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Editorial Team

Space Travel Editorial Team

Editorial Team

The Space Travel Editorial Team produces Space Travel's coverage of human spaceflight and access to space. We report on launch, crewed missions and space tourism, and the propulsion, vehicles and human factors of getting people to space. Articles reflect our team's collective editorial process, source verification, drafting, technical review, and editing, rather than a single writer's work. Space Travel takes editorial responsibility for content under this byline. For more on how we work, see our editorial policy.

NASA Sets Out Tough Training To Reach For The Stars

Washington (AFP) Feb 06, 2007 - Would-be US astronauts have to undergo rigorous training and stringent selection procedures if they want to join an elite body of just 135 people, mostly men, and journey to the stars. With more than 4,000 applicants chasing just 20 places available every two years, competition is tight and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) sets tough standards for the physically and mentally challenging job.

Feb 6, 2007

Big Budgets Make For Big Debates In Washington

Sacramento CA (SPX) Feb 05, 2007 - There is little doubt that NASA is approaching a fiscal crisis of the first order. The cost of returning the Space Shuttle to flight after the Columbia tragedy has grown far beyond original estimates. While the cost of continuing to build and maintain the International Space Station remain as high as ever. And meanwhile, according to the current schedule, it will be at least another three years before any significant experiments at all can be run on it.

Feb 5, 2007

The Planetary Society Calls For Restoration Of Funds For NASA Science In 2008 Budget Request

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Feb 05, 2007 - The Administration today unveiled its budget request for NASA for fiscal year 2008, part of its total proposed budget for the federal government. At $17.3 billion, the Administration's request represents a 3.1% increase over the $16.8 billion requested for NASA for fiscal year 2007.

Feb 5, 2007

ISS Crew Conduct Back To Back Spacewalks Over Several Days

Houston TX (SPX) Feb 04, 2007 - Following Sunday's second spacewalk of the series, Commander Mike Lopez-Alegria, with eight spacewalks totaling 54 hours and 42 minutes, now ranks third on the all-time list behind Jerry Ross and Anatoly Solovyev. He will equal Ross' mark of nine spacewalks on Thursday and vault past him into second place for the most spacewalk time by an American astronaut at the 3 hour and 50 minute mark. He surpasses Ross' record for most spacewalks by an American on Feb. 22 during the Russian outing.

Feb 4, 2007

Activity Filled Schedule Keeps Astronauts Busy On Space Station

Houston TX (SPX) Feb 04, 2007 - For the second time in four days, two residents of the International Space Station stepped outside for a spacewalk to complete connecting cooling loops from a temporary to a permanent system. This time the excursion lasted just over seven hours. Wearing U.S. spacesuits, Expedition 14 Commander Mike Lopez-Alegria and Flight Engineer Suni Williams began their spacewalk at 7:38 a.m. CST, a few minutes ahead of schedule.

Feb 4, 2007

Cruising For A Space Flight

Moscow (UPI) Feb 02, 2007 - The Russian-U.S. manned program, which just now pulled out of its critical nosedive with tremendous pain, and which is the only one in the world except for China's, badly needs experienced and practiced professionals rather than amateurs. Comparing the Russian and American spacecraft, veteran Russian cosmonaut Musa Manarov said: Our system differs from theirs, but both have their pluses and minuses. In general, G-forces are high in both cases.

Feb 2, 2007

SpaceDev Conducts Hot-Fire Test Of Hybrid Upper Stage Rocket Motor

Poway CA (SPX) Feb 02, 2007 - SpaceDev has announced that it has completed a series of three hot-fire tests of its hybrid upper stage motor, part of the SpaceDev Streaker Small Launch Vehicle development program. The tests demonstrated the ability to restart a partially spent motor grain and tested a new injector configuration intended to improve motor performance and stability. The tests were conducted at SpaceDev's new hybrid rocket test site in southern Orange County, CA, which will eventually be upgraded to accommodate test firings of larger and more powerful motors.

