It may have taken the "right stuff" -- a macho blend of youthful bravado and reckless adrenaline -- to get the first people into space, but if you want to be an astronaut today, be warned, it's no longer a young man's game.
NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, along with two cosmonauts, rode in the Russian Soyuz spacecraft that made a gut-wrenching, off-target landing last month.
NASA's final visit to the Hubble Space Telescope has been delayed at least a month, until the fall, because of extra time needed to build the shuttle fuel tanks needed for the flight and a potential rescue mission.
One issue the presidential candidates are not saying much about is space exploration. But some scientists, military experts and intelligence analysts say the next president may well determine whether America keeps an edge in space.
The crew of the Soyuz capsule that landed in Kazakhstan hundreds of miles off-target after an unexpectedly severe descent was in serious danger, a Russian news agency reported.
Russian space officials say the crew of the Soyuz space ship is resting after a rough ride back to Earth.
More than 8,000 NASA contractor jobs in the nation's manned space program could be eliminated after the space shuttle program is shut down in 2010, the agency said Tuesday
Use this explainer to help students understand the history of the space shuttle program, a topic relevant to current news.
An espionage appears to expose Beijing's wish list. It will have to play catch up to match U.S. technology but it may have a different kind of goal
It may have taken the "right stuff" -- a macho blend of youthful bravado and reckless adrenaline -- to get the first people into space, but if you want to be an astronaut today, be warned, it's no longer a young man's game.
NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, along with two cosmonauts, rode in the Russian Soyuz spacecraft that made a gut-wrenching, off-target landing last month.
NASA's final visit to the Hubble Space Telescope has been delayed at least a month, until the fall, because of extra time needed to build the shuttle fuel tanks needed for the flight and a potential rescue mission.
One issue the presidential candidates are not saying much about is space exploration. But some scientists, military experts and intelligence analysts say the next president may well determine whether America keeps an edge in space.
The crew of the Soyuz capsule that landed in Kazakhstan hundreds of miles off-target after an unexpectedly severe descent was in serious danger, a Russian news agency reported.
Russian space officials say the crew of the Soyuz space ship is resting after a rough ride back to Earth.
More than 8,000 NASA contractor jobs in the nation's manned space program could be eliminated after the space shuttle program is shut down in 2010, the agency said Tuesday
Use this explainer to help students understand the history of the space shuttle program, a topic relevant to current news.
An espionage appears to expose Beijing's wish list. It will have to play catch up to match U.S. technology but it may have a different kind of goal
NASA engineers are assessing two small areas on the space shuttle Atlantis that may have received some damage during Thursday's launch and ascent, officials said Saturday.
Iran launched a research rocket Monday and unveiled its first major space center, which will be used to launch research satellites
Iran fired a rocket from its newly inaugurated space center Monday, laying the groundwork for what it says will be the future launch of its first domestically produced satellite, the semi-official FARS news agency reported.
There's been only one incident of a NASA crew member being impaired by drugs or alcohol close to a launch, but never on a launch day, according to a new survey of active-duty astronauts and flight surgeons.
Here we are, nearly eight years into the 21st century, and the most spectacular manned mission NASA can pull off is a trip to the International Space Station, a mere 210 miles above the Earth.
In the aftermath of Tuesday's tear of a space station solar array during deployment, NASA has recast its spacewalk plans for the remainder of Discovery's stay at the international space station.
(First published October 5, 2007)
Albert Fisher of Los Angeles, California, spent the night of October 4, 1957, wondering whether he would see Sputnik, the world's first artificial satellite. At age 16, he had helped start one of many teams of amateur scientists working through the Operation Moonwatch network, initiated by the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory to help track satellites.
Three weeks after returning to Earth, teacher-astronaut Barbara Morgan cheerfully carried out her first space education assignment Monday, sharing the magic of flying in orbit with children at Walt Disney World.
Can everyone be an astronomer? It certainly seems that way, especially with some of the latest tools at our fingertips, like Google Sky, which allows Internet users to navigate through a digitized map of space. But some say virtual astronomy is not just for amateurs and should also be the way forward for professional space exploration. A future of virtual astronauts, too.
Only one person on the planet has covered every manned launch out of Cape Canaveral and now, on the eve of the 50th anniversary of spaceflight, he's written a book about it.
