Spaceships
Articles on space ships.
Columbia Crash - Theories Abound On The Causes
There has been no end to the spate of new theories emerging every other day on the probable cause of the crash of the ill-fated Columbia Shuttle. The shuttle was traveling at 19,300 kmph at an altitude of 63 km as it disintegrated on February 1, 2003 in the searing heat of re-entry, for reasons still unknown. All seven astronauts were killed.
Comet Landing – An ambitious mission!!!
European Space Agency has just set a mission to land a spacecraft on a comet. The spacecraft named "ROSETTA" will have to cover nearly 700+ million Km distance in estimated 10.5 years. To achieve a proper speed for this journey, the spacecraft will have to complete three revolutions around Earth and one around Mars.
Out Of This World Trips Aboard Space Ships
Get Set For Out Of This World Trips Aboard Space Ships And You Don’t Have To Be A Billionaire Either
Astronauts to Check Damage to Shuttle
Astronauts aboard the shuttle Endeavor will today scrutinize a 3in-square gouge in the spacecraft's heat shield to determine if inflight repairs are needed.
Teacher's Shuttle Voyage Fulfils Dream
More than two decades after witnessing fellow schoolteacher Christa McAuliffe's fiery death in the Challenger space shuttle disaster, Barbara Morgan returned to the Cape Canaveral launchpad yesterday to speak of fulfilling her friend's destiny during her own journey into space.
New Images Show Evidence of Water on Mars
A high-resolution camera mounted on a spaceship orbiting Mars has found evidence that water once ran under the planet's surface, it was revealed today.
Atlantis Returns to Earth
The space shuttle Atlantis successfully touched down in Florida today following a 12-day construction mission to the international space station.
Shuttle Return Delayed By Debris
Nasa called off the space shuttle's return to Earth last night amid fears it might have been struck by a chunk of debris seen floating away from the orbiter.
Lockheed Martin Wins $4bn Spaceship Race
Lockheed Martin has emerged as the surprise winner of a $4bn (£2.1bn) contract to build a manned craft to replace the 25-year-old space shuttle.
Giant Leap for Mankind ... or Just a Big Crash?
· Europe's £80m space probe to collide with moon · Plume of dust may be visible from UK
Safe Landing Puts Shuttle Programme Back on Track
· Nasa cautiously optimistic after orbiter touches down · Successful mission clears way to finish space station
The Prize: $10m. To Win, Just Solve These Science Problems
· Billionaires offer cash to speed up research · Move follows success of spacecraft contest
Shuttle a Deathtrap, Says Astronaut
One of America's most experienced astronauts has denounced the space shuttle as a deathtrap and accused US space officials of stifling all concerns raised about its safety.
Space Mission Aims to Crack Mystery of Earth's Twin
European scientists are preparing to monitor the neighbour from hell. Venus Express, a robot spacecraft little bigger than a fridge, is to be the first mission to the second rock from the sun in 15 years.
Space Shuttle Touches Down Safely After a Series of Glitches and Delays
Nasa managers spoke of their exhilaration and relief last night after the space shuttle's perfect return to Earth brought a successful end to America's first manned spaceflight since the Columbia disaster of two and half years ago.
Shuttle Lands Safely
The space shuttle Discovery today landed safely at the Edwards air force base in California to complete the first shuttle mission since the 2003 Columbia disaster.
Shuttle Begins Descent to Earth
The space shuttle Discovery has begun its descent to Earth after rain and thunderstorms over Florida forced another delay to its return and a change in landing venue.
Bad Weather Delays Shuttle Landing Again
The crew of the space shuttle Discovery have been told to orbit the Earth one more time as rain and thunderstorms over Florida forced them to miss today's first opportunity to land.
Shuttle Landing Delayed By 24 Hours
The landing of the Discovery space shuttle has been delayed until tomorrow because of low clouds over the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida, Nasa announced today.
Shuttle Landing Delayed
The landing of the beleaguered Discovery space shuttle has been delayed due to low clouds over Florida's Kennedy Space Centre, Nasa announced this morning.
Nasa Holds Its Breath As Discovery Prepares to Return to Earth
The US space agency Nasa will hope to lay the ghosts of the Columbia disaster to rest this morning as it guides the shuttle Discovery back to earth at the end of America's first manned space mission for two-and-a-half years.
