Recently in NASA Category

NASA scientists are coming to Canada to study snowfall!

Beginning Jan. 17, NASA will fly an airborne DC8 science laboratory above Canadian snowstorms to tackle a difficult challenge facing the upcoming Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) satellite mission -- measuring snowfall from space.

According to NASA they are making steady progress on building the Orion spacecraft which will take astronauts deeper into space than ever before. Presented here is the latest achievements and milestones as Orion gets ready for its first orbital test flight in 2014.

The NASA's National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS) Preparatory Project (NPP) satellite was launched into orbit October 28, 2011 on a Delta 2 rocket from California's Vandenberg Air Force Base.

NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden and Johnson Space Center Director Mike Coats visit the Orion facilities inside Johnson's Space Vehicle Mockup Facility on Monday, Sept. 26. The Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Module is being developed by NASA as the nation's deep space exploration spacecraft. In conjunction with NASA's Space Launch System (SLS), Orion will carry astronauts to asteroids, Mars and other destinations in the solar system.

Yesterday NASA announced its long awaited plan to develop a Heavy Lift Vehicle (HLV) for its Space Launch System (SLS). Based on NASA's history and most recent experience in developing the Constellation program I think it's fair to ask the question, will NASA's HLV ever fly?

NASA officials announced at 9:15 this morning that the Space Shuttle Endeavour will not launch on Monday and will not announce until Monday when the next possible launch attempt will be.

Kennedy Space Center - NASA has scrubbed the launch of the Space Shuttle Endeavour at least 72 hours due to a failure in one of two heater circuits. Endeavour's launch will be no earlier than Monday at 2:33 p.m. EDT.

Nautilus-X - NASA's Multi-mission Space Exploration Vehicle Concept

- Long-duration space journey vehicle for crew of 6 for periods of 1 -24 months
- CIS-lunar would be initial Operations Zone [shakedown phase]
- Exo-atmospheric, Space-only vehicle
- Integrated Centrifuge for Crew Health
- Life Support in deployed Large Volume with shirt-sleeve servicing
- Truss & Stringer thrust-load distribution concept (non-orthogird)
- Capable of utilizing variety of Mission-Specific
- Propulsion Units [integrated in LEO, semi-autonomously
- Utilizes Inflatable & Deployed structures
- Incorporates Industrial Airlock for construction/maintenance
- Integrated RMS
- Supports Crewed Celestial-body Descent/Return Exploration vehicle(s)
- Utilizes Orion/Commercial vehicles for crew rotation & Earth return from LEO

More information below

Download full document (Powerpoint)

Astronaut and Expedition 25 Commander Doug "Wheels" Wheelock was the honored guest at a Tweetup held at NASA Headquarters on Mar. 16. More than 90 "Tweeps," or users of the social medium Twitter, were on hand to see Wheelock's presentation of his recent five-month-plus stay aboard the International Space Station.

With the President's Fiscal Year 2012 Budget proposal, NASA will continue leading a quest to win the future and help the nation innovate, educate and build by working to protect Earth, uncover distant worlds, and expand the frontiers of technology.