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Original Space Shuttle commander John Young dies
Spaceflight just lost one of its better-known icons: NASA astronaut John Young has died at the age of 87. He was best known as the commander of the first Space Shuttle mission, taking Columbia into orbit in 1981. However, that was just one of a series of achievements. He flew on the first manned flight of the Gemini spacecraft in 1965 (and led a flight in 1966), traveled to the Moon twice (including a moonwalk during Apollo 16) and played a key role in the rescue of Apollo 13 by helping to stretch out its resources. On his record-setting sixth and last spaceflight, when he flew the first Spacelab module into orbit aboard the Space Shuttle, he both avoided a mid-flight disaster and landed while an auxiliary power unit was on fire.
China wants to build a nuclear-powered space shuttle by 2040
The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) is the main contractor for China's space program. This week, the GB Times reports that the company released an ambitious roadmap for China's space aspirations that could carry the country through 2040 and beyond.
Someone stole a tile from the Space Shuttle's thermal shield
A six-inch piece of thermal tile like the ones lining the belly of the space shuttle was stolen from an exhibit at NASA Kennedy Space Center over the weekend Popular Mechanics reports. Although the tile itself never actually flew on a shuttle and was only used for training purposes, NASA security is asking the internet to keep an eye out for it in case it pops up for sale online.
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]
NASA chief: Congress needs to support commercial crew program
NASA recently paid Russia $490 million to continue ferrying its astronauts to the ISS, but Maj. Gen. Charles Bolden says "it doesn't have to be this way." In a piece/open letter the space agency's head honcho wrote for Wired, he explains how the Congress is holding back the agency from launching astronauts on US soil. Apparently, if the House of Representatives approved the funding the agency was asking for, then NASA would have already been making the final preparations for a US-based launch.
NASA salvages old space shuttle parts for the ISS
NASA has apparently been stripping and reusing parts from old spacecraft, because when you have lofty goals and a limited budget, you gotta do what you gotta do. For instance, it's salvaging the four water tanks installed on the space shuttle Endeavour this week, so the agency can use them to build a new storage system for the International Space Station. Those tanks can store 300 liters in all that can last for 25 to 27 days: they're expected to help free more time for the crew to spend on their experiments. Also, according to NASA spokesperson Daniel Huot, they "could greatly reduce the overall cost to build the new system." Refilling the space station's water reservoir can be time-consuming, since the astronauts recycle every ounce of liquid they can, including urine and sweat.
Hear the space age unfold on NASA's historic SoundCloud account
If you've ever wanted to cobble together a really wicked EDM track comprised mostly of sound bites from NASA's Mercury missions, well, now's your chance. Everyone's favorite beleaguered space agency has been posting a treasure trove of audio clips that span the space age to its SoundCloud account (just in time to post them in form of Twitter's new Audio Cards), and they're really worth a listen.
Canada puts its robot arms on $5 bills, leads the space currency race
Americans like to tease Canadians about their colorful (and often animal-themed) money, but we think the tables might just have turned. When the Bank of Canada issues a new $5 polymer bill this November, one side will include both the Canadarm2 and Dextre manipulator robots in tribute to the nation's work on both the Space Shuttle and International Space Station. Let that sink in for a moment: a country's currency will reference space robots alongside the usual politicians. The only thing dampening the awesomeness is the irony of it all, as it's an ode to technology in a format that's being destroyed by technology. Still, we'll consider the $5 note a victory for geeks everywhere when we're buying a box of Timbits.
Create your own space program: NASA quietly flogging bits of the Kennedy Space Center
The idea of private space tourism is certainly taking off, but at such high costs, only 1 percent of the 1 percent will be able to afford it. But, what if you could just do it all yourself? You're going to need some infrastructure to get you started, and luckily, NASA is reportedly looking to lease or sell off some Kennedy Space Center assets it no longer needs. While that list has not been made public, it apparently includes Launch Pad 39A, a landing strip, the Launch Control Center, and various other high-tech equipment and buildings from its late shuttle program. NASA also wants some quick deals before anything falls into disrepair, so if you're serious about your new space venture, you might be able to snag a bargain or two with some strategic low offers. Now you've just gotta wait for a cheap rocket deal to pop up on eBay and you're good to go.