After finding no evidence of astronauts drinking before launching into space, NASA said Wednesday it is considering limited alcohol testing of its employees, including astronauts
A NASA review released Wednesday found no evidence that astronauts flew aircraft or spacecraft while under the influence of alcohol.
As a female voice coos, "Welcome to space," six passengers in skintight spacesuits unbuckle their seatbelts and somersault in zero gravity, occasionally peeking back at Earth through the private spaceship's large portholes.
With Asia's biggest powers set to launch their first unmanned lunar missions -- possibly as early as next month -- the countdown has begun in the hottest space race in decades
Space shuttle Endeavour undocked from the international space station a day early Sunday, as NASA kept a wary eye on Hurricane Dean.
The two pilots who will guide shuttle Endeavour back to Earth next week said Friday they are "absolutely 100 percent" behind NASA's decision to skip repairs to the deep gouge on their spaceship's belly.
The space shuttle Endeavour began its return to Earth Tuesday morning. Commander Scott Kelly and pilot Charles Hobaugh fired Endeavour's engines at 11:25 a.m. ET to begin the descent to Earth.
Their mission cut short by Hurricane Dean, astronauts aboard the shuttle Endeavour wrapped up their work in orbit Monday and prepared to come home.
NASA on Saturday ordered space shuttle Endeavour back to Earth a day early out of fear that Hurricane Dean might disrupt flight operations.
The ghosts of Challenger and Columbia notwithstanding, NASA's top mission manager decides the gouged shuttle Endeavour can withstand re-entry without repair
Endeavour's astronauts ran through never-before-attempted repair methods Thursday in case they had to go out and patch a deep gouge in the space shuttle's belly
Repairing the gouged shuttle is going to take more than technology: it must reflect a transformed bureaucracy
Two days after liftoff, a gouge is discovered on the underside of the space shuttle. Whether or not it needs fixing, it's already re-ignited safety concerns
Viewpoint: More than 20 years after the Christa McAuliffe tragedy, educator Barbara Morgan is on her way to the Space Station. But it's NASA that still hasn't learned its lesson
After Endeavour launched into the clear blue sky and reached orbit with teacher-astronaut Barbara Morgan aboard, Mission Control announced that class was in session.
Space shuttle Endeavour lifted off into the blue skies above Florida on Wednesday, its seven-member crew headed for the international space station to perform assembly work, repairs and deliver supplies.
Astronaut Scott Kelly is never one to mince words, and there is no doubt he is not very happy about the rumors that NASA astronauts have mixed alcohol and rocket fuel, so to speak.
NASA said Friday it was going to take immediate action after a report raised safety questions about astronauts drinking before flying missions.
A body-hugging new spacesuit may give astronauts more agility in space. Plus, it makes a kicky fashion statement
Viewpoint: The latest breakdown poses little threat to the astronauts. But it proves again that the International Space Station and the Shuttle are clunkers
Cosmonauts aboard the international space station struggled for a second day Friday to try to reboot failed computers that control the orbiting outpost's orientation
Space shuttle Atlantis blasted off from Kennedy Space Center Friday evening on an 11-day mission to the international space station.
Wally Schirra, one of the original astronauts in the Mercury 7 project, died Thursday at age 84, NASA officials said.
NASA's boss told lawmakers the agency failed to recognize the troubled mental state of NASA astronaut Lisa Nowak, who faces charges of attempted murder and attempted kidnapping.
FOR MOST OF HIS CAREER, NEVILLE HOCKLEY has faced the tech headaches that confront the owner of any small design firm: finding time to read the hundreds of e-mails he receives each day and waiting ...
NASA officials said Wednesday it will review psychological screening assessments of astronauts after the recent arrest of Lisa Nowak, who is charged with attempted first degree murder.
Astronaut Lisa Nowak's career was on the rise at NASA. The naval captain completed her first space shuttle mission in July. Years of hard work and dedication were paying off.
A NASA astronaut was arrested Monday on battery and attempted kidnapping charges after allegedly trying to subdue a romantic rival with pepper spray and abduct her from a parking lot at Orlando International Airport, police said.
During the last space shuttle mission to the international space station, television cameras panned around the Johnson Space Center's Mission Control and landed on the CAPCOM desk -- the relay station between astronauts on the ground and those circling in orbit.
