Top Stories
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 Science with Iridium - The Iridium satellites are merging science with communications duties.
Helping space workers - A presidential task force recommends a grant program to help the Space Coast transition to the post-shuttle era.
China preps station - China has finished constructing the building block for its first space station.
EVA finishes repairs - A third spacewalk outside the space station completes the replacement of a failed pump module.
Moonlighting at Saturn - The Cassini spacecraft sees three moons Saturn during a weekend flyby.
The next decade - Scientists issue recommendations for the next 10 years of astrophysics research.
Atlas lofts comsat - A new era of military communications begins with an Atlas 5 rocket launch.
JWST cost crunch - Rising costs on the next big space telescope are affecting NASA's ability to start new astronomy missions.
Failed pump removed - A second contingency spacewalk pulls a faulty cooling pump from its housing on the space station.
New JAXA projects - The Japanese government has approved a new asteroid probe and small rocket for further development.
Prisma separation - Two Swedish satellites part ways to begin orbital formation flying trials.
New imaging contract - A government agreement to purchase imagery will accelerate new commercial satellites.
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A final look back at shuttle booster firing
SPACEFLIGHT NOW
Posted: February 27, 2010
The frigid snow-covered ground of northern Utah shook for two minutes Thursday, a reminder of the area's lasting legacy in developing the powerful solid rockets that have launched space shuttles skyward for three decades.
Alliant Techsystems conducted its final ground firing of a space shuttle solid rocket booster, a bittersweet event that capped 33 years of testing for the powerful and reusable motors.
Here's a gallery of images taken throughout the day by Spaceflight Now's Justin Ray, including an up-close tour prior to the test, watching the booster fire from a viewing site 1.6 miles away and checking out the motor afterwards.
Members of the media visit the booster.
A "before ignition" shot of the hillside.
This facility is where the media worked to file their stories.
Spaceflight Now photographer Ben Cooper at work.
Visiting the booster a couple hours after the firing.
A view of the extinguisher arm that cooled the nozzle after the test.
An "after the test" shot of the hillside blasted by the booster exhaust.
Leaving ATK after witnessing the historic event.
Photo credits: Justin Ray/Spaceflight Now
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