NASA

Read the latest NASA news today on Newser.com

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Odds of Cataclysmic Space-Rock Crash: 1 in 10

Despite danger, NASA doing little to protect planet

(Newser) - Chicken Little may have been smarter than we thought. A growing body of evidence reveals that the sky is falling, or at least gigantic space rocks are—and the Earth is at far greater risk of a catastrophic strike than previously thought, reports Atlantic. Despite the danger—an impact could...

7 Minutes of Danger in Mars Quest

Probe makes risky landing Sunday in hunt for water

(Newser) - The latest NASA mission searching for signs of life on Mars comes to a heart-pounding climax Sunday as the Phoenix Lander attempts to touch down at the red planet's pole in a hunt for water. The lander must perform complex maneuvers in which the whole mission is at risk for...

Stargazers Witness Birth of Supernova

Astronomers first ever to see star's explosive death throes

(Newser) - A  pair of Princeton astronomers have become the first people ever to witness the explosive death of a star, Space.com reports. The pair were observing another supernova in its later stages when they happened to spot a huge burst of X-rays 90 million light years away. Astronomers believe their...

Space Shuttle Discovery Makes a Date
Space Shuttle Discovery
Makes a Date
May 20, 2008 11:51 AM CDT

Space Shuttle Discovery Makes a Date

With concerns over Soyuz safety allayed, voyage to ISS is a go

(Newser) - The investigation into last month's scary landing by a Russian Soyuz spacecraft is still going on, but another Soyuz at the International Space Station is off the hook, so NASA has cleared the Discovery shuttle for launch on May 31, the Orlando Sentinel reports. The shuttle is expected to attach...

Mars Photos Suggest Ancient Hot Springs

Possible sign that life once existed on planet

(Newser) - Scientists have found what look like the remains of hot springs on Mars—a sign life could have existed there, reports the Washington Post. Sophisticated equipment returned images of “mounds” that appear remarkably similar to springs found in Australia, according to scientists. They appear to have dried up tens...

South Korea's First Astronaut Docks at ISS

Nation paid $25M to shoot her to the space station

(Newser) - South Korea’s first astronaut arrived at the International Space Station today, and her country must be relieved—having paid $25 million to get her there, Space.com reports. The South Korean president called So-yeon Yi’s mission a “stepping stone” in that country’s fledgling space program; lacking...

Cargo Ship Docks With ISS
 Cargo Ship Docks With ISS
updated
Apr 3, 2008 1:17 PM CDT

Cargo Ship Docks With ISS

Unmanned European vessel hooks up to International Space Station

(Newser) - European cargo vessel Jules Verne docked flawlessly today at the International Space Station, Space.com reports. The double-decker-sized space hauler has about 8 tons of supplies on board for astronauts at the station, including food and water, rocket propellant—even handwritten documents from the real Jules Verne, a 19th-century science...

Black Mini Still Has Hole Lotta Power

15-mile-wide black hole is smallest ever found

(Newser) - Astronomers have spotted the smallest black hole ever discovered, Reuters reports. It is just 15 miles across—the size of a city—but still has a pull strong enough to "stretch your body into a strand of spaghetti," said a NASA researcher. The relative pipsqueak weighs about as...

Shuttle Returns to Earth
 Shuttle Returns to Earth 
Mar 26, 2008 7:57 PM CDT

Shuttle Returns to Earth

Endeavour makes a rare night landing

(Newser) - The space shuttle Endeavour returned to Earth with a rare night landing to wrap up an ambitious mission to the International Space Station, the AP reports. The shuttle had to land in darkness after NASA called off an earlier attempt because of cloud cover. Astronauts blasted off 16 days ago,...

Mars Rovers Dodge NASA Cuts
 Mars Rovers Dodge NASA Cuts 
Mar 26, 2008 7:10 AM CDT

Mars Rovers Dodge NASA Cuts

Budget called for 1 to hibernate, 1 to go part-time

(Newser) - NASA has spared its far-flung Mars rovers from budget cuts, reports the Washington Post, after its administrator got wind of the plan to hibernate Spirit and roll Opportunity back to part time. "Closing down either of the rovers is not on the table," his spokesman said, and underlings...

