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News tagged with spacecraft

Mars Science Laboratory computer issue resolved

(PhysOrg.com) -- Engineers have found the root cause of a computer reset that occurred two months ago on NASA's Mars Science Laboratory and have determined how to correct it.

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

created Feb 10, 2012 | popularity 4.6 / 5 (7) | comments 4 | with audio podcast

NASA small explorer mission celebrates ten years and forty thousand X-ray flares

(PhysOrg.com) -- On February 5, 2002, NASA launched what was then called the High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager (HESSI) into orbit. Renamed within months as the Ramaty High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager ...

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

created Feb 09, 2012 | popularity 4.5 / 5 (2) | comments 0

New views show old NASA Mars landers

(PhysOrg.com) -- The High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter recorded a scene on Jan. 29, 2012, that includes the first color image from orbit showing ...

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

created Feb 09, 2012 | popularity 4.2 / 5 (9) | comments 10 | with audio podcast

NASA's Galaxy Evolution explorer in standby mode

(PhysOrg.com) -- NASA's Galaxy Evolution Explorer, or Galex, was placed in standby mode today as engineers prepare to end mission operations, nearly nine years after the telescope's launch. The spacecraft ...

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

created Feb 08, 2012 | popularity 4 / 5 (3) | comments 1

Image: Saturn and its moon Dione

(PhysOrg.com) -- Saturn and Dione appear askew in this Cassini spacecraft view, with the north poles rotated to the right, as if they were threaded along on the thin diagonal line of the planet's rings.

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

created Feb 03, 2012 | popularity 3.3 / 5 (3) | comments 0

SpaceX flight to ISS could be late March: NASA

The first test flight of a commercial spacecraft to the International Space Station could happen in late March, NASA said on Thursday.

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

created Feb 02, 2012 | popularity 5 / 5 (7) | comments 1

Next manned ISS mission to launch May 15: Russia

Russia said Thursday that its delayed next manned mission to the International Space Station (ISS) would blast off May 15, 45 days later than its scheduled date, after a problem was found in testing.

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

created Feb 02, 2012 | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 0

GRAIL returns first video from moon's far side

(PhysOrg.com) -- A camera aboard one of NASA's twin Gravity Recovery And Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) lunar spacecraft has returned its first unique view of the far side of the moon. MoonKAM, or Moon Knowledge ...

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

created Feb 01, 2012 | popularity 4.6 / 5 (13) | comments 3 | with audio podcast

Russia will replace Soyuz for next ISS mission: source

Russia will replace the Soyuz spacecraft set to take the next crew to the International Space Station after a fault was found in testing, a space industry source said Wednesday.

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

created Feb 01, 2012 | popularity 5 / 5 (2) | comments 0

Hayabusa 2 Mission approved by Japanese government

In 2010, the Japanese spacecraft Hayabusa completed an exciting although nail-biting mission to the asteroid Itokawa, successfully returning samples to Earth after first reaching the asteroid in 2005; the ...

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

created Feb 01, 2012 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Image: Crack discovered in Pine Island Glacier

(PhysOrg.com) -- In mid-October 2011, NASA scientists working in Antarctica discovered a massive crack across the Pine Island Glacier, a major ice stream that drains the West Antarctic Ice Sheet. Extending ...

Space & Earth / Earth Sciences

created Feb 01, 2012 | popularity 4.7 / 5 (10) | comments 5

Precision space maneuvers

Spacecraft must operate with utmost precision when conducting landing maneuvers on other planets, or docking to a space station. To ensure they do not drift off course, imaging sensors collect a fl ood of ...

Technology / Engineering

created Feb 01, 2012 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

IBEX spacecraft measures 'alien' particles from outside solar system

(PhysOrg.com) -- Using data from NASA's Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX) spacecraft, an international team of researchers has measured neutral "alien" particles entering our solar system from interstellar ...

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

created Jan 31, 2012 | popularity 5 / 5 (8) | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Russia to postpone next manned space launch

Russia plans to postpone its next manned launch to the International Space Station (ISS) by at least a month, the head of its space agency's manned programmes told the RIA Novosti news agency Tuesday.

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

created Jan 31, 2012 | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 0

NASA hopes to test new spaceship in 2014

There's no firm date yet, but sometime in early 2014 NASA intends to take its first major step toward rebuilding its human spaceflight program.

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

created Jan 30, 2012 | popularity 4.4 / 5 (11) | comments 15

Spacecraft

A spacecraft is a craft or machine designed for spaceflight. On a sub-orbital spaceflight, a spacecraft enters space then returns to the Earth. For an orbital spaceflight, a spacecraft enters a closed orbit around the planetary body. Spacecraft used for human spaceflight carry people on board as crew or passengers. Spacecraft used for robotic space missions operate either autonomously or telerobotically. Robotic spacecraft that leave the vicinity of the planetary body are space probes. Robotic spacecraft that remain in orbit around the planetary body are artificial satellites. Starships, which are built for interstellar travel, are so far a theoretical concept only (aside from a handful of interstellar probes such as Pioneer 10 and 11, Voyager, and New Horizons).

Spacecraft are used for a variety of purposes, including communications, earth observation, meteorology, navigation, planetary exploration and space tourism. Spacecraft and space travel are common themes in works of science fiction.

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