News briefs: September 4
Posted: Thu, Sep 5 8:02 AM ET (1202 GMT)
The US Defense Department has established a new office to oversee space communications. The office is charged with coordinating military communications via satellite, including data...

Science briefs: September 4
Posted: Thu, Sep 5 7:45 AM ET (1145 GMT)
An extrasolar planet discovered three years ago may be nothing more than an optical illusion, astronomers said Wednesday. Astronomers in 1999 reported that the star...

Report: spacecraft problems hurt US intelligence efforts
Posted: Wed, Sep 4 8:40 AM ET (1240 GMT)
The launch failure of one satellite and the extended delay in the launch of another have hurt American efforts to eavesdrop on Iraqi and al-...

News briefs: September 3
Posted: Wed, Sep 4 7:38 AM ET (1138 GMT)
NASA plans to discontinue a major space operations contract at the end of next year, Space News reported Tuesday. NASA awarded the Consolidated Space Operations...

Russia removes Bass from Soyuz flight
Posted: Tue, Sep 3 8:27 AM ET (1227 GMT)
The Russian space agency Rosaviakosmos announced Tuesday that pop star and would-be space tourist Lance Bass will not be included in the crew of...

News briefs: August 31-September 2
Posted: Tue, Sep 3 7:42 AM ET (1142 GMT)
Frank Culbertson retired from NASA's astronaut corps last month, the Johnson Space Center announced. Culbertson left the astronaut corps on August 24 to pursue...

News briefs: August 30
Posted: Sat, Aug 31 3:22 PM ET (1922 GMT)
NASA announced several contract awards late Friday to develop advanced technologies for future spacecraft missions. The awards will cover work on aerocapture, ion propulsion, solar...

News briefs: August 29
Posted: Fri, Aug 30 7:53 AM ET (1153 GMT)
NASA announced late Thursday that it has awarded Boeing a payload processing contract for the Kennedy Space Center. The four-year, $332-million contract, with...

Ariane 5 launches two satellites
Posted: Thu, Aug 29 9:13 AM ET (1313 GMT)
An Ariane 5 lifted off Wednesday night and successfully placed two satellites into orbit. The Ariane 5 lifted off at 6:45 pm EDT (2245...

News briefs: August 28
Posted: Thu, Aug 29 8:03 AM ET (1203 GMT)
The first Delta 4 launch vehicle completed a countdown rehearsal earlier this week, Spaceflight Now reported. The rehearsal stopped prior to the planned T-5...