Endeavour Heads Home
 Endeavour Heads Home 
Mar 25, 2008 3:39 AM CDT

Endeavour Heads Home

Crews say farewell as space shuttle undocks from ISS

(Newser) - The space shuttle Endeavour has begun its two-day trip back to Earth after successfully undocking yesterday from the international space station, reports the Houston Chronicle. The seven astronauts on board hailed an "awesome" mission and said fond farewells to their colleagues staying behind. A glitch unlatching a solar panel...

$4M NASA Cut May Strand Mars Rover

Shrinking budget could also leave 300 jobless

(Newser) - NASA confirmed and denied plans today to scuttle a Mars rover and fire 300 employees, CNN reports. The space agency first announced a $4 million cut to the Mars program's $20 million budget and vowed to unplug one of two rovers roaming the red planet. Then a NASA spokesman told...

Scientists Find Planets Out of This World

Discoveries of, info about new heavenly bodies pour into NASA

(Newser) - Humans took centuries to discover the other planets in the solar system, but in the 13 years since the first additional planet was identified, planetary scientists have found 277 more worlds orbiting other suns. And those extrasolar planets are just the confirmed ones—many more are suspected, and excitement among...

Shuttle Prepares to Quit Station

Endeavour crew about to zoom home after record mission

(Newser) - The crew of shuttle Endeavour prepared to undock from the International Space Station today after a leisurely Easter Sunday spent off-loading cargo, enjoying a holiday meal, and talking to family back home. The shuttle commander compared the flurry of work to wrap up the record-setting mission to March Madness: "...

Endeavour Crew Finishes Final Walk
 Endeavour Crew 
 Finishes Final Walk 
UPDATED
Mar 22, 2008 6:49 PM CDT

Endeavour Crew Finishes Final Walk

Astronauts set up inspection boom for next mission

(Newser) - A pair of Endeavour astronauts completed the last spacewalk of their historic assembly mission tonight, the Houston Chronicle reports. Over 6 hours, Mike Forman and Bob Behnken set up an inspection boom outside the International Space Station to help future shuttles avoid disasters like the 2003 Columbia tragedy. The boom...

Exploding Star Brightest Object Ever Seen

Brightest object ever observed by humans

(Newser) - Light from a star that exploded billions of years before the Earth was formed have been spotted by terrestrial astronomers, Space.com reports. The gamma-ray burst from halfway across the universe was the most distant object ever seen by the naked eye, and the brightest object ever observed by humans....

Spacewalking Astronauts Test Repair Goo

'Caulk-like' stuff could avert disaster

(Newser) - Spacewalking astronauts successfully tested a high-tech goo that can be used to repair heat shields and help avert a repeat of the 2003 Columbia shuttle disaster, the Houston Chronicle reports. In work reminiscent of a “tile-and-grout” job, astronauts sprayed the pink caulk onto shuttle sections that were purposely damaged....

Hidden Ocean Found on Saturn Moon
Hidden Ocean Found on
Saturn Moon
Mar 21, 2008 4:13 AM CDT

Hidden Ocean Found on Saturn Moon

Watery Titan and salty Mars could have evidence of life

(Newser) - NASA has unlocked two more of the solar system's secrets, the Orlando Sentinel reports. The Cassini orbiter discovered evidence of an underground ocean churning deep below the surface of Titan, Saturn's largest moon, and the Mars Odyssey spacecraft has found ancient salt deposits on the red planet. Both discoveries have...

Dextre Tooled Up, Good to Go
 Dextre Tooled Up, Good to Go 
Mar 18, 2008 8:33 AM CDT

Dextre Tooled Up, Good to Go

Spacewalkers put finishing touches on giant space robot

(Newser) - Dextre, the colossal space robot, is ready to go and awaiting instructions after astronauts successfully fitted the 12-foot helper with a tool kit and cameras for "eyes" last night, Space.com reports. Dextre is set to take up residence outside the International Space Station's Destiny lab later today and...

Dextre Stretches His Limbs
 Dextre Stretches His Limbs 
Mar 17, 2008 10:30 AM CDT

Dextre Stretches His Limbs

Astronauts test space robot, find minor hiccup

(Newser) - Dextre, the International Space Station’s own gigantic space robot, flexed its mighty arms for the first time last night, the Houston Chronicle reports. Astronauts put the bot through its paces, moving and stopping each of its 14 arm joints. Dextre mostly passed the test; every joint moved perfectly save...

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