2003 Space News

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

December

SEEKING STARDUST: A COMET ENCOUNTER VOA 31 Dec 2003 -- A U-S spacecraft is nearly at the end of a five year comet chase and will fly by the comet Wild-Two [pron. VILT] on Friday. The name of the spacecraft is Stardust, indicative of its goal to capture particles of matter formed in stars out of which our solar system, and we, formed.
New launch pad built at Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center PLA Daily 31 Dec 2003 -- At 3:20 pm on November 3, China's 18th recoverable scientific and technological experiment satellite was successfully launched into the space orbit from a newly built launching pad at Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.
China successfully launches "Probe No.1" PLA Daily 31 Dec 2003 -- China launched a high-altitude orbiting satellite into the preset orbit successfully Tuesday morning, using a Long March 2C/SM carrier rocket, according to witnesses at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China.
U-S MARS LANDERS: THE SCIENCE VOA 31 Dec 2003 -- A U-S spacecraft named "Spirit" is approaching Mars for a landing on the cold, barren, rocky planet. After it arrives, it is to deploy a six-wheeled robotic rover laden with instruments and cameras on a 90-day hunt for water and signs of life. Three-weeks later, the process is to repeat itself on the other side of the red planet with an identical lander and rover.
U-S MARS LANDERS: THE RISKS VOA 31 Dec 2003 -- A U-S spacecraft named Spirit is to land on Mars this week. It is to be followed in three weeks by an identical spacecraft named Opportunity, that is to land in a different location. Once on Mars they are to deploy rovers to search for water to determine if the cold, barren planet could once have harbored simple life forms. But the mission is fraught with risks
Space Yearender 2003 VOA 30 Dec 2003 -- The year two-thousand-three began with the terrible accident that destroyed the Space Shuttle Columbia and its crew. On Saturday morning, February first, the seven astronauts on the Space Shuttle Columbia were returning to Earth.They had performed a successful sixteen-day science flight.
MARS/BEAGLE VOA 30 Dec 2003 -- While no signal has been received from the Beagle-Two Mars lander, its mother ship, the Mars Express, is in orbit around the planet to listen for signs of the surface probe.
EUROPE/MARS VOA 25 Dec 2003 -- British scientists can only wait and hope that they can establish contact with the unmanned Beagle-2 Mars probe later today (Thursday). The first opportunity came and went without any signal being detected from the Martian surface.
LAUNCH OF SPACE EXPLORATION ROCKET POSTPONED: NSC CNA 24 Dec 2003 -- A scientific space exploration rocket will be launched from a base in southern Taiwan Wednesday evening, one day later than its original schedule, officials from the Cabinet-level National Science Council (NSC) said Wednesday.
Soot on Snow Contributes to Global Warming, NASA Scientists Find Washington File 23 Dec 2003 -- Black soot -- generated by combustion of carbon-based materials and emitted into the atmosphere -- is making a significant contribution to global warming, according to newly released research. Scientists from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) say soot reduces the reflectivity of snow and ice, creating a warming effect.
DESTINATION MARS VOA 23 Dec 2003 -- The skies around Mars are getting crowded, and traffic on the ground will soon increase, too. The United States and Europe are sending landers to the Martian surface to provide a broader and closer view of the Red Planet. A major goal is to find water and evidence of life.
U.K.: British Space Scientists Hope To Hear That 'Beagle Has Landed' RFE/RL 23 Dec 2003 -- Britain hopes to become the third country in the world -- after the United States and the former Soviet Union -- to land a spacecraft on another planet. The British-built "Beagle 2" -- a part of Europe's first mission to the red planet -- is due to touch down on the Martian surface on 25 December.
TAIWAN TO LAUNCH SPACE EXPLORATION ROCKET: NSC CNA 23 Dec 2003 -- A scientific space exploration rocket will be launched from a base in southern Taiwan Tuesday evening as part of the work of Taiwan's space program, according to an official from the National Science Council (NSC).
Rocket launches from Florida AFPN 22 Dec 2003-- One hundred years after the Wright Brothers flew 120 feet, a Delta II rocket placed a Global Positioning System satellite into orbit from here Dec. 21.
FALCON Phase 1 Contractors Selected VOA 22 Dec 2003 -- Nine contractors have begun work to place a small satellite or other payload weighing about 1,000 pounds into a low Earth orbit.
YEARENDER: THE SHUTTLE DISASTER VOA 22 Dec 2003 -- Tragedy came again to the U-S space agency in 2003. Seven astronauts died in February when the shuttle Columbia disintegrated in air minutes before their scheduled landing. The mishap occurred 17 years almost to the day after the explosion of the shuttle Challenger killed seven crew members as they headed to orbit. The latest accident left a big gap in the U-S manned spaceflight program and set back construction of the international space station. But it may lead to a new direction in U-S space exploration.
Navy Launches Newest Military Communications Satellite Navy Newsstand 19 Dec 2003-- The Naval Satellite Operations Center (NAVSOC), reached an important milestone when it launched the 11th Ultra-High Frequency Follow-on (UHF F/O) F11 satellite from Cape Canaveral, Fla., Dec. 17, at 9:30 p.m. EST.
BRITAIN / MARS VOA 19 Dec 2003 -- European scientists say the British-built Beagle 2 probe has successfully separated from its mother ship, a critical step in its journey toward a Christmas Day (December 25th) landing on Mars.
JAPAN/MISSILES VOA 19 Dec 2003 -- The Japanese government has announced plans to deploy a U-S-made missile defense system, and to work with the United States to develop the system further. The decision is in response to growing fears about North Korea's weapons development.
Japan's Scheme to Introduce MD System under Fire KCNA 17 Dec 2003 -- Japan is heading for the introduction of the missile defense system, raising terrific outcries over fictitious "threat from north Korea" in an effort to hasten its conversion into a military power and overseas aggression under this pretext, says Minju Joson today in a signed commentary.
BRITAIN / MARS VOA 15 Dec 2003 -- Britain's first mission to another planet -- an unmanned probe -- is just days away from attempting to land on Mars and search for life.
Ballistic Missile Defense Test Successful AFPS 12 Dec 2003 -- A missile launched from the Navy Aegis cruiser USS Lake Erie successfully intercepted a ballistic missile target over the Pacific Ocean, Navy and Missile Defense Agency officials said here Dec. 11. The target was fired from the Pacific Missile Range Facility on Hawaii's oldest island, Kauai.
Aegis Missile Test Successful 11 Dec 2003 -- The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) and the U.S. Navy announced today the completion of a successful flight test in the continuing development of the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) Program, the sea-based element of the Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS). Flight Mission-6 (FM-6) involved the detection and tracking of an Aries short-range target missile launched from the Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF), Kauai, Hawaii at 8:10 a.m. HST (1:10 p.m. EST).
AEGIS MISSILE DEFENSE FLIGHT TEST SUCCESSFUL U.S. Missile Defense Agency - December 11, 2003 - The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) and the U.S. Navy announced today the completion of a successful Flight Mission-6 (FM-6) flight test in the continuing development of the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) Program, the sea-based element of the Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS).
Space, Missile Defense Essential To Defense, Rumsfeld Says AFPS 10 Dec 2003 -- Defending America, its overseas military and its allies from ballistic missiles laden with weapons of mass destruction "is now America's highest priority," Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld noted today.
