Spaceflight Now




Spaceflight Now +



Premium video content for our Spaceflight Now Plus subscribers.

Discovery goes to pad
As night fell over Kennedy Space Center on May 19, space shuttle Discovery reached launch pad 39B to complete the slow journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building. Discovery will be traveling much faster in a few weeks when it blasts off to the International Space Station.

 Full coverage

Discovery moves to VAB
Perched atop a trailer-like transporter, space shuttle Discovery was moved May 12 from its hangar to the 52-story Vehicle Assembly Building for mating to its external fuel tank and twin solid rocket boosters in preparation for the STS-121 mission.

 Full coverage

Tank meets SRBs
Inside the Vehicle Assembly Building, the external fuel tank for the STS-121 space shuttle mission is hoisted into position for attachment with the twin solid rocket boosters atop a mobile launch platform. The tank, ET-119, will carry the liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen to feed Discovery's three main engines during launch.

 Play video

Atlantis on the move
Space shuttle Atlantis is transported to the cavernous Vehicle Assembly Building where the ship will be mated to the external fuel tank and twin solid rocket boosters for a late-August liftoff.

 PLAY | TIME-LAPSE

Discovery ride along!
A camera was mounted in the front of space shuttle Discovery's flight deck looking back at the astronauts during launch. This video shows the final minutes of the countdown and the ride to space with the live launch audio included. The movie shows what it would be like to launch on the shuttle with the STS-121 crew.

 PLAY

Shuttle from the air
A high-altitude WB-57 aircraft flying north of Discovery's launch trajectory captures this incredible aerial footage of the space shuttle's ascent from liftoff through solid rocket booster separation.

 PLAY

Launch experience
This is the full launch experience! The movie begins with the final readiness polls of the launch team. Countdown clocks then resume ticking from the T-minus 9 minute mark, smoothly proceeding to ignition at 2:38 p.m. Discovery rockets into orbit, as seen by ground tracker and a video camera mounted on the external tank. About 9 minutes after liftoff, the engines shut down and the tank is jettisoned as the shuttle arrives in space.

 PLAY

Become a subscriber
More video



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.



STS-115 Coverage

Atlantis returns from space with predawn landing
The shuttle Atlantis dropped out of a clear, dark sky and glided to an eerie predawn landing Thursday at the Kennedy Space Center, wrapping up a successful space station assembly mission that kicks off a complex sequence of construction flights.
   FULL STORY
   MISSION STATUS CENTER - live updates
   LANDING MAPS: ORBIT 186 | ORBIT 187
Spaceflight Now Plus
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO: SHUTTLE ATLANTIS GLIDES TO SAFE LANDING PLAY
VIDEO: LONGER LENGTH MOVIE OF ATLANTIS' RETURN PLAY
VIDEO: VIEW FROM RUNWAY MID-POINT PLAY
VIDEO: CAMERA ON SOUTH END OF RUNWAY PLAY
VIDEO: VIEW FROM VEHICLE ASSEMBLY BUILDING ROOF PLAY
VIDEO: LANDING WITH NATURAL SOUND FROM THE RUNWAY PLAY
VIDEO: SUN RISES OVER ATLANTIS ON BEAUTIFUL MORNING PLAY
VIDEO: NASA OFFICIALS EXAMINE ATLANTIS PLAY
VIDEO: THE ASTRONAUTS WELCOMED HOME PLAY
VIDEO: CREW WALKS AROUND ATLANTIS PLAY
VIDEO: CREW DEPARTS THE RUNWAY PLAY
VIDEO: POST-LANDING NEWS CONFERENCE PLAY
VIDEO: ATLANTIS TOWED BACK TO HANGAR PLAY
MORE: STS-115 VIDEO COVERAGE
SUBSCRIBE NOW

Shuttle Atlantis cleared for Thursday landing
The Atlantis astronauts were cleared for a day-late landing Thursday at the Kennedy Space Center after a tedious robot-arm inspection showed the ship's heat shield was in good shape. The unusual inspection was ordered and the flight extended one day after an unknown object was spotted early Tuesday flying just below the shuttle.
   FULL STORY
   NO DAMAGE FOUND
   MID-WAY UPDATE
   INSPECTIONS BEGIN
   CREW AWAKENED
   PREVIEW STORY
Spaceflight Now Plus
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO: ATLANTIS CLEARED FOR ENTRY DIAL-UP | BROADBAND
VIDEO: WEDNESDAY'S FLIGHT DIRECTOR UPDATE DIAL-UP | BROADBAND
VIDEO: BRIEFING ON THE INSPECTION PLAN DIAL-UP | BROADBAND
MORE: STS-115 VIDEO COVERAGE
SUBSCRIBE NOW

Soyuz spacecraft delivers new crew to the station
The Russian Soyuz TMA-9 spacecraft docked with the international space station early Wednesday, bringing a new commander and flight engineer to the outpost along with space tourist Anousheh Ansari.
   FULL STORY
Spaceflight Now Plus
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO: SOYUZ DOCKS TO SPACE STATION PLAY
VIDEO: POST-DOCKING NEWS BRIEFING PLAY
MORE: EXPEDITION 14 VIDEO INDEX
SUBSCRIBE NOW

