NewsAlert Sign up for our NewsAlert service and have the latest news in astronomy and space e-mailed direct to your desktop. Enter your e-mail address: Privacy note: your e-mail address will not be used for any other purpose. Spaceflight Now + Subscribe to Spaceflight Now Plus for access to our extensive video collections! How do I sign up? Video archive Discovery to VAB For its STS-124 mission, shuttle Discovery was transferred from its hangar to the Vehicle Assembly Building for attachment to a fuel tank and twin solid rocket boosters.  Transfer | Hoist Complex 40 toppling The Complex 40 mobile service tower at Cape Canaveral's former Titan rocket launch pad was toppled using explosives on April 27.  Play STS-80: In review Dispatching a German ultraviolet telescope and a saucer-shaped spacecraft designed to grow crystalline semiconductor thin films in the vacuum of space were launched aboard shuttle Columbia's mission in November 1996.  Play  X-Large STS-79: In review The record-setting spaceflight by astronaut Shannon Lucid aboard the Russian space station Mir concluded with shuttle Atlantis' mission in September 1996.  Play  X-Large STS-77: In review A unique payload flew aboard Endeavour's May 1996 mission designed to test inflatable structures in space.  Play  X-Large STS-76: In review The STS-76 astronauts narrate highlights from the 1996 mission that launched Shannon Lucid to the Russian space station Mir.  Play  X-Large STS-75: In review The STS-75 astronauts narrate highlights from the 1996 mission that saw the tethered satellite suddenly break free from the shuttle.  Play  X-Large STS-72: In review The STS-72 astronauts narrate highlights from the 1996 mission that retrieved a Japanese satellite.  Play  X-Large STS-122: In review The STS-122 crew narrates highlights from its mission that delivered Europe's Columbus module to the space station.  Full presentation  Mission film STS-100: In review The STS-100 astronauts narrate highlights from the April 2001 mission that installed the station's Canadian robot arm.  Play  X-Large STS-102: In review The STS-102 astronauts narrate highlights from the March 2001 mission that conducted the first ISS resident crew exchange.  Play  X-Large STS-123 landing Shuttle Endeavour returned from space with a night landing March 26 at Kennedy Space Center.  Play Day 16 highlights Video highlights from Endeavour's final full day in space for STS-123.  Play Day 15 highlights Flight Day 15 was undocking day as Endeavour departed the station to begin the journey toward home.  Play Day 14 highlights Easter Sunday in space on Flight Day 14 included a few hours of rest and the joint crew news conference.  Play Day 13 highlights On Flight Day 13, the mission's final spacewalk attached the shuttle's heat shield inspection boom to the station.  Play Day 12 highlights Inspections of Endeavour's wings and nose for space debris hits were conducted on Flight Day 12.  Play Day 11 highlights Spacewalkers on Flight Day 11 tested a method for repairing damaged shuttle heat shield tiles in space.  Play Day 10 highlights Video highlights from Flight Day 10 as the astronauts enjoyed a mid-mission light-duty day.  Play STS-123 day 9 highlights Flight Day 9 saw Dextre moved to the Destiny lab, stowing the assembly pallet and a group dinner in the Zvezda module.  Play STS-123 day 8 highlights Finishing assembly of Dextre and delivering spare parts to the station occurred during the spacewalk on Flight Day 8.  Play STS-123 day 7 highlights The space station's handyman robot Dextre flexed its arms for the first time during Flight Day 7.  Play STS-123 day 6 highlights Flight Day 6 was dedicated to the second spacewalk and continued assembly of the Dextre robot.  Play STS-123 day 5 highlights The station and shuttle crews opened up and entered Japan's new Kibo logistics module during Flight Day 5.  