Missile Defense Agency Chooses Missile Target Contractor 09 Dec 2003 -- The Department of Defense announced today that the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) has awarded a combination cost-plus-award-fee and indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract to Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co., Denver, Colo., for the MDA Targets and Countermeasures Program. The amount awarded today is $210 million to perform target system engineering, design and management with a period of performance from December 2003 to December 2007. The contract has a potential period of performance of 10 years and contract value of $4.6 billion if all options are exercised.
Japan's Moves for Space Espionage under Fire KCNA 08 Dec 2003 -- A Japanese institution for research and development of space flight recently failed in the launching of prototype rocket "H-2A" No. 6 carrying two spy satellites of the government.
BUSH / SPACE VOA 07 Dec 2003 -- The Bush White House appears to be looking for new bold policy initiatives, as the United States enters an election year. As V-O-A White House Correspondent Paula Wolfson tells us, one area under serious consideration is the U-S space program.
U-S SPACE FUTURE VOA 05 Dec 2003 -- The Bush administration is reviewing America's human space exploration program, and the outcome could be a new plan that takes the U-S space program beyond Earth orbit, where it has been for 23 years. Speculation in the news media is that the government might announce a plan to send astronauts back to the moon or to Mars.
AUSTRALIA / MISSILE DEFENSE VOA 04 Dec 2003 -- Australia's government says it plans to join the U-S missile defense umbrella - saying such a defensive shield is needed for protection against threats from rogue states.
CRACKS IN EARTH'S MAGNETIC SHIELD VOA 03 Dec 2003 -- Scientists have found prolonged weaknesses in Earth's defense against storms on the sun. Our planet's magnetic shield normally deflects most of the effect a solar storm's blast would have on us, but researchers have found lasting cracks in the barrier, that allow charged solar particles to threaten satellites and electrical systems on the ground.
Missile Defense Boost-Phase Contract Awarded 03 Dec 2003 -- The Department of Defense announced today that the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) has awarded a contract to Northrop Grumman Space and Mission Systems Corp. for the development and testing of a concept for the Kinetic Energy Interceptor (KEI) program designed to intercept and destroy a ballistic missile in its boost/early ascent phase, which is the period of flight lasting from three to five minutes after a ballistic missile is launched. The contract awarded today is approximately $4.5 billion over the next eight years.
MND TO BUILT ANTI-MISSILE SYSTEM, INCREASE COMBAT CAPABILITY CNA 03 Dec 2003 -- The Ministry of National Defense (MND) will build an anti-missile system while bolstering its retaliatory capabilities in the face of the increasing missile threat from mainland China, Vice Minister of Defense Chen Ti-tuan said at the Legislative Yuan Wednesday.
U.S. Official Cites Need for Comprehensive Earth Observation System Washington File 02 Dec 2003 -- A U.S. official told ministers attending the U.N. Climate Change Convention in Milan December 2 that a comprehensive, coordinated Earth observation system is essential for the management of agriculture, forestry, water, ecosystems, energy resources and sustainable development around the world.
November
JAPAN SPY SATELLITE VOA 29 Nov 2003 -- Officials in Japan are investigating what went wrong in the failed launch of two spy satellites on Saturday. The aborted launch is a blow to the prestige of Japan's space program and its intelligence efforts,
ROCSAT-2 TO LEAVE TAIWAN DEC. 1 FOR U.S. FOR LAUNCH IN JANUARY CNA 28 Nov 2003 -- The Republic of China's second satellite -- ROCSAT-2 -- will leave Taiwan Dec. 1 for the United States where it will be launched into orbit early next year, the National Space Program Office (NSPO) said Friday.
Plans for Earth Observation System Moving Forward, U.S. Officials Say Washington File 18 Nov 2003 -- U.S. officials say plans are moving forward to create a system that links thousands of satellites, aircraft and Earth-based monitoring stations around the globe to provide more accurate predictions of climate change, crop production, disease outbreaks and natural hazards.
Space Digest VOA 18 Nov 2003 -- China's first astronaut; Voyager One nears edge of solar system; Solar flares and Mars Express
PRESS RELEASE: EU space policy ready for lift-off: European Commission adopts Space Action Plan European Union Commission 11 Nov 2003 -- "A policy paper on Space: A New European Frontier for an Expanding Union has been presented by the European Commission in Brussels today. Space technologies are set to play a key role in helping the Union achieve its main objectives: faster economic growth, job creation and industrial competitiveness, enlargement and cohesion, sustainable development and security and defence. The policy paper was developed in close co-operation with the European Space Agency (ESA) and calls for substantial additional spending on space. It also recommends action to ensure Europes independent access to space, to enhance space technology, promote space exploration, attract more young people into careers in science and strengthen European excellence in space science."
EU: Officials Seek Greater Autonomy In Space Program RFE/RL 11 Nov 2003 -- The European Commission today adopted an EU Space Action Plan, which says the bloc needs to invest more in space research to both secure global autonomy and boost growth and competitiveness.
EU unveils Space Action Plan IRNA 11 Nov 2003 -- The European Commission presented Tuesday a policy paper to develop Europe`s space sector.
CHINA-SPACE VOA 11 Nov 2003 -- Representatives of 14 countries and the United Nations are meeting in Beijing this week to lay out plans for a new space organization headed by China.
Missile Defense Agency Booster Rocket Program 07 Nov 2003 -- The Department of Defense announced today the results of an assessement of two separate manufacturing process-related accidents in August and September 2003 at Pratt & Whitney’s missile propellant mixing facility in San Jose, Calif. These incidents affected three key components of the Missile Defense Agency’s (MDA) missile defense development effort, as well as other DoD programs.
Czech Republic: Argentinian Scientists To Collaborate With Czechs On Space Projects RFE/RL 07 Nov 2003 -- Juan Eduardo Fleming, Argentina's ambassador to Prague, had an idea -- to bring together top Czech and Argentinian scientists to collaborate in space exploration.
VOYAGER ONE VOA 05 Nov 2003 -- The spacecraft Voyager One is still sending data back to NASA, the U-S government space agency, after more than 26 years in space. It is now the most distant man-made object in space -- traveling billions of kilometers from earth and perhaps reaching the outer edges of our solar system. Two teams of American scientists are reporting two different scenarios of the Voyager's latest adventures -- although both teams agree that the spacecraft is in uncharted territory.
NEARBY GALAXY VOA 05 Nov 2003 -- An international team of researchers has discovered a nearby galaxy, whose stars are being absorbed by our own galaxy, the Milky Way.
October
ANOTHER SOLAR ERUPTION VOA 30 Oct 2003 -- Scientists have detected another big eruption on the sun, blasting hot, electrically-charged gases our way. It is expected to cause a second geomagnetic storm Friday, threatening Earth's electrical systems. The quick succession of such massive solar events is unusual.
SOLAR FLARES VOA 29 Oct 2003 -- Predicting space weather is getting more precise. Twice in the past week, forecasters have warned us about two solar storms with the potential for creating havoc among Earth's electrical systems and orbiting satellites. The world is much better prepared to deal with ferocious solar activity than it used to be.
SOLAR ERUPTION VOA 28 Oct 2003 -- U-S scientists say the second solar eruption in one week could disrupt communications on Earth again. This one is huge -- much bigger than the one that struck the planet last week.