Space shuttle Atlantis' return to Earth postponed
NASA managers Tuesday ordered the Atlantis astronauts to stop their landing preparations and to delay re-entry 24 hours to Thursday to give flight controllers additional time to assess the implications of an unusual object spotted earlier Tuesday flying below the shuttle. The astronauts later saw a second object.
   FULL STORY - [updated @ 3:45 p.m.]
   EARLIER STORY
Spaceflight Now Plus
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO: MID-DAY BRIEFING BY SHUTTLE CHIEF DIAL-UP | BROADBAND
VIDEO: LANDING OF ATLANTIS DELAYED ONE DAY PLAY
VIDEO: SHUTTLE CAMERA SPOTS MYSTERY OBJECT PLAY
VIDEO: HOUSTON TELLS CREW ABOUT THE OBJECT PLAY
MORE: STS-115 VIDEO COVERAGE
SUBSCRIBE NOW

Shuttle, station, Soyuz crews enjoy orbital chat
The 12 men and women currently off the planet got a chance to chat Tuesday morning, thanks to a long-distance conference call connecting the space shuttle Atlantis, the international space station and a Russian Soyuz capsule carrying a space tourist and the station's next crew.
   FULL STORY
Spaceflight Now Plus
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO: LISTEN TO THE 3-SPACECRAFT CHAT PLAY
MORE: STS-115 VIDEO COVERAGE
SUBSCRIBE NOW

Weather threatens Atlantis' Wednesday landing
An approaching front is expected to bring high winds and possible thunder showers to Florida's Space Coast early Wednesday, threatening NASA's plans to bring the shuttle Atlantis back to Earth after a successful space station construction mission.
   FULL STORY
   SYSTEMS CHECKED FOR LANDING
   LANDING MAPS: ORBIT 170 | ORBIT 171
Oxygen generator problem triggers station alarm
Astronauts activated a smoke alarm in the Russian segment of the international space station Monday morning when fumes from an oxygen generator triggered momentary fear about a possible fire. Flight engineer Jeff Williams reported an unusual smell, but officials said there was no fire and the crew was not in any danger.
   FULL STORY - updated
Spaceflight Now Plus
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO: STATION AND SHUTTLE STATUS BRIEFING DIAL-UP | BROADBAND
MORE: STS-115 VIDEO COVERAGE
SUBSCRIBE NOW

Final shuttle heat shield inspections performed
The Atlantis astronauts carried out a final inspection of the shuttle's heat shield Monday, using a laser on the end of a long boom to look for signs of damage on the ship's nose cap and wing leading edge panels.
   FULL STORY
   MASTER FLIGHT PLAN
Next station residents rocket to orbit aboard Soyuz
A Russian Soyuz spacecraft carrying the international space station's next commander, flight engineer and a U.S. entrepreneur who hopes to pioneer commercial space exploration, blasted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan early Monday and rocketed safely into orbit.
   FULL STORY
Spaceflight Now Plus
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO: THE ENTIRE LAUNCH TO ORBIT PLAY
VIDEO: EXPEDITION 14 BLASTS OFF ABOARD SOYUZ ROCKET PLAY
VIDEO: LAUNCH CAMERA REPLAY 1 PLAY
VIDEO: LAUNCH CAMERA REPLAY 2 PLAY
VIDEO: CROWDS GREET CREW AT LAUNCH PAD PLAY
VIDEO: CREW DONS SPACESUITS FOR LAUNCH PLAY
VIDEO: LAUNCH MORNING TRADITIONS OF THE CREW PLAY
VIDEO: NARRATED PREVIEW MOVIE OF EXPEDITION 14 PLAY
VIDEO: BIOGRAPHY MOVIE OF EXPEDITION 14 CREW PLAY
SUBSCRIBE NOW

Atlantis departs station
The shuttle Atlantis undocked from the international space station Sunday, beaming down spectacular video of the lab complex and clearing the way for launch of the station's next full-time crew early Monday to kick off the 14th long-duration expedition.
   FULL STORY
   MISSION STATUS CENTER - live updates!
   ATLANTIS UNDOCKS [flyaround photos]
   HATCHES CLOSED
   UNDOCKING PREVIEW
Spaceflight Now Plus
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO: SUNDAY'S STATUS BRIEFING DIAL-UP | BROADBAND
VIDEO: STATION BACKDROPPED BY BLACK SPACE PLAY
VIDEO: STATION SLIDES BY EARTH'S HORIZON PLAY
VIDEO: SPACE STATION FLYAROUND BY ATLANTIS PLAY
VIDEO: ATLANTIS UNDOCKS FROM THE STATION PLAY
VIDEO: HATCHWAY CLOSED FOR UNDOCKING PLAY
VIDEO: SHUTTLE ASTRONAUTS BID FAREWELL PLAY
VIDEO: FLIGHT DIRECTOR EXPLAINS UNDOCKING PLAY
MORE: STS-115 VIDEO COVERAGE
SUBSCRIBE NOW

Veteran credits rookies with saving the day
The successful attachment and deployment of a huge new set of solar arrays on the international space station "bodes well" for a complex set of upcoming shuttle flights to build out the main power truss and ready the craft for attachment of European and Japanese research modules, Atlantis commander Brent Jett said Saturday.
   FULL STORY
Spaceflight Now Plus
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO: CREW INTERVIEWED BY CBS NEWS' BILL HARWOOD PLAY
VIDEO: ATLANTIS/STATION FLY OVER HURRICANE GORDON PLAY
VIDEO: SATURDAY STATUS BRIEFING DIAL-UP | BROADBAND
MORE: STS-115 VIDEO COVERAGE
SUBSCRIBE NOW

