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How to incinerate the International Space Station
There will be no green pastures or Florida beaches for the ISS when it retires at the end of the decade. We're going to kill it with fire.
Apollo 12 astronaut Alan Bean dies
It's a somber day for spaceflight, as NASA astronaut Alan Bean has died at the age of 86 after falling ill during a trip. He was the fourth person to walk on the Moon, flying aboard Apollo 12, and proved crucial to humanity's understanding of its closest celestial neighbor. He was the only geologist to have walked on the Moon and provided an immensely valuable collection of samples that inform lunar geology to this day. He also led the second of three Skylab crews, staying a then record-setting 59 days as he survayed both the Earth's resources and the Sun.
Apollo and Space Shuttle pioneer George Mueller dies
It's a sad week for space travel: acclaimed NASA administrator George Mueller (shown at right) has died at the age of 97. He was only with the agency for six years, but he's well-known for instituting key oversight changes that helped the Apollo program reach the Moon on time -- he insisted on testing complete launch systems rather than individual parts, for example. Moreover, his legacy extends well beyond that short stint. Mueller advanced initial designs for the Skylab space station, and is widely considered the "father" of the Space Shuttle thanks to his advocacy and early work. He may not be as famous as some astronauts or scientists, but his efforts reverberate throughout NASA's history. He'll be missed. [Image credit: Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images]