SOYUZ LANDING VOA 27 Oct 2003 -- The outgoing U-S and Russian crew of the international space station has returned safely to Earth. They touched down in a Russian Soyuz spacecraft together with a short-term Spanish visitor to the station.
First ground-based Midcourse Defense Brigade activated Army News Service 23 Oct 2003-- U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command and the Colorado Army National Guard activated the nation’s first ground-based Midcourse Defense Brigade Oct. 16.
SPACE STATION SAFETY VOA 23 Oct 2003 -- A news report says some U-S space agency scientists had opposed sending a fresh crew to the international space station because faulty environmental monitoring equipment aboard could pose a health threat. But the crew of the orbiting outpost says no such threat exists at the moment.
Final Titan II launches AFPN 20 Oct 2003-- The Air Force's 13th and final Titan II rocket launched a Defense Meteorological Satellite Program payload from here Oct. 18 at 9:17 a.m.
SOYUZ-SPACE STATION DOCKING VOA 20 Oct 2003 -- A Russian "Soyuz" spacecraft has arrived at the International Space Station with a fresh international crew.
Bush Congratulates China on Successful Space Mission Washington File 19 Oct 2003 -- Following is the text of a letter from President Bush to President Hu Jintao of China October 19 congratulating China on the successful completion of its first manned space mission
SOYUZ / SPACE STATION VOA 18 Oct 2003 -- A new multinational crew is heading to the international space station. They lifted off from Baikonur, Kazakhstan Saturday for a two-day journey aboard a Russian Soyuz rocket, the substitute transportation for the U-S shuttle fleet that was grounded after February's shuttle accident.
U-S FUTURE IN SPACE VOA 16 Oct 2003 -- The disarray in the U-S space shuttle program after the Columbia disaster has left lawmakers wondering what the future of the country's manned space program should be. Experts tell Congress that the expensive shuttle fleet and international space station are limiting the possibilities for human space exploration.
CHINA / SPACE VOA 16 Oct 2003 -- Flush from the victory of having successfully completed its first manned space mission, China is outlining plans for its future space ambitions. Officials Thursday announced an eventual space station is in the works.
CHINA / U-S SPACE VOA 15 Oct 2003 -- China's first manned space launch raises the question whether it will eventually join the international space station program or participate in other cooperative manned space ventures.
Secretary-General congratulates Chinese on first manned space mission UN News Centre 15 Oct 2003 -- United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan today congratulated China on its first manned space mission, calling it a "step forward for all humankind."
China: Man Launched Into Space In 'Historic Step' RFE/RL 15 Oct 2003 -- China today entered an exclusive club by becoming only the third nation in history to successfully place an astronaut into Earth's orbit. A space capsule carrying a Chinese Air Force officer is now circling the planet and is scheduled to return early tomorrow morning. Chinese President Hu Jintao is hailing the mission as a "historic step" for the country, while the U.S. calls the launch an important achievement.
SPACE DIGEST VOA 15 Oct 2003 -- Last Days of Galileo; New Crew for Space Station; NASA Birthday
CHINA SPACE REAX VOA 15 Oct 2003 -- The launch of the Shenzhou-five, China's first manned spacecraft, has brought both congratulations and competitiveness from other nations with space programs.
CHINA-SPACE VOA 15 Oct 2003 -- China has launched its first manned space mission, becoming the third nation after the United States and the former Soviet Union to put a human in orbit.
CHINA / YANG LIWEI VOA 15 Oct 2003 -- As China embarks on its first manned mission into space, the man who is piloting the craft has become an instant national hero.
China Launches First Manned Space Mission VOA News 14 Oct 2003 -- China's space agency announced that the space craft, known as Shenzhou Five, was launched at 0100 UTC Wednesday from Gobi desert in northwestern China.
China: Preparations Begin To Launch Man Into Space, Enter Exclusive Club RFE/RL 14 Oct 2003 -- China is poised to begin its first manned space mission by launching a rocket that will carry a single astronaut into orbit and return him safely to Earth. If successful, it would signal the arrival of China into an exclusive club.
INDIA / CHINA SPACE RACE VOA 14 Oct 2003 -- As China prepares to launch it first manned space mission, neighbor India, is also gearing up for plans to send a spacecraft to the moon by the year 2008.
CHINA-SPACE VOA 14 Oct 2003 -- China has cancelled plans to televise the launch of its first manned space mission. The launch time is secret, but it is expected by the end of the week.
CHINA SPACE SECRECY VOA 14 Oct 2003 -- After months of little mention of China's space program, its state owned media are beginning to inform the public of the country's first manned space launch.
Preparing for Titan's final flight AFPN 08 Oct 2003-- The last Titan IVB rocket to be launched here arrived from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., Oct. 5 while another Titan IVB was moved to Space Launch Complex 40 to launch an early warning satellite under the Defense Support Program.
CHINA-SPACE VOA 13 Oct 2003 -- China has announced that three of its astronauts have arrived at the launch site for this week's first-ever manned space mission. People are getting excited despite little media coverage in the country.
CHINA / SPACE VOA 09 Oct 2003 -- China is planning to launch [has launched] its first astronaut into orbit [later this month]. [If successful,] the mission of the Shenzhou [SHEN-jo] Five spacecraft would make [makes] Beijing a world-class space power. But experts are divided over how much China's manned space efforts would help it militarily.
ASTRONAUT ON SHUTTLE RISKS VOA 01 Oct 2003-- A U-S teacher designated to fly on a future space shuttle mission says she accepts the risks despite the death of seven astronauts on the Columbia orbiter in February. She spoke to high school students on Wednesday, the 45th anniversary of the U-S space agency NASA
September
Boeing's Delta 4 rocket wins NRO launch order U.S. AIR FORCE NEWS RELEASE - September 30, 2003 -- The Air Force awarded the Boeing Company a contract to purchase one Delta 4 Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) to launch a National Reconnaissance Office payload from Vandenberg AFB, CA in 2005, according to Air Force officials.
CHINA-SPACE VOA 30 Sept 2003-- China is soon expected to launch its first manned space mission, possibly in the next few days -- a feat accomplished by only two other nations: he United States and Russia
Strategic Command Missions Rely on Space AFPS 29 Sept 2003-- Applying the operational experience gained during the global war on terrorism to flesh out the use of space forces in theater operations is one challenge facing the new U.S. Strategic Command as it observes its first anniversary Oct. 1.
NIGERIA/ SATELLITE VOA 27 Sept 2003-- Nigeria has become the third African country to join the space age. A Nigerian satellite was launched Saturday on a Russian rocket
NATO Missile Defence Feasibility Study Transatlantic Industry Study Team selected NATO 26 Sep 2003 -- At the November 2002 Prague Summit NATO Heads of State and Government agreed to initiate a new NATO Missile Defence Feasibility Study to examine options for protecting Alliance territory, forces and population centres against the full range of missile threats.
The god boat 5th airship will launch in the daytime ascends the sky the first person still unknown 21st century economies report 2003-9-26 - According to the insider disclosed that, on the god boat 5th airship has three seats, but this definitely cannot on three astronauts. Extrapolated according to this public figure that, on a 5 person of probability is only bigger, has the possibility to come up the same day to return.
JAPAN/MISSILE DEFENSE PLANS VOA 25 Sept 2003-- With concerns rising over North Korea's nuclear arms program, the Japanese government wants to deploy a missile defense system designed to protect its cities in the event of an attack.
