http://www.spaceflightnews.net News about NASA, spaceflight, space exploration, missions and launches en-gb http://www.spaceflightnews.net/article.php?story=20120123103630627 A United launch Alliance Delta-IV rocket carried the next generation Wideband Global SATCOM-4 satellite for the USAF into orbit under a crystal clear moonless sky Thursday night, right on time at 7:38pm EST."The 45th Space Wing is extremely proud of the partnership that propelled this crucial payload to orbit" said Chris Calkins, Chief of Media Relations at the 45th Space Wing. "It was a beautiful launch".launch". http://www.spaceflightnews.net/article.php?story=20111115130600132 "THESE THINGS WE DO, THAT OTHERS MAY LIVE", it's not just a motto to the folks who serve so selflessly with the 920th Rescue Wing, it's a way of life. They are not your ordinary soldier - when the Navy SEALS are in trouble, the 920th and their elite group of pararescuemen, also known as PJ's, are who they call.PART 1: FLY WITH 920TH RESCUE WING AT COCOA BEACH AIRSHOW • YOUTUBEPART 2: FLY WITH 920TH RESCUE WING AT COCOA BEACH AIRSHOW • YOUTUBEPART 3: FLY WITH 920TH RESCUE WING AT COCOA BEACH AIRSHOW • YOUTUBEPART 4: FLY WITH 920TH RESCUE WING AT COCOA BEACH AIRSHOW • YOUTUBE http://www.spaceflightnews.net/article.php?story=20111110153439957 On Thursday NASA officials announced they are ready to launch their next-generation rover to the red planet on an ambitious new mission to continue science where it's cousins Spirit and Opportunity left off, and more specifically to search for evidence regarding whether or not Mars had environments favorable for microbial life, including the chemical ingredients for life, as well as look for habitable environments to help pave the way for future human explorers. (Photo Right: Mars Science Laboratory at KSC. Credit: Graham Martin) WATCH VIDEO PART 1: MSL LAUNCH STATUS BRIEFING • YOUTUBE PART 2: MSL LAUNCH STATUS BRIEFING • YOUTUBE PART 3: MSL LAUNCH STATUS BRIEFING • YOUTUBE http://www.spaceflightnews.net/article.php?story=20111111153054878 In 1989 NASA implemented the National Space Grant College and Fellowship program, giving rise to The Florida Space Grant Consortium, or NASA FSGC. The FSGC is a voluntary statewide network of seventeen public and private Florida Universities (led by the University of Central Florida), all of Florida's community colleges, and various other organizations such as Space Florida and the Astronaut Memorial Foundation. WATCH VIDEO ABOUT THE FLORIDA SPACE GRANT CONSORTIUM • YOUTUBE http://www.spaceflightnews.net/article.php?story=20111110153307477 "FLY IT LIKE YOU STOLE IT". Those were the words printed on a sticker staring me in the face as I was strapped into the *such language*pit of Rob Holland's Veteran Home Loans MX2 aircraft Tuesday. Having read that, with a parachute strapped to my back, I knew I was in for the ride of my life. SEE MORE OF MIKE KILLIAN'S PHOTOS HERE WATCH VIDEO FLYING WITH ROB HOLLAND AT THE COCOA BEACH AIRSHOW • YOUTUBEPART 1: FLY WITH 920TH RESCUE WING AT COCOA BEACH AIRSHOW • YOUTUBE PART 2: FLY WITH 920TH RESCUE WING AT COCOA BEACH AIRSHOW • YOUTUBE PART 3: FLY WITH 920TH RESCUE WING AT COCOA BEACH AIRSHOW • YOUTUBE PART 4: FLY WITH 920TH RESCUE WING AT COCOA BEACH AIRSHOW • YOUTUBE http://www.spaceflightnews.net/article.php?story=20111112234301921 NASA conducted a successful 500-second test firing of the J-2X