NASA rover finally bites the dust on Mars after 15 years
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — NASA's Opportunity, the Mars rover that was built to operate for just three months but kept going and going, rolling across the rocky red soil, was pronounced dead Wednesday, 15 years after it landed on the planet.The six-wheeled vehicle that helped gather critical evidence that ancient Mars might have been hospitable to life was remarkably spry up until eight months ago, when it was finally doomed by a ferocious dust storm.Flight controllers tried numerous times to make contact, and sent one final series of recovery commands Tuesday night, along with one last wake-up song, Billie Holiday's "I'll Be Seeing You," in a somber exercise that brought tears to team members' eyes.
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — NASA's Opportunity, the Mars rover that was built to operate for just three months but kept going and going, rolling across the rocky red soil, was pronounced dead Wednesday, 15 years after it landed on the planet.The six-wheeled vehicle that helped gather critical evidence that ancient Mars might have been hospitable to life was remarkably spry up until eight months ago, when it was finally doomed by a ferocious dust storm.Flight controllers tried numerous times to make contact, and sent one final series of recovery commands Tuesday night, along with one last wake-up song, Billie Holiday's "I'll Be Seeing You," in a somber exercise that brought tears to team members' eyes.
Faraway space snowman is pitted and has bright 'collar'
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — The space snowman visited by NASA on New Year's Day is pitted all over.
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — The space snowman visited by NASA on New Year's Day is pitted all over.
Hubble Telescope camera back in action after 1-week shutdown
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — The Hubble Space Telescope's premier camera is back in action, after a shutdown of just over a week.The Space Telescope Science Institute says the camera resumed observations Thursday.
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — The Hubble Space Telescope's premier camera is back in action, after a shutdown of just over a week.The Space Telescope Science Institute says the camera resumed observations Thursday.
SpaceX to lay off 10 percent of workforce
HAWTHORNE, Calif. — SpaceX is laying off 10 percent of its roughly 6,000 workers, saying it needs to get leaner so it can succeed in enormous projects such as creating an interplanetary spacecraft.The Los Angeles Times reports that the cuts were announced Friday in an email to employees of the Hawthorne, California-based company.In a statement, Elon Musk's firm says it needs to trim costs in order to take on ambitious projects that would have bankrupted other organizations.SpaceX has a healthy business launching government and commercial satellites into orbit — including a launch Friday from California — and delivering supplies to the International Space Station.But SpaceX estimates it will need billions to build a spaceship capable of sending astronauts to Mars and a satellite system for global internet service.
HAWTHORNE, Calif. — SpaceX is laying off 10 percent of its roughly 6,000 workers, saying it needs to get leaner so it can succeed in enormous projects such as creating an interplanetary spacecraft.The Los Angeles Times reports that the cuts were announced Friday in an email to employees of the Hawthorne, California-based company.In a statement, Elon Musk's firm says it needs to trim costs in order to take on ambitious projects that would have bankrupted other organizations.SpaceX has a healthy business launching government and commercial satellites into orbit — including a launch Friday from California — and delivering supplies to the International Space Station.But SpaceX estimates it will need billions to build a spaceship capable of sending astronauts to Mars and a satellite system for global internet service.
SpaceX launches 10 more Iridium Communications satellites
VANDENBERG AFB, Calif. -- A SpaceX rocket delivered 10 satellites to low-Earth orbit on Friday, completing a two-year campaign by Iridium Communications Inc.
VANDENBERG AFB, Calif. -- A SpaceX rocket delivered 10 satellites to low-Earth orbit on Friday, completing a two-year campaign by Iridium Communications Inc.
NASA spacecraft hurtles toward tiny, icy world beyond Pluto
LAUREL, Md. — NASA's New Horizons spacecraft is set to fly past a mysterious object nicknamed Ultima Thule at 12:33 a.m. Tuesday.
LAUREL, Md. — NASA's New Horizons spacecraft is set to fly past a mysterious object nicknamed Ultima Thule at 12:33 a.m. Tuesday.
Mars lander sets quake monitor on planet's red surface
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — NASA's new Mars lander has placed a quake monitor on the planet's dusty red surface.The milestone occurred less than a month after Mars InSight's touchdown.InSight's robotic arm removed the seismometer from the spacecraft deck and set it on the ground Wednesday to monitor Mars quakes.
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — NASA's new Mars lander has placed a quake monitor on the planet's dusty red surface.The milestone occurred less than a month after Mars InSight's touchdown.InSight's robotic arm removed the seismometer from the spacecraft deck and set it on the ground Wednesday to monitor Mars quakes.