Play STS-123 day 4 highlights Highlights of the Kibo logistics module's attachment to the station and the first spacewalk to begin Dextre assembly.  Play STS-123 day 3 highlights This movie shows the highlights from Flight Day 3 as Endeavour docked to the space station.  Play STS-123 day 2 highlights Flight Day 2 of Endeavour's mission focused on heat shield inspections. This movie shows the day's highlights.  Play STS-123 day 1 highlights The highlights from shuttle Endeavour's launch day are packaged into this movie.  Play Launching on the shuttle Video cameras on the boosters and tank, plus a cockpit camera show what the shuttle and its astronauts experience during the trek to space.  Full coverage STS-120: In review The STS-120 crew narrates highlights from its mission that delivered the station's Harmony module and moved the P6 power truss.  Full presentation  Mission film Become a subscriber More video

News Archive: April 1-30; May 1-31; June 1-12 It's an off duty day for shuttle astronauts The Discovery astronauts took the day off Thursday, enjoying the view from 210 miles up and chatting with family members in private teleconferences. The only mission-related activity on the schedule is a rocket firing to adjust the shuttle's orbit slightly to improve landing opportunities at the Kennedy Space Center.    FULL STORY    NASA TV SCHEDULE REV. P (.pdf download) NASA launches observatory with gamma ray vision A Delta 2 rocket roared to life and successfully boosted a $690 million space telescope into orbit Wednesday, the most sophisticated observatory ever built to study the tell-tale high energy gamma rays generated by the most violent explosions and processes in the known universe.    FULL STORY    MISSION STATUS CENTER    IMAGES: MOBILE SERVICE TOWER ROLLBACK    IMAGES: LAUNCH PHOTO GALLERY Additional coverage for subscribers: VIDEO: THE DELTA 2-HEAVY ROCKET BLASTS OFF WITH GLAST PLAY VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: PAD 17B WIDE-SCREEN CAMERA PLAY VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: PAD 17A LOOKING SOUTHWARD PLAY VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: THE UCS-23 WEST TRACKER PLAY VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: PAD ENGINEERING CAMERA PLAY VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: UMBILICAL TOWER CAMERA PLAY VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: TRIDENT BLUFF LOCATION PLAY VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: CCAFS INDUSTRIAL AREA PLAY VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: PRESS SITE 1 PLAY VIDEO: ROLLBACK OF PAD'S MOBILE SERVICE TOWER PLAY VIDEO: PRE-LAUNCH NEWS CONFERENCE PLAY VIDEO: DELTA 2'S PRE-LAUNCH CAMPAIGN HIGHLIGHTS PLAY VIDEO: GLAST'S PRE-LAUNCH CAMPAIGN HIGHLIGHTS PLAY NEW!: HIGH DEFINITION VIDEO SUBSCRIBE NOW NASA considers SARJ work on next shuttle visit NASA managers are considering a plan for the crew of the next space station assembly mission, scheduled for launch around Nov. 10, to clean up and lubricate a damaged, debris covered solar array drive gear and to replace 12 bearing assemblies in a bid to use the mechanism as long as possible before switching to a backup gear, an official said Wednesday.    FULL STORY Additional coverage for subscribers: VIDEO: THE FLIGHT DAY 12 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY VIDEO: WEDNESDAY'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY MORE: STS-124 VIDEO COVERAGE NEW!: STS-124 HIGH DEFINITION VIDEO SUBSCRIBE NOW Shuttle Discovery undocks from the space station After its successful visit to the space station that delivered Japan's Kibo science laboratory, the largest module for the complex, shuttle Discovery undocked at 7:42 a.m. EDT Wednesday morning to prepare for this weekend's landing.    