Visualized: Space shuttle Endeavour goes on a crosstown journey through LA streets
The space shuttle Endeavour finally bid adieu to its fans in Southern California last weekend, not in the air, but on city streets. The L.A. Times captured this remarkable feat in a time-lapse video, and it's quite a sight to see the orbiter sailing past suburban houses and fast food drive-thrus. Along its 12-mile crosstown trip from LAX to the California Science Center in Exposition Park, the shuttle atop a special transporter had to maneuver past trees, utility poles and of course hundreds of enthralled residents. This came weeks after it made its farewell tour over the California coast perched on a Boeing 747. Take a peek at the Endeavour's final fascinating journey at the source.
Space Shuttle Atlantis hands-on: a look inside (video)
Space Shuttles Discovery, Endeavour and Enterprise have all left Kennedy Space Center for new homes, but Atlantis? She's staying. Come November 2nd, the orbiter will be wheeled out to a 65,000-square-foot exhibit, which is still being constructed at KSC's visitor complex. Though the craft's cargo bay doors will be open and its remote manipulator arm extended when its displayed, visitors won't be able to climb aboard it -- or any of the other shuttles, for that matter. However, we got the chance to visit Bay 2 of the Orbiter Processing Facility, step inside Atlantis and give it the hands-on treatment. Look out below for the gallery or hit the jump for the full video tour.
Vizualized: Bay Area bids adieu to Space Shuttle Endeavour (update: video)
NASA and the US government may have moved on from the shuttle program, but it's clear that the American people are still in love with our nation's cosmic cargo planes. An estimated 20,000 people showed up at the Ames Research Center/Moffet Air Force Base in Mountain View, California this morning to see Endeavour buzz the tower. With so many folks itchin' to see Endeavour's farewell tour firsthand, the line to get in was lengthy, but we braved the crowds to bring you some shots of the action. Enjoy. [Thanks to Chris Williams for helping with some of the crowd shots] Update: Canon/RED guru and LA-based DP Vincent Laforet caught the shuttle's final approach and landing at LAX. You'll find the slow-motion clip, shot at 5K resolution on a RED Epic at 96 frames-per-second with an 800mm Canon f/5.6 lens, just past the break.
Space Shuttle Endeavour hitching a ride atop a 747 to its new home on September 17
Space Shuttles Discovery and Enterprise have already settled into their new homes, and now Endeavour is scheduled to depart for its future abode at the California Science Center on September 17th. Taking to the skies atop a modified Boeing 747, the shuttle will make pit stops in Texas and at Edwards Air Force Base in the Golden State before touching down at Los Angeles International Airport on the 20th. During the journey out west, the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft will buzz certain cities and NASA sites along its flight path at roughly 1,500 feet in altitude. After its voyage, Endeavor will head to the science center on October 13th, but won't be on display until the end of the month. Yearning to catch a glimpse of the historic vehicle before it reaches its final resting place? Head past the jump for its flight schedule and flyover details.
Pioneering astronaut Neil Armstrong dies at 82
It's a story that we hoped we'd never have to report. Neil Armstrong, the first man to set foot on Earth's Moon, has died at the age of 82 after complications from heart surgery three weeks earlier. His greatest accomplishment very nearly speaks for itself -- along with help from fellow NASA astronauts Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins, he changed the landscape of space exploration through a set of footprints. It's still important to stress his accomplishments both before and after the historic Apollo 11 flight, though. He was instrumental to the Gemini and X-series test programs in the years before Apollo, and followed his moonshot with roles in teaching aerospace engineering as well as investigating the Apollo 13 and Space Shuttle Challenger incidents. What more can we say? Although he only spent a very small portion of his life beyond Earth's atmosphere, he's still widely considered the greatest space hero in the US, if not the world, and inspired a whole generation of astronauts. We'll miss him. [Image credit: NASA Apollo Archive]
Google takes one giant leap: now lets you Street View the Kennedy Space Center
Today's a stupendous day for lovers of the one and only National Aeronautics Space Administration -- nearly half as great as when we took you inside Kennedy Space Center shortly after it had opened its fascinating doors to the public. At any rate, Google announced earlier that its captivating (and sometimes troubling) Street View technology had made its way into NASA's KSC, allowing people to check out what the compound is all about and what sort of sensational machinery lies inside. With Mountain View's doings, you can now find your way around different spots within the Space Center, including the Launch Firing Room, Vehicle Assembly Building and, as seen above, the Space Shuttle Launch Pad. There's a video past the break if you're interested in a quick preview, otherwise you can give it a go yourself by clicking the more coverage link below.
