Korolev, Russia (SPX) Jan 23, 2007 - Following a two-day free flight in a near-earth orbit cargo transport vehicle Progress M-59, launched from Baikonur launch site on January 18, 2007, docked to the International Space Station (ISS). The vehicle rendezvous with the ISS, its fly-about, station-keeping and birthing were performed in the automatic mode.
Moscow (RIA Novosti) Jan 23, 2007 - A new-generation launch vehicle being built by Russians will undergo flight tests in 2010, the Space Forces commander said Monday. The Angara booster rockets are being developed to secure Russia's independence in space activities and access to space from the Plesetsk space station in the country's north, under any scenarios of military-political and economic relations with other states.
Paris, France (ESA) Jan 23, 2007 - In December 2006, experts from ESA and partner organisations met to review Columbus launch preparations. The successful review was a significant milestone for the launch of the Agency's science module, planned for later this year.
New York NY (SPX) Jan 23, 2007 - Martha Stewart, homemaking expert and popular television personality, chatted with the crew of Expedition 14 Monday morning. The event started at 11:40 a.m. EST and was shown on NASA TV. Stewart asked the Expedition crew members about their experiments on station, the view of Earth from their vantage point, and life in their orbital home away from home.
Paris (AFP) Jan 23, 2007 - Debris thrown out by a satellite destroyed by Chinese authorities earlier this month poses no immediate threat to the International Space Station, NASA administrator Michael Griffin said on Tuesday. We are always performing debris analysis and so far we do not see any need for debris avoidance manoeuvres, Griffin told a news conference in Paris attended by representatives of agencies participating in the construction of the space station.
The crew aboard the International Space Station is preparing for a record four spacewalks during the next month, NASA said Friday.
Seoul (Yonhap) Jan 23, 2007 - A South Korean military officer has been chosen to take part in a research project by the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), South Korea's Air Force said Monday. Lt. Col. Park Sei-kwon plans to leave for California Tuesday for the one-year space biology-related research program by the NASA's Ames Research Center located in Silicon Valley, it added.
Moscow (RIA Novosti) Jan 23, 2007 - Russia will stop launching spacecraft from the Svobodny space center in the country's Far East in 2007, the space forces commander said Monday. The Svobodny Cosmodrome will be suspended completely in 2007 as it has no perspectives for further development. The only launch of a Start-1 rocket this year will be conducted in the interests of Israel, Colonel General Vladimir Popovkin said.
Beijing, China (XNA) Jan 22, 2007 - When Chinese astronauts eventually walk in space, a small satellite will be used to monitor their movements, said a satellite expert on Thursday. The satellite will be launched from the manned spacecraft and orbit around it. It will keep a close watch on spacecraft conditions and help monitor the astronauts' spacewalks, China News Service reported.
Houston TX (SPX) Jan 22, 2007 - New supplies arrived at the International Space Station Friday night as an unpiloted Russian cargo spacecraft docked to the Pirs Docking Compartment. With more than 2.5 tons of food, fuel and supplies for the station's Expedition 14 crew, the ISS Progress 24 automatically docked to Pirs at 8:59 p.m. CST on Friday as the station flew 220 miles above the South Atlantic off the southeast coast of Uruguay.
Baltimore MD (SPX) Jan 22, 2007 - Researchers have synthesized a new class of aluminum-hydrogen compounds with a unique chemistry that could lead to the development of more powerful solid rocket fuel and may also, in time, be useful for hydrogen-powered vehicles or other energy applications. An article about this research, led by scientists at the Johns Hopkins and Virginia Commonwealth universities, is published in the Jan. 19 issue of the journal Science.
Bangalore (AFP) Jan 22, 2007 - India's space agency said Monday a capsule in orbit for 11 days successfully splashed down in the Bay of Bengal in a first for the country, which plans an unmanned moon mission by 2010. Recovery operations by the coast guard are already on, said a spokesman for the Indian Space Research Organisation. Everything has gone according to our plan.
El Segundo CA (SPX) Jan 22, 2007 - During our final check-outs prior to static fire, we uncovered an anomaly with the thrust vector control (TVC) pitch actuator on the second stage that will result in launch being pushed to February. Since this is not used during the static fire, we have decided to push forward with that test in order to acquire valuable data on engine ignition, pad acoustics, and the overall system response. The static fire was planned to occur between Saturday and Tuesday (California time).
Beijing (XNA) Jan 19, 2007 - European Space Agency (ESA) declared on Wednesday that ESA was ready to explore the possibility of cooperation in manned space flights with China, a country which had successfully accomplished two such flights. I would like very much to discuss this with our Chinese partners, if they make the proposal, affirmed ESA chief Jean- Jacques Dordain in the annual press briefing when referring to the potential cooperation in space exploration between the two parties.
Paris (AFP) Jan 19, 2007 - China's test of an anti-satellite weapon triggered charges Friday that it had caused dangerous debris to scatter into low Earth orbit, posing a potential threat to commercial, scientific and military satellites of other nations.
Washington (AFP) Jan 19, 2007 - China has yet to respond to US concerns about its space program, the White House said Friday, adding that Washington hopes for cooperation on a civil space strategy with Beijing. We've expressed our concern to the Chinese, both to our Chinese officials here in (Washington), DC and in Beijing, said spokeswoman Dana Perino.
