Feb 1st, 2006 · A worn-out space suit on the International Space Station is getting a second life as a satellite. On Friday, astronauts will throw the suit out the orbiter's hatch. Those stuck on Earth will be able to track and listen to the suit as it circles the planet.
Jan 20th, 2006 · More than 9,000 discarded objects are orbiting the earth -- everything from rocket bodies to pieces of exploded launch vehicles. Is space junk a threat to the commercialization of space? Can it be cleaned up?
Nov 3rd, 2005 · Astronomers recently discovered two more moons orbiting Pluto in addition to its already-discovered moon, Charon. Madeleine Brand talks with Ira Flatow, host of NPR's Talk of the Nation Science Friday, about the discovery and how it's fueled renewed controversy over Pluto's status as a planet.
Oct 12th, 2005 · China successfully launched its second manned space flight, carrying two astronauts. The launch is part of an effort to eventually establish the country's own orbiting space station.
Aug 12th, 2005 · NASA's latest voyage to the planet Mars is underway. An Atlas V rocket carrying the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter blasted off on time following two days of scrubs due to technical glitches. The orbiter will take about seven months to get to Mars, and will circle the planet for four years.
Aug 11th, 2005 · NASA says it will delay Thursday's launch of the Mars reconnaissance orbiter. Problems with the Atlas V rocket carrying the spacecraft couldn't be resolved in time for liftoff. An issue familiar to the crew of the Discovery prompted the scrub: a low-fuel sensor failed to work correctly.
Aug 10th, 2005 · NASA's next trip to space won't involve astronauts. The agency plans to launch an unmanned orbiter Thursday morning. It's headed for Mars, where it will gather information intended to determine whether the planet could have supported life. NPR's Jon Hamilton reports.
Aug 8th, 2005 · Astronauts aboard space shuttle Discovery will spend another day orbiting Earth, after the scheduled landing was postponed due to bad weather in Florida. The seven-member crew is now slated to attempt a landing Tuesday morning -- in the words of one NASA spokesman, it's coming down somewhere, and there are many alternate landing spots. Madeleine Brand gets an update from Joe Palca.