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SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2009
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NEWS ABOUT: space travel

space travel stories: 32 news summaries

1 - 20 of 32 Stories | 1 2 Next >>

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 We'll Ride Nuke to Mars: Russia 

Space program plans elusive nuclear spaceship by 2012

Oct 30, 09 12:33 PM CDT
(Newser) - The Russians are planning to ride a $600 million nuclear-powered spaceship to Mars, and they say they may begin construction by 2012. “It’s a very serious project, and we need to find the money,” president Dmitry Medvedev says. Small nuclear reactors and batteries have long powered satellites,... More »

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Russia • Mars • nuclear reactor • satellite • space travel • spacecraft • Dmitry Medvedev • nuclear energy • spaceship

 1st Clown 
 in Space 
 Blasts Off 

Billionaire Cirque founder will 'tickle astros' feet,' highlight water crisis

Sep 30, 09 2:37 AM CDT
(Newser) - Canadian billionaire Guy LaLiberte became the 7th paying tourist—and the first clown—in space when he blasted off early today to the International Space Station on a Soyuz spacecraft. LaLiberte, founder of Cirque de Soliel, says he plans to crack jokes and tickle the other astronauts' feet as well... More »

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space tourism • astronauts • International Space Station • space travel • Cirque du Soleil • Soyuz • Guy Laliberte

 Japan's First Lady 
 Boasts of 'UFO 
 Trip to Venus' 

She rode on 'triangular' ship to 'really green' planet, Hatoyama writes in book

Sep 3, 09 2:40 AM CDT
(Newser) - Japan's quirky new first lady boasts years of colorful experiences, including time as a dancer in the famed Takarazuka troupe—and a trip to space aboard a UFO, according to a book she wrote last year. "While my body was asleep, I think my soul rode on a triangular-shaped... More »

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Japan • UFO • space travel • Venus • first lady • Yukio Hatoyama • Miyuki Hatoyama

(Newser) - Of all the hurdles NASA must overcome in order to reach its goal of getting humans to Mars by 2030, keeping the astronauts fed may be one of the most challenging, the Los Angeles Times reports. The agency’s food scientist must devise meals that are light and nutritious and... More »

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food • NASA • Mars • astronauts • space travel • space flight • food science

(Newser) - NASA pulled the recently upgraded Hubble space telescope out of testing yesterday to take a photo of the Earth-sized impact scar on Jupiter, CNN reports. “Because we believe this magnitude of impact is rare, we are very fortunate to see it with Hubble,” a NASA scientist says. “... More »

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NASA • astronomy • Jupiter • space travel • comet • Hubble Space Telescope

(Newser) - What do you do when you’re the first men back from the moon and you have a cargo of moon rocks and other lunar specimens? Make a customs declaration, of course. Well, not really, Space.com reports. A customs form, filed in Honolulu and released by NASA to commemorate... More »

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NASA • astronauts • space travel • Buzz Aldrin • Neil Armstrong • Apollo 11 • Michael Collins • customs declaration

(AP) - President Barack Obama today hailed the Apollo 11 astronauts as "three American heroes," and claimed such exploration spurs ingenuity and inspires students in math and science. Obama commemorated the moment, 40 years ago today, when Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin took man's first steps on the moon. Obama... More »

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NASA • space travel • moon • Buzz Aldrin • President Obama • Neil Armstrong • Apollo 11 • Michael Collins

 NASA Delays Shuttle Launch 


Jul 11, 09 10:45 AM CDT
(AP) - 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... More »

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NASA • International Space Station • space travel • Endeavor • delay • Kibo • launch window

(Newser) - NASA will launch a mission Wednesday to gather information about how humans might someday colonize the moon, the Los Angeles Times reports. A robotic orbiter will provide detailed maps of the topography and first-of-their kind peeks inside craters where ice might be hiding. “We're going to provide NASA... More »

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NASA • space travel • moon colonization • Lunar Crater and Observation Sensing Satellite • Obama administration • outer space

 Mmm, Mmm, Good! 
 Astros Toast With 
 Recycled Urine 

New recycling system will let NASA boost size of station's crew

May 21, 09 3:44 AM CDT
(Newser) - The crew of the International Space Station toasted successful testing of their new water-recycling system with sips of recycled sweat and urine yesterday, CNET reports. "The taste is great," US astronaut Michael Barratt said as his Russian colleague Gennady Zyuganov chased a floating mouthful in zero gravity.... More »

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NASA • water • astronauts • International Space Station • space travel • Gennady Zyuganov

