China spacecraft returns to Earth after docking test

2011-11-17T04:30:16Z

BEIJING (Reuters) - An unmanned Chinese spacecraft returned to Earth successfully on Thursday after more than two weeks in orbit, marking a pivotal moment for the rising power's plans to secure a long-term manned foothold in space.

The Shenzhou 8 spacecraft touched down in northern China's Inner

US honors astronauts for pioneering space flights

2011-11-16T19:30:24Z

The US Congress on Wednesday bestowed its highest civilian honor on four American space pioneers of the 1960s, marking the first time the Congressional Gold Medal has been awarded to astronauts.

Winners included Neil Armstrong, 81, who was the first man to walk on the Moon; his colleague Buzz Aldri...

NASA budget plan saves telescope, cuts space taxis

2011-11-16T06:30:35Z

HOUSTON (Reuters) - A compromise spending plan for NASA preserves the over-budget replacement for the Hubble Space Telescope and halves President Barack Obama'...

U.S. and Russian crew blast off safely for space station

2011-11-14T03:30:14Z

KOROLYOV, Russia (Reuters) - Three astronauts blasted off on Monday to return a full crew to the International Space Station (ISS) as Russia seeks to restore confidence in its space program after the crash of ...

Russian, U.S. crew blast off safely for space station

2011-11-13T22:00:05Z

Russian, U.S. crew blast off for space station

2011-11-13T21:00:19Z

KOROLYOV, Russia (Reuters) - Three astronauts blasted off Monday to restore a full crew to the International Space Station (ISS) after the crash of a Russian cargo spaceship disrupted operations and undermined...

Russia to return full crew to space station after crash

2011-11-13T14:00:14Z

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Three astronauts will take off Monday returning a full crew to the International Space Station (ISS) after the crash of a Russian cargo spaceship disrupted operations and undermined faith in...

Exclusive: Orbital solar power plants touted for energy needs

2011-11-13T05:30:09Z

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The sun's abundant energy, if harvested in space, could provide a cost-effective way to meet global power needs in as little as 30 years with seed money from governments, according to a study by an international scientific group.

Orbiting power plants capable of collecting solar energy and beaming it to Earth appear "technically feasible" within a decade or two based o...

Analysis: Botched Mars mission shows Russian industry troubles

2011-11-13T04:00:11Z

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia's unsuccessful launch of a Mars moon probe points up the problems of a once-pioneering space industry struggling to recover after a generation of brain drain and crimped budgets.

An unmanned craft, launched la...

Mars explorers will include women, experts say

2011-11-11T14:30:37Z

Men walked on the Moon, but women will be among the pioneering explorers who someday step foot on Mars, said a gathering of top female space experts this week.

Plenty has changed since Neil Armstrong and 11 male successors left their footprints on the Moon from 1969 to 1972, but lingering stereotypes still harm young girls and not enough women reach the...

Kodak sells image sensor business to Platinum Equity

2011-11-07T17:00:27Z

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Eastman Kodak said it sold its Image Sensor Solutions business to Platinum Equity for an undisclosed sum in a move that will provide it with much needed capital as it grapples with a dwindling cash pile...

US lawmakers slam White House-China cooperation

2011-11-07T11:00:43Z

Two US congressmen blasted the White House and NASA for "dangerous" cooperation with China, saying technology transfer has greatly enhanced Beijing's space and missile capability.

Republican Representative Dana Rohrabacher

NASA's new Mars rover reaches Florida launch pad

2011-11-03T11:30:27Z

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida (Reuters) - NASA's Mars Science Laboratory, a $2.5 billion rover designed to assess that planet...

U.S. official defends science-technology exchanges with China

2011-11-03T10:00:16Z

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama's top science official said U.S.-China science cooperation benefits the United States, rejecting moves to curb the exchanges by lawmakers who say it strengthen...

Russian craft delivers supplies to space station

2011-11-02T06:30:35Z

MOSCOW (Reuters) - An unmanned Russian spacecraft delivered supplies to astronauts in orbit Wednesday after the crash of the previous cargo flight left the three-man crew on the International Space Station wit...