FULL STORY    PREVIEW STORY    MISSION STATUS CENTER - live updates Additional coverage for subscribers: VIDEO: WEDNESDAY'S FLIGHT DIRECTOR INTERVIEW PLAY VIDEO: NARRATED PREVIEW OF HEAT-SHIELD INSPECTIONS PLAY VIDEO: NARRATED PREVIEW OF DISCOVERY'S UNDOCKING PLAY MORE: STS-124 VIDEO COVERAGE NEW!: STS-124 HIGH DEFINITION VIDEO SUBSCRIBE NOW Shuttle crew closes hatches for undocking Wednesday The shuttle Discovery's crew bid farewell to space station commander Sergei Volkov, Oleg Kononenko and incoming flight engineer Gregory Chamitoff Tuesday, sharing a few final thoughts, hugs and handshakes before closing hatches and preparing the shuttle for undocking early Wednesday.    FULL STORY    NASA TV SCHEDULE REV. O (.pdf download) Additional coverage for subscribers: VIDEO: THE FLIGHT DAY 11 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY VIDEO: TUESDAY'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY VIDEO: FAREWELL CEREMONY BETWEEN SHUTTLE AND ISS CREWS PLAY MORE: STS-124 VIDEO COVERAGE NEW!: STS-124 HIGH DEFINITION VIDEO SUBSCRIBE NOW Reisman prepares for home after station expedition The Discovery astronauts are working through a final day of equipment transfers to and from the space station before closing hatches late Tuesday and undocking early Wednesday. Outgoing flight engineer Garrett Reisman, returning to Earth after three months in space, planned to squeeze in a final few hours of handover time, briefing his replacement, Gregory Chamitoff, on the intricacies of life aboard the station.    FULL STORY    NASA TV SCHEDULE REV. N (.pdf download) Additional coverage for subscribers: VIDEO: TUESDAY'S FLIGHT DIRECTOR INTERVIEW PLAY VIDEO: THE FLIGHT DAY 10 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY MORE: STS-124 VIDEO COVERAGE NEW!: STS-124 HIGH DEFINITION VIDEO SUBSCRIBE NOW Spacewalker says cleaning damaged joint a 'big job' The powder-like debris dusting the outer edge of the space station's left-side solar array rotary mechanism does not appear to represent a serious problem, spacewalker Mike Fossum said Monday. He said the grease and debris seen on the port solar alpha rotary joint does not look anything like the much more severe contamination that has hobbled the station's right-side SARJ.    FULL STORY    NASA TV SCHEDULE REV. M (.pdf download) Additional coverage for subscribers: VIDEO: MONDAY'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY VIDEO: JOINT CREW IN-FLIGHT NEWS CONFERENCE PLAY VIDEO: KIBO LAB'S ROBOT ARM EXTENDED AND CHECKED OUT PLAY VIDEO: NARRATED PREVIEW OF ROBOT ARM DEPLOYMENT PLAY VIDEO: MONDAY'S FLIGHT DIRECTOR INTERVIEW PLAY MORE: STS-124 VIDEO COVERAGE NEW!: STS-124 HIGH DEFINITION VIDEO SUBSCRIBE NOW Japan's robotic arm extended and tested The Discovery astronauts exercised the Japanese Kibo module's robot arm Monday, re-opened the Japanese logistics module mounted atop Kibo Friday and replaced spacesuit battery chargers in the Quest airlock module.    PREVIEW STORY    NASA TV SCHEDULE REV. L (.pdf download) Additional coverage for subscribers: VIDEO: THE FLIGHT DAY 9 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY MORE: STS-124 VIDEO COVERAGE NEW!: STS-124 HIGH DEFINITION VIDEO SUBSCRIBE NOW OTHER HEADLINES  Additional stories today Communications spacecraft launched by China -- China launched a new communications satellite Monday to beam television programming directly to millions of homes and businesses fitted with small receiving dishes, a state news agency reported. Discovery crew completes third and final spacewalk Perched on the end of the space station's fully extended robot arm, astronaut Ron Garan manually carried a 528-pound nitrogen tank from one side of the lab's main power truss to the other Sunday, enjoying a spectacular there-and-back windshield-wiper ride that carried him eight stories above the research station.    