Feb 2, 2007

China To Launch New Series Of Oceanic Survey Satellites

Beijing, China (XNA) Feb 02, 2007 - China's State Council has endorsed plans to launch the second-generation of the country's oceanic survey satellites, the state's top ocean research official said on Thursday. The Haiyang-2 (Ocean 2) series of satellites, a crucial component of China's civil spacecraft program, would be used to collect data on offshore wind fields, ocean circulation, tides, and sea surface temperatures, said Sun Zhihui, director of State Oceanic Administration.

Feb 2, 2007

China Holds Firm On Space Test As US Reviews Options

Beijing (AFP) Feb 1, 2007 - China insisted Thursday it did not want an arms race in space but refrained from commenting on Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's claims that its satellite-destroying test had broken international law. China's foreign ministry refused to react directly to Abe's comments that Beijing had violated an international space treaty when it shot down one of its own satellites with a missile on January 11.

Feb 1, 2007

Astronauts For Shuttle Japanese Experiment Module Kibo Mission Assigned

Tokyo (SPX) Feb 01, 2007 - The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) announced the selection of the following astronauts as crew members for the Space Shuttle mission to assemble the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) Kibo (1J/A.) The Kibo, which has been developed by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) as part of the International Space Station (ISS) Program, is scheduled to be launched by three Space Shuttle missions.

Feb 1, 2007

Space Station To Get Bigger Faster

Houston (UPI) Feb 01, 2007 - NASA says the International Space Station will grow faster in size, power and mass this year, expanding capabilities and setting records. This will be a challenging but rewarding, year for the station program, said Kirk Shireman, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's deputy program manager for the ISS. The station's operations will grow both in orbit and on Earth.

Feb 1, 2007

Space Commercialization Contracts Signed

Washington (UPI) Feb 01, 2007 - NASA says it has signed a space commercialization contract with PlanetSpace Inc. of Chicago and the Transformational Space Corp. of Reston, Va. NASA said the agreements signed Wednesday are designed to facilitate the commercialization of low-Earth orbit as capabilities are developed to transport goods and people to orbital destinations.

Feb 1, 2007

Congressional Appropriators Cut NASA Funding; Moon Program, New Launch Vehicle, and Science All Cut

Washington DC (SPX) Feb 01, 2007 - The House Appropriations Committee has passed its version of the 2007 federal government budget. In it, funding for NASA was cut by $550 million (approximately 3.2%) from the amount proposed by the Bush Administration last February. The $16.2 billion budgeted for NASA for 2007 is the same as the amount approved for 2006. To become law, the Appropriations Committee's proposal still must be approved by the full House and Senate.

Feb 1, 2007

US Astronauts To Conduct Three Spacewalks By February 8

Washington (AFP) Feb 01, 2007 - The two American astronauts aboard the International Space Station on Wednesday began the first of three spacewalks planned for the next week, NASA announced. Station commander Michael Lopez-Alegria and flight engineer Sunita Williams began their spacewalk at 1515 GMT and are scheduled to perform two others by February 8.

Feb 1, 2007

Sea Launch Operations To Be Resumed Despite Liftoff Failure

Washington DC (RIA Novosti) Jan 31, 2007 - Russia's Federal Space Agency said Wednesday it hopes the Sea Launch project will be resumed despite the explosion of a Zenit-3SL rocket carrying a commercial communications satellite. A split second following separation from the launch tower, an emergency occurred causing the Zenit-3SL booster rocket to fall back onto the floating platform and damaging it, press secretary Igor Panarin said. We hope there will be no long-term consequences and that the Sea Launch program will be resumed.

Jan 31, 2007

Japan’s Abe Charges China Satellite Test Illegal

Tokyo (AFP) Jan 31, 2007 - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe voiced concern Wednesday about China's satellite-destroying test, charging that Beijing had violated international law. I believe it would not be in compliance with basic international rules such as the Outer Space Treaty, Abe said in parliament of the Chinese test.

Jan 31, 2007