Astronauts enjoy off-duty time; Soyuz moved to pad
The Atlantis astronauts, the major tasks of their space station assembly mission behind them, took a half-day off Saturday to relax and enjoy the view from 220 miles up. At the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, the Soyuz TMA-9 spacecraft was rolled to the launch pad and erected for blastoff to ferry the Expedition 14 to the station.
   FULL STORY
Spaceflight Now Plus
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO: SOYUZ ROCKET ROLLS TO THE LAUNCH PAD PLAY
VIDEO: ROCKET ERECTED UPRIGHT ON PAD PLAY
MORE: STS-115 VIDEO COVERAGE
SUBSCRIBE NOW

Atlantis crew completes third and final spacewalk
Astronauts Joe Tanner and Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper conducted a final spacewalk Friday to close out work on a new solar array truss and upgrade the international space station's communications system.
   FULL STORY
   PREVIEW STORY
   ISS SPACEWALK STATS
Spaceflight Now Plus
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO: LAUNCH AS SEEN BY HIGH-ALTITUDE WB-57 AIRCRAFT PLAY
VIDEO: SOLID ROCKET BOOSTER CAM: STARBOARD INWARD PLAY
VIDEO: SOLID ROCKET BOOSTER CAM: STARBOARD UPWARD PLAY
VIDEO: SOLID ROCKET BOOSTER CAM: STARBOARD DOWNWARD PLAY
VIDEO: SOLID ROCKET BOOSTER CAM: PORT INWARD PLAY
VIDEO: SOLID ROCKET BOOSTER CAM: PORT UPWARD PLAY
VIDEO: SOLID ROCKET BOOSTER CAM: PORT DOWNWARD PLAY
MORE: STS-115 VIDEO COVERAGE
SUBSCRIBE NOW

Space station spreads its new power wings
The Atlantis astronauts successfully unfurled a second solar array Thursday, giving the international space station a new set of wings stretching some 240 feet from tip to tip and completing the primary goal of the 116th shuttle mission.
   FULL STORY
   FIRST ARRAY DEPLOYED
Spaceflight Now Plus
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO: SECOND SOLAR WING DEPLOYED HALF-WAY PLAY
VIDEO: FIRST SOLAR WING DEPLOYED HALF-WAY PLAY
VIDEO: SECOND SOLAR WING EXTENDED ONE SECTION PLAY
VIDEO: FIRST SOLAR WING EXTENDED ONE SECTION PLAY
MORE: STS-115 VIDEO COVERAGE
SUBSCRIBE NOW

Deployment of station's new solar arrays underway
Running behind schedule because of software problems, flight controllers early Thursday began a slow, careful process to unfurl a new set of solar arrays aboard the international space station. The plan called for first deploying the huge panels just a few feet to let them warm up and decompress after years in storage. Later in the day, the Atlantis astronauts will send commands to fully extend the new arrays.
   FULL STORY
Initial solar array deploy held up for troubleshooting
Flight controllers troubleshooting the problem with the solar array rotary joint determined a software commanding issue prevented the drive assembly from engaging properly. They resolved the problem late Wednesday. But the situation has delayed initial deployment of the solar array blankets.
   FULL STORY
   EARLIER STORY
   ROTARY JOINT CHECKOUT BEGINS
Spacewalkers prep solar array truss for activation
Astronauts Dan Burbank and Steve MacLean, using their combined muscle power, a big wrench and lots of grunts and groans, finally freed an overly tight bolt Wednesday that threatened to prevent a massive rotating joint from operating properly.
   FULL STORY - [updated]
   ANOTHER LOST BOLT
   EVA NO. 2 BEGINS
Spaceflight Now Plus
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO: POST-EVA 2 STATUS BRIEFING DIAL-UP | BROADBAND
VIDEO: PORT 3/PORT 4 TRUSS KEEL PIN REMOVED AND STOWED PLAY
VIDEO: HELMETCAM OF BURBANK REMOVING SARJ RESTRAINT PLAY
VIDEO: SPACEWALKERS PAUSE FOR PICTURE TIME PLAY
VIDEO: STEVE MACLEAN REPORTS LOST BOLT PLAY
VIDEO: ROTARY JOINT LOCK REMOVED BY SPACEWALKER PLAY
VIDEO: STEP-BY-STEP PREVIEW OF SPACEWALK NO. 2 PLAY
MORE: STS-115 VIDEO COVERAGE
SUBSCRIBE NOW

Heat shield OK; Shannon talks night launches, Hubble
NASA's Mission Management Team Tuesday gave the shuttle Atlantis' heat shield a clean bill of health, formally clearing the ship and its crew for a normal re-entry Sept. 20 if no other problems develop.
   FULL STORY
Spaceflight Now Plus
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO: HEAT SHIELD CLEARED DIAL-UP | BROADBAND
SUBSCRIBE NOW

Spacewalkers unfold and wire up new station truss
Astronauts Joe Tanner and Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper successfully wired in a new solar array truss segment Tuesday, removed launch restraints and deployed stowed appendages during a nearly flawless six-hour 26-minute spacewalk, the first of three complex excursions planned for the shuttle Atlantis' space station assembly mission.
   EVA NO. 1 CONCLUDES - [updated]
   SPACEWALK MID-POINT UPDATE
   TRUSS INSTALLED, EVA BEGINS
   DETAILED PREVIEW STORY
Spaceflight Now Plus
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO: POST-EVA 1 STATUS BRIEFING DIAL-UP | BROADBAND
VIDEO: TANNER LOSES BOLT DURING ROTARY JOINT WORK PLAY
VIDEO: PIPER UNFOLDS SOLAR BLANKET BOXES SHORT | FULL
VIDEO: SECOND WING'S STRUCTURE DEPLOYED BY PIPER PLAY
VIDEO: FIRST SOLAR WING'S STRUCTURE DEPLOYED BY TANNER PLAY
VIDEO: STEP-BY-STEP PREVIEW OF SPACEWALK NO. 1 PLAY
MORE: STS-115 VIDEO COVERAGE
SUBSCRIBE NOW

