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Mars probe launch delayed

Matt | August 10, 2005 |

Todays launch of the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) has had to be postponed after the discovery of problems with the Atlas V launch rocket. The launch is now scheduled for tomorrow morning at 1135 GMT from Launch Complex 41, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, and is the first government launch of Lockheed Martin’s Atlas V […]

Shuttle Fleet Facts!

Tracy Davis | August 9, 2005 |

[color=#6200aa]There have been six shuttles built:[/color] [color=#6200aa]Enterprise (OV-101)[/color] [color=#6200aa]Challenger (OV-99)[/color] [color=#6200aa]Columbia (OV-102)[/color] [color=#6200aa]Discovery (OV-103)[/color] [color=#6200aa]Atlantis (OV-104)[/color] [color=#6200aa]Endeavour (OV-105)[/color] [color=#6200aa]Enterprise was a test vehicle for the shuttle program and was not intended for space flight. It is on display at Dulles Airport outside Washington, D.C.[/color] [color=#6200aa]Challenger was also originally built as a test vehicle, known as […]

Discovery and crew home safely!

Matt | August 9, 2005 |

Shuttle lands safely. Despite the problems experienced with the launch, heat shield damage, thermal blanket damage and delays due to bad weather, the American Space Shuttle Discovery has landed safely at Edwards Airforce Base in California. The re-entry and landing was televised live by most of the world’s media channels. It has been a long […]

Nasa hopes for good weather

Matt | August 9, 2005 |

The crew of the shuttle Discovery are preparing to return to Earth after bad visibility in Florida forced a delay on Monday. Nasa hopes to bring the shuttle down at 1007 BST (0507 EST; 0907 GMT) at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. If the weather remains a problem in Florida, the shuttle could land […]

Shuttle not coming home today

Matt | August 8, 2005 |

Due to bad weather and low lying cloud cover at Kenedy Space Center the Space Shuttle Discovery’s return to earth has been delayed by 24 hours. Other landing opportunities are scheduled for Tuesday at Kennedy Space Center and the back-up strip at Edwards Air Force Base in California. Matt [Technorati tag(s): shuttle, nasa, Space Shuttle, […]

Discovery ready to come home

Matt | August 8, 2005 |

Despite having to delay the re-entry due to bad weather, Nasa say they are extremely confident that there are will be no problems with Discovery’s return to earth. The seven crew members aboard Discovery have been preparing for their re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere. Low-lying cloud which could obscure the landing strip forced flight controllers to […]

Shuttle bids farewell to ISS

Matt | August 6, 2005 |

The crew of the Space Shuttle Discovery have packed their bags and left the ISS to begin the long journey back home. After saying goodbye to the station’s two residents, the crew closed the hatches and sealed the shuttle before slowly separating early on Saturday. Having undocked with the ISS, the shuttle will fly around […]

Is broadcasting terrorist video a good idea?

Matt | August 5, 2005 |

I blogged about the latest al-Qaeda video earlier this week on our blog where Osama Bin Laden’s lieutenant Ayman al-Zawahri was ranting about the reasons for the recent London Bombings being entirely Tony Blair’s fault, blaming his foreign policy. I understand and accept that these sorts of video announcements are news worthy and that we […]

No more Space Shuttle Discovery repairs

Matt | August 5, 2005 |

Following a series of wind tunnel tests and engineers reviews, Nasa has decided a further spacewalk to repair a torn thermal blanket on the shuttle Discovery is not necessary. The US space agency told the seven crew members the shuttle would be safe for re-entry, due on Monday, despite the torn blanket below the cockpit […]

More shuttle fears?

Matt | August 3, 2005 |

There are fresh fears that there could be further problems with the Space Shuttle Discovery. Apparantly there is some concern about a thermal blanket below the cockpit. Experts believe that this may have been damaged during lift off when the orbiter stuck a bird. It is feared that the thermal blanket could tear off during […]