. B (.pdf download)
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Shuttle Discovery's launch postponed at least a day
Wednesday's planned launch of space shuttle Discovery has been postponed at least 24 hours to give technicians additional time for troubleshooting the electrical problem with the main engine controller circuitry.
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NASA TV SCHEDULE REV. A (.pdf download)
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Mission preview: One final spaceflight for Discovery
The shuttle Discovery and a crew of six veteran astronauts will deliver critical spare parts, supplies and a final U.S. module to the International Space Station. It will be Discovery's 39th and final voyage as NASA presses ahead with plans to retire the fleet. This is our 4,300-word mission preview.
FULL STORY
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Russian military payload launched on Soyuz rocket
A Soyuz rocket and Fregat upper stage successfully launched a Russian military communications satellite Tuesday to a high-altitude orbit above Earth.
FULL STORY
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China sets new record for annual launch activity
Sunday's launch of a navigation satellite was the 12th flight of a Long March rocket in 2010, eclipsing the record for most Chinese space missions in a single year.
FULL STORY
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Discovery pronounced in good shape for launch
NASA managers met Monday to review the shuttle Discovery's readiness for flight and unanimously agreed to press ahead with launch Wednesday, weather permitting, on a voyage to the International Space Station. It will be Discovery's 39th and final mission.
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Countdown clocks begin ticking for Discovery
Having resolved helium and nitrogen leaks, space shuttle Discovery's final launch countdown started Sunday afternoon at Kennedy Space Center's Complex 39. Liftoff is targeted for Wednesday at 3:52 p.m. EDT (1752 GMT).
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China deploys another navigation satellite to orbit
China launched its sixth Beidou navigation satellite Sunday, reaching another step in a program to provide precise positioning services across the Asia-Pacific region by 2012.
FULL STORY
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Discovery launch postponed to Wednesday afternoon
Shuttle managers have decided to push back Discovery's launch an additional 24 hours, enabling technicians time to complete testing and the pressurization of Discovery's helium system before starting the countdown sequence.
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Cosmonaut flies resupply ship to station docking
For the 40th time in the past decade, a Russian cargo freighter has arrived at the International Space Station carrying vital supplies to feed the needs of the orbiting laboratory and its resident crews. But this docking required the intervention by one of the most experienced cosmonauts.
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Space station's spectacular views of the world below
The Expedition 25 crew working aboard the International Space Station has used the outpost's seven-windowed cupola to take amazing nighttime pictures of planet Earth. The orbital observation deck offers panoramic views for the astronaut shutterbugs to wow the public in these photos of America, Europe, Africa and the Middle East.
FULL STORY
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Eutelsat declares craft total loss after propellant leak
The Eutelsat W3B communications satellite launched Thursday evening fell victim to a significant propellant leak shortly after separating from its Ariane 5 rocket, prompting the company to declare the five-ton spacecraft a total loss.
FULL STORY
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Helium leak repair delays launch of shuttle Discovery
Shuttle Discovery's launch is being delayed from Monday to at least Tuesday -- election day in the United States -- to give engineers time to repair two leaking quick-disconnect fittings in pressurization systems used by the ship's right-side orbital maneuvering system rocket pod.
FULL STORY
NASA TV SCHEDULE REV. 0 (.pdf download)
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Discovery astronauts fly to Florida for launch
Six astronauts traveled from their home base in Houston to the Kennedy Space Center launch site in sleek T-38 jets Thursday afternoon, trained and ready to take shuttle Discovery for its final spaceflight.
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Ariane 5 hits the mark with satellites for Europe, Japan
Two communications satellites to cover Europe, Africa and Japan were delivered to a spot-on orbit Thursday by an Ariane 5 rocket. Liftoff from French Guiana was at 2151 GMT (5:51 p.m. EDT).
FULL STORY
OUR ARIANE ARCHIVE
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NASA recycles two small satellites for lunar mission
Having finished their primary mission investigating the formation of auroral light displays at Earth's poles, two diminutive NASA satellites have been dispatched to the moon for bonus science.
