Spaceflight

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Spaceflight is the use of space technology to achieve the flight of spacecraft into and through outer space.

Spaceflight is used in space exploration, and also in commercial activities like space tourism and satellite telecommunications. Additional non-commercial uses of spaceflight include space observatories, reconnaissance satellites and other earth observation satellites.

A spaceflight typically begins with a rocket launch, which provides the initial thrust to overcome the force of gravity and propels the spacecraft from the surface of the Earth. Once in space, the motion of a spacecraft -- both when unpropelled and when under propulsion -- is covered by the area of study called astrodynamics. Some spacecraft remain in space indefinitely, some disintegrate during atmospheric reentry, and others reach a planetary or lunar surface for landing or impact.

For more information about Spaceflight, read the full article at Wikipedia.
This text uses material from Wikipedia and is available under the GNU Free Documentation License.


News tagged with space flight

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Space hotel taking bookings for 2012 opening

Space hotel taking bookings for 2012 opening

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

created Nov 05, 2009 | popularity 4.4 / 5 (21) | comments 11

(PhysOrg.com) -- The first orbiting space hotel is on track to open for its first customers in 2012, but hurry, as bookings are filling fast.


Exploring the final frontier: Disease proposed as major barrier to Mars and beyond

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

created Oct 29, 2009 | popularity 5 / 5 (2) | comments 2

A new report appearing in The Journal of Leukocyte Biology argues that human missions to Mars, as well as all other long-term space flights might be compromised by microbial hitchhikers, such as bacteria.


Earth & Moon

Germany shoots for the moon by 2015: official

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

created Aug 12, 2009 | popularity 4 / 5 (3) | comments 0

An unmanned German mission to the moon is plausible by the middle of the next decade, the official in charge of space flight said on Wednesday, despite the financial crisis battering the country.


NASA logo

NASA denies new space program is too risky, pricey

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

created Jul 30, 2009 | popularity 4 / 5 (2) | comments 8

(AP) -- Engineers designing NASA's next moon rocket denied Wednesday that the human space flight program dubbed "Constellation" is too expensive, too risky and would unnecessarily delay man's return to space.


The Virgin Mothership "Eve" pictured in Mojave, California, in July 2008

Space tourism port to be sited in Abu Dhabi

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

created Jul 28, 2009 | popularity 2.3 / 5 (4) | comments 6

Tourists will be able to journey to outer space via Abu Dhabi as part of a deal by a local investment group to take a stake in the world's first commercial space travel operator, the two companies said on ...


Experiments show 'artificial gravity' can prevent muscle loss in space

Medicine & Health / Research

created Jul 22, 2009 | popularity 3 / 5 (2) | comments 4

When the Apollo 11 crew got back from the moon, 40 years ago this week, they showed no ill effects from seven days spent in weightlessness. But as American astronauts and Soviet cosmonauts began conducting longer-duration ...


NASA tracking and data relay satellite mission passes major review

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

created Jul 22, 2009 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

NASA's desire to provide outstanding communications support for the International Space Station, the Hubble Space Telescope, and other unmanned spacecraft moved closer to this goal in July when agency officials approved critical ...


NASA: Nicks on shuttle don't appear to be serious (AP)

NASA: Nicks on shuttle don't appear to be serious

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

created May 12, 2009 | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 2

(AP) -- The Atlantis astronauts uncovered a 21-inch stretch of nicks on their space shuttle Tuesday, but NASA said the damage did not appear to be serious.


L-R: Astronauts Robert Thirsk, Roman Romanenko and Frank De Winne

New dinner table top priority as ISS expands

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

created May 07, 2009 | popularity 5 / 5 (2) | comments 0

Astronauts set to blast off for the International Space Station said Thursday that constructing a new dinner table would be a top priority as its permanent crew expands to six.


Six volunteers will spend three months in a capsule in Moscow simulating for an eventual manned mission to Mars

Russia locks up six for Mars experiment

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

created Mar 31, 2009 | popularity 3.9 / 5 (7) | comments 5

The hatch slammed shut Tuesday behind six volunteers from Europe and Russia who will spend three months isolated in a capsule in Moscow to simulate conditions for a manned mission to Mars.


This NASA Hubble Space Telescope image shows Mars

Europe, Russia in Mars mission rehearsal

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

created Mar 29, 2009 | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 2

Six volunteers from Europe and Russia will on Tuesday allow themselves to be locked up in a capsule in Moscow for over three months to simulate the conditions for an eventual manned mission to Mars.


Fermi telescope reveals best-ever view of the gamma-ray sky

Fermi telescope reveals best-ever view of the gamma-ray sky

Space & Earth / Astronomy

created Mar 11, 2009 | popularity 4.7 / 5 (15) | comments 0

(PhysOrg.com) -- A new map combining nearly three months of data from NASA's Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope is giving astronomers an unprecedented look at the high-energy cosmos. To Fermi's eyes, the universe ...


American software tycoon Charles Simonyi

US space tourist shrugs off 10 mln dollar price hike

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

created Mar 05, 2009 | popularity not rated yet | comments 2

American software tycoon Charles Simonyi on Thursday shrugged off a 10 million dollar price hike by Russia for his next space flight, saying space tourism was the way of the future.


NASA Study Predicted Outbreak of Deadly Virus

Scientists Predicted 2006-2007 Outbreak of Deadly Virus

Other Sciences / Other

created Feb 16, 2009 | popularity 4.5 / 5 (2) | comments 0

An early warning system, more than a decade in development, successfully predicted the 2006-2007 outbreak of the deadly Rift Valley fever in northeast Africa, according to a new study led by NASA scientists.


NASA Lunar Spacecraft Ships South in Preparation for Launch

NASA Lunar Spacecraft Ships South in Preparation for Launch

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

created Feb 11, 2009 | popularity 3 / 5 (2) | comments 0

(PhysOrg.com) -- NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, or LRO, spacecraft was loaded on a truck Wednesday to begin its two-day journey to NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Launch is targeted for April ...