China launches spacecraft ahead of docking test

2011-10-31T19:30:33Z

BEIJING (Reuters) - China launched an unmanned spacecraft on Tuesday ahead of a docking exercise that will be a key test of the rising power's plans to secure a long-term manned foothold in space.

A Long March rocket blasted off from northwest China before dawn, lofting the Shenzhou 8 spacecraft into an i...

China plans 2012 manned space flight after docking test

2011-10-31T00:30:05Z

BEIJING (Reuters) - China will launch up to two manned space missions in 2012 as it hones the skills needed to secure a long-term manned presence in outer space, an official spokeswoman said on Monday, on the eve of the launch of an unmanned spacecraft.

The spokeswoman for MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia launched its first unmanned space flight to supply the International Space Station Sunday since an August crash left a half-sized crew on t...

Boeing to sign lease for U.S. space shuttle hangar

2011-10-28T13:00:12Z

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida (Reuters) - Boeing Co plans to build space taxis at a mothballed space shuttle processing hangar at Kennedy Space Center in

Russia poised to resume space station flights

2011-10-28T12:00:55Z

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida (Reuters) - A Russian cargo ship is poised for liftoff on Sunday to the International Space Station following a launch accident in August that cut staffing ...

China says to launch unmanned space-docking craft

2011-10-25T23:30:07Z

BEIJING (Reuters) - China said on Wednesday it will launch within weeks its first spacecraft capable of docking with a module it put into orbit last month, in what will mark a crucial test of its growing space program.

The unmanned Shenzhou-8 spacecraft, carried by the Long March-2F rocket, will blast off...

Maiden launch of Soyuz with sat-nav payload delayed

2011-10-20T12:00:29Z

Europe announced a 24-hour delay in the maiden launch Thursday of a Russian rocket laden with the first satellites in a rival scheme to America's GPS geopositioning system.

The first launch of the legendary Soyuz from Europe's space base was scrubbed some two hours before lift-off after a problem developed in fuelling the rocket's third stage, LAS CRUCES, New Mexico (Reuters) - An extra year of buying rides for astronauts to the International Space Station will cost the <...

Space taxi delays spur Bigelow Aerospace layoffs

2011-10-19T17:00:11Z

LAS CRUCES, New Mexico (Reuters) - A start-up space company building inflatable habitats for commercial and government lease has laid off half its staff because of delays developing space taxis needed to fly people to the outposts, the company president said on Wednesday.

Russians see room for moonbase in lunar lava caves

2011-10-19T09:01:22Z

STAR CITY, Russia (Reuters) - The United States may have put the first man on the moon, but Russian scientists and space explorers are now gazing at a new goal -- setting up a colony on the moon.

The discovery of volcanic tunnels on the moon could provide a natural shelter for t...

Soyuz set for first French Guiana launch

2011-10-19T09:01:19Z

PARIS (Reuters) - A Russian Soyuz rocket will blast off from French Guiana on Thursday in a new East-West partnership designed to redraw commercial competition in space.

The scheduled lift-off is the first time that Soyuz, which first flew in 1966 and traces its roots back even further to the earliest Cold War intercontinental ballist...

Branson opens world's first 'spaceport' in US

2011-10-18T06:31:25Z

British billionaire Richard Branson opened the world's first-ever commercial spaceport in the New Mexico desert, the new home for his company, Virgin Galactic.

The eccentric businessman, with usual flair, sported a black jacket and waves of hair flying as he inaugurated the building by breaking a ch...

Obama under fire over space plans

2011-10-02T17:30:24Z

High-profile critics fear President Barack Obama's commercial overhaul of human spaceflight is going nowhere and could mark the end of half a century of US supremacy among the stars and planets.

"We will have no American access to, and return from, low Earth orbit and the International Space S...

Snafu as China space launch set to US patriotic song

2011-09-30T11:30:19Z

It was supposed to be a patriotic tribute to China's technological prowess. Instead, a video showing the launch of China's first space station module inadvertently glorified the country's biggest rival.

A video animation put together by state television to mark the highly publicised launch of Tiangong-1 -- or "Heavenly Palace" -- is set to the music of "America the Beautiful", a patriotic song about the US company SpaceX is working on the first-ever reusable rocket to launch to space and back, with the goal of one day helping humans colonize Mars, founder Elon Musk said Thursday.