One of United States Air Force's reforming astronautics plans - "day base radar" plan 2003-9-24 Beijing space science and technology information research institute this satellite heavy approximately 2000kg, the design working life 10 years, the satellite payload for the aperture is 40 ~ 50m synthetic aperture radar/activity target designator (SAR/MTI). It possibly moves in leaves ground 770km on, its picture ground resolution is 1m.
The Shenzhou manned vehicle 2003-9-18 Beijing space science and technology information research institute China will break through take the airship junction can dock, the spacelab, the satellite network and the lunar survey and so on as representative's astronautics essential technology.
Rocket blasts off from Florida AFPN 10 Sept 2003-- A Titan IV B rocket successfully launched from here Sept. 9.
COLUMBIA ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION VOA 09 Sept 2003-- Seven astronauts and the Space Shuttle Columbia were lost in an accident February first. Today we tell about the results of the investigation to discover the cause of that terrible accident.
Japan intends to spend about dlrs 9 bln on ISS -- Kyodo IRNA 07 Sep 2003 -- Japan intends to spend an aggregate of more than 1,000,000 million yen (about 9,000 million US dollars) on the construction and functioning of the International Space Station (ISS), the Kyodo Tsushin news agency reported referring to Japanese government sources.
CONGRESS SHUTTLE VOA 03 Sept 2003-- The head of the U-S space agency Wednesday faced tough questions from U-S lawmakers who demanded to know what NASA is doing to improve the shuttle program after the Columbia disaster earlier this year
Senate Committee Begins Review of Columbia Accident Findings Washington File 03 Sept 2003-- McCain calls conclusions a "wake-up call" for space program
Satellite TV broadcast antijamming strategy discussion Zhu De lives (Headquarters of the General Staff of the CCPLA correspondence department) International Outer Space - September 2003 Beyond the border Falungong members in August, 2003 12, on 13th once more to Xin promise - 1 satellite illegal disturbance, also exposed the satellite TV broadcast in the antijamming aspect vulnerability.
August
RUSSIA/SPACE VOA 31 Aug 2003 -- A Russian space capsule carrying more than two tons of supplies has docked with the International Space Station. In addition to its regular shipment of cargo, the capsule delivered mail and music to the two men on the station.
NASA SHUTTLE REPORT VOA 29 Aug 2003 -- An investigation board has concluded that both a technical failure and flawed management led to the fiery disintegration of the Space Shuttle Columbia and the death of the seven astronauts on board last February. Some of the long-term recommendations in the 248-page report and how investigators hope the report will foster public debate over the mission of the space agency.
RUSSIA/ SPACE VOA 29 Aug 2003 -- A Russian cargo ship has blasted off from the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, carrying fresh supplies for the two-man crew at the International Space Station.
REFORMING NASA VOA 27 Aug 2003 -- The head of the U-S space agency NASA vows to fix management problems that contributed to the loss of the shuttle Columbia in February. A board of inquiry said Tuesday that NASA does not have a strong culture of safety and is not organized to operate the orbiter safely. But skeptics wonder if NASA can reform
Report Says NASA Culture Played Major Role in Columbia Accident Washington File 27 Aug 2003 -- The Columbia Accident Investigation Board has determined that physical and organizational causes played equal roles in the loss of the space shuttle Columbia and seven astronauts on February 1.
MARS VISIT VOA 26 Aug 2003 -- People the world over are excitedly scanning the skies for the closest visit by the planet Mars in 600 centuries. This major celestial event has rekindled interest in "stargazing" in the United States and elsewhere.
MARS VISIT VOA 26 Aug 2003 -- People the world over are excitedly scanning the skies for the closest visit by the planet Mars in 60 centuries. This major celestial event has rekindled interest in "stargazing" in the United States and elsewhere.
SHUTTLE REPORT (L-UPDATE) VOA 26 Aug 2003 -- Investigators have issued a scathing report on the causes of the U-S space shuttle Columbia disaster, which killed seven astronauts in February. They find that the management of the space agency, NASA, is as much to blame for the accident as the immediate technical cause.
SHUTTLE REPORT VOA 26 Aug 2003 -- Investigators have issued a scathing report on the causes of the U-S space shuttle Columbia disaster, which killed seven astronauts in February. They find that the management of the space agency, NASA, is as much to blame for the accident as the immediate technical cause.
Columbia Accident Investigation Board Releases Final Report Columbia Accident Investigation Board 26 Aug 2003 -- The Columbia Accident Investigation Board today presented its final report on the causes of the Feb. 1, 2003 Space Shuttle accident to the White House, Congress and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
ASTRONAUTS LOOK TO THE FUTURE VOA 25 Aug 2003 -- Astronauts continue to train and fly into space while the U-S Space Agency NASA prepares to implement recommendations by investigators probing the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster.
SPACE TELESCOPE LAUNCH VOA 25 Aug 2003 -- The U-S space agency, NASA, has launched another space telescope to view parts of the universe previously out of view.
BRAZIL ROCKET VOA 22 Aug 2003 -- A Brazilian rocket has exploded days before its scheduled launch into space, killing at least 16 people and injuring 20 others.
TRACKING FIRE FROM SPACE VOA 21 Aug 2003 -- U-S Earth observation satellites are tracking fires around the world, changing the practice of wildfire management. A group of orbiters offers an unparalleled view available only from space.
PROJECT APOLLO PT.2 VOA 20 Aug 2003 -- A rocket launch countdown. A common sound in the nineteen-sixties. But this was not just another launch. It was the beginning of an historic event. It was the countdown for Apollo Eleven -- the space flight that would carry men to the first landing on the moon.
NEW SPACE TELESCOPE VOA 19 Aug 2003 -- The U-S space agency NASA is about to launch (has launched) another space telescope that it says will open a new window to the universe. Unlike the observatories currently in orbit, this one will scour the heavens for infrared radiation to examine parts of the cosmos previously out of view.
NEW SPACE TELESCOPE VOA 19 Aug 2003 -- The U-S space agency NASA is about to launch (has launched) another space telescope that it says will open a new window to the universe. Unlike the observatories currently in orbit, this one will scour the heavens for infrared radiation to examine parts of the cosmos previously out of view.
Booster launches from Vandenberg AFPN 18 Aug 2003-- A ground-based interceptor prototype booster successfully launched from here Aug. 16, supporting the Ground-based Midcourse Defense program of the Missile Defense Agency.
Missile Defense Radar Site Chosen 15 Aug 2003 -- The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) announced today that it has selected Adak, Alaska, as the Primary Support Base (PSB) for the Sea-Based X-Band (SBX) radar. The PSB includes a mooring site and minimum logistics support for the SBX. The SBX is a part of the Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) system, a missile defense system designed to intercept and destroy long-range ballistic missiles aimed at the U.S. homeland.
JAPAN / G-P-S VOA 15 Aug 2003 -- Around the world, governments, soldiers and civilians have come to rely on the Global Positioning System for all sorts of navigational uses. But the users rely on nearly 30 satellites operated by the U-S Defense Department. As G-P-S becomes a part of everyday life, there is growing concern about this dependence on a U-S government system. Some changes are on the horizon.