Nerves on Edge As Discovery Returns
Damage to shuttle casts shadow of Columbia disaster.
Shuttle Cleared for Return
Nasa last night cleared the space shuttle Discovery for a return to earth next week after deciding that another risky spacewalk would not be needed to fix the last remaining safety concern.
As Discovery Docks, Debris Crisis Irks Nasa
Safety fears put shuttles' future in doubt.
Discovery Backflips for Damage Checks
The space shuttle Discovery today docked at the international space station after performing an unprecedented backflip to enable its underside to be photographed for signs of damage.
Shuttle Fleet is Grounded By Nasa
Worries over 'debris episodes' but astronauts are safe in space.
Nasa Assesses Damage to Discovery Shuttle
The astronauts were preparing for a critical stage of their 12-day mission today as Nasa continued to assess any safety threat from three "debris episodes" recorded during lift-off.
Crowds Scramble for Shuttle's Return to Space
Nasa's long-awaited return to manned spaceflight looked in jeopardy last night after technicians accidentally chipped part of the space shuttle Discovery less than 24 hours before today's scheduled liftoff.
Engine Failure Scuppers Solar Sail
Hopes were fading today that a privately-funded Russian/US mission to launch an experimental solar sail spacecraft into orbit could be salvaged.
Fate of Solar Sail Uncertain
Scientists said last night that they may have detected a signal from the world's first solar sail spacecraft, hours after the experimental craft suddenly stopped communicating following its launch.
Europe to Hitch Space Ride on Russia's Rocket
European space scientists are planning to join Russia in constructing an ambitious new manned spaceship, the Clipper.
Space Yacht Rides to Stars on Rays of Sunlight
A spacecraft that flies on sunbeams is about to begin its travels across the solar system. A group of American and Russian scientists are preparing to launch a probe with giant, wafer-thin plastic sails that can catch sunlight just as a yacht's sails fill with wind.
After Seven Years, Probe Sends Its First Snaps of Saturn
A spacecraft the size of a small bus ended a seven-year, 2bn-mile journey and began a new era of exploration yesterday morning as it sped over gas giant Saturn, and sent back the first closeups of the rings which have tantalised astronomers for four centuries. The pictures from...
Spacecraft Nears Climax of 2bn-mile Voyage
A giant US-European exploratory spacecraft is about to spend the next four years orbiting Saturn and studying its moons.
Robot's Odyssey Across Space Reaches Saturn
Cassini, the most expensive robot space probe ever built, will this week make its final crucial approach to Saturn after a seven-year, two-billion-mile journey across the solar system. On Thursday, the $3 billion spacecraft will slip between two of the planet's rings and ignite its main...
Tiny Craft Takes Big Step in New Space Race
History is made as commercial craft flies out of Earth's atmosphere. It was not much bigger than the four-wheel drives gathered in the dust to watch, but a small, oddly shaped white machine made history yesterday when it soared through the Californian sky to become the world's first commercial craft in space.
Surprise for Stardust Mission
A Nasa spacecraft has sailed within 150 miles of a comet to take a closer look at one of the solar system's most ghostly visitors.
10-year Journey to Probe the Comet Mystery
A spacecraft the size of a delivery van is about to begin one of the most ambitious journeys ever begun: a 4.4bn-mile trip to deliver a lander the size of a washing machine to a comet beyond the orbit of Jupiter. The European probe Rosetta will begin its 10-year journey on Thursday from...
To Boldly Go ... Bush Tells Nasa to Build New Shuttle for Mars
President George Bush yesterday unveiled plans to replace the ageing space shuttle with a Nasa spacecraft designed for manned missions to Mars as well as the moon. The craft, known as the Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV), would be ready by 2015, and by 2020 would take astronauts to the moon...
Nasa Returns to Apollo in Quest for Perfect Craft
America is planning to replace its troubled, ageing fleet of space shuttles with a powerful new craft modelled on the Apollo vehicles that took US astronauts to the Moon 30 years ago. The new Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) will be designed to ferry crew and cargo to and from the...
Spacecraft at Last Outpost of the Sun
Probe that left Earth in the 70s is near edge of solar system. After 26 years speeding through the void at 10 miles a second, the spacecraft Voyager 1 has boldly gone where no spacecraft has gone before - to the edge of the solar system.
