Space shuttle

05 February 2008 -- The U.S. Space Agency (NASA) says everything is running smoothly ahead of Thursday's launch of the Space Shuttle Atlantis, assuming the weather cooperates.

After resolving numerous mechanical glitches, the countdown is on for the lift-off of Atlantis, according to NASA Test Director Steve Payne.

"As of right now, the countdown is proceeding very smoothly," he said. "We have no problems to report, and we are all looking forward to Thursday afternoon's launch."    » read more »

Jan. 30, 2008 -- WASHINGTON - NASA senior managers completed a review Wednesday of space shuttle Atlantis' readiness for flight. Pending closure of an issue with a shuttle radiator hose, the STS-122 mission will launch Feb. 7 at 2:45 p.m. EST.    » read more »

15 January 2008 -- Washington -- After two launch delays in December 2007 and weeks of testing and modifying an element of the external tank’s fuel sensor system, NASA has targeted February 7 for the launch of space shuttle Atlantis (STS-122) to the International Space Station.

Atlantis and its crew will deliver to the station the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Columbus laboratory. In mid-March, space shuttle Endeavour (STS-123) will deliver Kibo, the first section of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s laboratory module, and Dextre, Canada’s new robotics system.    » read more »

Dec. 13, 2007 -- HOUSTON - NASA's Space Shuttle Program managers have targeted Jan. 10 for the launch of shuttle Atlantis' STS-122 mission to the International Space Station.

"The workforce has stepped up to and met every challenge this year," said Wayne Hale, Space Shuttle Program manager at NASA's Johnson Space Center. "Moving the next launch attempt of Atlantis to Jan. 10 will allow as many people as possible to have time with family and friends at the time of year when it means the most. A lot has been asked of them this year and a lot will be asked of them in 2008."    » read more »

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Space shuttle Atlantis' STS-122 mission to the International Space Station now is targeted to launch no earlier than Jan. 2 from NASA's Kennedy Space Center. The liftoff date depends on the resolution of a problem in a fuel sensor system.

Early Sunday, one of the four engine cutoff, or ECO, sensors inside the liquid hydrogen section of Atlantis' external fuel tank gave a false reading while the tank was being filled. NASA's current Launch Commit Criteria require that all four sensors function properly.    » read more »

09 December 2007 -- The U.S. space agency NASA has assigned a team of engineers to find out what caused fuel sensors to fail, leading to the postponement of today's launch of the space shuttle Atlantis.

NASA officials said they would not attempt another launch before January 2. In the meantime, they will try to find out why sensors in the shuttle's liquid fuel tank failed as the tank was being filled.    » read more »

Dec. 6, 2007 -- CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - The launch of NASA's space shuttle Atlantis will take place no earlier than Saturday, Dec. 8, at 3:43 p.m. EST. Thursday's scheduled liftoff from NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Fla., was postponed because of a problem with a fuel cutoff sensor system inside the shuttle's external fuel tank.

The fuel cutoff sensor system is one of several that protect the shuttle's main engines by triggering their shut down if fuel runs unexpectedly low. Launch Commit Criteria require that three of the four sensor systems function properly before liftoff.    » read more »

05 December 2007 -- The Shuttle Atlantis is on the launch pad and ready to lift off on Thursday. The crew is scheduled to ferry a European laboratory module to the International Space Station.

All seven astronauts are at Cape Canaveral in Florida reviewing procedures and awaiting their construction mission to the International Space Station.    » read more »

Nov. 21, 2007 -- WASHINGTON - NASA has replaced a crew member assigned to space shuttle mission STS-126. Astronaut Donald R. Pettit will take the place of astronaut Joan E. Higginbotham, who has left NASA to accept a position in the private sector. The mission is targeted to launch in September 2008 and will deliver equipment to the International Space Station enabling larger crews to reside aboard the complex.    » read more »

15 November 2007 -- U.S. space agency officials are facing sharp questions from U.S. lawmakers over a five-year gap in American spaceflight capabilities between the planned 2010 retirement of the space shuttle fleet and the anticipated development of a successor vehicle. NASA administrators testified before Congress Thursday.    » read more »

Nov. 10, 2007 -- CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – After safely reaching its launch pad Saturday at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, the space shuttle Atlantis now awaits its next major milestone for the upcoming STS-122 mission. The full launch dress rehearsal is scheduled from Nov. 18 to 20 at Kennedy.    » read more »

Nov. 8, 2007 -- WASHINGTON - NASA has selected NetJets Inc., of Woodbridge, N.J., for commercial aviation transportation services in support of NASA's Space Operations Mission Directorate.    » read more »

NASA readies centers, new lunar science institute for return to moon

07 November 2007 -- Washington – With the International Space Station's Harmony module set for docking by the European and Japanese laboratories, and sections of the station's truss and solar arrays moved and working, Space Shuttle Discovery's crew returned to Earth November 7, the shuttle glinting in Florida's midday sun.    » read more »

07 November 2007 -- The crew of the space shuttle Discovery has returned to Earth after completing a more than two-week mission to the International Space Station. The astronauts performed crucial construction and repair work on the orbiter.

Commander Pamela Melroy and the crew of the shuttle Discovery ended their mission by flying east across the United States before touching down. NASA's Mission Control followed the shuttle as it came in to land at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.    » read more »

30 October 2007 -- Astronauts have finished installing a solar power unit on the International Space Station Tuesday, during their third spacewalk.

Spacewalkers Scott Parazynski and Doug Wheelock helped guide astronauts inside the station as they used a robotic arm to install a 16,000 kilogram beam to the end of the station.

The beam's large solar panels will generate electricity for the addition of a European research laboratory in December.    » read more »