The vehicle would be...

China to launch module for future space station

2011-09-28T19:30:41Z

China is due to take its first step towards building a space station on Thursday when it launches an experimental module ahead of the country's National Day celebrations.

The Asian nation sees its ambitious space programme as a symbol of its global stature, growing technical expertise, and the Communist Party's success in turning around the fortunes of the formerly poverty-stricken nation.

Space authorities say Tiangong-1, or "Heavenl...

NASA satellite lands in unknown location

2011-09-24T07:30:12Z

A decommissioned NASA satellite, the biggest piece of US space junk to fall in 30 years, has crash-landed but the precise location is not yet known, the US space agency said early Saturday.

NASA has repeatedly said there is only a "very remote" risk to the public from the 26 fragments of the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS) which were expected to survive the fiery re-entry into the atmosphere.

The satellite fell back to Earth ...

Dead satellite could strike Canada, Africa, Australia

2011-09-23T19:30:30Z

The biggest piece of US space junk to fall in 30 years is taking aim at a vast span of territory that includes Canada, Australia and Africa as well as plenty of open ocean, NASA said.

The US space agency stressed there was a "very remote" risk to the public from the 26 fragments of the Upper Atmosphere Rese...

Countdown to impact: Space junk hurtles toward Earth

2011-09-23T17:30:23Z

The biggest piece of US space junk to fall in 30 years could hit Earth late Friday or early Saturday, NASA said as it struggled to predict where and when the defunct satellite would crash.

NASA stressed there was only an "extremely small" risk that the 26 fragments expected to survive re-entry would hit any of the planet's seven billion inhabitants.

As rumors of potential crash sites lit up the Internet, Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon, told lawmakers Thursday that the end of the space shuttle era has left the American human spaceflight program in an "embarrassing" state.

"We will have no American access to, and return from, low Earth orbit and the International Space Sta...

NASA says satellite will hit Earth Sept 23 US time

2011-09-21T18:30:29Z

The US space agency has narrowed down its prediction of when a defunct six-ton satellite will crash back to Earth, saying on Wednesday that it is expected to land on September 23, US time.

"The time reference does not mean that the satellite is expected to re-enter over the United States. It is simply a time reference," NASA said on its website.

"Although it is stil...

NASA bus-sized satellite to crash-land this week

2011-09-21T05:30:30Z

What goes up must come down. But where?

That's the big question when it comes to a 20-year-old NASA satellite the size of a tour bus which is careening toward Earth and set to crash-land later this week.

The US Department of Defense and NASA are tracking the six-ton spacecraft, which poses a one-in-3,200 risk of hitting one of the seven bill...

China to launch "Heavenly Palace" space test unit next week

2011-09-19T21:30:16Z

BEIJING (Reuters) - China will launch a prototype module for a planned space lab next week, state media said on Tuesday, a step that will bring it closer to the United States and Russia

NASA unveils new plan to buy rides for astronauts

2011-09-19T17:30:15Z

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida (Reuters) - NASA plans to spend $1.6 billion over the next two years bolstering industry efforts to develop space taxis, officials said on Monday.

The U.S. space agency will be looking for complete systems -- launchers, spaceships, mission operations and gr...

Astronauts dive deep in practice for asteroid visit

2011-09-19T15:30:22Z

When human space explorers reach an asteroid for the first time, NASA figures the experience will be more like swimming in space than walking on the Moon.

So the US space agency is taking a deep-sea approach to practicing for the first deep-space mission, which President Barack Obama has said could become a reality by 2025.

A team of international astronau...

Crew leaves space station in Soviet-era capsule

2011-09-15T19:30:23Z

Three astronauts began their return to Earth from the International Space Station on Friday aboard a Soviet-era capsule whose mission follows an unprecedented spate of Russian space accidents.

The Moscow-based Roskosmos space agency said the ...

Trio of space station crewmembers set for landing

2011-09-15T16:00:15Z

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida (Reuters) - Three International Space Station crewmembers climbed aboard a Soyuz capsule prepared for their return to Earth on Thursday, with their replacem...