Protesters fear nuclear arms in space
Scientists are preparing plans to build nuclear rockets to explore the solar system. Space engineers say the plan is essential if mankind is to send large, complex spaceships to neighbouring planets and to search for life.
The next generation
The shuttle will have to fly again if the space station is ever to be completed. But Nasa needs to come up with a new space vehicle - and quickly.
Scathing Attack on Nasa 'flaws'
Another space shuttle disaster could occur if Nasa does not address its self-protective culture, which is schedule-driven, hampered by lack of funds and burdened by an insufficient safety programme, investigators into the destruction of the space shuttle Columbia said yesterday.
Report Into Shuttle Loss Attacks 'lax' Nasa Safety
Inquiry expected to criticise response to early setbacks on fatal Columbia flight. A hard-hitting report today on the loss of the space shuttle Columbia and its seven crew earlier this year will expose a culture of complacency inside Nasa, and cast a shadow over the future of the manned flight programme.
Unique Sails Pitch Bids to Cut Costs With No-frills Space Flights
A huge sheet of mirror-plated fabric on show in New York for the next two weeks could herald a new adventure in space later this year and add new depth to the word "spaceship". Cosmos 1 - to be launched from a Russian nuclear submarine - will be the first sailing ship in space. Its eight...
Tape Reveals Shuttle Crew's Last Minutes
A wrenching 13-minute video tape of the last moments of the crew of the space shuttle Columbia shows them joking, waving at the camera, and talking excitedly of experiencing re-entry to the earth's atmosphere. The tape, released by Nasa yesterday, has moments that take on a bitter irony...
Nasa team feared shuttle wing failure
Nasa engineers sent emails the day before the Columbia disaster expressing their fears that the space shuttle's wing might burn off, killing the astronauts inside, according to records released by the space agency last night.
Trailblazing Spacecraft Falls Silent After 31 Years
The US space agency Nasa yesterday announced the death of one of its most enduring missions - Pioneer 10. After 31 years, the trailblazing spacecraft has fallen silent, an estimated 7.6bn miles from Earth, and is heading towards the red dwarf Aldebaran in the constellation Taurus...
Come Fly With Me... Into Space
The shuttle disaster will not end man's obsession with the final frontier, reports Robin McKie. It will be remembered as one of the world's worst astronautical tragedies. Yet the loss of the space shuttle Columbia may still play an unexpected role in opening up the heavens to human exploration.
Nasa Releases Final Transmissions of Doomed Shuttle
Transcripts of the final radio transmissions made from the doomed space shuttle Columbia have been released by Nasa. The transmissions chronicle the efforts of mission control engineers as they became painfully aware of the destruction that was unfolding in the skies above them...
Orbiting Debris May Have Brought Down Columbia
Nasa engineers examining the break-up of the space shuttle Columbia think a possible cause may have been the clutter of human debris in space. US air force scientists who track objects in orbit spotted something moving slowly away from Columbia on January 17. It could, Nasa experts say,...
Shuttle Looters Arrested As Search Goes on
Two people have been charged with looting wreckage from the space shuttle Columbia.
90-second Nightmare of Shuttle Crew
The seven astronauts aboard the doomed space shuttle Columbia are likely to have known they were going to die for between 60 and 90 seconds before the craft broke apart, Nasa officials said yesterday. This painful detail was reported to families of the astronauts as further evidence...
Nasa warned about debris danger in 1994
Nasa was warned at least nine years ago that space shuttles could fail catastrophically if debris hit the vulnerable underside of their wings during liftoff - the very scenario that may have brought down the Columbia space shuttle.
Investigators Find Columbia Nose Cone
Investigators have made a major discovery in their hunt for debris from the space shuttle Columbia, locating its nose cone in a heavily-wooded part of eastern Texas. The discovery came as Nasa confirmed that the search for fragments is being extended west to California after a college...
Nasa Memo Warned of Damage to Shuttle
Nasa officials were warned of a large gash on the heat protection tiles on the Columbia in an internal memo two days before the space shuttle broke apart in the skies above Texas. The memo, which emerged yesterday, raised troubling questions about whether anything could have been done to...
Shuttle investigators focus on heat rise
The investigation into the Columbia space shuttle disaster was intensifying today, as Nasa engineers focused on whether a piece of peeling insulation had caused damage to crucial heat-protection tiles.