Rocket-propellant leak cleaned AFPN 14 Aug 2003-- Officials completed cleanup efforts Aug. 14 after rocket propellant leaked Aug. 12 as it was being loaded onto a Titan IV rocket.
PROJECT APOLLO PT.1 VOA 13 Aug 2003 -- The nineteen-sixties were exciting times in space exploration.
Armitage, in Australia, Discusses Security, Trade Issues Washington File 12 Aug 2003 -- The American people greatly appreciate Australia's "splendid support" in the war on terrorism, Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage said during an August 12 press availability at the U.S. Embassy in Canberra. (...) The Deputy Secretary added that he supports Australia's decision to have military-to-military ties with special Indonesian units, commenting that "you live in what is obviously a very dangerous neighborhood." (...) Armitage also encouraged Australia to participate in a missile defense program with the United States. (...) On North Korea, Armitage said there would be six-way talks in Beijing between North Korea, South Korea, Russia, China, Japan, and the United States later this month in Beijing.
NASA Funds Study of World's Glaciers Washington File 12 Aug 2003 -- Researchers at the University of Colorado at Boulder will combine historical records with measurements from satellites to complete an online database of the world's glaciers -- which are viewed as key indicators of climate change.
East Is Red satellite legend 2003-8-11 CCTV international - The East Is Red satellite launches successful after second days, Guangzhou is participating in "three countries four directions" conference Zhou Enlai, just walked into the conference site excitedly to announce to the representatives the Chinese satellite launched the successful news.
RUSSIA/SPACE WEDDING VOA 10 Aug 2003 -- Cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko is set to become the first person to be married in space. Sunday's ceremony will still be very much earthbound, however. The bride, Yekaterina Dmitriyeva, is ready to speak her vows from Houston, Texas. But as Bill Gasperini reports from Moscow, the event has not been without controversy.
International Organizations to Play Key Role in Earth Observation System Washington File 07 Aug 2003 -- International organizations such as the World Bank and the World Meteorological Organization will play a key role in the creation of a comprehensive global observing system to address environmental and economic concerns, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
U-S-Colombia Flights VOA 05 Aug 2003 -- The Bush administration is preparing to resume U-S-backed drug-interdiction flights over Colombia after a two-year suspension because of a mistaken shoot-down of a missionary plane. An announcement of the decision is expected later this week.
SHUTTLE RETURN TO FLIGHT VOA 05 Aug 2003 -- A special U-S space agency task force Thursday begins overseeing NASA's efforts to get the grounded space shuttle fleet flying again after the Columbia disaster. Tthe panel's job is to advise NASA on how to carry out recommendations soon to be made by accident investigators.
JAPAN MISSILE DEFENSE VOA 05 Aug 2003 -- Japan's Defense Agency says the country needs a missile defense system to counter possible threats from North Korea.
July
Transcript: Press Conference on the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle Program 24 Jul 2003 -- "We're here today to have a report on the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle. We have the undersecretary of the Air Force, Peter B. Teets, who will make an opening statement and then take your questions. We are on the record today. And I would just ask that you limit your questions to the subject at hand, which is the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle. Following the Q&A, we will have some fact sheets and some B roll, for those of you in the electronic media, and that will help with some of the details on what we're going to talk about today."
SHUTTLE DISASTER / RECORDINGS VOA 22 Jul 2003 -- Newly-released documents reaffirm that U-S space agency officials placed little importance on a flight incident that ultimately doomed the shuttle Columbia. The U-S space agency NASA has issued recordings and transcripts of meetings that mission managers held during Columbia's flight. The documents show how unconcerned the officials were about the potential for catastrophic damage caused by hard insulating foam that smashed into Columbia's wing during liftoff.
Theft Trade Secrets Investigation Leads to Indictment 18 Jul 2003 -- Joseph E. Schmitz, Department of Defense inspector general, today announced that a joint investigation by the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) and the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (OSI) resulted in a criminal indictment against two former Boeing Co. managers. The two, who were managers in the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) program, were charged with conspiracy to conceal and possess trade secrets by a federal grand jury in Los Angeles.
NASA to Create Independent Safety Center VOA News 16 Jul 2003 -- The U.S. space agency NASA says it will create an independent office to review the safety of its programs, including the space shuttle. The announcement follows the loss of the shuttle Columbia in February and criticism of NASA management by investigators probing the disaster.
President of Ukraine signs Decree on measures to ensure realization of Ukrainian-Brazilian project of creating space rocket complex "Cyclone - 4" 15.07.03 - President of Ukraine Leonid Kuchma signed the Decree "On Measures to Ensure Realization of the Ukrainian-Brazilian Project of Creating the Space Rocket Complex "Cyclone - 4".
NASA / SAFETY VOA 16 Jul 2003 -- The U-S space agency NASA says it will create an independent office to review the safety of its programs, including the space shuttle. The announcement follows the loss of the shuttle Columbia in February and criticism of NASA management by investigators probing the disaster.
SPACE DIGEST VOA 15 Jul 2003 -- Launch of second Mars rover; Robonaut; Microbes on the Space Station; Explorer Schools Program
OLDEST KNOWN PLANET VOA 10 Jul 2003 -- U-S and Canadian astronomers have discovered the oldest known planet orbiting two stars in the constellation Scorpius. It is very different from Earth and its sisters circling our sun and hints of a new and possibly abundant class of planets out there.
SHUTTLE PROBE VOA 08 Jul 2003 -- U-S investigators have strong new evidence that a piece of space shuttle debris caused the disintegration of the shuttle Columbia in February. A ground test has found that a piece of hard foam can seriously damage a shuttle wing, despite the U-S space agency's early assertions to the contrary.
Latest Test Confirms Cause of Space Shuttle Destruction VOA News 08 Jul 2003 -- U.S. investigators have strong new evidence that a piece of space shuttle debris caused the disintegration of the shuttle Columbia in February. A ground test has found that a piece of hard foam can seriously damage a shuttle wing, despite the U.S. space agency's early assertions to the contrary.
Spaceship Opportunity Headed for Mars VOA News 08 Jul 2003 -- Another U.S. spacecraft is heading for Mars. A spaceship named Opportunity took off from Kennedy Space Center Florida after more than a week's delay because of bad weather and technical problems with the launch rocket. It is the second of two identical craft that are to land on the Red Planet to determine if life could have existed there. The first of the pair, called Spirit, left Earth one month ago.
MARS/LAUNCH VOA 07 Jul 2003 -- Another U-S spacecraft is heading for Mars. A spaceship named Opportunity took off from Kennedy Space Center Florida after more than a week's delay because of bad weather and technical problems with the launch rocket. It is the second of two identical craft that are to land on the Red Planet to determine if life could have existed there. The first of the pair, called Spirit, left Earth one month ago.
Scientists Discover Planetary System Similar to Ours Washington File 05 Jul 2003 -- An international team of scientists has discovered a planetary system consisting of a star similar to the Sun that is orbited by a gas-giant planet larger but very similar to the planet Jupiter, the National Science Foundation (NSF) announced on July 3.
World: Will Men Ever Go To Mars? RFE/L 02 Jul 2003 -- The United States is sending two robotic probes to Mars to study the planet's surface. But whatever happened to a manned mission to the Red Planet, an idea that seemed almost a certainty a generation ago?