Sally Ride, first American woman in space, dies at 61 (updated)
It's a sad day for space travel. Sally Ride, the first American woman to ever travel to space, has died at the age of 61 after a bout with pancreatic cancer. She's best known for breaking NASA's gender barrier by flying on Space Shuttle Challenger on June 18th, 1983, but she spent much more of her time guiding our future in space while here on Earth -- she founded NASA's Office of Exploration and directed its early strategy, and she later went on to lead the California Space Institute as well as teach physics at the University of California in San Diego. Her final decade saw her establish Sally Ride Science to encourage students wanting to follow in her footsteps, especially girls. Ride blazed one of the brighter trails in technology, and she'll be missed. Update: Ride is survived by her same-sex partner of 27 years, Dr. Tam O'Shaughnessy. [Image credit: National Archives]
Space Shuttle Enterprise ready to go on display, space travel gets its fitting tribute
The Enterprise has been on what we'd call a very leisurely trip around the East coast, but it's finally time for the original Space Shuttle to settle down. As of Thursday, the only way to glimpse the prototype spacecraft will be under an inflatable roof at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum in New York City. It's a quiet yet noble end for the vehicle, which didn't go on formal missions but set the ground-- sorry, spacework for the Shuttles that came later. If you're interested in seeing more animated forms of the Enterprise's legacy, you can either sit down to watch its namesake TV franchise or follow the private expeditions that owe it a debt of gratitude.
Inside NASA's Launch Control Center at Kennedy Space Center
At the dawn of the Space Shuttle program, NASA's Launch Control Center (LCC) was placed off limits for public tours. On June 15, however, busses embellished with Kennedy Space Center (KSC) decals began whisking visitors off to the control complex for the first time in more than three decades – nearly a year after the final shuttle mission last summer. More Info NASA opens up Launch Control Center for public tours The end of an era: what the space shuttle means to Engadget Space Shuttle Endeavour lifts off one last time (video) After clearing a security checkpoint, our bus wheels its way deep into Kennedy Space Center, NASA's 240,000-acre property on Merritt Island, Fla., that doubles as a wildlife refuge. The monolithic Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) comes into view and grows larger as we approach. Referred to by NASA employees as the heart of the operation, the VAB houses spacecraft as they're pieced together. Once complete, a 6-million-pound crawler-transporter sidles up to the structure, gets fitted with the craft and ferries it over a gravel roadway to the launch pad 3.4 miles away. The LCC, which staff dubbed the brains of the system, is adjoined to the VAB by a slim corridor protruding from its boxy, white exterior.
Visualized: Enterprise cruises around Jersey on its air, land and sea triathlon
On our last episode of "Spot the Enterprise," the grizzled shuttle prototype was being unloaded from a wheeled transporter after a private 747 flight. Now it's arrived on a barge at New Jersey, and onlookers on cruise ships, beaches and Coney Island were treated to a glimpse of the wayfaring craft. After a quick layover, it'll begin the final stage of its comeback tour by sailing up the Hudson River where it'll thrill crowds forever more at Manhattan's Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum. Big show-off.
Visualized: Space Shuttle Enterprise disembarks the 747 en-route to its watery retirement home
Two weeks after arriving into JFK on the back of a Boeing 747, the Enterprise has been hoisted from the back of the jet and onto a wheeled transporter. From there, the prototype spacecraft will be taken down the Hudson river on a barge, where it'll end up exhibited on the flight desk of the USS Intrepid (CV-11). The museum will open on July 19th, while the plane that carried it has one more historic flight to carry out -- taking the Endeavour to the California Science Center before both are retired. [Image Credit: Dennis Jenkins / Collectspace.com]