A single last word, then silence
There were no sounds of chaos or fear. The last word received from the space shuttle Columbia was a simple "Roger" from Commander Rick Husband and then there was silence: he appeared to have been cut off in mid-sentence.
Re-entry, the final most dangerous hour
A space shuttle is both lifeboat and death trap. Every launch is a potential explosion, every orbit a flight through a shooting gallery. But the real hazard has always been on the way down.
Nasa Vows to Rebuild Shuttle in Hunt for Fault
US officials yesterday vowed to "leave absolutely no stone unturned" as they launched a massive hunt for evidence of the causes behind the fiery break-up of the space shuttle Columbia. Nasa, the space agency, grounded its remaining shuttles until the reason for the disaster that claimed...
Seven Feared Dead in Space Shuttle Disaster
The space shuttle Columbia appears to have broken up in flames over North Texas. It is feared that all seven crew members, six Americans and an Israeli, have been killed. The American space agency Nasa said that all communications were lost as the shuttle was flying at approximately 12...
Nasa space shuttle lost on re-entry
The American space agency Nasa says it has lost contact with the space shuttle Columbia shortly before it was due to land at the Kennedy space centre. There were seven crew members abroad.
Oh man! Look at those spacemen go ...
The United States hopes to send an astronaut to Mars in a nuclear-powered rocket, according to a senior Nasa official. Under the space agency's ambitious plan, humans would be sent on a two-month journey to Mars in a spaceship travelling at three times the current speed of space travel.
Stealing a Ride on a Comet to the Sun: Spaceship's 10-year, 4bn Mile Odyssey
European craft's audacious trip will give insight into our origins.
Stealing a Ride on a Comet to the Sun
Some time in the next two weeks, European scientists hope to launch a spaceship the size of a delivery van and lob it across more than 4 billion miles of space to rendezvous 10 years from now with a dark lump of rock and ice the size of a city block. The spacecraft - called Rosetta after...
Mars attracts
With their maverick, DIY appeal, they have gadded around in spacesuits in a US desert and in the Arctic and now, thanks to British help, they will have a mock spaceship in Europe.
Next challenge in space: hitching a ride on a sunbeam
A spacecraft powered by a sail the size of a playground but far thinner than a human hair could be riding on a sunbeam by 2004.
Spaceship Britain
As the British debate on the euro winds up yet again, we should watch out for an illusion curiously shared by combatants on both sides.
Star Trekkers of the Future - Women With a Sperm Bank for Next Generation
Nasa experts have begun to think the unthinkable and dream the impossible - a spaceship that can accelerate to a tenth of the speed of light, and carry colonies of human travellers across the void to the nearest stars.
Get Set For Out Of This World Trips Aboard Space Ships And You Don’t Have To Be A Billionaire Either
Astronauts to Check Damage to Shuttle
Astronauts aboard the shuttle Endeavor will today scrutinize a 3in-square gouge in the spacecraft's heat shield to determine if inflight repairs are needed.
Teacher's Shuttle Voyage Fulfils Dream
More than two decades after witnessing fellow schoolteacher Christa McAuliffe's fiery death in the Challenger space shuttle disaster, Barbara Morgan returned to the Cape Canaveral launchpad yesterday to speak of fulfilling her friend's destiny during her own journey into space.
New Images Show Evidence of Water on Mars
A high-resolution camera mounted on a spaceship orbiting Mars has found evidence that water once ran under the planet's surface, it was revealed today.
Atlantis Returns to Earth
The space shuttle Atlantis successfully touched down in Florida today following a 12-day construction mission to the international space station.
Shuttle Return Delayed By Debris
Nasa called off the space shuttle's return to Earth last night amid fears it might have been struck by a chunk of debris seen floating away from the orbiter.
Lockheed Martin Wins $4bn Spaceship Race
Lockheed Martin has emerged as the surprise winner of a $4bn (£2.1bn) contract to build a manned craft to replace the 25-year-old space shuttle.
Giant Leap for Mankind ... or Just a Big Crash?
· Europe's £80m space probe to collide with moon · Plume of dust may be visible from UK
Safe Landing Puts Shuttle Programme Back on Track
· Nasa cautiously optimistic after orbiter touches down · Successful mission clears way to finish space station
The Prize: $10m. To Win, Just Solve These Science Problems
· Billionaires offer cash to speed up research · Move follows success of spacecraft contest
Shuttle a Deathtrap, Says Astronaut
One of America's most experienced astronauts has denounced the space shuttle as a deathtrap and accused US space officials of stifling all concerns raised about its safety.