SHUTTLE PROBE VOA 01 Jul 2003 -- U-S space shuttle accident investigators are calling on the space agency NASA to take better pictures of shuttles during future launches. They say they would like to have had better images of the incident they believe doomed the shuttle Columbia during its liftoff in January.
Shuttle Accident Investigators Recommend Better Launch Pictures VOA News 01 Jul 2003 -- U.S. space shuttle accident investigators are calling on the space agency NASA to take better pictures of shuttles during future launches. They say they would like to have had better images of the incident they believe doomed the shuttle Columbia during its liftoff in January.
June
U.S., Europe Share Environmental Data from Polar Satellites Washington File 27 Jun 2003 -- The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the European Organization for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT) have signed a long-term agreement on sharing environmental data collected by satellites orbiting the north and south poles.
NASA-MARS VOA 26 Jun 2003 -- VOA-TV's David Borgida talks with Dr. Cathy Weitz, NASA program scientist with the Mars Exploration Rover, about the Rover missions.
Foam Debris was Most Likely Cause of Shuttle Disaster, say Investigators VOA News 25 Jun 2003 -- U.S. investigators say the most likely cause of the space shuttle Columbia's disintegration in February was a chunk of hard foam that hit and apparently cracked the left wing shortly after launch. The investigating panel is expected to conclude this in its final report due in one month.
SHUTTLE PROBE VOA 24 Jun 2003 -- U-S investigators say the most likely cause of the space shuttle Columbia's disintegration in February was a chunk of hard foam that hit and apparently cracked the left wing shortly after launch. The investigating panel is expected to conclude this in its final report due in one month.
SPACE DIGEST VOA 24 Jun 2003 -- Launch of Mars Express; Photo of Earth from Mars; Mars Closer to Earth; Voyager Spacecraft
No Intercept in Fourth Sea-Based Missile Defense Test Washington File 19 Jun 2003 -- A June 18 sea-based missile defense test failed in an attempt to intercept its target.
Mars Rovers VOA 17 Jun 2003 -- Today we tell about the latest efforts by America's space agency to explore the planet Mars. The first of two Mars exploration vehicles was launched June tenth. Another Mars rover vehicle is expected to be launched June twenty-fifth.
Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense Flight Test Scheduled 16 Jun 2003 -- The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) and the Navy are scheduled to conduct Aegis ballistic missile defense Flight Mission-5 (FM-5) flight test on June 18, 2003 with a window from 4 to 8 p.m. EDT. FM-5 will involve the launch of a standard missile-3 (SM-3) interceptor from the Aegis ballistic missile defense cruiser USS Lake Erie against an Aries target launched from Pacific Missile Range Facility on Kauai, Hawaii.
NATO MISSILE DEFENCE ADVANCES: New Missile Defence Feasibility Study Reaches Major Milestone NATO Press Release 12 Jun 2003 -- NATO's new Missile Defence Feasibility Study (MDFS) has cleared a major funding hurdle and with this has achieved a key milestone in Alliance efforts to examine options for protecting Alliance territory, forces, and populations centres against the full range of missile threats.
U.S. Official Says Russia Providing Critical Supplies to Space Station Washington File 12 June 2003 -- A U.S. official says the Russian space agency has taken responsibility for ensuring that the International Space Station has crew members and critical provisions following the Columbia accident last February, which grounded the U.S. space shuttle fleet.
MARS MISSION / LAUNCH VOA 10 Jun 2003 -- The U-S has launched a Mars rover from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The lander will explore the planet's surface, looking for signs of life.
Lockheed Martin Files Lawsuit Against the Boeing Company June 10, 2003 - Lockheed Martin Corporation filed a lawsuit against The Boeing Company and three of Boeing's former employees. The 23-count complaint alleges that Boeing and its employees committed violations of Federal and Florida law resulting from their solicitation, acquisition, and use of Lockheed Martin proprietary information during the competition for launch contract awards under the US Air Force's Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) program.
Concerning Information on Upcoming Spacecraft Launches in Russian Federation MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION - 09.06.2003 - Russia is carrying out this initiative on the assumption that the other space powers possessing their own facilities for the launching of space objects could also join in this measure for ensuring openness and strengthening confidence in the space field
Schedule of Spacecraft Launches for June 2003 MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION
Preparing for a Walk In Space VOA 03 Jun 2003 -- Today, we tell about how astronauts prepare to leave the safety of the International Space Station and work outside in the very dangerous environment of space.
MARS 2003: OVERVIEW VOA 03 Jun 2003 -- The skies around Mars are expected to get busier soon, and traffic on the ground will increase, too. The United States, Europe, and Japan are sending spacecraft and landers to give them a broader and closer view of the Red Planet. The European and Japanese craft are already on their way, and the first of two U-S probes is to go up Sunday (June 8 at 2:02 p.m. EDT).
MARS 2003: THE SCIENCE VOA 03 Jun 2003 -- The U-S space agency, NASA, hopes to provide the world with spectacular new images of Mars next year to surpass the ones it got in 1997. That was when a robotic explorer captured world attention by rolling around the barren Martian terrain and taking pictures of rocks and the immediate landscape. A NASA launch set for Sunday (June 8 at 2:02 p.m. EDT) and a second one, two-and-a-half weeks later, are to send two more rovers to our celestial neighbor.
NOKOR / JAPAN / U-S DEFENSE VOA 03 Jun 2003 -- U-S Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz has held talks in Tokyo on a possible Japanese missile defense system to counter threats from North Korea. The meeting comes as the Pentagon's number two official wraps up a trip to brief Asian allies on a planned re-alignment of U-S forces in the region.
EURO MARS PROBE VOA 02 Jun 2003 -- The European Space Agency has launched its first mission to Mars in an effort to seek signs of life on the red planet. The spacecraft took off on its six-month journey [at 1:45 p.m. EDT] atop a Russian Soyuz rocket from Kazakhstan.
EU: European Space Agency's 'Beagle 2' Spacecraft Set To Sniff Out Life On Mars RFE/L 02 Jun 2003 -- An unmanned mission to Mars is set to launch from the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan later today. The launch represents two landmarks. Not only is this the first interplanetary mission for the European space program, but it is also the most thorough search to date to find signs of life on the red planet.
U.S., Russia Declare New Strategic Partnership Washington File 01 Jun 2003 -- President Bush and President Putin have committed to building a new strategic partnership between the United States and Russia to "meet together the challenges of the 21st century."
U.S., Russia Renew Commitment to International Space Station Washington File 01 Jun 2003 -- The United States and Russia have reaffirmed their commitment to the International Space Station program.
May
JAPAN/NORTH KOREA VOA 31 May 2003 -- A Japanese official says the country is accelerating preliminary studies of a missile defense system in response to rising tensions with North Korea. The plan appears to be part of a tougher Japanese stance toward Pyongyang.
SHUTTLE WING TEST VOA 30 May 2003 -- A test of a U-S space shuttle wing has shown how the orbiter Columbia might have been damaged before it disintegrated in February. Foam shot at the wing model opened a narrow gap in it, possibly duplicating what happened when foam struck Columbia during launch in January.
SHUTTLE PROBE VOA 28 May 2003 -- U-S investigators begin tests Thursday to determine if a piece of hard foam that hit the space shuttle Columbia during launch could have caused the damage that doomed its return. The probe is winding down as investigators prepare to write their report for the government and Congress.