They helped open the public's eyes to the wonders of space when they were first photographed in 1995, but a new study suggests the famous Pillars of Creation in the Eagle Nebula might have already been toppled long ago, and that what the Hubble Space Telescope actually captured was only a ghost image.
What should we do if an asteroid is on a collision course with Earth? This question is being taken increasingly seriously by scientists as more is learnt about the impact a near earth object (NEO) would have on the future of civilization.
When, after an eight-month voyage, NASA's Mariner 4 spacecraft beamed back the first images of Mars in 1965 -- to score a victory over Russia's Mars 1 in the Cold War space-race -- it changed the way scientists thought about the Red Planet.
Not even a dreary forecast could keep the space shuttle Discovery from coming home for the holidays. The orbiter touched down at Florida's Kennedy Space Center at 5:32 p.m. ET Friday, completing a 13-day mission that included four spacewalks and installation of a 2-ton addition to the international space station.
Space shuttle Discovery lifted off Saturday evening, beginning a 12-day mission with the first night launch in four years.
NASA's plans for returning people to the moon -- an objective called for by President Bush in 2004 -- includes establishing a permanent outpost that would be used to prepare for a manned trip to Mars.
NASA is set to roll out next month a U.S. national strategy for lunar exploration, one that outlines both robotic exploration needs and the rationale for sending humans back to the Moon.
Space tourism is being packaged as the ultimate trip -- almost as an extension of a normal flight but with incredible views, the experience of weightlessness and supersonic speeds.
The "Comeback Kid" of astronomy has dodged yet another bullet. Come May of 2008, a crew of seven astronauts will strap themselves into the space shuttle Discovery and carry the fire into orbit for a fifth and final repair and refurbishment mission to the Hubble Space Telescope.
NASA has announced plans to send astronauts on a final mission to repair the aging Hubble Space Telescope. The mission would extend Hubble's life until about 2013. Without a servicing mission, the powerful telescope is expected to deteriorate in the next few years.
The shuttle Discovery will pay the Hubble Space Telescope a final servicing call in 2008, NASA Administrator Michael Griffin announced Tuesday.
Spectacular new images of Mars could reveal clues about tens of millions of years of the red planet's history.
No space programs have captured the public imagination quite like NASA's exploration of the moon in the early 1970s. Now, earth's satellite is in national space agencies' sights again.
Who hasn't looked up at the stars and wondered what it must be like to travel through space? Only a fortunate few have made the trip, and at enormous cost. But soon, the excitement and adventure may be within reach of many more of us.
Nigerian schoolgirl Stella Felix rises at 5 a.m. to do chores and then walks nearly an hour to get to school. Once there, she has to share textbooks with her schoolmates because her parents can't afford to buy her her own. And when she gets back home, homework is done by candlelight.
It was a first in the annals of space history. A Russian-built rocket carrying the world's first female space tourist blasted off Monday in Kazakhstan on a flight to the international space station.
If all goes according to plan, Anousheh Ansari will realize a life-long dream and ride a Russian rocket into space Monday.
NASA scrubbed the much-delayed liftoff of space shuttle Atlantis on Friday amid concerns about a faulty sensor on the external fuel tank.
It was a dark day for CubeSat builders. The seventh launch of the Dnepr launch vehicle hauling over a dozen spacecraft blasted upward into the night from its silo site at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan.
NASA will not launch the space shuttle Atlantis on Tuesday as Tropical Storm Ernesto threatens Florida, the space agency said Monday.
NASA officials will wait until 7 a.m. Monday to decide which path the space shuttle Atlantis will take: a slow ride back to shelter as Tropical Storm Ernesto approaches, or staying on the launch pad for a scheduled liftoff Tuesday afternoon.
The launch of space shuttle Atlantis on Sunday was scrubbed for 24 hours because of lightning striking the launch pad Friday and other weather worries, NASA announced.
Atlantis' astronauts strapped into the space shuttle Thursday for a practice launch countdown more than two weeks before they are scheduled to blast off on a mission to resume construction of the international space station.
Despite the success of NASA's second shuttle flight since the 2003 Columbia tragedy, the decision to launch astronauts to the Hubble Space Telescope remains uncertain as top agency officials debate its safety.