Space Mission Aims to Crack Mystery of Earth's Twin
European scientists are preparing to monitor the neighbour from hell. Venus Express, a robot spacecraft little bigger than a fridge, is to be the first mission to the second rock from the sun in 15 years.
Space Shuttle Touches Down Safely After a Series of Glitches and Delays
Nasa managers spoke of their exhilaration and relief last night after the space shuttle's perfect return to Earth brought a successful end to America's first manned spaceflight since the Columbia disaster of two and half years ago.
Shuttle Lands Safely
The space shuttle Discovery today landed safely at the Edwards air force base in California to complete the first shuttle mission since the 2003 Columbia disaster.
Shuttle Begins Descent to Earth
The space shuttle Discovery has begun its descent to Earth after rain and thunderstorms over Florida forced another delay to its return and a change in landing venue.
Bad Weather Delays Shuttle Landing Again
The crew of the space shuttle Discovery have been told to orbit the Earth one more time as rain and thunderstorms over Florida forced them to miss today's first opportunity to land.
Shuttle Landing Delayed By 24 Hours
The landing of the Discovery space shuttle has been delayed until tomorrow because of low clouds over the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida, Nasa announced today.
Shuttle Landing Delayed
The landing of the beleaguered Discovery space shuttle has been delayed due to low clouds over Florida's Kennedy Space Centre, Nasa announced this morning.
Nasa Holds Its Breath As Discovery Prepares to Return to Earth
The US space agency Nasa will hope to lay the ghosts of the Columbia disaster to rest this morning as it guides the shuttle Discovery back to earth at the end of America's first manned space mission for two-and-a-half years.
Nerves on Edge As Discovery Returns
Damage to shuttle casts shadow of Columbia disaster.
Shuttle Cleared for Return
Nasa last night cleared the space shuttle Discovery for a return to earth next week after deciding that another risky spacewalk would not be needed to fix the last remaining safety concern.
As Discovery Docks, Debris Crisis Irks Nasa
Safety fears put shuttles' future in doubt.
Discovery Backflips for Damage Checks
The space shuttle Discovery today docked at the international space station after performing an unprecedented backflip to enable its underside to be photographed for signs of damage.
Shuttle Fleet is Grounded By Nasa
Worries over 'debris episodes' but astronauts are safe in space.
Nasa Assesses Damage to Discovery Shuttle
The astronauts were preparing for a critical stage of their 12-day mission today as Nasa continued to assess any safety threat from three "debris episodes" recorded during lift-off.
Crowds Scramble for Shuttle's Return to Space
Nasa's long-awaited return to manned spaceflight looked in jeopardy last night after technicians accidentally chipped part of the space shuttle Discovery less than 24 hours before today's scheduled liftoff.
Engine Failure Scuppers Solar Sail
Hopes were fading today that a privately-funded Russian/US mission to launch an experimental solar sail spacecraft into orbit could be salvaged.
Fate of Solar Sail Uncertain
Scientists said last night that they may have detected a signal from the world's first solar sail spacecraft, hours after the experimental craft suddenly stopped communicating following its launch.
Europe to Hitch Space Ride on Russia's Rocket
European space scientists are planning to join Russia in constructing an ambitious new manned spaceship, the Clipper.
Space Yacht Rides to Stars on Rays of Sunlight
A spacecraft that flies on sunbeams is about to begin its travels across the solar system. A group of American and Russian scientists are preparing to launch a probe with giant, wafer-thin plastic sails that can catch sunlight just as a yacht's sails fill with wind.
After Seven Years, Probe Sends Its First Snaps of Saturn
A spacecraft the size of a small bus ended a seven-year, 2bn-mile journey and began a new era of exploration yesterday morning as it sped over gas giant Saturn, and sent back the first closeups of the rings which have tantalised astronomers for four centuries. The pictures from...
Spacecraft Nears Climax of 2bn-mile Voyage
A giant US-European exploratory spacecraft is about to spend the next four years orbiting Saturn and studying its moons.
Robot's Odyssey Across Space Reaches Saturn
Cassini, the most expensive robot space probe ever built, will this week make its final crucial approach to Saturn after a seven-year, two-billion-mile journey across the solar system. On Thursday, the $3 billion spacecraft will slip between two of the planet's rings and ignite its main...