NASA unveils new launcher design for Mars missions

2011-09-14T17:30:32Z

NASA unveiled its plans Wednesday for a massive new launcher capable of powering manned space flights well beyond low-Earth orbit and ultimately to Mars.

NASA chief Charles Bolden made the announcement of the design for the new Space Launch System, which the space agency touted as the most powerful rocket since the Saturn ...

Giffords to share story with ABC's Diane Sawyer

2011-09-12T18:30:07Z

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Gabrielle Giffords, the Arizona congresswoman who survived an assassination attempt in January, will share her story with ABC journalist US space agency is offering schools and universities a special deal on astronaut cuisine and heat tiles from the now extinct space shuttles, just over 20 dollars a pack, NASA said Monday.

"The lightweight tiles protected the shuttles from extreme temperatures when the orbiters re-entered the Earth's atmosphere," NASA said in a statement.

"The food, which was precooked or proc...

Giffords to give first TV interview in November

2011-09-12T12:30:09Z

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Gabrielle Giffords, the Arizona congresswoman who survived an assassination attempt in January, will give her first television interview since the shooting to ABC journalist

Rocket failure exposes space station vulnerability

2011-09-08T10:00:19Z

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida (Reuters) - When a Russian rocket failed on its way to orbit last month, it exposed a vulnerability in the International Space Station program that a former...

US astronaut shortage 'poses risks'

2011-09-07T13:30:25Z

The United States does not have enough astronauts to meet the changing needs of human spaceflight in the coming years, warned a report Wednesday by a non-profit group that advises on science policy.

The shrinking American astronaut corps poses risks to the US investment in human spaceflight and NASA should take steps to boost the size of its space-flying crew, the

NASA mulls 'what-ifs' of unmanned space station

2011-09-06T17:30:26Z

NASA is mulling the worst-case scenarios of leaving the $100 billion International Space Station unstaffed for a period of time following the crash of a Russian rocket, US astronauts said Tuesday.

Two Americans aboard the ISS, Ron Garan and Mike Fossum, told reporters in a video ...

New photos show traces of man's lunar visits 40 years ago

2011-09-06T16:00:09Z

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - New high-resolution pictures taken by an orbiting NASA camera show clear evidence of man's lunar explorations nearly 40 years after the last U.S. spaceflight touched down on the moon, the agency said on Tuesday.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration released three pictures on Tuesday snapped ...

Space junk at dangerous 'tipping point': study

2011-09-02T15:30:23Z

Clouds of space junk orbiting the Earth have reached a dangerous "tipping point", threatening to smash satellites and endanger astronauts, US scientists warned in a study this week.

"The current space environment is growing increasingly hazardous to spacecraft and astronauts," said Donald Kessler, chair of the committee that wrote the report and retired head of NASA's Orbital Debris Program Office.

"NASA needs ...

Space junk reaching "tipping point," report warns

2011-09-01T14:00:21Z

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla,. (Reuters) - The amount of debris orbiting the Earth has reached "a tipping point" for collisions, which would in turn generate more of the debris that threatens astronauts and satellites, according to a U.S. study released on Thursday.

NASA...

NASA fears leaving space station unmanned

2011-08-31T03:30:17Z

The possible first-ever evacuation of the International Space Station, if a Russian spacecraft is not launched in November, would risk the loss of the orbiting lab, a NASA official has warned.

"There is a greater risk of losing the ISS when it's unmanned than if it were manned," Michael Suffredi...

NASA warns 'risk of losing' space station rising

2011-08-30T19:30:38Z

The risk of an unprecedented evacuation of the International Space Station will spike if Russian craft cannot resume their missions and return by November, a senior NASA official has warned.

"There is a greater risk of losing the ISS when it's unmanned than if it were manned," Michael Suffredini...

Neil Armstrong urges return to the Moon

2011-08-24T19:30:34Z

Astronaut Neil Armstrong has urged a return to the Moon to train for missions to Mars as the United States contemplates the future of its space programme following the end of the shuttle era.

The first man to walk on the Moon is due to address the US...

Russia plans orbiting hotel in space

2011-08-19T04:00:09Z

ZHUKOVSKY, Russia (Reuters) - A hotel in orbit, lunar sightseeing flights and luxury rides into the cosmos -- all are part of Russia's vision to ensure it is not left behind in the growing space tourism industry.

