Topic: space shuttle
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Reassessing SpaceCamp on its 40th Anniversary
NASA's Space Shuttle was conceived as a fully reusable spacecraft to make routine, monthly ferry flights to low Earth orbit, marking a shift from disposable Apollo-era capsules. The shuttle sparked ambitious plans to normalize spaceflight, including corporate experiments like the "Cola Wars" and ...
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Cosmonaut, First Long-Duration ISS Resident, Dies
Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Samokutyaev, who served on the ISS and was part of the final US space shuttle mission in 2011, has died at age 56, becoming the first former long-duration ISS resident to pass away in the station's 26-year history. He joined the cosmonaut corps in 2003 and commanded So...
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NASA Demolishes Historic Saturn V, Shuttle Test Towers
Two historic NASA test towers in Alabama, crucial for the Saturn V rocket and space shuttle programs, were demolished due to being outdated and costly to maintain. The implosions removed facilities with a significant repair backlog, a decision framed by NASA as necessary fiscal management to mode...
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Private Equity Deal Signals Decline of U.S. Legacy Rockets
Rocketdyne was a dominant force in American rocketry, powering historic missions like the Saturn V and Space Shuttle for decades. Its innovation slowed after the Cold War, and the company was sold just before the rise of commercial space ventures like SpaceX. The modern aerospace industry's shift...
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America's Lunar Lag: How to Close the Gap with China
NASA's acting chief Sean Duffy has publicly declared the U.S. will beat China to the Moon, aligning with presidential expectations, but insiders acknowledge significant disadvantages that may delay this goal. Former NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine has warned that without major changes, the U.S...
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SpaceX's Starship Faces Same Critical Flaw That Doomed NASA Shuttles
SpaceX aims to catch returning spacecraft mid-air using mechanical arms to enable rapid reusability, a technique demonstrated with the Super Heavy booster. The primary challenge is perfecting Starship's heat shield to prevent tile loss and damage, requiring extensive testing and design improvemen...
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NASA Closes Columbia Artifact Repository to Public Tours
NASA is closing public access to the Columbia artifact repository to create a dedicated internal space for employee reflection and education. The agency is developing the Columbia Learning Center to provide unrestricted access for Kennedy personnel, reinforcing mission values and safety lessons. ...
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