Tiny Craft Takes Big Step in New Space Race
History is made as commercial craft flies out of Earth's atmosphere. It was not much bigger than the four-wheel drives gathered in the dust to watch, but a small, oddly shaped white machine made history yesterday when it soared through the Californian sky to become the world's first commercial craft in space.
Surprise for Stardust Mission
A Nasa spacecraft has sailed within 150 miles of a comet to take a closer look at one of the solar system's most ghostly visitors.
10-year Journey to Probe the Comet Mystery
A spacecraft the size of a delivery van is about to begin one of the most ambitious journeys ever begun: a 4.4bn-mile trip to deliver a lander the size of a washing machine to a comet beyond the orbit of Jupiter. The European probe Rosetta will begin its 10-year journey on Thursday from...
To Boldly Go ... Bush Tells Nasa to Build New Shuttle for Mars
President George Bush yesterday unveiled plans to replace the ageing space shuttle with a Nasa spacecraft designed for manned missions to Mars as well as the moon. The craft, known as the Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV), would be ready by 2015, and by 2020 would take astronauts to the moon...
Nasa Returns to Apollo in Quest for Perfect Craft
America is planning to replace its troubled, ageing fleet of space shuttles with a powerful new craft modelled on the Apollo vehicles that took US astronauts to the Moon 30 years ago. The new Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) will be designed to ferry crew and cargo to and from the...
Spacecraft at Last Outpost of the Sun
Probe that left Earth in the 70s is near edge of solar system. After 26 years speeding through the void at 10 miles a second, the spacecraft Voyager 1 has boldly gone where no spacecraft has gone before - to the edge of the solar system.
Protesters fear nuclear arms in space
Scientists are preparing plans to build nuclear rockets to explore the solar system. Space engineers say the plan is essential if mankind is to send large, complex spaceships to neighbouring planets and to search for life.
The next generation
The shuttle will have to fly again if the space station is ever to be completed. But Nasa needs to come up with a new space vehicle - and quickly.
Scathing Attack on Nasa 'flaws'
Another space shuttle disaster could occur if Nasa does not address its self-protective culture, which is schedule-driven, hampered by lack of funds and burdened by an insufficient safety programme, investigators into the destruction of the space shuttle Columbia said yesterday.
Report Into Shuttle Loss Attacks 'lax' Nasa Safety
Inquiry expected to criticise response to early setbacks on fatal Columbia flight. A hard-hitting report today on the loss of the space shuttle Columbia and its seven crew earlier this year will expose a culture of complacency inside Nasa, and cast a shadow over the future of the manned flight programme.
Unique Sails Pitch Bids to Cut Costs With No-frills Space Flights
A huge sheet of mirror-plated fabric on show in New York for the next two weeks could herald a new adventure in space later this year and add new depth to the word "spaceship". Cosmos 1 - to be launched from a Russian nuclear submarine - will be the first sailing ship in space. Its eight...
Tape Reveals Shuttle Crew's Last Minutes
A wrenching 13-minute video tape of the last moments of the crew of the space shuttle Columbia shows them joking, waving at the camera, and talking excitedly of experiencing re-entry to the earth's atmosphere. The tape, released by Nasa yesterday, has moments that take on a bitter irony...
Nasa team feared shuttle wing failure
Nasa engineers sent emails the day before the Columbia disaster expressing their fears that the space shuttle's wing might burn off, killing the astronauts inside, according to records released by the space agency last night.
Trailblazing Spacecraft Falls Silent After 31 Years
The US space agency Nasa yesterday announced the death of one of its most enduring missions - Pioneer 10. After 31 years, the trailblazing spacecraft has fallen silent, an estimated 7.6bn miles from Earth, and is heading towards the red dwarf Aldebaran in the constellation Taurus...
Come Fly With Me... Into Space
The shuttle disaster will not end man's obsession with the final frontier, reports Robin McKie. It will be remembered as one of the world's worst astronautical tragedies. Yet the loss of the space shuttle Columbia may still play an unexpected role in opening up the heavens to human exploration.
Nasa Releases Final Transmissions of Doomed Shuttle
Transcripts of the final radio transmissions made from the doomed space shuttle Columbia have been released by Nasa. The transmissions chronicle the efforts of mission control engineers as they became painfully aware of the destruction that was unfolding in the skies above them...