SPACEWALK NO. 3 ENDS    TANK REPLACED, SARJ SAMPLE TAKEN    PREVIEW STORY Additional coverage for subscribers: VIDEO: SUNDAY'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY VIDEO: NARRATED PREVIEW OF SPACEWALK NO. 3 PLAY VIDEO: ANIMATION OF NITROGEN TANK REPLACEMENT PLAY VIDEO: SUNDAY'S FLIGHT DIRECTOR INTERVIEW PLAY VIDEO: THE FLIGHT DAY 8 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY MORE: STS-124 VIDEO COVERAGE NEW!: STS-124 HIGH DEFINITION VIDEO SUBSCRIBE NOW Booster cameras give dramatic views of launch Hitch a ride up and down aboard the twin solid rocket boosters that launched shuttle Discovery on May 31. Video from cameras mounted on the reusable boosters provides stunning views of the ascent and subsequent splashdown into the Atlantic Ocean. The movies are presented here with launch audio. Additional coverage for subscribers: VIDEO: LEFT-HAND BOOSTER CAMERA LOOKING UPWARD PLAY VIDEO: LEFT-HAND BOOSTER CAMERA LOOKING INBOARD PLAY VIDEO: LEFT-HAND BOOSTER CAMERA LOOKING DOWNWARD PLAY VIDEO: RIGHT-HAND BOOSTER CAMERA LOOKING UPWARD PLAY VIDEO: RIGHT-HAND BOOSTER CAMERA LOOKING DOWNWARD PLAY MORE: STS-124 VIDEO COVERAGE NEW!: STS-124 HIGH DEFINITION VIDEO SUBSCRIBE NOW Phoenix tries to deliver first sample to instrument deck An image beamed back to Earth from the Phoenix Mars lander early Saturday shows the platform's robotic arm has dumped a load of dirt near the opening of a tiny high-temperature oven, but a sensor inside the instrument did not detect any soil traveling through the narrow portal.    FULL STORY Japanese robotic arm flexed for first time The Discovery astronauts unlimbered the Kibo laboratory module's Japanese robot arm Saturday and prepared spacesuits and equipment for a third and final spacewalk Sunday to collect debris samples from a solar array rotary joint and install a tank of pressurized nitrogen for the space station's ammonia coolant loops.    FULL STORY    MISSION STATUS CENTER - live updates    NASA TV SCHEDULE REV. K (.pdf download) Additional coverage for subscribers: VIDEO: JAPANESE VIP CALL TO STATION PLAY VIDEO: SATURDAY'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY VIDEO: MEDIA INTERVIEWS WITH SHUTTLE AND ISS CREWS PLAY VIDEO: KIBO LAB'S ROBOTIC ARM FLEXES FOR FIRST TIME PLAY VIDEO: NARRATED PREVIEW OF ARM'S FIRST MOVEMENTS PLAY VIDEO: SATURDAY'S FLIGHT DIRECTOR INTERVIEW PLAY VIDEO: CREW'S DOWNLINKED REPLAY OF LOGISTICS MODULE MOVE PLAY VIDEO: THE FLIGHT DAY 7 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY MORE: STS-124 VIDEO COVERAGE NEW!: STS-124 HIGH DEFINITION VIDEO SUBSCRIBE NOW Spacewalkers may gather grease sample from joint The Discovery astronauts may be asked to collect a sample of the presumed grease seen inside the space station's left-side solar alpha rotary joint. NASA managers have not made a final decision, but engineers would like to get a sample to pin down where the grease might be coming from and astronaut Michael Fossum will be in the area during a third and final spacewalk Sunday.    FULL STORY    NASA TV SCHEDULE REV. J (.pdf download) Additional coverage for subscribers: VIDEO: FRIDAY'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY VIDEO: SHUTTLE CREW ASKED TO TAKE PHOTOS OF WING PANELS PLAY MORE: STS-124 VIDEO COVERAGE NEW!: STS-124 HIGH DEFINITION VIDEO SUBSCRIBE NOW Japanese logistics module moved atop the Kibo lab The Discovery astronauts worked through a busy day inside the international space station Friday, continuing the outfitting of the Japanese Kibo laboratory module and moving a smaller storage module to its permanent home on Kibo's upward-facing port.    