Cassini: 15 Years as Interplanetary Road Warrior
Since launching on Oct. 15, 1997, NASA's Cassini spacecraft has logged more than 3.8 billion miles of exploration -- enough to circle Earth more than 152,000 times. After flying by Venus twice, Earth, and then Jupiter on its way to Saturn, Cassini pulled into orbit around the ringed planet in 2004 and has been spending its last eight years weaving around Saturn, its glittering rings and intriguing moons.
Blue Origin Tests Rocket Engine Thrust Chamber
NASA's commercial partner Blue Origin has successfully fired the thrust chamber assembly for its new 100,000 pound thrust BE-3 liquid oxygen, liquid hydrogen rocket engine.
The test was part of the Commercial Crew Development Round 2, developing a U.S. commercial crew space transportation capability that ultimately could become available for the government and other customers.
Curiosity Prepares for Second Scoop
On Sol 65 (Oct. 11, 2012) of the Mars Science Laboratory mission, NASA's Mars rover Curiosity completed several activities in preparation for collecting its second scoop of soil. Like the first scoop, the next will come from a ripple of sand and dust at "Rocknest," and will be used for cleaning interior surfaces of the sample-handling chambers on the arm.
› Video: 'Here's the Scoop!'
WISE Colors in Unknowns on Jupiter Asteroids
Scientists using data from NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, or WISE, have uncovered new clues in the ongoing mystery of the Jovian Trojans -- asteroids that orbit the sun on the same path as Jupiter. Like racehorses, the asteroids travel in packs, with one group leading the way in front of the gas giant, and a second group trailing behind.
IceBridge Resumes Flights Over Antarctica
Scientists and flight crew members with Operation IceBridge, NASA's airborne mission to study Earth's changing polar ice, are beginning another campaign over Antarctica.
Now in its fourth year, IceBridge's return to the Antarctic comes almost a year after the discovery of a large rift in the continent's Pine Island Glacier.