rocket engine on Wednesday, Nov. 9, marking another important step in development of an upper stage for the heavy-lift Space Launch System (SLS). SLS will carry the Orion spacecraft, its crew, cargo, equipment and science experiments to destinations in deep space. SLS will be safe, affordable and sustainable to continue America's journey of discovery from the unique vantage point of space. (Photo Right: NASA conducted a successful J-2X 500-second test firing on Nov. 9 at the A-2 test stand at Stennis Space Center. Credit: NASA/SSC) WATCH VIDEO WATCH THE TEST OF THE J-2X ENGINE • YOUTUBE http://www.spaceflightnews.net/article.php?story=20111015093347993 On August 31, 2011, NASA's Space Shuttle Program office closed its doors thirty-nine years after the shuttle program was born. The next day, the world didn't end. That shouldn't come as a surprise, although it most assuredly has to some people. In fact, despite the dire predictions and doom-saying form a segment of the space community, the end of the shuttle program doesn't herald the death of exploration. http://www.spaceflightnews.net/article.php?story=20111011150641353 NASA Administrator Charles Bolden met with Space Coast community leaders, Kennedy Space Center employees and news media representatives during a Tuesday visit to Florida. He outlined recent steps the agency has taken toward missions to deep space and Florida's critical role in future exploration. FREE VIDEOPART 1: NASA ADMINISTRATOR CHARLIE BOLDEN VISITS KSC • YOUTUBEPART 2: NASA ADMINISTRATOR CHARLIE BOLDEN VISITS KSC • YOUTUBEPART 3: NASA ADMINISTRATOR CHARLIE BOLDEN VISITS KSC • YOUTUBE http://www.spaceflightnews.net/article.php?story=201109141309495 WASHINGTON, DC - NASA has selected the design of a new Space Launch System that will take the agency's astronauts farther into space than ever before, create high-quality jobs here at home, and provide the cornerstone for America's future human space exploration efforts. This new heavy-lift rocket is key to implementing the plan laid out by President Obama and Congress in the bipartisan 2010 NASA Authorization Act, which the president signed last year. The booster will be America's most powerful since the Saturn V rocket that carried Apollo astronauts to the moon and will launch humans to places no one has gone before. WATCH FREE VIDEO ANIMATION OF SLS LIFTING OFF THE LAUNCH PAD • WATCH ON YOUTUBE ALL-ACCESS MEMBER VIDEO DOWNLOAD NASA'S SLS ANNOUNCEMENT PRESS CONFERENCE • DOWNLOAD NASA ADMINISTRATOR CHARLIE BOLDEN'S STATEMENT • DOWNLOAD ALL-ACCESS MEMBER AUDIO DOWNLOAD LISTEN TO TODAY'S SLS PRESS TELECONFERENCE • DOWNLOAD DOCUMENTS SPACE LAUNCH SYSTEM FUN FACTS • (PDF) http://www.spaceflightnews.net/article.php?story=20110913122145621 CAPE CANAVERAL, FL - NASA, Alliant Techsystem (ATK) and partner EADS of North America of Salt Lake City have agreed to collaborate on the development of the company's Liberty Launch System as part of the agency's Commercial Crew Development Round 2 activities. The unfunded Space Act Agreement (SAA) through NASA's Commercial Crew Program will allow the agency and ATK to review and discuss Liberty system requirements; safety and certification plans; computational models of rocket stage performance; and avionics architecture designs. The agreement outlines key milestones including an Initial System Design review, during which ATK will present to NASA officials