PREVIEW STORY    MISSION STATUS CENTER - live updates    NASA TV SCHEDULE REV. I (.pdf download) Additional coverage for subscribers: VIDEO: JAPANESE LOGISTICS MODULE MOVED TO KIBO LAB'S ROOF PLAY VIDEO: STATION'S ROBOT ARM GRAPPLES LOGISTICS MODULE PLAY VIDEO: MEDIA INTERVIEWS WITH SHUTTLE AND ISS COMMANDERS PLAY VIDEO: THE FLIGHT DAY 6 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY VIDEO: FRIDAY'S FLIGHT DIRECTOR INTERVIEW PLAY VIDEO: NARRATED PREVIEW OF LOGISTICS MODULE MOVE PLAY VIDEO: BUZZ LIGHTYEAR TOY ON THE LOOSE IN SPACE PLAY VIDEO: ASTRONAUTS INVITE VIEWERS TO DINNER PLAY MORE: STS-124 VIDEO COVERAGE NEW!: STS-124 HIGH DEFINITION VIDEO SUBSCRIBE NOW Spacewalkers take second excursion outside Kibo Astronauts Mike Fossum and Ron Garan conducted a seven-hour spacewalk Thursday to mount cameras on Japan's Kibo lab module, remove launch locks and prepare a docking port for the attachment Friday of a Japanese logistics module.    STATION'S OTHER ROTARY JOINT INSPECTED    SPACEWALK NO. 2 BEGINS    PREVIEW STORY    NASA TV SCHEDULE REV. G (.pdf download) Additional coverage for subscribers: VIDEO: THURSDAY'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY VIDEO: INSPECTION OF THE PORT-SIDE SOLAR ROTARY JOINT PLAY VIDEO: FAULTY TV CAMERA REMOVED FROM STATION PORT TRUSS PLAY VIDEO: THERMAL SLEEVE PLACED ON KIBO TRUNNION PIN PLAY VIDEO: LAUNCH LOCKS RELEASED ON KIBO'S UPPER PORT PLAY VIDEO: SPACEWALKERS INSTALL PAIR OF TV CAMERAS ON KIBO PLAY VIDEO: MIKE FOSSUM EMERGES FROM AIRLOCK FOR EVA NO. 2 PLAY VIDEO: NARRATED PREVIEW OF SPACEWALK NO. 2 PLAY VIDEO: THURSDAY'S FLIGHT DIRECTOR INTERVIEW PLAY VIDEO: THE FLIGHT DAY 5 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY MORE: STS-124 VIDEO COVERAGE NEW!: STS-124 HIGH DEFINITION VIDEO SUBSCRIBE NOW Astronauts enter roomy Kibo laboratory module The 10 astronauts aboard the shuttle-space station complex opened up the newly installed Japanese Kibo module Wednesday at 5:05 p.m., floated inside and literally bounced off the walls, enjoying a chance for some impromptu zero gravity acrobatics in the roomy new addition.    FULL STORY    IMAGES: OUR LAUNCH GALLERY Additional coverage for subscribers: VIDEO: WEDNESDAY'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY VIDEO: ASTRONAUTS ENTER THE KIBO MODULE FOR FIRST TIME PLAY VIDEO: CEREMONY BEFORE KIBO HATCH OPENING PLAY MORE: STS-124 VIDEO COVERAGE NEW!: STS-124 HIGH DEFINITION VIDEO SUBSCRIBE NOW Space station cosmonaut repairs troubled toilet Cosmonaut-turned-plumber Oleg Kononenko replaced a pump in the space station's balky Russian toilet Wednesday and initial tests indicated the potty's urine collection system was working normally again. While engineers will monitor the toilet's operation to make sure the repair was, in fact, successful, they were hopeful a potentially difficult problem had been resolved.    FULL STORY    MORNING PREVIEW STORY    NASA TV SCHEDULE REV. F (.pdf download) Additional coverage for subscribers: VIDEO: THE FLIGHT DAY 4 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY VIDEO: TUESDAY'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY MORE: STS-124 VIDEO COVERAGE NEW!: STS-124 HIGH DEFINITION VIDEO SUBSCRIBE NOW Japan's science laboratory module added to station Japanese astronaut Akihiko Hoshide, operating the station's robot arm, pulled the 15-ton Kibo lab module from Discovery's cargo bay and attached it to the station on Tuesday as a 7-hour spacewalk concluded.    FULL STORY    SPACEWALK ENDS; KIBO ATTACHED    STATION ROTARY JOINT INSPECTED    SPACEWALKERS PREP KIBO MODULE    INSPECTION BOOM RETRIEVED    EVA NO. 1 BEGINS    PREVIEW STORY    NASA TV SCHEDULE REV. E (.pdf download) Additional coverage for subscribers: VIDEO: KIBO SCIENCE LAB ATTACHED TO THE SPACE STATION PLAY VIDEO: KIBO MODULE UNBERTHED FROM SHUTTLE PAYLOAD BAY PLAY VIDEO: CLOSEUP INSPECTION OF STATION'S SOLAR ROTARY JOINT PLAY VIDEO: FOSSUM UNBOLTS LOCKS ON KIBO'S WINDOW COVERINGS PLAY VIDEO: SPACEWALKERS REMOVE COVERS ON KIBO'S PORT PLAY VIDEO: SHUTTLE POWER UMBILICALS UNHOOKED FROM KIBO PLAY VIDEO: SHUTTLE INSPECTION BOOM RETRIEVED FROM THE STATION PLAY VIDEO: SPACEWALKER RON GARAN REMOVES COVER ON BOOM PLAY VIDEO: SPACEWALKER