space shuttle launch

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SpaceX Seeks Space Flight Holy Grail

California company plans first-ever reusable rocket

(Newser) - Flying a capsule to the International Space Station was apparently just the beginning. The California company SpaceX is also refashioning its Dragon spacecraft to ferry astronauts, and planning to launch a huge new 23-story rocket from an Air Force base near Santa Barbara. Executives say they're even working...

Strangest Passengers in NASA History

From frogs to fish, the space shuttle has carried plenty of crazy critters

(Newser) - You can probably name the first American sent into space (Alan Shepard), but the first monkey, frog, and jellyfish made the trip with far less fanfare. Space Shuttle Atlantis took off yesterday with a few odd passengers: an iPhone and a mutant strain of salmonella. But they're not the...

Atlantis Blasts Off on Final Shuttle Flight

Flight will last 12 days

(Newser) - Atlantis blasted off this morning on the last flight of NASA's space shuttle program. The historic liftoff occurred 30 years and three months after the very first shuttle flight. Four astronauts are riding Atlantis to orbit, bound for the International Space Station. Massive crowds jammed Cape Canaveral and surrounding...

Up to 1M Gather for Final Shuttle Launch

A 50-mile traffic jam is expected

(Newser) - Up to 1 million people are converging on Cape Canaveral to see the launch of the space shuttle Atlantis, surprising many with such a level of interest in the 30-year-old space program. A 50-mile traffic jam from the Kennedy Space Center to Orlando is expected today, despite the 70% chance...

Woman Tweets Endeavour Pic, Shoots to Fame

Stefanie Gordon captured launch from plane window

(Newser) - When Stefanie Gordon tweeted a picture she took from her airplane window, she never expected it to get her interview requests from just about every major news outlet and a retweet by NASA. But that’s exactly what happened—since Gordon happened to be on a flight to Palm Beach...

Endeavour Blasts Off
 Endeavour Blasts Off 
May 16, 2011 8:22 AM CDT

Endeavour Blasts Off

Gabrielle Giffords in attendance

(Newser) - Space shuttle Endeavour is finally on its way. Endeavour blasted off on the next-to-last shuttle flight this morning under the command of Mark Kelly, the husband of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords. The wounded congresswoman watched the launch in private from the Kennedy Space Center.

NASA Pushes Back Endeavour Again

Shuttle won't launch before May 16

(Newser) - Gabrielle Giffords is getting some extra recovery time before her husband's final space flight: NASA yesterday announced that the shuttle Endeavour would launch no sooner than May 16, reports Space.com. NASA managers made the call after meeting to take stock of repairs to a broken power unit, which...

NASA Scraps Endeavour Launch Tomorrow

Unsure when next opportunity will come

(Newser) - NASA has scrapped tomorrow's tentative launch of space shuttle Endeavour, reports Space.com, saying that it needs more time to fix the broken auxiliary power unit that delayed the launch on Friday. "We're looking more toward the end of the week, maybe next weekend," says a...

NASA Postpones Shuttle Launch Over Technical Glitch

It's off for at least 48 hours

(Newser) - No Endeavour launch today—or probably this weekend either. NASA postponed the high-profile launch to investigate trouble with heaters in the shuttle's power system, reports MSNBC . No word yet on what that means for the day's most awaited spectator, Gabby Giffords. Husband Mark Kelly and crew were less...

Discovery Blasts Off Carrying 7 Astronauts

Mission heads to International Space Station

(Newser) - Discovery and seven astronauts rocketed into orbit today on one of NASA's final stockpiling missions to the International Space Station, its liftoff flames bringing an early dawn to the coast with this last scheduled shuttle launch in darkness. The pre-dawn launch helped clinch a record for the most women in...

Shuttle Blasts Off on Last Night Flight

Endeavour headed for construction work at space station

(Newser) - The shuttle Endeavour lifted off early this morning from Cape Canaveral in what will likely be the last nighttime launch of the soon-to-end space shuttle program. The six astronauts on board are hauling a new room and observation deck up to the International Space Station, where they are set to...

