space

Saturday, May 17, 2014

NASA prepares to launch saucer-shaped aircraft

It looks like some alien flying saucer, but it did not come from outer space. NASA’s saucer-shaped test vehicle is the creation of experts at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in nearby La Cañada Flintridge. Scientists hope it will lead to future missions on Mars involving human exploration. The aircraft is called the Low-Density Supersonic Decelerator (LDSD) project. It’s designed for a number of functions […]
Monday, May 16, 2011

Photo Gallery: Endeavour launched into space on final journey

Endeavour lifted off from the launch pad at Kennedy Space  Center and into the clouds this morning. Later, Endeavour detached from the rocket and shot out into space. The shuttle crew is scheduled for a 16-day mission, which includes time on the International Space Station. Endeavour is due to return to Earth from its final space voyage in the wee hours of […]
Thursday, May 12, 2011

Photo Gallery: Endeavour ready for launch again

Efforts are underway at Kennedy Space Center in Florida to launch the shuttle  Endeavour for the second time in less than a month.  Endeavour was set to liftoff on its final journey into space with a lot of fanfare and hoopla April 29, but the mission was scrubbed due to a technical glitch. The heaters of one of the shuttle’s generators failed. The malfunction […]
Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Getting ready for Endeavour’s final space launch

The crew of space shuttle Endeavour’s final mission arrived at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida today. Commander Mark Kelly and five other astronauts will be apart of the 14-day mission to the International Space Station. The other crew members are: Mission specialists Greg Chamitoff, Andrew Feustel, Mike Fincke, pilot Greg H. Johnson, and European Space Agency astronaut, Roberto Vittori. At the Kennedy Space Center, […]
Thursday, February 24, 2011

Photo Gallery: Space Shuttle Discovery — the final journey

Space Shuttle Discovery is cruising in space on its final mission. Discovery lifted off with a thunder into the blue skies over Florida this afternoon from the Kennedy Space Center. During the 11-day mission, the  6 member crew will deliver important parts and equipment to the International Space Station. Discovery is due to return home on March 7.
Sunday, May 24, 2009

Welcome home Atlantis!

   Photo: Carla Thomas/NASA Bad weather in Florida continued today, so the space shuttle Atlantis dropped out of the sky and landed at Edwards Air Force Base here in California at 8:39 a.m. Pacific Time. The crew of Atlantis carried out an extensive and complex upgrade of the Hubble Space Telescope during a 13-day journey. Later, Commander Scott Altman spoke for his six-member crew: “We’re all thrilled to have […]
Thursday, May 21, 2009

President Obama does a phone chat with space shuttle crew

Photo: Pete Souza/White House Talking about a long distance call. President Obama chatted with the crew on board the space shuttle Atlantis late yesterday. The crew got Wednesday off to rest and relax, after completing five spacewalks and numerous repairs and upgrades on the Hubble Space Telescope. This is the fifth and final tune-up for Hubble. The president spoke with […]
Thursday, May 14, 2009

Spacewalking astronauts begin the overhaul of Hubble

Photo: NASA TV Two astronauts swap-out a camera on the Hubble Space Telescope during a spacewalk today. It was a precarious operation. Yesterday, the space shuttle Atlantis latched onto Hubble and both are now floating in orbit, about 350 miles above Earth. The big concern for NASA officials is the tons of debris from discarded satellites. On Wednesday, a piece of space junk […]