MIKE FOSSUM FREES ARM'S ELBOW CAMERA PLAY VIDEO: ANIMATION OF KIBO MODULE INSTALLATION PLAY VIDEO: ANIMATION OF INSPECTION BOOM RETRIEVAL PLAY VIDEO: NARRATED PREVIEW OF SPACEWALK NO. 1 PLAY VIDEO: TUESDAY'S FLIGHT DIRECTOR INTERVIEW PLAY VIDEO: THE FLIGHT DAY 3 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY MORE: STS-124 VIDEO COVERAGE NEW!: STS-124 HIGH DEFINITION VIDEO SUBSCRIBE NOW NASA begins investigation into shuttle pad damage At the Kennedy Space Center, an investigation has been launched to find out what caused extensive damage to pad 39A as it was pounded by Discovery's exhaust plumes during liftoff Saturday.    FULL STORY    IMAGES: PHOTOS OF PAD DAMAGE    NASA TV SCHEDULE REV. D (.pdf download) Additional coverage for subscribers: VIDEO: CREW'S REMARKABLE CAMCORDER FOOTAGE FROM MONDAY PLAY VIDEO: MONDAY'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY MORE: STS-124 VIDEO COVERAGE NEW!: STS-124 HIGH DEFINITION VIDEO SUBSCRIBE NOW Phoenix lander's robot arm grabs a scoop of Mars The robotic arm on NASA's Phoenix lander dug several inches into the Martian tundra this weekend, scraping up bits of soil with what looks like small clumps of embedded ice, mission scientists said Monday.    FULL STORY Discovery arrives at station to install major module The shuttle Discovery glided to a gentle docking with the international space station Monday, wrapping up a two-day orbital rendezvous after pausing directly below the lab complex for a slow-motion back flip that gave the lab crew a chance to photograph the orbiter's heat shield.    FULL STORY    PREVIEW STORY    MISSION STATUS CENTER - live updates    NASA TV SCHEDULE REV. C (.pdf download) Additional coverage for subscribers: VIDEO: SHUTTLE CREW WELCOMED INTO STATION PLAY VIDEO: DISCOVERY DOCKS TO SPACE STATION PLAY VIDEO: SHUTTLE PERFORMS RENDEZVOUS BACKFLIP PLAY VIDEO: NARRATED ANIMATION OF PREVIEWING THE DOCKING PLAY VIDEO: THE FLIGHT DAY 2 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY VIDEO: CREW'S CAMCORDER FOOTAGE FROM FLIGHT DAY 2 PLAY MORE: STS-124 VIDEO COVERAGE NEW!: STS-124 HIGH DEFINITION VIDEO SUBSCRIBE NOW Launch pad damaged during Discovery's liftoff Launch pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center suffered unusual damage during the shuttle Discovery's blastoff Saturday, NASA officials said Sunday.    FULL STORY    IMAGES: MORE PHOTOS OF DAMAGE    NASA TV SCHEDULE REV. B (.pdf download) Phoenix sees possible ice Scientists have discovered what may be ice underneath the Phoenix lander, exposed when soil was blown away as it landed in the northern polar plains of Mars last week.    FULL STORY Initial tank pictures show no major foam loss Close-up photos of the shuttle Discovery's external tank, shot as it drifted away from the orbiter Saturday, show a few relatively minor areas of foam loss but no major damage, NASA officials said Sunday. About five pieces of debris were seen falling away during launch from a camera mounted on the tank, but Mission Management Team Chairman LeRoy Cain said Sunday it's not clear where the presumed foam might have originated.    FULL STORY Additional coverage for subscribers: VIDEO: SUNDAY'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY VIDEO: ANIMATION OF THE HEAT SHIELD INSPECTIONS PLAY VIDEO: NARRATED TOUR OF DISCOVERY'S PAYLOAD BAY PLAY MORE: STS-124 VIDEO COVERAGE SUBSCRIBE NOW Heat shield checks on Sunday's agenda for crew The Discovery astronauts were awakened for their first full day in space at 7:02 a.m. Sunday by a recording of "Your Wildest Dreams" by the Moody Blues beamed up from mission control. The major items on today's agenda include spacesuit checkout for upcoming station assembly spacewalks; rendezvous and docking preparations; and an inspection of the shuttle's heat shield.    