Nasa details Space Shuttle s retirement: related news

NASA considers continuing shuttle use after 2010

Michael Griffin, administrator of the American space agency, NASA has ordered a study into considering the possibility of continuing the usage of the space shuttle, a space vehicle that takes astronauts to the International Space Station. The agency originally planned to retire all shuttles in 2010 after mission STS-134, but concerns over staff job losses that were created by the Space Shuttle program caused Griffin to order the study. The space crafts have been in use since 1981 and it's replacements, the Ares rockets, will not be in use until 2015 causing a 5 year gap where NASA will have no manned space flights, which is the reason the agency is considering extending usage for five more years, when the vehicles can be immediately replaced by their successors.

Infrastructure needed for future space exploration

The United States is facing a crisis in its human space program. The huge investments in the Space Shuttle and the International Space Station (ISS) programs are leveling off, but the replacement for the Space Shuttle and the new space exploration architecture plans for future visits to the Space Station and missions to the Moon and Mars (called the “Vision for Space Exploration” or VSE) are still in early development. A “gap” in the ability of the United States to provide human and cargo transportation to and from the ISS is now of grave concern as the fleet of Space Shuttles is reaching the end of its operational life. This type of unfortunate situation has happened before (1975 to 1981) between the end of Saturn-Apollo rocket operations and initial operations of the Space Shuttle.

NASA Sets Briefings For Hubble Space Telescope Shuttle Mission

HOUSTON -- NASA will hold a series of news media briefings Sept. 8 - 9 to preview the space shuttle's fifth and final servicing mission to the Hubble Space Telescope. NASA Television and the agency's Web site will provide live coverage of the briefings from the Johnson Space Center and the Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. Questions also will be taken from other participating NASA locations.

Retired NASA SpaceCraft Operator Witnessed Extraterrestrial in Space Shuttle Mission

Clark McClelland is a retired Spacecraft Operator with NASA who during a 34 year career was responsible for ensuring the safety of numerous NASA missions including Mercury spaceflights, Apollo missions, the International Space Station and the Space Shuttle. In a statement released on his website on July 29, 2008, McClelland revealed that he witnessed an eight to nine foot tall extraterrestrial in association with a Space Shuttle mission he was monitoring from the Kennedy Space Center. He wrote:

Shuttle Retirement In 2010 Under Review

An anonymous reader alerts us to an Orlando Sentinel report based on a leaked NASA email, indicating that NASA is looking at options to extend the Shuttle program. The fighting between Russia and Georgia has put a strain on plans to rely on Russian boosters until the Shuttle's replacement flies in 2015. Yet extending the Shuttle's life is no sure thing. According to a former NASA program manager, "We started shutting down the shuttle four years ago. That horse has left the barn." And NASA Administrator Michael Griffin has told Congress that if the Shuttle fleet were to fly two missions a year until 2015, "the risk would be about one in 12 that we would lose another crew. That's a high risk... [one] I would not choose to accept on behalf of our astronauts.

NASA Chief Seeks Study of Shuttle

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (MCT) - NASA Administrator Michael Griffin has ordered his top officials to study how the agency could fly the space shuttle beyond its planned retirement in 2010, according to an internal e-mail obtained by The Orlando Sentinel.The decision signals what could be a huge change in NASA policy. Griffin steadfastly opposed extending the shuttle era beyond its 2010 retirement date, arguing it could kill astronauts and cripple the agency's fledgling Constellation program, a system of new rockets and capsules meant to replace the shuttle.But geopolitics and political pressure are undermining his position.The Russian invasion of neighboring Georgia has chilled relations between Washington and Moscow. The incursion has threatened NASA's carefully laid plans to rely on Russian spaceships to ferry astronauts to the internationa

