Space and Astronomy News Headlines - Yahoo! News

SpaceX capsule has 'new car' smell, astronauts say

Sat, 26 May 2012 17:59:25 -0400

SpaceX's Dragon cargo vessel smells like a new car, said astronauts at the International Space Station after opening the hatches Saturday following the spacecraft's landmark mission to the orbiting lab.

Private Dragon Spacecraft Is 'Golden Spike' of Final Frontier, Astronaut Says

Sat, 26 May 2012 14:22:38 -0400

HOUSTON — The arrival of the first commercial spacecraft at the International Space Station this week is paramount to the golden spike that completed the first railroad to span the United States 143 years ago this month, an astronaut on the orbiting lab said Saturday (May 26).

Astronauts enter world's 1st private supply ship

Sat, 26 May 2012 12:43:27 -0400

Space station astronauts floated into the Dragon on Saturday, a day after its heralded arrival as the world's first commercial supply ship.

Astronauts float inside SpaceX Dragon capsule

Sat, 26 May 2012 12:25:29 -0400

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida (Reuters) - Astronauts aboard the International Space Station opened the hatch and floated inside a Space Exploration Technologies' Dragon capsule on Saturday, the first privately owned spaceship to reach the orbital outpost, NASA said. Running ahead of schedule, station commander Oleg Kononenko and flight engineer Don Pettit opened the hatch to Dragon just before 6 a.m. EDT (1000 GMT), NASA mission commentator Josh Byerly reported from Mission Control in Houston. The bell-shaped capsule, which was making its second test flight, arrived at the space station on Friday. ...

Enter the Dragon: Astronauts Open 1st Private Capsule at Space Station

Sat, 26 May 2012 06:59:49 -0400

A new first was achieved today (May 26) when astronauts on the International Space Station opened the door to their newest spacecraft visitor, the private capsule Dragon.

Mystery Mars Formation May Be Ancient Volcanic Ash

Sat, 26 May 2012 06:24:51 -0400

One of the Red Planet's most mysterious landforms is probably 2 billion years older than has been thought, suggesting it may have had a volcanic origin, a new crater count finds.

World's Largest Radio Telescope to Be Shared by South Africa, Australia

Sat, 26 May 2012 06:24:32 -0400

The world's largest and most sensitive radio telescope will be shared by South Africa and Australia, project organizers announced today (May 25).

Astronauts snare SpaceX Dragon capsule: NASA

Fri, 25 May 2012 18:00:21 -0400

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida (Reuters) - Astronauts aboard the International Space Station captured Space Exploration Technologies' unmanned Dragon cargo capsule on Friday, the first private ship to reach the orbital outpost. Using the station's robot arm, NASA astronaut Don Pettit latched on to the capsule at 9:56 a.m. EDT as the two vehicles sailed at 17,500 mph around Earth. Dragon, which is making a test flight under a NASA contract with the company, known as SpaceX, was expected to be attached to a station docking port later on Friday. ...

New Spaceflight Era Begins with Private Capsule at Space Station

Fri, 25 May 2012 15:48:52 -0400

This story was updated at 4:15 p.m. EDT.

Mars or Bust! Scientists Flood NASA With 400 Ideas to Explore Red Planet

Fri, 25 May 2012 14:15:53 -0400

Scientists have responded in a big way to NASA's call to help reformulate its Mars robotic exploration strategy, submitting about 400 ideas and Red Planet mission concepts to the space agency.

Sci-Fi Movies Are Wrong About Aliens, E.T. Hunter Jill Tarter Says

Fri, 25 May 2012 10:14:14 -0400

Despite what the movies tell us, any aliens that visit Earth probably won't want to enslave or vaporize us, veteran E.T. hunter Jill Tarter says.

'Men in Black 3' Blasts Into NASA's Past

Fri, 25 May 2012 10:14:12 -0400

In "Men in Black 3," opening in theaters Friday (May 25), agents "J" (Will Smith) and "K" (Tommy Lee Jones and Josh Brolin, portraying Jones' younger self) reunite to protect the Earth from aliens once again. This time — and time being a key plot point here — a few more letters get involved: N-A-S-A.

Private Dragon Capsule Arrives at Space Station in Historic First

Fri, 25 May 2012 10:13:26 -0400

This story was updated at 12:05 p.m. EDT.

Private Cargo Ship Closing in on Space Station

Fri, 25 May 2012 05:50:59 -0400

This story was updated on May 25 at 5:22 a.m. EDT.

What Do SpaceX and Tesla Have in Common?

Thu, 24 May 2012 19:22:53 -0400

What could a rocket company and an electric carmaker possibly have in common? At first glance, perhaps not much, unless the companies are SpaceX and Tesla Motors, which were both co-founded by the serial entrepreneur Elon Musk.

'Intrepid' Mercury Astronaut Marks 50th Anniversary of Orbiting the Earth

Thu, 24 May 2012 17:56:58 -0400

NEW YORK — Commander Scott Carpenter first stepped foot on the USS Intrepid when the aircraft carrier's helicopters rescued him from his waterlogged space capsule 50 years ago. Today, the former NASA astronaut returned to the carrier-turned-floating-museum here for a ceremony commemorating his return to Earth during the height of the Cold War's space race.

Private Space Capsule 'Go' for Space Station Arrival

Thu, 24 May 2012 17:56:54 -0400

A private spaceship is preparing to link up with the International Space Station for the first time Friday (May 25) in a historic step for commercial spaceflight.

NASA Contest Offers 'Presents from Space'

Thu, 24 May 2012 16:37:07 -0400

For its 40th birthday, one of the United States' oldest ongoing satellite missions is celebrating by handing out some unique presents.

Private Moon Race Will Preserve NASA's Historic Lunar Landing Sites

Thu, 24 May 2012 15:56:30 -0400

The 26 teams engaged in a private race to the moon won't run roughshod over the lunar surface if and when they get there.

Back in Black: 'Men In Black 3' Director Talks Sci-Fi & Space Travel

Thu, 24 May 2012 15:56:28 -0400

After a decade away from the "Men in Black" franchise, director Barry Sonnenfeld returned for "Men in Black 3," which adds Josh Brolin as a younger version of Tommy Lee Jones' Agent K, Agent J (Will Smith)'s long-time partner in top-secret paranormal peacekeeping.