With Discovery back on Earth, NASA is confident the orbiter can be turned around in time for a December 2006 launch, though ground crews have their work cut out for them to redress the orbiter for that STS-116 mission.
Name: Drosophila melanogaster -- a.k.a common fruit fly.
The space shuttle Discovery wrapped up its 13-day, 5.3-million-mile mission on Monday with a picture-perfect landing at Florida's Kennedy Space Center.
At least five pieces of foam -- the material that broke off and doomed the space shuttle Columbia -- flaked off Discovery after its launch Tuesday, but the particles broke loose after a critical time period, said shuttle program manager Wayne Hale.
The space shuttle Discovery and its seven-member crew roared into space Tuesday afternoon -- NASA's first manned launch on Independence Day and its second shuttle flight since the Columbia accident of 2003.
NASA postponed the launch of the space shuttle Discovery a second time Sunday because of bad weather.
The possibility of thunderstorms and lightning near the launch pad postponed the liftoff of the space shuttle Saturday afternoon. NASA said it will try again Sunday.
NASA managers have set July 1 as the date the space shuttle Discovery will rocket into space, the agency's first manned space flight in nearly a year.
Preparing for a return to flight in July, NASA will move the space shuttle Discovery into the Vehicle Assembly Building, or VAB, on Friday morning for mating with its external fuel tank and solid rocket boosters.
NASA is on track to launch the space shuttle Discovery in July after analysis of wind tunnel tests determined that the external fuel tank was safe, NASA Administrator Michael Griffin said Friday.
Veteran commander John Young and his rookie pilot Robert Crippen faced a lot of uncertainties April 12, 1981, as they waited for the space shuttle Columbia to lift off from Florida's Kennedy Space Flight Center.
A European probe bearing down on the planet Venus is set for a Tuesday arrival to take a close look at the world's soupy atmosphere.
A note from Erick Schonfeld: After six years of writing Future Boy, I'm handing the reins to my colleague Chris Taylor to focus on features for the magazine and my B2Day blog, which you can also subscribe to by e-mail or RSS. Taylor shares my interest in the Internet and new media, but he's also interested in other boundaries of technology, like space, the subject of his first Future Boy column.
NASA has scrubbed the May launch of the space shuttle Discovery to replace four low-level sensors in the external fuel tank -- a process that will take three weeks, space shuttle program manager Wayne Hale announced Tuesday.
High on Mount Ararat in eastern Turkey, there is a baffling mountainside "anomaly," a feature that one researcher claims may be something of biblical proportions.
China has mapped out an ambitious space program for the next decade that includes a space walk in 2008, a lunar robot lander by 2012 and a possible space station after that, according to state-run media.
The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, on a two-year mission to study the Martian atmosphere and surface, and search for water, pulled off a dangerous and tricky maneuver known as "orbit insertion" and began circling the red planet Friday.
NASA's latest mission to Mars could eclipse all previous ones if it can get into orbit on Friday.
NASA officials are hoping that the launch of the shuttle Discovery can take place in May, but still-vexing problems with foam breaking away during launch have not been resolved.
Entrepreneurs have always driven our technical progress--and, as a result, our economy. They tend to be more innovative, more willing to take risks, and more excited about solving difficult problem...
NASA Administrator Michael Griffin defended his agency's budget Thursday before the House Committee on Science against charges it guts science missions to pay for the shuttle program, international space station and a new generation of manned spacecraft.
The Bush administration's 2007 budget calls for $16.8 billion for NASA, a 3.2 percent increase over this year's allocation. But the space agency still finds itself having to make tough funding choices in order to accomplish all the tasks on its "to-do list."
Scientists have long known that a major ingredient in comets is water ice, but they were unsure whether the ice was contained mainly inside or if it could be found on the surface as well.
CNN.com asked readers to share their most vivid memories of the day of the Challenger disaster. That day, millions watching the shuttle take off realized, at the same moment, something had gone terribly wrong. Here is a sampling of those responses, some of which have been edited:
NASA's New Horizons spacecraft roared into space Thursday afternoon bound for the planet Pluto. The spacecraft is the fastest ever launched, according to NASA.
Make way rovers Spirit and Opportunity -- the next wheels on Mars will belong to the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) -- a huge step in how that planet is further poked, probed, and more fully plumbed for new information.
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