FULL STORY Additional coverage for subscribers: VIDEO: THE FLIGHT DAY 1 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY VIDEO: EXTERNAL TANK SEEN AFTER SEPARATION PLAY VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: VAB ROOF PLAY VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: CAMERA CS-1 PLAY VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: CAMERA CS-2 PLAY VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: CAMERA CS-6 PLAY VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: FRONT CAMERA PLAY VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: BEACH TRACKER PLAY VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: PAD PERIMETER PLAY VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: UCS-12 TRACKER PLAY VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: UCS-23 TRACKER PLAY VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: PLAYALINDA BEACH PLAY VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: PATRICK AIR FORCE BASE PLAY VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: PRESS SITE PLAY VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: WEST TOWER PLAY VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: CAMERA 009 PLAY VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: CAMERA 041 PLAY VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: CAMERA 049 PLAY VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: CAMERA 050 PLAY VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: CAMERA 051 PLAY VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: CAMERA 054 PLAY VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: CAMERA 060 PLAY VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: CAMERA 061 PLAY VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: CAMERA 063 PLAY VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: CAMERA 070 PLAY VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: CAMERA 071 PLAY MORE: STS-124 VIDEO COVERAGE SUBSCRIBE NOW Discovery launches! Right on time, the shuttle Discovery blasted into orbit Saturday, kicking off a two-week, three-spacewalk mission to attach Japan's huge Kibo laboratory module to the international space station and deliver a fresh flight engineer - Gregory Chamitoff - to replace outgoing station astronaut Garrett Reisman.    FULL STORY - updated    NASA TV SCHEDULE REV. A (.pdf download) Additional coverage for subscribers: VIDEO: LIFTOFF OF DISCOVERY WITH KIBO LAB! PLAY VIDEO: ONBOARD CAMERA FOOTAGE OF TANK FOAM FALLING PLAY VIDEO: INSIDE MISSION CONTROL DURING LAUNCH PLAY VIDEO: POST-LAUNCH NEWS CONFERENCE PLAY VIDEO: FINAL PRE-LAUNCH POLLS GIVE "GO" FOR LIFTOFF PLAY VIDEO: ASTRONAUT GARAN CLIMBS INTO HIS SEAT PLAY VIDEO: ASTRONAUT HOSHIDE CLIMBS INTO HIS SEAT PLAY VIDEO: ASTRONAUT FOSSUM CLIMBS INTO HIS SEAT PLAY VIDEO: PILOT HAM CLIMBS INTO HIS SEAT PLAY VIDEO: ASTRONAUT CHAMITOFF CLIMBS INTO HIS SEAT PLAY VIDEO: COMMANDER KELLY CLIMBS INTO HIS SEAT PLAY VIDEO: ASTRONAUTS ARRIVE AT LAUNCH PAD 39A PLAY VIDEO: CREW DEPARTS QUARTERS FOR LAUNCH PAD PLAY VIDEO: ASTRONAUTS DON SPACESUITS FOR LAUNCH PLAY VIDEO: NARRATED RECAP OF KIBO LAB'S PRE-FLIGHT CAMPAIGN PLAY VIDEO: NARRATED RECAP OF DISCOVERY'S PRE-FLIGHT CAMPAIGN PLAY VIDEO: LAUNCH PAD GANTRY RETRACTED FRIDAY NIGHT PLAY VIDEO: TIME-LAPSE OF GANTRY ROLLBACK PLAY VIDEO: FRIDAY'S COUNTDOWN STATUS BRIEFING PLAY MORE: STS-124 VIDEO COVERAGE SUBSCRIBE NOW Griffin optimistic about Soyuz, toilet resolution NASA Administrator Mike Griffin said Saturday he's confident Russian space engineers will resolve technical problems with the Soyuz spacecraft that ferry Russian crews to and from the international space station. Griffin also said he was hopeful spare parts being launched to the station aboard the shuttle Discovery will help the crew repair the Russian toilet before it becomes a real problem.    