Russian firms unveiled their plans at the country's premiere air show this week at Zhukovsky, outside Mo...

NASA confirms space shuttle debris found in Texas

2011-08-04T11:30:15Z

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida (Reuters) - NASA confirmed on Thursday that a large piece of debris from space shuttle Columbia, which was destroyed in 2003, has b...

Post-shuttle, U.S. space explorers need not be human

2011-08-04T07:00:11Z

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Now that the shuttle fleet is permanently grounded, the U.S. space spotlight could shift toward the path-breaking astronomical science that NASA does without human beings on board.

Human spaceflight has historically grabbed most of the public's attention and NASA's budget, but robotic probes and observatories have br...

Spacewalkers ready space station for Russian upgrade

2011-08-03T15:00:21Z

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida (Reuters) - A pair of spacewalking cosmonauts floated outside the International Space Station Wednesday to prepare the orbital outpost for upcoming Russian ...

Texas drought exposes possible Space Shuttle Columbia piece

2011-08-02T10:00:25Z

SAN ANTONIO (Reuters) - The prolonged drought in Texas has revealed what officials think may be a piece of the Space Shuttle Columbia, which broke apart over east Texas as it reentered the atmosphere in 2003.

Greg So...

SpaceX eyes November 30 cargo launch to space station

2011-07-28T15:30:15Z

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida (Reuters) - Space Exploration Technologies, a privately owned firm developing a space taxi with U.S.-government backing, plans to launch its second test capsule on November 30 and send it...

International Space Station to be 'sunk' after 2020

2011-07-27T09:30:26Z

Russia and its partners plan to plunge the International Space Station (ISS) into the ocean at the end of its life cycle after 2020 so as not to leave space junk, its space agency said on Wednesday.

"After it completes its existence, we will be forced to sink the ISS. It cannot be left in orbit, it's too complex, too heavy an object, it can leave behind ...

A hunger to explore

2011-07-27T02:32:53Z

Space shuttle's final flight marks a remarkable 30-year journey

Millions of Americans followed the space shuttle Atlantis' final mission this week, which was the last of the 30-year-old shuttle program. Atlantis touched down early Thursday in Florida and was showered with accolades.The attention was well deserved. The shu...

With space shuttle era over, robot set for Mars

2011-07-22T13:00:13Z

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida (Reuters) - NASA moved to a new chapter in space exploration on Friday, a day after the end of its shuttle program, by announcing details of plans to determine if Mars has or ever had the ingr...

End of an era for US spaceflight as Atlantis lands

2011-07-21T14:30:34Z

The shuttle Atlantis cruised home for a final time Thursday, ending its last mission to the International Space Station and closing a 30-year chapter in American space exploration.

Under cover of darkness, the shuttle glided seamlessly to a predawn landing at CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida (Reuters) - Most Americans still think their country should play a dominant role in space exploration, a new poll showed on Thursday as the 30-year U.S. space shuttle program came to an end.

The national survey released by CNN<...

Russia declares 'era of Soyuz' after shuttle

2011-07-21T11:30:23Z

Moscow on Thursday declared it was now "the era of the Soyuz" after the US shuttle's last flight left the Russian system as the sole means for delivering astronauts to the International Space Station.

Far less glamorous than the horizontal-landing winged shuttle, the principle of

Emotional shuttle crew say goodbye to "old friend"

2011-07-21T11:00:09Z

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida (Reuters) - The end of the U.S. space shuttle program launched the Atlantis crew on an emotional roller coaster on Thursday, with pride at a successful finale vying with sadness that their 30-year undertaking is over.

The NASA's 30 year shuttle program.

The shuttle was set to land early Thursday at 5:56 am (0956 GMT), 42 years after US astronaut Neil Armstrong became the first person to step foot on the Moon as part of the Apollo 11 mission.

Shuttle Atlantis counts down to final landing

2011-07-20T18:30:19Z

Atlantis made its final laps around the Earth on Wednesday as NASA prepared to bring down the curtain on its 30-year shuttle program.

The shuttle was set to touch down early Thursday at 5:56 am (0956 GMT), 42 years after US astronaut Neil Armstrong became the first person to step fo...