the Liberty systems level requirements, preliminary design, and certification process development. FREE VIDEOLIBERTY LAUNCH VEHICLE ANIMATION • WATCH ON YOUTUBEDM-3 5 SEGMENT SOLID ROCKET BOOSTER MOTOR STATIC TEST • WATCH ON YOUTUBELAUNCH COMPLEX 39-B TRANSFORMS FOR FUTURE LAUNCHES • WATCH ON YOUTUBEALL-ACCESS MEMBER VIDEO DOWNLOADS • DOWNLOAD http://www.spaceflightnews.net/article.php?story=20110910114044938 CAPE CANAVERAL, FL - A United Launch Alliance Delta 2 launch vehicle successfuly sent NASA's twin Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) spacecraft into space this morning. After a two days delay for weather and techical concerns, the Delta rocket blasted off into partly cloudy skies above Cape Canaveral at 9:08:52 a.m. EDT to begin a three and a half month journey to the Moon and a mission to explore the interior of Earth's only natural satellite.GRAIL MISSION PHOTO GALLERYWATCH FREE VIDEODEALTS BLASTS OFF WITH GRAIL • WATCH ON YOUTUBEHIGH WINDS SCRUB FIRST LAUNCH ATTEMPT • WATCH ON YOUTUBETIMELAPSE OF MOBILE TOWER ROLLBACK • WATCH ON YOUTUBEGRAIL LAUNCH NASA TWEETUP • WATCHALL-ACCESS MEMBER VIDEO DOWNLOADSPOSTLAUNCH PRESS CONFERENCE • DOWNLOADPOSTLAUNCH INTERVIEW WITH LAUNCH DIRECTOR DUNN • DOWNLOADGRAIL-A DEPLOYMENT • DOWNLOADGRAIL-B DEPLOYMENT • DOWNLOADOUR VIDEO OF LAUNCH FROM THE PRESS SITE • DOWNLOADBLASTOFF OF DELTA ROCKET WITH GRAIL • DOWNLOADLAUNCH REPLAYS • DOWNLOADLAUNCH REPLAY FROM BEACH SOUTH OF THE LAUNCH PAD • DOWNLOADAERIAL VIEWS OF THE DELTA ON THE LAUNCH PAD • DOWNLOADNASA TV GRAIL LAUNCH COVERAGE, PART 1 • DOWNLOADNASA TV GRAIL LAUNCH COVERAGE, PART 2 • DOWNLOADNASA TV GRAIL LAUNCH COVERAGE, PART 3 • DOWNLOADNASA TV GRAIL LAUNCH COVERAGE, PART 4 • DOWNLOADNASA TV GRAIL LAUNCH COVERAGE, PART 5 • DOWNLOADNASA TV GRAIL LAUNCH COVERAGE, PART 6 • DOWNLOADNASA TV GRAIL LAUNCH COVERAGE, PART 7 • DOWNLOADFIRST LAUNCH ATTEMPT IS SCRUBBED • DOWNLOADFIRST LAUNCH ATTEMPT INTERVIEWS, PART 1 • DOWNLOADFIRST LAUNCH ATTEMPT INTERVIEWS, PART 2 • DOWNLOADMOBILE SERVICE TOWER ROLLBACK • DOWNLOADTIMELAPSE VIDEO OF SERVICE TOWER ROLLBACK • DOWNLOADPRELAUNCH NEWS CONFERENCE • DOWNLOADGRAIL PRELAUNCH SCIENCE BRIEFING • DOWNLOADGRAIL MEDIA DAY AT ASTROTECH FACILITY • DOWNLOADDOCUMENTSLAUNCH WEATHER FORECAST FOR SEPT 9 • DOWNLOAD PDFGRAIL MISSION PRESS KIT • DOWNLOAD PDFGRAIL FACT SHEET • DOWNLOAD PDF http://www.spaceflightnews.net/article.php?story=20110908194027930 UPDATE 09/08/2011 11 p.m. EDT - The next launch attempt of NASA's GRAIL mission has been rescheduled for Saturday, September 10, 2011. Following today's scrub, the Delta II launch vehicle was drained of its kerosene and liquid oxygen propellants. During detanking, technicians noticed peculiar data coming from the propulsion system. Due to the unfavorable weather forecast on Friday and data readings, it was decided to push back the launch an extra day in order to give engineers time to study the data and confirm confidence in the Delta's propulsion system. CAPE CANAVERAL AFS, FL - NASA's Gravity Recovery And Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) mission will have to wait one more day to begin its journey to the Moon. Launch was scrubbed this morning due to unacceptable high winds that prevented launch on the first opportunity at 8:37 a.m. EDt and then the second 39 minutes later. NASA will make another attempt tomorrow, with a launch opportunities at 8:33:25 