Space Centers Archives - SpaceFlight Insider

What’s in a name? Mars 2020 wouldn’t know, it doesn’t have one – yet

James RiceDecember 30th, 2019

NASA's Mars 2020 rover is on the verge of traveling to the Red Planet and beginning its search for evidence of Martian life. But it's missing something very important.

NASA Mars 2020 rover passes driving test

Jim SharkeyDecember 27th, 2019

Remember how stressful it was taking your first driver's test? Now imagine driving a car that's worth $2.5 billion.

Mars 2020 rover makes ‘pit stop’ at JPL

Jim SharkeyJuly 19th, 2019

The launch window for NASA's Mars 2020 rover opens in just under a year, and engineers at the agency's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) have been hard at work assembling the vehicle in the clean room of JPL's Spacecraft Assembly Facility. As one might imagine getting a vehicle prepped for such a massive undertaking - is a group effort.

Proof of Apollo 11 landing hard as ‘rock’

Joe LatrellJuly 15th, 2019

JOHNSON SPACE CENTER, Texas -- When asked why they believe the Apollo 11 Moon landings were faked, conspiracy theorists point to the lack of stars in the photos taken by the astronauts, incongruous shadows and other bits of data from that mission. Some evidence that counters their claims isn't so fragile, in fact - it's written in stone.

Mars 2020 rover get rock-zapping SuperCam

Jim SharkeyJuly 4th, 2019

With its scheduled launch date just over a year away, work on NASA's Mars 2020 rover continues apace. In recent weeks, the rover has received MastCam-Z, its legs and wheels and its main robotic arm. and now one of the "big guns" of its scientific suite has been added to the rover.

NASA’s 2020 Mars rover gets 7-foot-long robot arm

Jim SharkeyJuly 1st, 2019

Engineers working in High Bay clean room 1 of the Spacecraft Assembly Facility at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) recently added a vital component to the space agency's Mars 2020 rover. On June 21, the team installed the rover's main robotic arm.

NASA’s Mars 2020 rover gets its legs and wheels

Jim SharkeyJune 26th, 2019

In early June, a public webcam was installed in the Spacecraft Assembly Facility at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), and lately there has been a lot of activity to watch. In recent weeks, engineers have been busy assembling the Mars 2020 rover in preparation for its scheduled launch in July 2020. On June 13, 2019, the team installed one of the rover's most critical pieces of hardware.

NASA concept for generating power in deep space a little KRUSTY

Collin SkocikJune 18th, 2019

Prospects of establishing a permanent human presence on the Moon have taken a step forward with the test of a system known as Kilopower, a lightweight fission reactor which could provide ten kilowatts of power for at least a decade.

Bridenstine: Artemis mission could send first woman to the Moon

Michael ColeJune 11th, 2019

GLENN RESEARCH CENTER, Ohio -- NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine paid a visit to the agency's Glenn Research Center on Monday, June 10. During his visit Bridenstine noted how the agency's latest lunar initiative - could make history with the first woman walking on the Moon.

NASA’s Mars 2020 rover stacked for testing

Jim SharkeyApril 25th, 2019

NASA's Mars 2020 mission has reached a crucial milestone in preparation for its launch, currently scheduled for July of 2020. In recent weeks, major spacecraft components and test equipment have been tucked inside the entry capsule in a process known as 'vehicle stacking.'

First flight of Boeing Starliner spacecraft could slip again

Jason RhianMarch 21st, 2019

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- It is being reported that Boeing's CST-100 Starliner spacecraft, which is being producing as part of NASA's Commercial Crew Program (CCP), has encountered another delay. If accurate, this latest delay could see the mission pushed back by almost half a year.

Astronauts for Boeing’s first crewed CCP flight reshuffled

Cullen DesforgesJanuary 22nd, 2019

Boeing has experienced a rearranging of the astronauts assigned to Starliner's first crewed flight.

SLS liquid hydrogen tank test article placed on test stand

Derek RichardsonJanuary 18th, 2019

A 149-foot-tall test article for the Space Launch System's liquid hydrogen tank was loaded onto a test stand at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center.

InSight team creates Martian rock garden, lander begins work

Jim SharkeyDecember 22nd, 2018

Using tools ranging from rakes and shovels to augmented reality headsets, engineers with NASA's Mars InSight mission have built a Martian rock garden which recreates the lander's new home on Mars. This allows engineers to practice placing science instrument on the surface using InSight's Earth-bound twin - ForeSight.

Opportunity: All’s quiet on the Martian front…

Jim SharkeyDecember 4th, 2018

While the Martian skies have cleared of the dust that enveloped much of the Red Planet, NASA's Opportunity rover remains silent in Perseverance Valley. The rover was last heard from on June 10, 2018. As of November 27, the mission team at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) had sent 359 recovery commands in a effort to wake the rover.

Antares not the only thing grounded by recent nor’easter

Jason RhianNovember 19th, 2018

The planned Nov. 15 flight of the NG-10 mission to the ISS was delayed two days while NASA waited for a powerful storm to pass. The mission wasn't the only thing held back by bad weather however.

Once used for Shuttle landings, iconic runway cleared for horizontal launches

Jim SharkeyNovember 10th, 2018

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. — With the close of the Space Shuttle program in 2011, the future of the facilities that supported the program was in doubt. The mantra of Kennedy Space Center becoming a "multi-user spaceport" was drummed out at every event where the center's future was discussed. With every passing day, that mantra appears to becoming a reality.