Articles

Stories, updates, insights, and original analysis from The Planetary Society.

Ten-day Taxi Trip to International Space Station Underway

A ten-day International Space Station taxi flight is underway following the Wednesday liftoff of a three-person crew from Kazahkstan.

Dropping Orion in the Desert: NASA Completes Key Parachute Test

NASA’s Orion spacecraft completed a key parachute test Aug. 26 at the U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground in Yuma, Arizona.

An August Moment to Check in on NASA’s Budget and Future

It’s August. Congress is out of session. Things are quiet. It’s as good a time as any to check in on several issues we’ve been following here at the Society, particularly with NASA’s budget prospects for the year and the future of human spaceflight policy.

Space Station Update: Launch Logistics

Orbital ATK says they are making progress returning Antares to flight, NASA buys more Soyuz seats and the ISS program manager moves on to private industry.

Expedition 44 Trio Flies through Solar Panel Glitch, Arrives at Station

A three-person crew is safely aboard the International Space Station following an early morning launch of a Soyuz rocket and spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

Broken Bottle Strut Likely Doomed Falcon 9 Rocket, Says Elon Musk

The demise of an ISS-bound Falcon 9 rocket last month was likely caused by a broken liquid helium bottle strut, according to SpaceX CEO Elon Musk.

Report Finds SLS Cost and Schedule Estimates Tight, but on Track

The GAO says NASA is generally doing a good job with cost and schedule estimates for SLS, its new heavy lift rocket. But NASA is also running short on schedule margin as it works to have SLS ready for flight by November 2018.

In Pictures: Russian Spacecraft Ends Streak of Station Supply Mishaps

Following back-to-back space station resupply failures, a Russian Progress vehicle pulled into port this morning at the International Space Station.

SpaceX Rocket Breaks Apart En Route to International Space Station

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket broke apart over the Atlantic Ocean during today's flight to the International Space Station.

Of Course I Still Love You, Falcon: New SpaceX Ship Ready to Catch Rockets

SpaceX is gearing up for its seventh paid cargo run to the International Space Station, and the third attempt to catch the first stage of its Falcon 9 rocket on a drone ship in the ocean.

Preparing America’s Spaceport for NASA’s New Rocket

At Kennedy Space Center, NASA's ground systems program prepares for the first flight of the Space Launch System in 2018.

There's coffee in that nebula...or maybe that Dragon....

Welcome home, AstroSamantha

Three astronauts have returned to Earth, and while I'm happy that they landed safely, I'm very sad that astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti is not in space anymore to wish us

Despite Rain Delays, NASA Prepares for Busy Year of SLS Engine Tests

Despite a rainy spring that has caused schedule delays, NASA is preparing for a busy year of Space Launch System engine testing.

ISS-bound Cargo Spacecraft Doomed to Atmospheric Reentry

The six crew members aboard the International Space Station will have to go without a scheduled delivery of food, supplies and fuel.

Russian Resupply Ship Spins Out Of Control after Reaching Orbit

An International Space Station-bound cargo craft is spinning out of control in Earth orbit following an afternoon launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.