Additional heat shield inspections ruled out
High-resolution photographs of the shuttle Atlantis' underbelly shot Monday during final approach to the international space station show the orbiter's heat shield tiles are in good shape with no obvious signs of damage. Agency engineers decided late today that additional heat shield inspections, a move that would have triggered a one-day mission extension, were not required.
   FULL STORY
Spaceflight Now Plus
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO: HEAT SHIELD INSPECTION BRIEFING DIAL-UP | BROADBAND
MORE: STS-115 VIDEO COVERAGE
SUBSCRIBE NOW

New solar array truss pulled from shuttle bay
With only four inches or so of clearance, astronauts Dan Burbank and Chris Ferguson, operating the shuttle Atlantis' 50-foot-long robot arm, carefully lifted a 35,000-pound solar array truss from the orbiter's cargo bay Monday, maneuvered it safely past the ship's heat shield inspection boom and out over the shuttle's left wing.
   FULL STORY
   IMAGE GALLERY: TRUSS UNBERTHED
Spaceflight Now Plus
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO: TRUSS HANDED FROM SHUTTLE ARM TO STATION ARM PLAY
VIDEO: ARM MANEUVERS TRUSS OVER SHUTTLE WING PLAY
VIDEO: TRUSS SLOWLY LIFTED OUT OF PAYLOAD BAY PLAY
VIDEO: ATLANTIS' ARM GRAPPLES THE TRUSS PLAY
VIDEO: NARRATED ANIMATION PREVIEWING TRUSS UNBERTHING PLAY
VIDEO: NARRATED ANIMATION OF PAYLOAD BAY CONFIGURATION PLAY
MORE: STS-115 VIDEO COVERAGE
SUBSCRIBE NOW

Atlantis docks with station
Commander Brent Jett guided the shuttle Atlantis to a gentle docking with the international space station Monday after a spectacular end-over-end flip across Africa, Italy and the Balkans to let the lab crew photograph the spaceplane's heat shield.
   FULL STORY
   DAY'S PREVIEW STORY
   CREW TIMELINE
Spaceflight Now Plus
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO: MONDAY'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING DIAL-UP | BROADBAND
VIDEO: ATLANTIS WELCOMED ABOARD THE STATION PLAY
VIDEO: DOCKING REPLAY FROM CAMERA ON SHUTTLE ARM PLAY
VIDEO: SHUTTLE ATLANTIS DOCKS TO THE STATION PLAY
VIDEO: ATLANTIS' BREATH-TAKING FLIP MANEUVER PLAY
VIDEO: NARRATED ANIMATION PREVIEWING THE DOCKING PLAY
MORE: STS-115 VIDEO COVERAGE
SUBSCRIBE NOW

Debris analysis update
NASA's Mission Management Team has refined the timing of a handful of launch debris events noted during the shuttle Atlantis' climb to space Saturday. As mission managers reported Sunday, no impacts occurred during the first 135 seconds of flight, the period when atmospheric density is high enough to give debris enough energy to cause heat shield damage.
   FULL STORY
NASA has 'high confidence' Atlantis in good shape
An initial assessment of the shuttle Atlantis' heat shield gives mission managers "high confidence" the spaceplane completed its climb to space Saturday without any potentially dangerous debris impacts, officials said Sunday.
   FULL STORY
Atlantis heat shield inspection goes smoothly
The Atlantis astronauts inspected the shuttle's wing leading edge panels and nose cap Sunday as part of a now-standard post-Columbia checkout and while additional observations and analysis will take several more days to complete, no obvious signs of damage were seen.
   FULL STORY
   MISSION STATUS CENTER - live updates!
   MASTER FLIGHT PLAN
Spaceflight Now Plus
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO: FLIGHT DIRECTOR EXPLAINS INSPECTIONS PLAY
VIDEO: SUNDAY'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING DIAL-UP | BROADBAND
MORE: STS-115 VIDEO COVERAGE
SUBSCRIBE NOW

Atlantis launch photos
This collection of images shows shuttle Atlantis' beautiful blastoff at 11:15 a.m. Saturday to resume construction of the International Space Station. The photos were taken from the Kennedy Space center press site and sound-activated cameras positioned around pad 39B.
   ENTER GALLERY
Gallery: View from VAB roof
This collection of images was taken by photographer Ben Cooper from the roof of the 52-story Vehicle Assembly Building during space shuttle Atlantis' liftoff from Kennedy Space Center's pad 39B.
   ENTER GALLERY
Atlantis roars into space to restart station assembly
The space shuttle Atlantis took off Saturday on its fifth try, kicking off a long-awaited flight to restart assembly of the international space station three years after the Columbia disaster derailed construction.
   FULL STORY
   TANK DEBRIS STORY
   NASA TELEVISION SCHEDULE
Spaceflight Now Plus
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO: LAUNCH OF ATLANTIS! PLAY
VIDEO: SHEDDING FOAM MAY HAVE HIT ATLANTIS PLAY
VIDEO: ONBOARD VIEW OF EXTERNAL TANK SEPARATION PLAY
VIDEO: INSIDE MISSION CONTROL DURING LAUNCH PLAY
VIDEO: STATION CREW TOLD VISITORS EN ROUTE PLAY
VIDEO: HOUSTON RADIOS DEBRIS REPORT TO CREW PLAY
VIDEO: POST-LAUNCH NEWS CONFERENCE DIAL-UP | BROADBAND
VIDEO: QUICK-LOOK BRIEFING ON DEBRIS DIAL-UP | BROADBAND