Aldrin Warns that NASA will fall Behind Russia and China in Space Exploration

The world knows the huge potential China and Russia have for space exploration. Russia is maintaining a strong presence in space with their sturdy Soyuz program and China has set its sights on having their very first "taikonaut" EVA at the end of this year. But where does this leave NASA? The US space agency has spearheaded the exploration of space for the last 50 years, but amongst all the talk about NASA setbacks, overspending and delays, could the glory days be coming to an abrupt end? In May, the legendary astronaut John Glenn spoke out against Shuttle decommissioning and last week, US Senator Bill Nelson called a meeting at Cape Canaveral to raise concerns about announced job cuts in 2010. Now, the most famous NASA ex-employee and second man on the Moon, Buzz Aldrin has voiced warnings that the US could lose its grip on space and beg

NASA negotiating to buy space shuttle successor from Japan

A Japanese newspaper is reporting that NASA has begun negotiating with Japan's space agency to purchase a Japanese spacecraft to replace the space shuttle. The newspaper says US officials have been in unofficial talks with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency about buying the H-2 Transfer Vehicle, or HTV. The HTV is an unmanned cargo vessel being designed to deliver supplies to the international space station, which is currently kept stocked by the space shuttle as well as Russian and European spacecraft.

Space shuttle gets its final assignments

shuttleOn Monday NASA released the final mission dates and details of the space shuttle, marking May 31, 2010 as the last flight of this icon of modern space flight. For many young scientists and engineers, the space shuttle represents their only image of manned space exploration, and for a lot of them, it was part of their inspiration to pursue the sciences.

Nasa details Space Shuttle's retirement

Nasa has announced that it will officially retire the ageing Space Shuttle fleet by 2010, four years before it will have a replacement craft ready.

Nasa details Space Shuttle's retirement

Nasa has announced that it will officially retire the ageing Space Shuttle fleet by 2010, four years before it will have a replacement craft ready.

NASA Sets Launch Dates For Remaining Space Shuttle Missions

HOUSTON, July 7 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Following a detailed, integrated assessment, NASA selected target launch dates for the remaining eight space shuttle missions on the current manifest in 2009 and 2010. The manifest includes one flight to the Hubble Space Telescope, seven assembly flights to the International Space Station, and two station contingency flights, planned to be completed before the end of fiscal year 2010. The agency previously selected Oct. 8 and Nov. 10 as launch dates for Atlantis' STS-125 mission to service Hubble and Endeavour's STS-126 / ULF-2 mission to supply the space station and service both Solar Alpha Rotary Joints on the port and starboard end of its truss backbone that supports equipment and solar arrays. The approved target dates are subject to change based on processing and other launch vehicle schedul

NASA is Making Preliminary Plans to Extend Shuttle Launches Beyond 2010

According to an internal email, NASA staff have been instructed to initiate a study into extending the operational lifetime of the Shuttle to bridge the 5-year gap between planned Shuttle retirement and Constellation commencement. In an apparent U-turn in the US space agency's policy, NASA Administrator Michael Griffin has ordered a feasibility study to assess whether the ageing space vehicle fleet, first launched in 1981, can operate until 2015. This news comes at a time when concern is mounting for the US dependence on the Soyuz system after 2010, especially since the recent political chill between the US and Russia…

NASA, USDA Sign Space Station Research Agreement

On Wednesday, U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Tex.) hosted NASA Administrator Michael Griffin and Secretary of Agriculture Edward T. Schafer during the signing of a memorandum of understanding to enable the USDA's Agricultural Research Service to conduct plant related research on the International Space Station. The research will improve our understanding of biological cellular mechanisms and may lead to creative new ways to improve American agriculture, protect the environment and contribute to better human health. The agreement reflects NASA's ongoing efforts to develop the space station as a national laboratory, with the ability to serve a broad range of users. Senator Hutchison introduced the NASA Authorization Act of 2005, which envisioned a cooperative relationship for the space station and NASA.

Kennedy Space Center - Space Station Processing Facility, USA

The Kennedy Space Center (KSC) is one of the USA's most visible government installations, handling multiple space shuttle, military and commercial launches with payload values exceeding $1 billion per year. The KSC is located on Florida's Space Coast and is 55km (34 miles) long from north to south, and 16km (10 miles) across at its widest point. It is the United States of America's only launch complex for manned operations. KSC houses some of the most unique facilities in the world. Among these is the Space Station Processing Facility (SSPF), which accommodates shuttle payloads for the International Space Station (ISS).