(Newser) - Atlantis astronauts found some minor damage to the shuttle’s heat shield during an arduous, nine-hour inspection today, Space.com reports, with NASA officials saying nicks sustained during liftoff weren’t a serious concern, but that more analysis was needed. Astronauts will inspect the shield—vital to the shuttle’s... More »

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astronauts • damage • space travel • heat shield • inspection • Atlantis Space Shuttle • outer space • Hubble Space Telescope • reentry

 NASA Names Treadmill 
 After Colbert 

NASA declines to name new nodule after vote-winning Colbert Report host

Apr 15, 09 1:36 AM CDT
(Newser) - Steven Colbert missed out on getting the new International Space Station node named after him despite winning a non-binding vote, Space.com reports. NASA decided to call the node Tranquility in honor of Apollo 11's touchdown site 40 years ago, and to console the TV host by naming an astronaut... More »

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NASA • Apollo • International Space Station • space travel • Stephen Colbert • The Colbert Report

(Newser) - The name of the new life-support node for the International Space Station will be announced tomorrow night on The Colbert Report by a NASA astronaut, InformationWeek reports. At the host’s urging, Colbert fans stuffed online ballot boxes to name the unit, though NASA doesn’t have to comply. “... More »

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television • NASA • life support • International Space Station • space travel • Stephen Colbert • name • node

(Newser) - A company that builds biospheres to sustain life in outer space is planning to grow a mustard plant on the moon, New Scientist reports. Paragon Space Development will piggyback its greenhouse on a lunar lander competing in a $30 million contest to go to the moon. "We want there... More »

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space travel • moon • moon colonization

(Newser) - One of the biggest challenges of India’s burgeoning space program is culinary, the London Times reports. Researchers at the country’s defense science lab are struggling to adapt the complex, spicy national cuisine into something that will work in space. “Curry tends to be spicy, high in fat... More »

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NASA • India • astronauts • International Space Station • space travel • kimchi • space program • Indian food • curry

(Newser) - In the wake of two satellites colliding this week—and debris apparently falling on several states—Wired runs down a list of objects we've lost in outer space:
  • A spatula: Used to apply heat-shield repair goo, the implement's loss was a blow to one astronaut. "That was my
... More »

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trash • International Space Station • space travel • spacewalk • orbit • space debris • detritus • tool bag

 Tech Predictions—From 1968 

Seeing a future full of computers and four hour work days

Nov 20, 08 7:31 AM CST
(Newser) - In 1968 a science fiction writer made some predictions about what 2008 might look like on Nov. 18, 2008. Take a step back into the future with this list from Sci Fi:
  1. Online shopping: Long before Al Gore invented the Internet, he predicted shoppers would pay their bills
... More »

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health • global warming • email • space travel • predictions • cars • computers • Advanced Cell Technology Inc.

 Experts: Warp Drive Is Possible

Physicists theorize warping space could allow faster-than-light travel

Aug 16, 08 5:20 AM CDT
(Newser) - Two physicists believe the fictional "warp drive" of Star Trek fame could someday become a reality, the Daily Telegraph reports. The scientists theorize that a mysterious cosmic force called dark energy could be harnessed to warp space around a vessel, allowing a spacecraft to travel faster than light—"... More »

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physicist • astrophysics • space travel • speed of light • spacecraft • Star Trek • dark energy

 Branson's Aircraft:
 Beyond Space Tourism

Applications include satelites, drones and studying climate change

Aug 3, 08 11:19 AM CDT
(Newser) - Though space tourism is an exciting feat in itself, it’s just the beginning of the possibilities for Virgin Galactic’s White Knight Two, the Economist notes. The carbon-composite plane doubles as a spaceship’s first stage, and is capable of launching satellites, transporting replacement engines, and facilitating... More »

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climate change • Richard Branson • space tourism • Virgin Galactic • space travel • Burt Rutan • adventure travel

 Branson Rolls Out 
 Space Plane 

Craft could make first commercial flight—at $200K per ticket—by decade's end

Jul 28, 08 5:00 PM CDT
(Newser) - At a remote airfield in the Mojave Desert today, Virgin Galactic founder Richard Branson unveiled the flagship of his new venture, an aircraft that will carry the first passenger space rocket to its launch height of 48,000 feet, the Los Angeles Times reports. Tickets are going for $200,000-plus,... More »

MORE ABOUT:
Richard Branson • space tourism • Virgin Galactic • press conference • space travel • Burt Rutan • adventure travel

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