LAUNCH REPLAYS:
VIDEO: BEACH MOUND TRACKER PLAY
VIDEO: CAMERA IN FRONT OF PAD PLAY
VIDEO: BANANA CREEK VIEWING SITE PLAY
VIDEO: VEHICLE ASSEMBLY BUILDING ROOF PLAY
VIDEO: PAD 39B SIDE PERIMETER PLAY
VIDEO: PLAYALINDA BEACH TRACKER PLAY
VIDEO: PLAYALINDA BEACH ZOOM PLAY
VIDEO: UCS 23 TRACKER PLAY
VIDEO: UCS 11 TRACKER PLAY

VIDEO: MISSION SPECIALIST 4 STEVE MACLEAN BOARDS ATLANTIS PLAY
VIDEO: MISSION SPECIALIST 3 HEIDE PIPER BOARDS PLAY
VIDEO: MISSION SPECIALIST 2 DAN BURBANK BOARDS PLAY
VIDEO: MISSION SPECIALIST 1 JOE TANNER BOARDS PLAY
VIDEO: PILOT CHRIS FERGUSON BOARDS PLAY
VIDEO: COMMANDER BRENT JETT BOARDS PLAY

VIDEO: ASTRONAUTS EMERGE FROM CREW QUARTERS PLAY
VIDEO: CREW SUITS UP FOR LAUNCH TO SPACE PLAY
VIDEO: FINAL INSPECTION TEAM CHECKS ATLANTIS PLAY
VIDEO: ASTRONAUTS READY FOR SECOND LAUNCH TRY PLAY
MORE: STS-115 VIDEO COVERAGE
SUBSCRIBE NOW

Suspect sensor stays 'wet' after tank drained
Engine cutoff - ECO - sensor No. 3, the one that "failed wet" earlier Friday and derailed an attempt to launch the shuttle Atlantis, continued indicating it was immersed in liquid hydrogen after the ship's external tank was drained this afternoon, officials said. The other three ECO sensors in the hydrogen tank correctly indicated they were dry as one would expect.
   FULL STORY
Faulty fuel sensor scrubs shuttle Atlantis launch
After a dramatic, down-to-the-wire debate, NASA's Mission Management Team called off the shuttle Atlantis' countdown Friday and delayed launch at least 24 hours because of concern about an apparently faulty low-level hydrogen fuel sensor in the ship's huge external tank.
   FULL STORY [updated]
   MISSION STATUS CENTER - live updates!
   EARLIER SENSOR STORY
   BACKGROUND ON ECO SENSORS
Spaceflight Now Plus
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO: POST-SCRUB BRIEFING DIAL-UP | BROADBAND
VIDEO: FRIDAY'S LAUNCH ATTEMPT SCRUBBED PLAY
VIDEO: CREW DEPARTS QUARTERS FOR THE PAD PLAY
VIDEO: ASTRONAUTS SUIT UP FOR LAUNCH PLAY
VIDEO: CREW'S LAUNCH MORNING SNACK TIME PLAY
MORE: STS-115 VIDEO COVERAGE
SUBSCRIBE NOW

Fuel cell cleared for launch
NASA managers Thursday cleared the shuttle Atlantis for launch Friday despite a suspect electrical generator, deciding the risk of an in-flight fuel cell shutdown that could prompt a shortened mission was not a credible threat to the thrice-delayed space station assembly flight.
   FULL STORY
   EARLIER STORY
   LAUNCH WEATHER FORECAST
Spaceflight Now Plus
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO: ATLANTIS CLEARED FOR LAUNCH FRIDAY DIAL-UP | BROADBAND
SUBSCRIBE NOW

Launch slips to Friday
NASA managers late Wednesday ruled out an attempt to launch the shuttle Atlantis Thursday but held open the possibility of a last-ditch Friday launching if engineers can resolve a problem with one of the ship's three electrical generators before time runs out.
   FULL STORY
Shuttle managers mull Atlantis fuel cell options
NASA's Mission Management Team met Wednesday to discuss options for launching the shuttle Atlantis on a key space station assembly mission. A launch try Wednesday was scrubbed because of a possible short in one of the shuttle's three electricity producing fuel cells. It does not appear engineers have time to carry out any repairs before the current launch window runs out Friday, but they could opt to fly as is if troubleshooters can show the glitch can be isolated and not cause additional problems.
   FULL STORY
Atlantis launch scrubbed
Engineers at the Kennedy Space Center are troubleshooting a problem with fuel cell No. 1 aboard the shuttle Atlantis. Officials have decided to scrub Wednesday's launch attempt. Another launch try could come Thursday, if the problem can be resolved in time.
   FULL STORY
   EARLIER STORY
   IMAGE: STATION STREAKS OVER ATLANTIS
   GALLERY: ATLANTIS ON THE EVE OF LAUNCH
Hale talks foam redesign, mission extension options
NASA managers are holding open the possibility of extending the shuttle Atlantis' mission by at least one and possibly two days to give the crew time to carry out additional heat shield inspections and to handle any unexpected problems that might crop up, officials said Tuesday.
   FULL STORY
   MISSION STATUS CENTER - updates
   LAUNCH WEATHER FORECAST
Spaceflight Now Plus
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO: TUESDAY'S STATUS UPDATE BRIEFING DIAL-UP | BROADBAND
MORE: STS-115 VIDEO COVERAGE
SUBSCRIBE NOW