FULL STORY
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Debt-free Sea Launch emerges from bankruptcy
After winning court and regulatory approval of its Chapter 11 reorganization under majority Russian ownership, California-based Sea Launch emerged from a 16-month bankruptcy process Wednesday with plans to resume satellite delivery missions in 2011.
FULL STORY
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Progress cargo craft begins pursuit of space station
Just a week before the shuttle Discovery arrives at the International Space Station for its construction mission, a Russian resupply ship has launched to deliver a load of equipment, fuel and provisions to the orbiting science laboratory.
FULL STORY
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Shuttle boosters swap rooms in assembly building
The two solid rocket motors that will help boost the shuttle Endeavour to space in February took a rare solo trip outdoors Wednesday, moving from one bay of the massive Vehicle Assembly Building to another.
FULL STORY AND PHOTOS
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CryoSat 2 passes in-orbit tests with flying colors
Europe's CryoSat 2 satellite sailed through a performance review last week, confirming it is ready to map Earth's eroding polar ice caps for the next three years.
FULL STORY
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NASA delegation to China sets stage for more talks
Last week's trip by NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden to China did not include talks on specific areas of cooperation between the two countries, but it did "form the basis for further dialogue" on potential collaboration, according to an agency statement.
FULL STORY
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SpaceX reschedules next Falcon 9 launch for Nov. 18
SpaceX has reset the launch of a crucial test flight of the Dragon capsule for no earlier than Nov. 18, giving engineers extra time to simulate the ship's brief but ambitious mission.
FULL STORY
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NASA opens next round of commercial crew program
NASA formally released a tender Monday for the second round of competition for privately-developed spacecraft to carry U.S. astronauts to orbit by the middle of the decade, supplanting the agency's reliance on Russian contractors.
FULL STORY
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Shuttle Discovery cleared for blastoff next Monday
After reviewing normal processing and weekend work to fix a small fuel leak, NASA managers Monday cleared the shuttle Discovery for an election-eve launch November 1 to begin a space station resupply mission, the orbiter's 39th and final flight.
FULL STORY
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Swedish satellites accomplish close approach
Sweden's Prisma satellite mission is nearly halfway through a 10-month mission testing European technologies that could enable future formation-flying and robotic servicing projects.
FULL STORY
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Seals replaced in shuttle Discovery's fuel line flange
Working through the weekend, engineers drained toxic propellants from the shuttle Discovery's orbital maneuvering system rocket pods, dried out the lines, disassembled a fuel-line flange Saturday and replaced two internal seals in a bid to stop a tiny leak.
FULL STORY
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Lunar impactor scooped up more than just water
Astronauts exploring the moon's south pole should bring a shovel. NASA's robotic mission to plunge an empty rocket stage into a lunar crater last year confirmed the presence of large quantities of water ice and hydrogen, but it also found traces of silver and mercury, scientists said Thursday.
FULL STORY
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Underground aquifers formed martian lakes
A study of martian terrain in the northern lowlands suggests that water discharged from underground reservoirs slowly over time, rather than in catastrophic flooding events.
ASTRONOMY NOW STORY
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NASA optimistic shuttle seal changeout will fix leak
Engineers geared up Thursday to drain toxic rocket fuel from the shuttle Discovery's orbital maneuvering system rocket pods before beginning weekend work to replace suspect seals in a fuel-line flange.
FULL STORY
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NASA chooses Atlas 5 rocket to launch MAVEN to Mars
NASA has selected an Atlas 5 rocket to launch an orbiter in November 2013 to study the ancient climate record of Mars, the agency announced Thursday.
FULL STORY
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Docking system agreement key to global space policy
An agreement on a common docking interface for the International Space Station is pushing the program's partners closer to a global transportation policy, one that officials say is imperative for a collaborative exploration effort.
FULL STORY
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Main engine probably not to blame for AEHF 1 trouble
As investigators narrow the list of potential culprits in the Advanced Extremely High Frequency satellite's main propulsion system problem, the Air Force has decided to delay launching the follow-up spacecraft and rearrange its upcoming Atlas rocket manifest.
FULL STORY
EARLIER COVERAGE
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