a.m. EDT and 9:12:31 a.m. EDT. GRAIL MISSION PHOTO GALLERY WATCH FREE VIDEO BAD WEATHER SCRUBS LAUNCH OF GRAIL • WATCH ON YOUTUBE TIMELAPSE OF MOBILE TOWER ROLLBACK • WATCH ON YOUTUBE GRAIL LAUNCH TWEETUP • WATCH ALL-ACCESS MEMBER VIDEO DOWNLOADS WEATHER SCRUBS LAUNCH ON SEPT 8 • DOWNLOAD TIMELAPSE OF MOBILE TOWER ROLLBACK • DOWNLOAD GRAIL LAUNCH COMMENTARY INTERVIEWS, PART 1 • DOWNLOAD GRAIL LAUNCH COMMENTARY INTERVIEWS, PART 2 • DOWNLOAD GRAIL PRELAUNCH NEWS CONFERENCE • DOWNLOAD GRAIL MISSION SCIENCE BRIEFING • DOWNLOAD GRAIL MEDIA DAY ACTIVITIES • DOWNLOAD ALL-ACCESS MEMBER VIDEO DOWNLOADS LAUNCH WEATHER FORECAST FOR SEPT 9 • DOWNLOAD PDF GREAIL MISSION PRESS KIT • DOWNLOAD PDF GRAIL FACT SHEET • DOWNLOAD PDF http://www.spaceflightnews.net/article.php?story=20110912133340882 PROMONTORY, UT - ATK today conducted a third successful ground test of the next-generation solid rocket motor. The successful test, known as Development Motor (DM-3), is an important milestone in further validating the rocket's potential use in heavy lift and commercial launch vehicles.WATCH FREE VIDEO:DM-3 5-SEGMENT MOTOR TEST • WATCH ON YOUTUBE http://www.spaceflightnews.net/article.php?story=20110824055446766 NASA and their Russian counterparts at Roscosmos are assessing options for the International Space Station following the loss of a Progress resupply craft shortly after launch yesterday from Baikonur Cosmodrome. The failure throws into question the ability of the Soyuz launch vehicle to deliver supplies and crewmembers to the outpost for the near future and has program managers scrambling to assess schedules for crew rotation and options for a reduced crew size until the Soyuz returns to flight. (Image Right: The ISS Progress 44 resupply craft launched from Baikonur Cosmodrome August 24. The Russian Mission Control Center lost communications with the spacecraft a few minutes later. Credit: NASA TV) PROGRESS 44 CARGO MANIFEST • DOWNLOAD PDF FREE VIDEO PROGRESS 44 M-12M LAUNCH FAILURE • YOUTUBE ISS EXPEDITION 28 UPDATE, AUGUST 24, 2011 • YOUTUBE VIEWS OF HURRICANE IRENE FROM ISS • YOUTUBE ALL-ACCESS MEMBER VIDEO DOWNLOADS ISS STATUS BRIEFING AUGUST 29 • DOWNLOAD ISS CREW INTERVIEWS AUGUST 25 • DOWNLOAD ISS STATUS BRIEFING AUGUST 24 • DOWNLOAD ISS UPDATE AUGUST 24 • DOWNLOAD PROGRESS 44 LAUNCH FAILURE • DOWNLOAD VIEWS FROM ISS OF HURRICANE IRENE • DOWNLOAD http://www.spaceflightnews.net/article.php?story=20110812175206609 KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FL - NASA's newest Mars rover is nearing launch, being prepared at Kennedy Space Center for its eight-month journey to the Red Planet. For the last time before launch, we take a look at the Curiosity rover, its legs and instruments fully deployed as it undergoes final testing. Click here to check out our photos of Curiosity FREE VIDEO MARS SCIENCE LABORATORY MEDIA DAY • YOUTUBE ALL-ACCESS MEMBER VIDEO DOWNLOADS MSL MEDIA DAY, PART 1 • DOWNLOAD MSL MEDIA DAY, PART 2 • DOWNLOAD NEWS CONFERENCE - CURIOSITY LANDING SITE CHOSEN • DOWNLOAD EXTERNAL LINKS NASA'S MSL HOMEPAGE • http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/msl/index.html JPL'S MSL MISSION HOMEPAGE • http://marsprogram.