FULL STORY Phoenix lander spies possible ice patch Scientists say the camera on the Phoenix lander may have spotted a patch of ice beneath the lander. Further pictures will be taken to determine if it is ice or just rock.    MISSION STATUS CENTER - live updates!    IMAGES: POSSIBLE ICE PATCH Additional coverage for subscribers: VIDEO: FRIDAY'S BRIEFING REVEALS POSSIBLE ICE PLAY MORE: PHOENIX VIDEO COVERAGE SUBSCRIBE NOW Phoenix lander successfully deploys robotic arm After being folded up on Earth a year ago, the Phoenix spacecraft's robot arm finally got to move Wednesday as flight controllers began the process of unstowing the scoop-laden appendage that will dig up samples of the frozen martian terrain for study.    MISSION STATUS CENTER - live updates!    IMAGES: AREA WHERE ARM WILL DIG    IMAGES: ROCKS GIVEN FAIRY TALE NAMES Additional coverage for subscribers: VIDEO: THURSDAY'S ROBOT ARM AND PICTURE BRIEFING PLAY MORE: PHOENIX VIDEO COVERAGE SUBSCRIBE NOW Strange ring circle dead star NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope has found a bizarre ring of material around the magnetic remains of a star that blasted to smithereens. The stellar corpse belongs to a class of objects known as magnetars.    FULL STORY OTHER HEADLINES  Additional stories today New measurements reveal slimmer Milky Way -- A more accurate measuring scale has refined the weight of the Milky Way by a factor of one trillion, a discovery that has broad implications for our understanding of the Milky Way. Solar eruption seen in unprecedented detail -- A fleet of solar-orbiting spacecraft observed the April 9 solar eruption in unprecedented detail, confirming previously unseen features that are predicted by computer models. Dust torus detected around supergiant star -- Astronomers have taken the first close-up image of an individual dying supergiant star in our neighboring galaxy, the Large Magellanic Cloud. Station toilet parts delivered for shuttle launch A replacement pump and other equipment needed to repair the Russian toilet aboard the international space station was installed in the shuttle Discovery early Thursday as engineers readied the ship for blastoff Saturday on a long-awaited flight to deliver Japan's huge Kibo laboratory module to the orbiting outpost.    FULL STORY    MISSION STATUS CENTER    NASA TV SCHEDULE (.pdf download) Additional coverage for subscribers: VIDEO: PRE-LAUNCH NEWS CONFERENCE PLAY VIDEO: BRIEFING ON KIBO LABORATORY FACILITY PLAY MORE: STS-124 VIDEO COVERAGE SUBSCRIBE NOW India's moon probe being fitted with instrument suite Scientists from more than a half-dozen countries are nearly finished shipping parts for six international instruments destined to fly to the moon aboard India's Chandrayaan 1 lunar orbiter later this summer.    FULL STORY Mars Odyssey now prime communicator with lander Freeing its robotic arm from launch restraints was Wednesday's main task for the Phoenix lander, a day after communications snags prevented commands from reaching the spacecraft. Officials decided that Mars Odyssey will handle the information relay duties while engineers sort out the radio trouble on Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.    MISSION STATUS CENTER - live updates!    IMAGES: PANORAMA SHOWS RAISED ROBOT ARM    IMAGES: ANOTHER PANORAMA OF LANDER    IMAGES: OVERHEAD PERSPECTIVE    IMAGES: NEW COLOR VIEW LOOKING NORTHWEST Additional coverage for subscribers: VIDEO: WEDNESDAY'S PICTURE AND UPDATE BRIEFING PLAY MORE: PHOENIX VIDEO COVERAGE SUBSCRIBE NOW Countdown begins for Saturday's shuttle launch The shuttle Discovery's international crew flew to the Kennedy Space Center Wednesday for the start of their countdown to blastoff Saturday on a mission to attach Japan's huge Kibo lab module to the international space station.    FULL STORY Additional coverage for subscribers: VIDEO: ASTRONAUTS ARRIVE AT THE CAPE FOR LAUNCH PLAY VIDEO: WEDNESDAY'S COUNTDOWN AND WEATHER BRIEFING PLAY