Orbiting Debris May Have Brought Down Columbia
Nasa engineers examining the break-up of the space shuttle Columbia think a possible cause may have been the clutter of human debris in space. US air force scientists who track objects in orbit spotted something moving slowly away from Columbia on January 17. It could, Nasa experts say,...
Shuttle Looters Arrested As Search Goes on
Two people have been charged with looting wreckage from the space shuttle Columbia.
90-second Nightmare of Shuttle Crew
The seven astronauts aboard the doomed space shuttle Columbia are likely to have known they were going to die for between 60 and 90 seconds before the craft broke apart, Nasa officials said yesterday. This painful detail was reported to families of the astronauts as further evidence...
Nasa warned about debris danger in 1994
Nasa was warned at least nine years ago that space shuttles could fail catastrophically if debris hit the vulnerable underside of their wings during liftoff - the very scenario that may have brought down the Columbia space shuttle.
Investigators Find Columbia Nose Cone
Investigators have made a major discovery in their hunt for debris from the space shuttle Columbia, locating its nose cone in a heavily-wooded part of eastern Texas. The discovery came as Nasa confirmed that the search for fragments is being extended west to California after a college...
Nasa Memo Warned of Damage to Shuttle
Nasa officials were warned of a large gash on the heat protection tiles on the Columbia in an internal memo two days before the space shuttle broke apart in the skies above Texas. The memo, which emerged yesterday, raised troubling questions about whether anything could have been done to...
Shuttle investigators focus on heat rise
The investigation into the Columbia space shuttle disaster was intensifying today, as Nasa engineers focused on whether a piece of peeling insulation had caused damage to crucial heat-protection tiles.
A single last word, then silence
There were no sounds of chaos or fear. The last word received from the space shuttle Columbia was a simple "Roger" from Commander Rick Husband and then there was silence: he appeared to have been cut off in mid-sentence.
Re-entry, the final most dangerous hour
A space shuttle is both lifeboat and death trap. Every launch is a potential explosion, every orbit a flight through a shooting gallery. But the real hazard has always been on the way down.
Nasa Vows to Rebuild Shuttle in Hunt for Fault
US officials yesterday vowed to "leave absolutely no stone unturned" as they launched a massive hunt for evidence of the causes behind the fiery break-up of the space shuttle Columbia. Nasa, the space agency, grounded its remaining shuttles until the reason for the disaster that claimed...
Seven Feared Dead in Space Shuttle Disaster
The space shuttle Columbia appears to have broken up in flames over North Texas. It is feared that all seven crew members, six Americans and an Israeli, have been killed. The American space agency Nasa said that all communications were lost as the shuttle was flying at approximately 12...
Nasa space shuttle lost on re-entry
The American space agency Nasa says it has lost contact with the space shuttle Columbia shortly before it was due to land at the Kennedy space centre. There were seven crew members abroad.
Oh man! Look at those spacemen go ...
The United States hopes to send an astronaut to Mars in a nuclear-powered rocket, according to a senior Nasa official. Under the space agency's ambitious plan, humans would be sent on a two-month journey to Mars in a spaceship travelling at three times the current speed of space travel.
Stealing a Ride on a Comet to the Sun: Spaceship's 10-year, 4bn Mile Odyssey
European craft's audacious trip will give insight into our origins.
Stealing a Ride on a Comet to the Sun
Some time in the next two weeks, European scientists hope to launch a spaceship the size of a delivery van and lob it across more than 4 billion miles of space to rendezvous 10 years from now with a dark lump of rock and ice the size of a city block. The spacecraft - called Rosetta after...
Mars attracts
With their maverick, DIY appeal, they have gadded around in spacesuits in a US desert and in the Arctic and now, thanks to British help, they will have a mock spaceship in Europe.
Next challenge in space: hitching a ride on a sunbeam
A spacecraft powered by a sail the size of a playground but far thinner than a human hair could be riding on a sunbeam by 2004.
Spaceship Britain
As the British debate on the euro winds up yet again, we should watch out for an illusion curiously shared by combatants on both sides.
Star Trekkers of the Future - Women With a Sperm Bank for Next Generation
Nasa experts have begun to think the unthinkable and dream the impossible - a spaceship that can accelerate to a tenth of the speed of light, and carry colonies of human travellers across the void to the nearest stars.