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/ http://www.spaceflightnews.net/article.php?story=20110811174906455 CAPE CANAVERAL AFS, FL - NASA's twin lunar probes are ready for mating to their Delta II rocket at the launch pad next week, setting the stage for NASA's next exploration mission coming on the heels of the successful launch of the Juno probe now bound for the giant gas planet Jupiter. GRAIL's launch comes in the middle of a busy time for the agency, which will see missions to Jupiter, the Moon and Mars take flight in the span of less than four months. Click here to check out our photos of GRAIL ALL-ACCESS MEMBER VIDEO DOWNLOADS NASA's GRAIL SPACECRAFT IN FINAL PROCESSING • DOWNLOAD http://www.spaceflightnews.net/article.php?story=20110811174611123 KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FL - NASA gave members of the media an unusual sight today with a unique "nose-to-nose" photo opportunity during a rare dual move of Discovery and Endeavour between the Orbiter Processing Facility and Vehicle Assembly Building. Click here to check out our photos of Discovery and Endeavour ALL-ACCESS MEMBER VIDEO DOWNLOADS ATLANTIS AND DISCOVERY ON THE MOVE • DOWNLOAD NASA TV VIDEO FILE OF THE SHUTTLES NOSE-TO-NOSE, PART 1 • DOWNLOAD NASA TV VIDEO FILE OF THE SHUTTLES NOSE-TO-NOSE, PART 2 • DOWNLOAD http://www.spaceflightnews.net/article.php?story=20110721092344929 Shrugging off a heart-stopping last second delay, space shuttle Atlantis rocketed into orbit on July 8, 2011 to begin NASA's 135th and final space shuttle mission. Punching through a layer of clouds, the shuttle left its roar and column of smoke behind for hundreds of thousands of people who lined the beaches and causeways around Kennedy Space Center to witness another milestone in the history of space exploration. FREE VIDEO ATLANTIS FINAL LANDING • YOUTUBE STS-135 MISSION COVERAGE http://www.spaceflightnews.net/article.php?story=20110716143206337 BAIKONUR COSMODROME, KAZAKHSTAN - International Launch Services (ILS), a leading launch services provider for the global commercial satellite industry, successfully carried the SES-3 satellite into geostationary transfer orbit for SES of Luxembourg (Euronext Paris and Luxembourg Stock Exchange: SESG), one of the world's largest telecommunications satellite operators with a fleet of 45 satellites in orbit. This was the first commercial shared launch for ILS; the SES-3 satellite was paired with the KazSat-2 satellite to serve the Republic of Kazakhstan. READ: SES-3 MISSION OVERVIEW • DOWNLOAD PDF FREE VIDEO PROTON LAUNCHES SES-3 AND KAZSAT-2 • WATCH ON YOUTUBE ALL-ACCESS MEMBER VIDEO DOWNLOAD EXTENDED VIDEO OF PROTON LAUNCH AND RIDE TO ORBIT • DOWNLOAD http://www.spaceflightnews.net/article.php?story=20110719112008791 CAPE CANAVERAL AFS, FL - A United Launch Alliance Delta IV rocket successfully orbited the 50th spacecraft in the the Air Force's Global Positioning System today following its launch from Cape Canaveral. With the GPS IIF-2 payload aboard, the Delta IV Medium launch vehicle lifted off from Space Launch Complex-37 at 2:41 a.m. EDT and deployed the second satellite in the IIF series approximately three hours later.IMAGES: • DELTA IV GPS IIF-2 LAUNCH PHOTO GALLERYFREE VIDEOWATCH: • From the Press Site, GPS IIF-2 satellite is launched to orbit by a Delta 4 rocketWATCH: • Wide-angle, from NASA Causeway a Delta 4 rocket launches the GPS IIF-2 satelliteWATCH: • Mission Highlights: Delta 4 rocket launches the GPS IIF-2 satellite (Credit: ULA)WATCH: • Delta 4 rocket launches the GPS IIF-2 satellite from Cape Canaveral (Credit: ULA Webcast)