'Christmas comet' – the year's brightest – to pass by Earth this weekend
MILWAUKEE -- The night sky will come alive this weekend when a green comet streaks by Earth on the heels of the Geminid meteor shower's display of green fireballs.Comet 46P/Wirtanen began brightening in November, but it will make its closest approach to Earth on Sunday, Dec. 16 and be visible with the naked eye.
MILWAUKEE -- The night sky will come alive this weekend when a green comet streaks by Earth on the heels of the Geminid meteor shower's display of green fireballs.Comet 46P/Wirtanen began brightening in November, but it will make its closest approach to Earth on Sunday, Dec. 16 and be visible with the naked eye.
NASA's 1st look: Tiny asteroid is studded with boulders
WASHINGTON — NASA's first look at a tiny asteroid shows the space rock is more moist and studded with boulders than originally thought.Scientists on Monday released the first morsels of data collected since their spacecraft Osiris-Rex hooked up last week with the asteroid Bennu, which is only about three blocks wide and weighs about 80 million tons (73 million metric tons).
WASHINGTON — NASA's first look at a tiny asteroid shows the space rock is more moist and studded with boulders than originally thought.Scientists on Monday released the first morsels of data collected since their spacecraft Osiris-Rex hooked up last week with the asteroid Bennu, which is only about three blocks wide and weighs about 80 million tons (73 million metric tons).
Strange 'shiny' object found on Mars by NASA rover
A strange, shiny object was discovered on Mars by NASA's Curiosity rover, the Curiosity team said in an an update to its missing blog last week.The team has nicknamed the object “Little Colonsay.”"The planning team thinks it might be a meteorite because it is so shiny," the team wrote. "But looks can deceive, and proof will only come from the chemistry."Curiosity has a tool called ChemCam, which will be used to study the object.The rover has been on the Martian surface since Aug. 6, 2012.NASA’s InSight lander touched down on Mars last week.InSight, or Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport, is going to explore a part of Mars that we know the least about: its deep interior.
A strange, shiny object was discovered on Mars by NASA's Curiosity rover, the Curiosity team said in an an update to its missing blog last week.The team has nicknamed the object “Little Colonsay.”"The planning team thinks it might be a meteorite because it is so shiny," the team wrote. "But looks can deceive, and proof will only come from the chemistry."Curiosity has a tool called ChemCam, which will be used to study the object.The rover has been on the Martian surface since Aug. 6, 2012.NASA’s InSight lander touched down on Mars last week.InSight, or Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport, is going to explore a part of Mars that we know the least about: its deep interior.
NASA InSight spacecraft lands on Mars to dig deep
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — A NASA spacecraft has landed on Mars to explore the planet's interior.
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — A NASA spacecraft has landed on Mars to explore the planet's interior.
Mars landing comes down to final 6 minutes of 6-month trip
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — For NASA's InSight spacecraft, it all comes down to the final six minutes of a six-month journey to Mars.
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — For NASA's InSight spacecraft, it all comes down to the final six minutes of a six-month journey to Mars.
1st private moon flight passenger to invite creative guests
HAWTHORNE, Calif. — Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa said Monday that he plans to blast off on the first-ever commercial trip around the moon and will invite six to eight artists, architects, designers and other creative people on the weeklong journey.The SpaceX Big Falcon Rocket is scheduled to make the trip in 2023, Maezawa and company founder Elon Musk announced at an event Monday at its headquarters near Los Angeles.Maezawa, 42, said he wants his guests to be inspired to create once they return to Earth "to inspire the dreamer in all of us.""I wish to create amazing works of art for humankind," Maezawa said. "Just thinking about it now gets my heart racing."
HAWTHORNE, Calif. — Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa said Monday that he plans to blast off on the first-ever commercial trip around the moon and will invite six to eight artists, architects, designers and other creative people on the weeklong journey.The SpaceX Big Falcon Rocket is scheduled to make the trip in 2023, Maezawa and company founder Elon Musk announced at an event Monday at its headquarters near Los Angeles.Maezawa, 42, said he wants his guests to be inspired to create once they return to Earth "to inspire the dreamer in all of us.""I wish to create amazing works of art for humankind," Maezawa said. "Just thinking about it now gets my heart racing."
NASA's Mars rover Curiosity snaps dusty selfie
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — NASA's Mars rover Curiosity has snapped a dusty but cool selfie.NASA released the panorama this week.
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — NASA's Mars rover Curiosity has snapped a dusty but cool selfie.NASA released the panorama this week.