Space shuttles will soon be museum pieces

2011-07-20T17:30:12Z

The end of the US space shuttle program brings the start of a new chapter for the remaining orbiters, which will soon take up residence as museum pieces in Florida, Virginia, California and New York.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida (Reuters) - As the United States prepares to end its space shuttle program, technologies developed to nurture the reusable spaceships through three decades of flight will live on in day-to-day use on Earth.

Atlantis undocked Tuesday from the International Space Station, wrapping up the last visit by a US shuttle to the orbiting outpost and setting its sights on an emotional homecoming.

With a spectacular orbital sunrise illuminating a vessel in the sunset o...

Last U.S. space shuttle leaves station

2011-07-19T02:00:38Z

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida (Reuters) - The last U.S. space shuttle departed the International Space Station on Tuesday, endin...

US shuttle bids farewell to space station

2011-07-18T17:30:20Z

The crew of the Atlantis bade a bittersweet farewell to astronauts on the International Space Station Monday, wrapping up the final visit by a space shuttle to the orbiting outpost.

As the shuttle age draws to a close after 37 dramatic rendezvous, their crews held a moving ceremony, exchanging embraces and kisses before sh...

Space shuttle prepares to depart station for last time

2011-07-18T12:00:30Z

HOUSTON (Reuters) - The crew of NASA's final space shuttle mission closed the hatch to the International Space Station for the final time on Monday in preparation for the shuttle's last flight back to...

US astronauts somber as shuttle era comes to an end

2011-07-18T05:30:14Z

The Atlantis roars back to Earth this week ending America's vaunted space shuttle program and frustrating a generation of astronauts who see their chance to soar into the cosmos sharply limited.

US astronauts bound for space will now have to hitch a ride on the Russian Soyuz rocket, at more than $50 million per seat, until a new US space craft -- a c...

U.S. astronauts gird for post-shuttle era

2011-07-15T09:31:36Z

HOUSTON (Reuters) - Former chief astronaut Steve Lindsey announced his retirement on Thursday, the latest in a series of departures from the ranks of NASA's elite corps spurred by the end of the space shuttle program.

For the US astronauts will be a lot like squeezing into a three-seat compact car, made by Russia, for a very long road trip.

With the shuttle program ending once Atlantis returns to Earth on July 21, US astronauts will be flying much less often to the

2011-07-13T13:30:23Z

HOUSTON (Reuters) - The crew of NASA's final space shuttle mission restocked the International Space Station with tons of supplies on Wednesday after waking to the music of

Private space race heats up as US shuttle retires

2011-07-13T07:30:28Z

Private companies, aided by NASA's cash and expertise in human space flight, are rushing to be the first to build a space capsule to replace the retiring US shuttle in the next few years.

With Atlantis wrapping up its final mission and the end of the 30-year US program just days away, NASA is pinning its hopes on commercial indust...

Russia launches US satellites in third attempt

2011-07-13T06:30:35Z

A Russian Soyuz rocket successfully carried six US Globalstar satellites into orbit on Wednesday after postponing the launch twice earlier this week, Russia's space agency said.

The rocket blasted off from Russia's Baikonur ...

US shuttle era finishes with final spacewalk

2011-07-12T19:30:42Z

Two US astronauts have wrapped up the last spacewalk of the shuttle era at the International Space Station, where Atlantis is docked on the final mission of the 30-year US program.

Americans Ron Garan and

Last spacewalk of US shuttle era ends

2011-07-12T18:30:33Z

Two US astronauts wrapped up the last spacewalk of the shuttle era Tuesday at the International Space Station, where Atlantis is docked on the final mission of the 30-year US program.

Americans Ron Garan and

US astronauts set for last shuttle era spacewalk

2011-07-11T19:30:34Z

Two US astronauts were to step out on the last spacewalk of the shuttle era Tuesday at the International Space Station where Atlantis is docked for a final time as the US program winds down after 30 years.

Americans Ron ...

Space robot to practice refueling satellites

2011-07-11T12:00:14Z

HOUSTON (Reuters) - With the end of the space shuttle program, the U.S. government intends to stimulate development of private space transportation and also to lay the foundation for an entire new industry to service satellites in orbit.