Launch team set for three tries in a row, if needed
NASA managers Monday agreed to make three consecutive attempts to get the shuttle Atlantis off the ground if bad weather or technical problems prevent an on-time liftoff Wednesday.
   FULL STORY
Spaceflight Now Plus
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO: PRE-LAUNCH NEWS BRIEFING DIAL-UP | BROADBAND
MORE: STS-115 VIDEO COVERAGE
SUBSCRIBE NOW

Shuttle Atlantis launch preps going smoothly
Engineers loaded the shuttle Atlantis' fuel cell system with liquid hydrogen and oxygen early Monday, a key step in readying the spacecraft for launch Wednesday on a weather-delayed space station assembly mission. There are no technical problems of any significance at launch complex 39B, officials said Monday, and forecasters are continuing to predict an 80 percent chance of good weather.
   FULL STORY
   COUNTDOWN EVENTS TIMELINE
Spaceflight Now Plus
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO: MONDAY'S COUNTDOWN STATUS DIAL-UP | BROADBAND

VIDEO: COMPLETE PREVIEW OF ATLANTIS MISSION PLAY
VIDEO: DETAILS OF THE THREE SPACEWALKS PLAY
VIDEO: MEET THE SIX ASTRONAUTS PLAY
MORE: STS-115 VIDEO COVERAGE
SUBSCRIBE NOW

Clocks begin ticking for Wednesday's blastoff
The countdown has begun for Wednesday's launch of space shuttle Atlantis to deliver a set of power-generating solar wings to the space station. Clocks in Firing Room 4 of the Complex 39 Launch Control Center starting ticking at 8 a.m. EDT this morning.
   FULL STORY
   MISSION STATUS CENTER
   LAUNCH WEATHER FORECAST
   COUNTDOWN EVENTS TIMELINE
Spaceflight Now Plus
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO: BIOGRAPHY MOVIE ON THE SIX ASTRONAUTS PLAY
VIDEO: SHORT MOVIE PREVIEW OF ATLANTIS' MISSION PLAY
VIDEO: OUTLOOK ON UPCOMING STATION ASSEMBLY FLIGHTS PLAY
MORE: STS-115 VIDEO COVERAGE
SUBSCRIBE NOW

Astronauts arrive at Cape for second countdown
The Atlantis astronauts flew back to the Kennedy Space Center Saturday for launch Wednesday on a weather-delayed space station assembly mission. The countdown begins at 8 a.m. Sunday with launch on tap, weather permitting, at 12:29 p.m. Wednesday.
   FULL STORY
   NASA TELEVISION SCHEDULE
   ATLANTIS ASCENT DATA PACKET
   MASTER FLIGHT PLAN
   LAUNCH WINDOWS CHART
   MEET THE ASTRONAUTS
   MISSION QUICK-LOOK: Page 1 | Page 2
Spaceflight Now Plus
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO: CREW ARRIVES IN T-38 TRAINING JETS PLAY
VIDEO: COMMENTS FROM CREW AFTER ARRIVAL PLAY
MORE: STS-115 VIDEO COVERAGE
SUBSCRIBE NOW

Gallery: Travels of Atlantis
This collection of photos shows space shuttle Atlantis' rollback from launch pad 39B forced by tropical storm Ernesto. Before reaching the Vehicle Assembly Building, however, forecasters lowered their outlook for winds at Kennedy Space Center and officials opted to halt the move in favor of getting Atlantis back on the pad that day.
   ENTER GALLERY
Atlantis launch officially rescheduled for next week
NASA managers today formally selected Wednesday, September 6 as the new target launch date for shuttle Atlantis after inspections revealed no damage from tropical depression Ernesto's encounter with Kennedy Space Center. Liftoff is set for 12:28:49 p.m. EDT.
   MISSION STATUS CENTER
Shuttle launch window extended to Sept. 8
NASA and Russian space managers agreed today to extend the shuttle Atlantis' launch window by one day, to Sept. 8, to bolster the U.S. space agency's chances of getting the weather-delayed shuttle off the ground this month.
   FULL STORY
Atlantis could be ready to launch by next week
If shuttle Atlantis weathers tropical storm Ernesto without any major problems, and if engineers can complete hurried preparations, NASA may be ready to make a launch attempt as early as Sept. 6, one day before the shuttle's launch window closes, officials said late Tuesday.
   FULL STORY
   MISSION STATUS CENTER
   ROLLBACK REVERSED
   EARLIER STORY
Spaceflight Now Plus
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO: NEWS BRIEFING ON RETURN TO PAD DIALUP | BROADBAND
VIDEO: ATLANTIS ROLLBACK BEGINS PART 1 | PART 2
MORE: STS-115 VIDEO COVERAGE
SUBSCRIBE NOW