Space is ultimate high ground AFPN 27 May 2003-- Space is the ultimate high ground and gives American forces a tremendous advantage on the battlefield, according to the Air Force’s director of space operations and integration at the Pentagon.
RUSSIA/SPACE VOA 26 May 2003 -- Russian investigators say a technical malfunction, not crew error, was to blame for the recent off-course landing of a Russian Soyuz spacecraft returning to Earth from the International Space Station.
Bush Says Emerging Threats Require Deployment of Missile Defenses Washington File 21 May 2003 -- President Bush believes the new strategic challenges of the 21st century require the United States to think differently about national security, and that deployment of effective missile defenses must be a major part of U.S. efforts to transform current defense and deterrence policies to meet emerging threats, according to a White House fact sheet.
Byliner: NASA Committed to Flight Safety, Deputy Administrator Says Washington File 16 May 2003 -- This column by Frederick D. Gregory, deputy administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, was first published May 16 in USA Today.
SHUTTLE/SENATE VOA 15 May 2003 -- The chief investigator of the U-S space shuttle Columbia disaster has criticized shuttle managers for underestimating the danger posed by possible left wing damage while it was still in flight. The investigating panel and members of Congress are urging changes in the shuttle bureaucracy.
SHUTTLE/SENATE VOA 14 May 2003 -- The chief investigator of the U-S space shuttle Columbia disaster has criticized shuttle managers for underestimating the danger posed by possible left wing damage while it was still in flight. As David McAlary reports, the investigating panel and members of Congress are urging changes in the shuttle bureaucracy.
Text: U.S. Announces Grant for Armenian Space Science Project Washington File 13 May 2003 -- The U.S. Trade and Development Agency has granted $275,980 to fund a feasibility study of the technical, economic, and financial aspects of a proposed space science project to be based in Garni, Armenia, TDA announced in a May 13 press release.
NOAA Official Cites Need for Integrated Earth Observing System Washington File 09 May 2003 -- Conrad Lautenbacher, administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, says a comprehensive, integrated and sustained earth observing system is now needed to provide a deeper understanding of the complex systems of Planet Earth.
Shuttle Investigation VOA 09 May 2003-- Investigators say they now believe they know what caused the American space shuttle Columbia to break apart as it re-entered the earth's atmosphere. The chairman of the Columbia Accident Investigation Board, Admiral Harold Gehman, announced the committee's "working" theory during a news conference Tuesday in Houston, Texas.
Inside Intel AFSPC 07 May 2003 -- Locked away in a basement vault in HQ Air Force Space Command, the constant chatter of television news can be heard amidst the ringing phones and conversations on topics ranging from Afghanistan and Iraq to SARS. And while the offices are a bit dim, they are filled with bright people… Air Force Space Command intelligence professionals.
Historic renovation program comes to close AFSPC 07 May 2003 -- It took eight years, but Alert Image, the massive renovation program for Air Force Space Command’s missile alert facilities (MAFs), came to a close recently.
Space Digest VOA 06 May 2003 -- We have news about two exploration devices that will land on Mars. We tell about a new aircraft that can take passengers into space. We tell about a new device now in orbit that can see thousands of millions of years back in time. And we tell about the safe return to Earth of the crew of the International Space Station.
SHUTTLE INVESTIGATION VOA 06 May 2003 -- Investigators looking into what caused the U-S space shuttle Columbia to disintegrate as it returned to earth last February say evidence uncovered so far supports the theory that the spacecraft was damaged during lift off. They believe a piece of insulation foam broke loose from an external fuel tank. But more tests still need to be done before all other possible causes can be ruled out.
SPACE / CREW VOA 06 May 2003 -- The two American astronauts and one Russian cosmonaut who returned from space during the weekend say they are glad to be back on earth after spending nearly six months on the International Space Station. They also say it still is not clear why their Russian Soyuz spacecraft landed nearly 500 kilometers off target in Kazakhstan. The three men spoke at a news conference at the Star City astronaut training center outside Moscow
Space Day 2003 VOA 05 May 2003 -- It was "Space Day" this past Thursday (May 1,2003) at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington. The "day" actually kicked off what will be a month of activities across the United States, Canada and other countries all designed to pay tribute to space exploration. Space Day is also meant to inspire the next generation of inventors, engineers and aviators to pursue humanity's destiny in space…
SPACE/SOYUZ VOA 04 May 2003 -- A Russian Soyuz space capsule has landed in Kazakhstan, bringing its crew of two American astronauts and a Russian cosmonaut safely back from the international space station. The return was the first landing of a manned space vehicle since the disaster that destroyed the American shuttle Columbia in February. This landing also had its anxious moments.
Army's first space brigade stands up Army News 02 May 2003 -- Army Space Command activated the service's first and only space brigade April 11 with formation of the 1st Space Brigade (Provisional) in a ceremony held at the command headquarters, Peterson Air Force Base.
SPACE STATION DEPARTURE VOA 01 May 2003 -- A U-S/Russian space team is leaving the international space station Saturday after five months, now that their relief crew has arrived. What makes their departure different from that of the five previous teams is that they are heading home on a Russian Soyuz spacecraft. U-S space shuttles, the usual mode of transportation to and from the outpost, have been grounded because of the Columbia accident in February. The Soyuz is a proven craft, although not as comfortable.
April
Space program pioneers meet AF leaders AFPN 30 Apr 2003 -- The father of the Air Force space program and a key leader in the development of weapons systems such as the Minuteman missile assembled former colleagues here April 23 to 27 for the annual meeting of the "Old Timers."
SHUTTLE PROBE VOA 29 Apr 2003 -- Investigators say they are close to explaining what caused the U-S space shuttle Columbia to disintegrate three months ago.
CSS Diver Display Technology Locates Space Shuttle Debris NAVSEA News 25 Apr 2003 -- Upon encountering some of the most challenging diving conditions he’d ever experienced, Naval Sea Systems Command’s Supervisor of Salvage and Diving (SUPSALV), Capt. Jim Wilkins contacted Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division’s Coastal Systems Station (CSS) and requested the deployment of two prototype Limpet Mine Sonar (LIMIS) systems to assist in finding the STS-107 Columbia space shuttle debris.
GALAXY SEARCH VOA 28 Apr 2003 -- NASA has launched a small satellite to explore the mysteries of how stars and galaxies form. The spacecraft will observe one-million galaxies, across 10-billion years of cosmic history, to help astronomers determine when the stars we see today were born.
SOYUZ DOCKING VOA 28 Apr 2003-- A Russian "Soyuz" spacecraft has arrived with a new Russian/American crew for the international space station.
SOYUZ LAUNCH VOA 26 Apr 2003 -- A Russian Soyuz spacecraft has lifted off from Kazakhstan with a U-S Russian replacement crew for the International Space Station. It was the first human launch since the loss of the U-S shuttle Columbia and its crew nearly three months ago.
O'KEEFE-SPACE SHUTTLE COLUMBIA INVESTIGATION VOA 25 Apr 2003 -- VOA's David Borgida is joined by the Chief Administrator of NASA, Sean O'Keefe who discusses the latest developments in the space shuttle Columbia investigation.