The Robotic Refueling Mission flying aboard the NASA is tracking a piece of Soviet space debris that could collide with the International Space Station, the US space agency said after the shuttle Atlantis docked on its final mission.

The space junk is part of Cosmos 375, a ...

NASA tracking space debris in space station's path

2011-07-10T18:30:18Z

The US space agency is tracking a piece of space junk that could be on a path toward the International Space Station, where the shuttle Atlantis has just docked on its final mission, NASA said Sunday.

However, NASA is not read...

Atlantis heads to space station on final flight

2011-07-09T16:00:19Z

Atlantis headed to the International Space Station Saturday after rocketing off its launch pad for a final time, marking the last liftoff of the US space shuttle program.

The space shuttle, which lifted off shortly before noon Friday local time, is carrying a crew of four US astronauts on a 12-day mission to re-stock the orbiting lab.

On Saturday the International Space Station Saturday after it rocketed off the launch pad for a final time, marking the last-ever liftoff of the US space shuttle program.

The storied spacecraft is carrying a crew of four US astronauts on a 12-day mission to re-stock the orbiting lab, where it is due to dock on Sunday.

The mission marks the end of an era in human spaceflight. The <...

Obama hails final shuttle flight, eyes Mars next

2011-07-08T17:30:28Z

President Barack Obama gave Atlantis an inspirational final sendoff Friday, hailing astronauts and crew of the 30-year shuttle program and evoking "new boundaries" in space, notably a mission to Mars.

Millions of Americans paused to watch on television as rain clouds parted long enough to allow the storied shuttle to blast into orbit for a final time.<...

Atlantis blasts off on end-of-era spaceflight

2011-07-08T17:30:19Z

Atlantis blazed a path into history Friday as it rocketed off the launch pad for a final time, marking the last-ever liftoff of the 30-year-old American space shuttle program.

The storied spacecraft is carrying a crew of four US astronauts toward the International Space St...

Space shuttle leaves Earth on final flight

2011-07-08T10:30:48Z

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida (Reuters) - Space shuttle Atlantis rocketed off its seaside launch pad on Friday, rising atop a tower of smoke and flames as it left Earth on the shuttle program's final f...

US astronaut recalls 'roller coaster' shuttle flight

2011-07-08T10:30:32Z

Riding a space shuttle is sort of like surging skyward aboard a high-speed, rickety roller coaster and then returning through a pulsing cosmic nightclub, US astronaut Terry Virts says.

Asked to describe his most savored moment in space, the Air Force colonel and 11-year NASA veteran was unable to settle on a single high point during his first and only two-week flight aboar...

Final liftoff set to end U.S. space shuttle era

2011-07-07T22:30:05Z

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida (Reuters) - Space shuttle Atlantis was set to rocket off its seaside launch pad in Florida on Friday on the final flight in t...

South Korea Koreas Clash

2011-01-05T01:31:08Z

South Korean Foreign Minister Kim Sung-hwan, right, shakes hands with U.S. special envoy on North Korea, Stephen Bosworth before their meeting at the Foreign Ministry in Seoul Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2011. (AP Photo/Jung Yeon-je, Pool)

Hawks Kings Basketball

2011-01-04T22:01:19Z

Sacramento Kings forward Carl Landry, center, goes to the basket against Atlanta Hawks forward Al Horford, right, as Hawks center Zaza Pachulia, left, of Columbus Blue Jackets' R.J. Umberger (18) scores a goal against Phoenix Coyotes' Ilya Bryzgalov, of Russia, during the second period of an Ohio State forward Jared Sullinger, left, shoots over Iowa forward Andrew Brommer during the first half of an NCAA college basketb...

Archdiocese Bankruptcy

2011-01-04T16:30:52Z

Milwaukee Archbishop Jerome Listecki answers questions at a news conference Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2011, in St. Francis, Wis. Listecki said the Catholic Archdiocese of Milwaukee is directing its attorneys to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, saying that pending sexual-abuse lawsuits have left it w...

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Microsoft co-founder unveils space travel plans

Microsoft co-founder Allen launches space project

NASA clears SpaceX for trial run to space station

Microscopic worms may hold key to living on Mars