NASA reconsiders its daylight launch rule
If the shuttle Atlantis fails to get off the ground before the Sept. 7 end of its current launch window - a scenario that could delay the flight to late October - NASA managers may reconsider an earlier decision to only launch in daylight.
   FULL STORY
Crawler problems add hours to rollback time
Problems with one of NASA's ponderous crawler-transporters will force engineers to take the shuttle Atlantis to the far side of the Vehicle Assembly Building Tuesday if a rollback from the launch pad is ordered because of tropical storm/hurricane Ernesto. The change in plans will add three hours or so to the time necessary to get Atlantis out of harm's way.
   FULL STORY
   MISSION STATUS CENTER - live updates!
Storm forces rollback preparations to begin
In what amounts to a "perfect storm" of high winds, high stakes and international drama, tropical storm Ernesto threatens to bring hurricane-force winds to the Kennedy Space Center by Wednesday night. NASA managers Monday ordered engineers to begin work to roll the shuttle Atlantis off its seaside launch pad Tuesday, raising the prospect of a lengthy launch delay.
   FULL STORY
NASA defers Atlantis rollback decision to Monday
NASA managers met Sunday evening and agreed to wait until Monday morning to make a decision on whether to roll the shuttle Atlantis back to the Vehicle Assembly Building, preserving for now the option of launching the ship Tuesday on a space station assembly mission.
   FULL STORY
   MID-DAY STORY
   MORNING STORY
   LAUNCH WINDOWS CHART
Spaceflight Now Plus
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO: SUNDAY EVENING MANAGEMENT UPDATE PLAY
VIDEO: PRE-LAUNCH NEWS CONFERENCE PLAY
MORE: STS-115 VIDEO COVERAGE
SUBSCRIBE NOW

Hurricane threatens; launch remains up in the air
NASA managers plan to meet tonight to make a decision on whether to proceed with an attempt to launch the shuttle Atlantis Tuesday on a space station assembly mission or roll the spacecraft back to the protection of the Vehicle Assembly Building because of hurricane Ernesto.
   FULL STORY
   EARLIER STORY
   LAUNCH WINDOWS CHART
Solid rocket booster tests could be ordered
NASA's Mission Management Team decided early Sunday to continue testing and analysis to assess the possible effects of a launch pad lightning strike Friday on the shuttle Atlantis' solid-fuel booster and self-destruct systems. A Monday launch attempt remains feasible for now, sources said, but only if the community agrees time-consuming tests to verify the health of booster and range safety pyrotechnic systems are not needed. If the tests are required, launch likely would slip to mid week or later.
   FULL STORY
Lightning delays Atlantis launch at least a day
The lightning bolt that hit launch pad 39B Friday was one of the most powerful on record at the Kennedy Space Center, sending some 100,000 amps of current through the lightning protection system, officials said Saturday. While the lightning protection system worked, shielding the shuttle Atlantis from a direct hit, engineers are concerned about induced currents that showed up in a brief spike in one of the shuttle's main circuits and another in a launch pad pyrotechnic system.
   FULL STORY
   EARLIER STORY
   UPDATED WEATHER FORECAST
Spaceflight Now Plus
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO: OFFICIALS EXPLAIN INITIAL SCRUB PLAY
VIDEO: SEE THE LIGHTNING STRIKE AT PAD B PLAY
VIDEO: ANOTHER VIEW OF LIGHTNING STRIKE PLAY
VIDEO: PRE-LAUNCH NEWS CONFERENCE PLAY
MORE: STS-115 VIDEO COVERAGE
SUBSCRIBE NOW

Shuttle Mission Preview

Station construction to resume with Atlantis
The shuttle Atlantis is poised for blastoff Sunday on a long-awaited flight to restart assembly of the international space station three years after the Columbia disaster derailed construction. Atlantis and its six-person crew will deliver a $372 million set of solar arrays to the outpost, kicking off the most ambitious series of manned space flights since the Apollo moon program. This is our 16,000-word preview of Atlantis' mission.
   FULL REPORT
Spaceflight Now Plus
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO: COMPLETE PREVIEW OF ATLANTIS MISSION PLAY
VIDEO: DETAILS OF THE THREE SPACEWALKS PLAY
VIDEO: MEET THE SIX ASTRONAUTS PLAY
MORE: STS-115 VIDEO COVERAGE
SUBSCRIBE NOW

STS-115 Mission Archive

Launch team battles back from weather delays
The shuttle Atlantis' countdown is back on track today after delays Friday because of stormy weather. More afternoon storms are expected today and again tomorrow, prompting forecasters to predict a 60 percent chance of weather that would block the shuttle's planned 4:30 p.m. Sunday launch on a space station assembly mission.
   FULL STORY
   UPDATED WEATHER FORECAST
NASA working around stormy weather at the Cape
A lightning bolt struck near the space shuttle Atlantis Friday as powerful thunderstorms rolled across the Kennedy Space Center, but the launch pad lightning protection system shielded the orbiter and officials said the countdown was on track for a Sunday launch try, weather permitting.
   FULL STORY
Spaceflight Now Plus
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO: PRE-LAUNCH NEWS CONFERENCE PLAY
MORE: STS-115 VIDEO COVERAGE
SUBSCRIBE NOW

Atlantis crew arrives as countdown begins early
The shuttle Atlantis' astronauts flew to Florida Thursday to prepare for launch Sunday on a long-awaited flight to restart space station assembly. With forecasters predicting a 70 percent chance of good weather, liftoff from pad 39B is targeted for 4:30 p.m. Sunday.
   FULL STORY
   LAUNCH WEATHER FORECAST
Spaceflight Now Plus
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO: CREW ARRIVES FOR LAUNCH PLAY
VIDEO: THURSDAY'S COUNTDOWN STATUS DIAL-UP | BROADBAND
SUBSCRIBE NOW

