Posted: Tue, Aug 19 6:53 PM ET (2253 GMT)
The Proton rocket returned to commercial service with the successful launch Tuesday of an Inmarsat communications satellite. The Proton M lifted off from Baikonur Cosmodrome at 6:43 pm EDT Monday (2243 GMT Monday, 4:43 am local time Tuesday) and placed the Inmarsat-4 F3 satellite into geosynchronous transfer orbit after a nine-hour mission. The spacecraft, a Eurostar 3000GM model built by EADS Astrium, weighed nearly 6,000 kilograms at liftoff. It will operate at 98 degrees west in GEO, providing mobile broadband services over the US. The launch was the first commercial mission for the Proton since a March launch that stranded the AMC-14 satellite in a transfer orbit after a problem with the rocket's upper stage.

Related Links:

•  Spaceflight Now article
•  Space News article
•  RIA Novosti article
•  BBC article
•  ILS press release

Posted: Tue, Aug 19 6:39 PM ET (2239 GMT)
Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama released a detailed space policy document on Sunday that officially endorses a return to the Moon. The six-page document states that the candidate supports one of the key milestones of the Vision for Space Exploration, the return of humans to the Moon by 2020. the policy also states that Obama would work to minimize the gap between the Shuttle and Constellation programs, and add one additional Shuttle flight to the current manifest to fly a scientific payload to the ISS. The policy also expresses support for further commercialization efforts within NASA, reform of space-related export control restrictions, and calls for a ban on weapons in space. Obama announced in a speech earlier this month that he supported the continued development of Constellation, repudiating a statement in an education white paper the campaign issued last November that called for a five-year delay in Constellation to help pay for education programs.

Related Links:

•  Orlando Sentinel article
•  St. Petersburg (Fla.) Times article
•  Miami Herald article
•  Houston Chronicle article
•  Obama space policy document

KSC closed for tropical storm
Posted: Tue, Aug 19 9:31 AM ET (1331 GMT)
For the second time in two weeks a NASA center has been closed as a precaution because of an approaching tropical storm. NASA's Kennedy...

Report: Iran performs space launch
Posted: Sun, Aug 17 7:16 PM ET (2316 GMT)
Iran has carried out the launch of a rocket at least capable of placing a satellite into orbit, although reports were unclear if the vehicle...

NASA terminates spacesuit contract
Posted: Sat, Aug 16 9:19 AM ET (1319 GMT)
NASA announced late Friday that it has terminated a contract it issued two months ago to a company to develop new spacesuits for use on...