Discovery, on 3rd Try, Blasts Off
 Discovery, on 3rd Try, Blasts Off 
Aug 28, 2009 11:11 PM CDT

Discovery, on 3rd Try, Blasts Off

Shuttle carries treadmill named for Stephen Colbert

(Newser) - Space shuttle Discovery and seven astronauts blasted off seconds before midnight (EDT) from Florida, lighting up the sky for miles around. It was NASA's third launch attempt. Tuesday's try was called off by thunderstorms and Wednesday's by fuel valve trouble. Discovery is hauling a full load of space station...

Discovery Delayed 2nd Time
 Discovery Delayed 2nd Time 
Aug 25, 2009 6:22 PM CDT

Discovery Delayed 2nd Time

(Newser) - NASA called off another launch attempt for the shuttle Discovery, scheduled for early tomorrow, due to a broken valve in the craft’s liquid propellant system, Space.com reports tonight. It’s the second time the mission has been postponed in less than 24 hours: Storms early this morning forced...

Discovery Set to Blast Off
 Discovery Set to Blast Off 
Aug 24, 2009 2:20 AM CDT

Discovery Set to Blast Off

Lightning could still delay launch

(Newser) - NASA has cleared the Space Shuttle Discovery and its crew of seven to launch tomorrow, as long as a slight chance of lightning doesn't delay fueling efforts, reports Space.com. NASA won't fuel the spacecraft—preparing for a 13-day resupplying mission—if there is a 20% or greater chance of...

Shuttle Endeavour Blasts Off

(Newser) - Space shuttle Endeavour and seven astronauts are on their way to the international space station after more than a month's delay. The shuttle blasted off about 6pm, hauling up a veranda for Japan's space station lab. It was NASA's sixth attempt to launch Endeavour after a series of gas leaks...

Weather Pushes Back Shuttle Launch Again

(Newser) - Lightning and thunderstorms in Florida today forced NASA to postpone the launch of the space shuttle Endeavour, Space.com reports, the fifth delay for the mission. Officials are now looking at approximately 6:25pm EDT tomorrow, though there’s a 60% chance of bad weather; the forecast looks better Wednesday,...

NASA Delays Shuttle Launch
 NASA Delays Shuttle Launch 
Jul 11, 2009 10:45 AM CDT

NASA Delays Shuttle Launch

(Newser) - NASA scrubbed space shuttle Endeavour's scheduled launch today after nine lightning strikes were reported near the pad in Florida. Technicians said they found no damage but will need another day to check critical systems. The next launch attempt will be in the early evening tomorrow. Endeavour should have blasted off...

NASA Scrubs Shuttle Launch
 NASA Scrubs Shuttle Launch 
Jun 17, 2009 2:17 AM CDT

NASA Scrubs Shuttle Launch

Hydrogen gas leak forces Endeavour's launch to be called off a second time

(Newser) - A hydrogen gas leak has forced NASA to call off the launch of the space shuttle for the second time in less than a week, AP reports. The glitch, discovered just hours before blastoff, means Endeavour's mission to the International Space Station will now be delayed until July 11 because...

NASA Hopes for Wednesday Launch

Moon probes would be delayed to Friday

(Newser) - NASA is planning to delay the launch of two unmanned moon probes to give the space shuttle Endeavour another shot at takeoff, Space.com reports. The shuttle was grounded last week because of a hydrogen gas leak. Mission managers will make the final decision later today, but expect Endeavour to...

NASA Delays Shuttle Over Gas Leak

(Newser) - NASA officials canceled today's Space Shuttle Endeavour launch after workers discovered a hydrogen gas leak during fueling, Space.com reports. If the failure is fixed soon, the seven-member crew could lift off from Cape Canaveral, Fla., as early as tomorrow morning, when near-perfect weather is expected. Discovery's STS-119 launch was...

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