Readiness review clears Atlantis pending final issues
NASA managers Wednesday formally - and unanimously - cleared the shuttle Atlantis for blastoff Aug. 27 on a mission to restart space station assembly, pending resolution of two down-to-the-wire technical issues.
   FULL STORY [Posted: Aug. 16]
   EARLIER COVERAGE
   MASTER FLIGHT PLAN
   LAUNCH WINDOWS CHART
   MISSION QUICK-LOOK: Page 1 | Page 2
   REMAINING SHUTTLE LAUNCH SCHEDULE
Spaceflight Now Plus
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO: LAUNCH DATE ANNOUNCEMENT NEWS CONFERENCE PLAY
VIDEO: COMPLETE PREVIEW OF ATLANTIS MISSION PLAY
VIDEO: DETAILS OF THE THREE SPACEWALKS PLAY
VIDEO: MEET THE SIX ASTRONAUTS PLAY
MORE: STS-115 VIDEO COVERAGE
SUBSCRIBE NOW

Interview with NASA's chief
NASA Administrator Mike Griffin is known for being a straight shooter willing to make tough decisions. Brought on board by the Bush administration to implement a new initiative to return to the moon by the end of the next decade, Griffin is overseeing a difficult transition as NASA works to complete the international space station by 2010, phase out the space shuttle and develop a new manned spacecraft that will be safer and cheaper to operate.
   FULL STORY [Posted: Aug. 15]
Shuttle readiness review begins; update on bolts
NASA managers kicked off a two-day engineering review Tuesday to assess the shuttle Atlantis' readiness to blast off Aug. 27 on a long-awaited flight to restart space station assembly. Along with discussing the shuttle's external tank and the ongoing threat of falling foam insulation, engineers and managers also will discuss what to do about bolts holding the shuttle's KU-band antenna in place on the forward right wall of the ship's payload bay.
   FULL STORY [Posted: Aug. 15]
Shuttle communications antenna bolts a concern
Engineers are trying to determine whether critical bolts holding the shuttle Atlantis' KU-band antenna box in place are securely threaded, a potentially serious issue that could require tricky repairs before the ship's Aug. 27 launch, sources said Sunday.
   FULL STORY [Posted: Aug. 13]
Atlantis crew ready to kick start station assembly
The crew of the shuttle Atlantis reviewed launch pad emergency procedures Wednesday and in a brief question-and-answer session with reporters, described their upcoming station assembly flight as one of the most complex missions yet attempted.
   FULL STORY [Posted: Aug. 9]
Spaceflight Now Plus
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO: LAUNCH PAD PRESS CHAT DIAL-UP | BROADBAND
MORE: STS-115 VIDEO COVERAGE
SUBSCRIBE NOW

Astronauts arrive at Cape for practice countdown
The crew of the shuttle Atlantis flew to the Kennedy Space Center Monday for launch-site training and to participate in a dress-rehearsal countdown Thursday that will set the stage for blastoff Aug. 27 on a space station construction mission.
   FULL STORY [Posted: Aug. 7]
NASA rules out moving up Atlantis launch date again
NASA managers today decided to stick with an August 27 launch target for shuttle Atlantis based on an analysis that indicates orbital lighting would not be sufficient for a launch on August 26.
   FULL STORY [Posted: Aug. 3]
Space shuttle Atlantis rolls to the launch pad
Finally catching a break from the weather, the shuttle Atlantis was hauled to its ocean-side launch pad early Wednesday for final preparations before blastoff at the end of the month on a space station assembly mission.
   FULL STORY [Posted: Aug. 2]
   MISSION STATUS CENTER
   MASTER FLIGHT PLAN
   LAUNCH WINDOWS CHART
   MISSION QUICK-LOOK: Page 1 | Page 2
   REMAINING SHUTTLE LAUNCH SCHEDULE
Spaceflight Now Plus
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO: ATLANTIS ARRIVES AT LAUNCH PAD 39B PLAY
VIDEO: ROLLOUT FROM VEHICLE ASSEMBLY BUILDING BEGINS PLAY

VIDEO: TRUSS IN PAD'S PAYLOAD ROOM PLAY
VIDEO: PAYLOAD HOISTED INTO THE PAD PLAY
VIDEO: STATION TRUSS PAYLOAD DELIVERED TO PAD PLAY
MORE: STS-115 VIDEO COVERAGE
SUBSCRIBE NOW

Atlantis move delayed
Space shuttle Atlantis was supposed to make the slow crawl from the Vehicle Assembly Building to launch pad 39B at Kennedy Space Center before sunrise Monday, with the 8-hour trek scheduled to begin just after midnight. But heavy rain and thunderstorms have forced a one-day postponement.
   MISSION STATUS CENTER
Atlantis' launch opportunity moves a day earlier
Space shuttle program officials Thursday formally changed the opening of Atlantis' launch window to Sunday, August 27 based on projected orbital lighting conditions for photographing the ship's fuel tank. The window had been targeted to open Aug. 28.
   MISSION STATUS CENTER
Shuttle Atlantis departs its hangar for upcoming launch
Space shuttle Atlantis moved closer to its first flight in almost four years when the orbiter was hauled into Kennedy Space Center's Vehicle Assembly Building on Monday morning.
   MISSION STATUS CENTER
Spaceflight Now Plus
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO: ATLANTIS ROLLS FROM HANGAR TO VAB PLAY
VIDEO: TIME-LAPSE FOOTAGE OF SHUTTLE TRANSFER PLAY
MORE: STS-115 VIDEO COVERAGE
SUBSCRIBE NOW

Atlantis set to depart its hangar for upcoming launch
Space shuttle Atlantis will move closer to its first flight in almost four years when the orbiter is hauled into Kennedy Space Center's Vehicle Assembly Building at sunrise Monday.
   MISSION STATUS CENTER
STS-115 patch
The official crew patch for the STS-115 mission of space shuttle Atlantis to resume orbital construction of the International Space Station.
 Choose your store:
U.S. - U.K. - E.U. - Worldwide