Space shuttle

14 August 2007 -- NASA engineers are trying to decide whether astronauts on board the space shuttle Endeavour will have to repair a gouge in the underside of the spaceship before they return to Earth next week. Up in orbit, three members of Endeavour's crew talked to reporters, and teacher-astronaut Barbara Morgan took questions from school children.

Astronauts used a robotic arm Tuesday to pick up a spare parts platform from Endeavour's cargo bay and pass it to the station's crane to snap into position on the outside of the International Space Station.    » read more »

12 August 2007 (By VOA News) -- U.S. astronauts from the space shuttle Endeavour are examining damage to the shuttle's heat shield.

The crew is using a camera and laser on a robotic arm to check out the heat shield, which NASA officials say was likely hit by a piece of ice during launch Wednesday.

Engineers back on Earth have been analyzing photographs of a gouge or scratch on the underside of the shuttle, measuring about seven and one-half centimeters square (7.5cm x 7.5cm).    » read more »

10 August 2007 -- The U.S. space agency NASA says it has found what seems to be damage on the space shuttle Endeavour's heat shield.

Astronauts aboard the International Space Station spotted a gouge in the shuttle's heat-resistant tiles Friday as the orbiter approached for docking.

Video images beamed down from space indicate the damaged heat shield measures about 7.5 centimeters square, which is slightly less than 60 square centimeters. NASA officials suspect a piece of ice or insulating foam from the shuttle's external fuel tank hit the heat shield during launch on Wednesday.    » read more »

11 August 2007 -- U.S. astronauts on the space shuttle Endeavour have begun a spacewalk to continue construction on the International Space Station and examine possible damage to the shuttle.

The U.S. space agency NASA says during a six-and-a-half hour spacewalk Saturday the astronauts will install a truss on the space station, moving it into place with the help of a robotic arm.

They will also examine a gouge in the space shuttle's heat-resistant tiles that was detected Friday as the orbiter approached the space station for docking.    » read more »

Aug. 9, 2007 -- HOUSTON - NASA is providing continuous television and Internet coverage of space shuttle Endeavour's STS-118 mission to the International Space Station. Endeavour launched from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Aug. 8 at 6:36 p.m. EDT.

NASA Television features live mission events, daily mission status news conferences and 24-hour commentary. NASA TV is webcast at:

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv    » read more »

Aug. 8, 2007 -- CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - The space shuttle Endeavour and its seven-member crew lifted off at 6:36 p.m. EDT Wednesday from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The astronauts are on their way to the International Space Station for an assembly mission, designated STS-118.    » read more »

Aug. 8, 2007 -- WASHINGTON - As space shuttle Endeavour and 10 million cinnamon basil seeds are set to launch on a mission to the International Space Station, NASA has opened registration for the Lunar Plant Growth Chamber challenge.    » read more »

08 August 2007 -- The U.S. Space Shuttle Endeavour has lifted off into space late Wednesday from Cape Canaveral, Florida and is heading towards the International Space Station for a construction mission. As Cindy Saine reports from Washington, the spotlight is on teacher-turned-astronaut Barbara Morgan.    » read more »

08/08/2007 -- California Governor Schwarzenegger today commended the crew of the space shuttle Endeavour on their launch from Kennedy Space Center in Florida and wished them luck on their mission to the International Space Station. STS-118’s crew of seven includes two California natives.    » read more »

Aug. 7, 2007 -- MOFFETT FIELD, Calif. - A new space shuttle tile inspection method using NASA-built, wireless scanners is replacing manual inspection. The new process begins with the upcoming shuttle mission, STS-118. Endeavour is scheduled to launch from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Wednesday, Aug. 8 at 6:36 p.m. EDT.    » read more »

Aug. 2, 2007 -- WASHINGTON - NASA has signed a $975 million contract extension with Pratt and Whitney Rocketdyne Inc., of Canoga Park, Calif., to maintain the agency's fleet of space shuttle main engines until the orbiter is retired in 2010.

The contract began on April 1, 2006. It is scheduled to conclude Sept. 30, 2010. The $975 million contract extension brings the total value of the cost-plus-award/incentive fee contract to slightly more than $2.05 billion.    » read more »

NASA investigates intentional damage to computer headed for space station

Washington, 27 July 2007, By Cheryl Pellerin (USINFO Staff Writer) -- NASA managers have cleared space shuttle Endeavour's August launch after a two-day flight readiness review that assessed mission risks and determined the shuttle's equipment, support systems and procedures are ready to fly.

The mission, STS-118, will be Endeavour's first flight in more than four years.    » read more »

July 11, 2007 -- CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Space shuttle Endeavour completed a 3.4-mile journey to launch pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Fla., on Wednesday shortly after 3 a.m. EDT.    » read more »

Mission marks first flight of teacher-turned-astronaut Barbara Morgan

10 July 2007 -- Washington -- Space shuttle Endeavour and its crew are scheduled to continue the next phase of International Space Station assembly with an August 7 launch and an 11-day mission to the orbital outpost.

The mission, STS-118, will deliver another truss (backbone) to the station and mark the first flight of mission specialist Barbara Morgan, a teacher-turned-astronaut whose association with NASA began more than 20 years ago.    » read more »

10 July 2007 -- NASA officials say they are ready to roll the Space Shuttle Endeavour to the launch pad in Florida in preparation for its scheduled launch to the International Space Station next month.

Kim Doering, the deputy manager of the Space Shuttle program, told reporters Endeavour will soon be transferred to the launch pad. "We had hoped to roll out this morning, but we did not get everything done before the end of the window, and we are expecting, potentially, some lightning at the Kennedy Space Center this afternoon. We cannot roll out if there is lightning." he said.    » read more »