MOSCOW — A Soyuz spacecraft safely delivered a Russian, an American and a Dutchman to the International Space Station on Friday, restoring the permanent crew to six members for the first time since September. But just as concerns over the reliability of the Soyuz have eased, a different version of the Soyuz rocket failed Friday during an unmanned launch. It was the latest in a string of spectacular launch failures that have raised questions about the state of Russia’s space industry. Read full article > >

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Soyuz spacecraft carrying Russian, American, Dutchman docks at International Space Station

Less than a week after a three-man crew arrived at the international space station, the new residents may need to “shelter in place” as a chunk of a destroyed Chinese weather satellite veers close to the station. On Tuesday afternoon, NASA’s mission control in Houston informed astronaut Dan Burbank that the four-inch piece of space debris might pass close enough to the station early Wednesday morning to trigger the safety measure. Read full article > >

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Astronauts may need to ‘shelter in place’ as debris nears space station

Despite the end of the space shuttle program, NASA needs to hire more astronauts to maintain its presence on the International Space Station and prepare for the next generation of spaceflight, concludes a new report from the National Research Council, part of the congressionally chartered National Academy of Sciences. NASA employs 59 astronauts, down from 150 a decade ago, and observers expect the agency to lose another half-dozen before the end of the year. The report, which NASA paid for, warns that “the Astronaut Corps appears to be sized below the minimum required,” and that the current corps size “poses a risk to the U.S. investment in human spaceflight capabilities.” Read full article > >

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NASA needs more astronauts, report says

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Astronauts may need to take the unprecedented step of temporarily abandoning the International Space Station if last week’s Russian launch accident prevents new crews from flying there this fall. Until officials figure out what went wrong with Russia’s essential Soyuz rockets, there will be no way to launch any more astronauts before the current residents have to leave in mid-November. The unsettling predicament comes just weeks after NASA’s final space shuttle flight. Read full article > >

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NASA: Space station may need to be evacuated by late Nov. if Russian rockets remain grounded

Russia delays the launch of its next manned mission to the International Space Station after an unmanned cargo vessel crashed following its launch last week.

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Russia delays manned space flight

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — A Russian space station supply ship crashed with a thunderous boom into Siberia minutes after launch Wednesday, rattling NASA and others in this new era without any shuttles to bail out the orbiting outpost. The rocket failed barely a month after NASA’s final space shuttle flight. While the International Space Station has more than enough supplies, the accident threatens to delay the launch of the next crew, just one month away. That’s because the upper stage of the unmanned Soyuz rocket that failed is similar to the ones used to launch astronauts to the station. Read full article > >

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Russian cargo ship for space station crashes, rocket accident may delay launch of next crew

Pieces of the unmanned supply ship, bound for the International Space Station, fell in Siberia amid an explosion, officials said.

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Russian Spaceship Fails to Reach Orbit

An unmanned Russian freighter launched to take supplies to the International Space Station is lost just minutes into its flight.

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Russian space freighter lost

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Endeavour and its crew of six left the International Space Station and headed home to close out NASA’s next-to-last shuttle flight, pausing just long enough Monday to perform a victory lap and test equipment for a future interplanetary ship. “Endeavour looks real nice out there,” space station resident Ronald Garan Jr. called out. The space station crew beamed down video of the departing shuttle, the last ever shot of Endeavour in orbit. It was a dark, solitary image against the blue, cloud-covered Earth and grew increasingly smaller. Read full article > >

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Shuttle Endeavour gone forever from space station, now headed home on final orbital journey

The final mission of the space shuttle Endeavour was a success, and the crew is now on its way back to Earth. The astronauts, led by Mark Kelly, husband of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, repaired an air purifier at the International Space Station and…

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Endeavour Crew Finishes Final Mission

The US space shuttle Endeavour has undocked from the International Space Station and is on its way back to Earth on its final journey.

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VIDEO: Endeavour leaves space for final time

Crew from the International Space Station have started their journey back to Earth after undocking from the station and halting for photo opportunities.

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VIDEO: ISS crew begin return to Earth

The US space shuttle Endeavour arrives at the International Space Station where it will deliver a $2bn particle physics experiment.

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Endeavour docks at space station

The American shuttle Endeavour will try again on Monday to launch to the International Space Station on what will be the orbiter’s final mission.

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Endeavour fixed and ready to go

The crew on board the International Space Station has spoken about what living and working in orbit is like, 50 years to the day from the first manned spaceflight.

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VIDEO: ISS crew phone home on space anniversary