NASA sets remaining space shuttle launches

NASA's Space Shuttle Discovery approaches Runway 15 at the Kennedy Space Center for an on time landing at 11:15 AM on June 14, 2008. Discovery and her crew just completed the successful delivery of the Kibo Laboratory to the International Space Station for the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency. (UPI Photo/Joe Marino-Bill Cantrell)

NASA Space Shuttle Orbiter Vehicles , USA

The space shuttle is the family of manned launch vehicles used by NASA to place payloads and crews into low earth orbit. The first space shuttle was launched in April 1981. The first orbiter was the Enterprise which was a non-orbital test vehicle.

Air Force Museum Gets $14M for New Building That Would House Shuttle ; Space Shuttle Would Be Placed on Exhibit If NASA Gives Them One, Museum Says.

Air Force Museum Gets $14M for New Building That Would House Shuttle ; Space Shuttle Would Be Placed on Exhibit If NASA Gives Them One, Museum Says.

NASA's Space Shuttle Atlantis To Move To Launch Pad Saturday

Aug. 25, 2008 -- CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Space shuttle Atlantis is scheduled to roll out to Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center on Saturday, Aug. 30. Atlantis is targeted to lift off Oct. 8 to repair the Hubble Space Telescope.

NASA May Hire Japanese Spacecraft For ISS Service Mission

schliz writes "NASA is talking to Japan's space agency about using one of its spacecraft for servicing missions to the International Space Station, according to Japanese media reports. NASA has been considering various options to maintain its commitment to the Space Station after the Space Shuttle is retired from service in 2010. According to Japanese newspaper Yomiuri Shimbun, 'unofficial negotiations' between NASA and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (Jaxa) began in February."

NASA engineers work on alternative moon rocket

This artist rendering shows NASA's next-generation of moon rockets being developed at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) in Huntsville, Ala. Ares I, left, is the crew launch vehicle that will carry astronauts to space. Ares V is the cargo launch vehicle that will deliver the lunar lander and other large hardware to space. By day, the engineers in Huntsville, work on NASA's new Ares moon rockets. By night, some go undercover, working on a competing design. These dissenters and their backers say their alternative rocket would be safer, cheaper and easier to build than the two Ares spacecraft, which have already cost NASA $7 billion. (AP Photo/NASA, Marshall Space Flight Center)

NASA engineers work on alternative moon rocket

This artist rendering shows NASA's next-generation of moon rockets being developed at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) in Huntsville, Ala. Ares I, left, is the crew launch vehicle that will carry astronauts to space. Ares V is the cargo launch vehicle that will deliver the lunar lander and other large hardware to space. By day, the engineers in Huntsville, work on NASA's new Ares moon rockets. By night, some go undercover, working on a competing design. These dissenters and their backers say their alternative rocket would be safer, cheaper and easier to build than the two Ares spacecraft, which have already cost NASA $7 billion. This artist rendering shows NASA's next-generation of moon rockets being developed at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) in Huntsville, Ala.

NASA details shuttle's retirement

NASA has announced that it intends to officially retire the aging space shuttle fleet by 2010, four years before it has a replacement craft ready.

10 shuttle missions left: NASA sets launch dates for 2009 & 2010 flights

The NASA Space Transportation System (STS) program has ten space shuttle missions remaining before its retirement in 2010. On July 7, 2008, NASA announced the future launch dates of the remaining eight missions in 2009 and 2010.

NASA's stark choice: extend shuttle or buy Russian

If the space shuttles retire in 2010 as planned, NASA won't have an autonomous means of getting astronauts to the International Space Station until at least 2014.If the space shuttles retire in 2010 as planned, NASA won't have an autonomous means of getting astronauts to the International Space Station until at least 2014.

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