Elon Musk on calls to adopt healthier work-life balance: 'You think this is an option; It is not'
PALO ALTO, Calif. -- Arianna Huffington is calling on Elon Musk to adopt a healthier work-life balance, but the Tesla CEO says that's not an option.In a tweet early Sunday after arriving home from a late night at a Tesla factory, Musk told the Huffington Post founder that his electric car company and Ford are the only two American automakers that have avoided bankruptcy.He then added, in an apparent reference to his long hours at work: "You think this is an option.
PALO ALTO, Calif. -- Arianna Huffington is calling on Elon Musk to adopt a healthier work-life balance, but the Tesla CEO says that's not an option.In a tweet early Sunday after arriving home from a late night at a Tesla factory, Musk told the Huffington Post founder that his electric car company and Ford are the only two American automakers that have avoided bankruptcy.He then added, in an apparent reference to his long hours at work: "You think this is an option.
NASA spacecraft rockets toward sun for closest look yet
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — A NASA spacecraft zoomed toward the sun Sunday on an unprecedented quest to get closer to our star than anything ever sent before.As soon as this fall, the Parker Solar Probe will fly straight through the wispy edges of the sun's corona, or outer atmosphere, that was visible during last August's total solar eclipse.
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — A NASA spacecraft zoomed toward the sun Sunday on an unprecedented quest to get closer to our star than anything ever sent before.As soon as this fall, the Parker Solar Probe will fly straight through the wispy edges of the sun's corona, or outer atmosphere, that was visible during last August's total solar eclipse.
Last-minute technical problem delays NASA's flight to sun
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — A last-minute technical problem Saturday delayed NASA's unprecedented flight to the sun.The early morning launch countdown was halted with just one-minute, 55 seconds remaining, keeping the Delta IV rocket on its pad with the Parker Solar Probe.Rocket maker United Launch Alliance said it would try again Sunday, provided the helium-pressure issue can be resolved quickly.
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — A last-minute technical problem Saturday delayed NASA's unprecedented flight to the sun.The early morning launch countdown was halted with just one-minute, 55 seconds remaining, keeping the Delta IV rocket on its pad with the Parker Solar Probe.Rocket maker United Launch Alliance said it would try again Sunday, provided the helium-pressure issue can be resolved quickly.
Astronauts picked for SpaceX, Boeing capsule test flights
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — NASA on Friday assigned the astronauts who will ride the first commercial capsules into orbit next year and bring crew launches back to the U.S.SpaceX and Boeing are shooting for a test flight of their capsules by the end of this year or early next, with the first crews flying from Cape Canaveral, Florida, by next spring or summer.Nine astronauts were named to ride the SpaceX Dragon and Boeing Starliner capsules — five on the first crew flights and four on the second round of missions to the International Space Station."For the first time since 2011, we are on the brink of launching American astronauts on American rockets from American soil," said NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine, who made the introductions at Johnson Space Center.
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — NASA on Friday assigned the astronauts who will ride the first commercial capsules into orbit next year and bring crew launches back to the U.S.SpaceX and Boeing are shooting for a test flight of their capsules by the end of this year or early next, with the first crews flying from Cape Canaveral, Florida, by next spring or summer.Nine astronauts were named to ride the SpaceX Dragon and Boeing Starliner capsules — five on the first crew flights and four on the second round of missions to the International Space Station."For the first time since 2011, we are on the brink of launching American astronauts on American rockets from American soil," said NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine, who made the introductions at Johnson Space Center.
NASA's record-breaking spacewoman retires as astronaut
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — NASA's record-breaking astronaut, Peggy Whitson, retired Friday less than a year after returning from her last and longest spaceflight.She's spent more time off the planet than any other American: 665 days over three space station missions.
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — NASA's record-breaking astronaut, Peggy Whitson, retired Friday less than a year after returning from her last and longest spaceflight.She's spent more time off the planet than any other American: 665 days over three space station missions.
Spacewalking astronauts set up TV cameras for arriving ships
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Spacewalking astronauts set up TV cameras Thursday for new crew capsules set to arrive in coming months.The International Space Station's commander, Drew Feustel, and Ricky Arnold completed the installation — their main job — after struggling with a shield for protection against space debris.As the work got underway, Feustel had trouble removing the protective panel, in order to disconnect an old cable and hook up a new one for the cameras.
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Spacewalking astronauts set up TV cameras Thursday for new crew capsules set to arrive in coming months.The International Space Station's commander, Drew Feustel, and Ricky Arnold completed the installation — their main job — after struggling with a shield for protection against space debris.As the work got underway, Feustel had trouble removing the protective panel, in order to disconnect an old cable and hook up a new one for the cameras.