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Robots And Astronauts Feature In First Glimpse of Canada’s New Space Policy

About six years ago, the Canadarm — Canada’s iconic robotic arm used in space — was almost sold to a company in the United States, along with other space technology from MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates. The Canadian government blocked the sale and swiftly came out with a promise: a space policy to better support Canada’s industry. …

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Columbia’s Demise 11 Years Ago Today Sparked Regular Shuttle Inspections In Space

The Columbia’s shuttle fiery end came as the STS-107 astronauts’ families were waiting runway-side for everyone to come home. NASA’s oldest space shuttle broke up around 9 a.m. Eastern (2 p.m. UTC) on Feb. 1, 2003, scattering debris along east Texas and nearby areas. Its demise was captured on several amateur video cameras, many of …

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Private Cygnus Freighter Berths at Space Station with Huge Science Cargo and Ant Colony

With the Moon as a spectacular backdrop, an Orbital Sciences’ Cygnus cargo spacecraft speeding at 17500 MPH on a landmark flight and loaded with a huge treasure trove of science, belated Christmas presents and colonies of ants rendezvoued at the space station early this Sunday morning (Jan. 12), captured and then deftly parked by astronauts …

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Cygnus Commercial Carrier Hurtling towards Space Station Rendezvous Following Spectacular Antares Blastoff – Photo & Video Gallery

Antares rocket blastoff on Jan. 9 from Launch Pad 0A at NASA Wallops Flight Facility, VA lofting the Cygnus resupply vehicle on a mission for NASA bound for the International Space Station. Docking at ISS planned for Jan. 12. Both vehicles built by Orbital Sciences. Photo taken by remote camera at launch pad. Credit: Alan …

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Astronauts Brave Brief Ammonia Snowstorm As They Conclude Fix To Space Station

Toxic snowflakes in space were just one obstacle astronauts faced down today (Dec. 24) as they successfully replaced an ammonia pump that will, if all goes to plan, put the space station back in full service in a few hours. “They’re just completely surrounding us now,” radioed NASA astronaut Rick Mastracchio of the ammonia flakes …

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Can Astronauts Fix The Space Station In Two Spacewalks? Watch Live Tuesday To Find Out

Two astronauts are oh-so-close to fixing the International Space Station cooling system that shut down Dec. 11. NASA astronauts Mike Hopkins and Rick Mastracchio will head “outside” on a spacewalk around 7:10 a.m. EST (12:10 p.m. UTC) to replace a faulty pump that led to the problem. The spacewalkers were so quick on their first …

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Speedy Spacewalkers Ahead Of Pace As Next Repair Moved To Tuesday

The ghosts of spacewalks past did not haunt the quick-working pair of astronauts who began replacing a faulty ammonia pump on the International Space Station today (Dec. 21). Unlike a difficult spacewalk to do a similar repair in 2010, NASA astronauts Rick Mastracchio and Mike Hopkins were so far ahead of schedule that they began …

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After Facing Down Ammonia Leak, This Astronaut Will Help Crew During Spacewalks

When you learned to drive a car for the first time, remember how comforting it was to have an experienced driver beside you, able to anticipate the hazards and keep you on schedule? That’s surely how the Expedition 38 crew feels about one of the voices “on the line” as two astronauts prepare to venture …

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Leaky Spacesuit Fixed For Christmas Spacewalk Blitz On Station, NASA Says

When NASA astronaut Mike Hopkins steps into space for the first time this week, he will wear a spacesuit that previously sprung a water leak and forced Italian astronaut Luca Parmitano back to station in July, NASA officials said Wednesday (Dec. 18). While at first glance this sounds like an extra bit of drama as …

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Level Up! NASA’s Space Station Robot Getting ‘Climbing’ Legs

There was much excitement two years ago when the astronauts on space station unpackaged Robonaut 2 (or R2), which is supposed to help with simple tasks. Trouble was, the robot was basically anchored in place and had to be moved around for different tasks. Well, that’s about to change. R2 is getting some “climbing” legs. …

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