NEW SPACE STATION CREW VOA 23 Apr 2003 -- Two new crewmembers will blast off [have blasted off] for the International Space Station Saturday aboard a Russian Soyuz spacecraft from Baikonur, Kazakhstan. They were supposed to have arrived at the outpost aboard a U-S space shuttle last month, but the loss of the shuttle Columbia and the subsequent grounding of the shuttle fleet upset those plans. In fact, the Columbia disaster has changed much about their mission at the station
DENMARK / MISSILE DEFENSE VOA 23 Apr 2003 -- The United States is campaigning in several European capitals for acceptance of a new missile defense shield to protect against a possible attack from a rogue state or a terrorist group. The missile shield is similar in some respects to former President Reagan's Star Wars plan, which touched off massive protests across Europe 20 years ago. But the latest plan being presented by the Pentagon is meeting very little resistance.
RUSSIA/SPACE VOA 23 Apr 2003 -- A two-man crew, one Russian, the other American, is set to blast off Saturday from Russia's Baikonur space center in Kazakhstan bound for the International Space Station. It will mark the first manned launch since the U-S shuttle Columbia disaster in February and it highlights the increasingly important role Russia is playing in keeping the I-S-S program flying, during a time of serious challenges.
Space, an asymmetric advantage AFSPC 16 Apr 2003 -- General Lance W. Lord, commander, Air Force Space Command, recently discussed the important role space is playing in current operations—including Operation Iraqi Freedom.
It’s always stormy weather AFPSC 11 Apr 2003 -- “The weather forecast for tomorrow is increased solar winds with heavy electromagnetic radiation. So be prepared to protect yourself from more-than-usual doses of X-rays coming your way.”
Danish and Greenlandic Parliaments visit Thule AFPSC 11 Apr 2003 -- Danish and Greenlandic parliament members visited Thule’s early-warning radar site April 6 to prepare for a hearing on U.S. missile defense plans.
Health and wellness center opens at Thule AFPSC 11 Apr 2003 -- The military’s northernmost health and wellness center opened for business March 28 at Thule’s gym. The HAWC provides health promotion information and initiatives to some 800 U.S., Canadian, Danish and Greenlandic people who call Thule home.
New Milstar launches from Cape AFSPC 10 Apr 2003 -- A military communications satellite called “Milstar” was successfully launched April 8 by the U.S. Air Force from here on a Titan IV-B rocket.
Shuttle Names VOA 10 Apr 2003 -- Our VOA listener question this week comes from Nigeria. Semaku Fasinu asks us to explain how the American space shuttles got their names, and why the spacecraft is called a shuttle.
General speaks about space role in Iraq Army News 09 Apr 2003 -- Army Space Forces are actively engaged in current operations in Iraq and globally.
U.S. Missile Defense Program "On Track," Agency Director Says Washington File 09 Apr 2003 -- The U.S. missile defense program "is on track" and "we have the confidence to proceed with plans for an initial defense capability," says Lieutenant General Ronald Kadish, director of the Missile Defense Agency.
Capabilities and People -- Keys to Asymmetric Advantage by General Lance W. Lord, Commander, Air Force Space Command, 08 Apr 2003 -- "I’m going to start by talking about our contributions to Operation Iraqi Freedom, but you’ll quickly see that we’re engaged in more than just a single operation. We’re involved & supporting operations, 24 / 7 / 365, around the world! In fact, we’ve got two global operations--ICBM and Space Operations. We’re also supporting missions is specific theaters, with one of our largest efforts in the CENTCOM area of operations. Even though the majority of our global and theater operations are accomplished from our home stations, more than 1000 men and women from AFSPC are deployed."
SPACE STATION / SHUTTLE VOA 08 Apr 2003 -- Two U-S astronauts took a spacewalk Tuesday to perform exterior maintenance on the International Space Station. It was the last opportunity to fix hardware while the outpost has enough spare hands before the crew size soon decreases from three to two.
Delta rocket takes GPS satellite into orbit AFSPC 02 Apr 2003 -- A Delta II, carrying a Global Positioning System satellite, launches from Cape Canaveral, Fla., March 31.
Airmen keep base operational amidst blizzard AFSPC 02 Apr 2003 -- My story begins at Buckley March 18. The snow fell for three days and was 40 inches deep in spots.
EXPLORATIONS #2048 - Space Digest VOA 02 Apr 2003 -- Today we tell about an American astronaut who makes beautiful photographs of space and Earth from the International Space Station. We also tell about a recently discovered dark spot on the planet Jupiter. We report about efforts to produce low cost fuel. And we tell about a new space telescope to be launched April eighteenth.
NEXT SPACE STATION CREW VOA 01 Apr 2003 -- The U-S space agency NASA has named the next crew of the international space station. Their trip was delayed because of the space shuttle Columbia disaster.
SHUTTLE PROBE VOA 01 Apr 2003 -- The investigation into what caused the break-up of the U-S space shuttle Columbia supports the theory that a left wing panel broke off during its mission, possibly playing a role in its demise. But corrosion along the wing's front edge might also have played a part.
March
SHUTTLE PROBE VOA 31 Mar 2003 -- The latest clues from the U-S space shuttle Columbia disaster probe strengthen the theory that the orbiter was damaged almost from the start of the mission perhaps by external fuel tank foam hitting the left wing. A recently recovered data recorder confirms that extremely hot atmospheric gases leaked through a break in the wing, causing it to disintegrate as it headed for a landing.
JAPAN/SATELLITE LAUNCH VOA 27 Mar 2003 -- Japan has successfully launched its first two reconnaissance satellites, which are primarily to keep an eye on North Korea.
JAPAN/SATELLITE LAUNCH VOA 28 Mar 2003 -- North Korea warned Japan Friday that its launch of two reconnaissance satellites earlier in the day could spark an Asian arms race. Japan's first spy satellites are primarily meant to keep watch over North Korea, amid growing concerns over that country's nuclear ambitions.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan Press Conference 27 March 2003 - The reason why we decided to develop a satellite monitoring system is that we thought, and we still believe, that the situation surrounding Japan and the Japanese archipelago requires constant close monitoring.
JAPAN/SATELLITE LAUNCH VOA 27 Mar 2003 -- Japan has launched its first two spy satellites from the island of Tanegashima, one-thousand kilometers southwest of Tokyo. The launch comes amid mounting fears of a North Korean ballistic missile test.
JAPAN SPY SATELLITES VOA 25 Mar 2003 -- As concerns grow about North Korea's nuclear weapons ambitions and fears rise that Pyongyang could test another ballistic missile, Japan plans to launch its first reconnaissance satellites on March 28th.
Pentagon Officials Tell Congress Missile Defense System "Moving Forward" AFPS 21 Mar 2003 -- Faced with the threat by North Korea of a nuclear warhead reaching the United States, senior Pentagon officials told the House Armed Services Committee March 20 they are moving forward with a billion-dollar missile defense system.
SHUTTLE / DATA RECORDER VOA 20 Mar 2003 -- Search teams have recovered a key piece of hardware from the doomed U-S space shuttle Columbia. It is a data recorder, a discovery that is providing new hope for finding the reason the shuttle disintegrated upon re-entry last month.
Officials outline importance of space systems AFPN 20 Mar 2003 -- Space systems today are more important than ever to the military's ability to fight and win conflicts, the undersecretary of the Air Force said in congressional testimony March 19.
Lejeune forestry service aid NASA search USMC News 19 Mar 2003 -- The country's space program suffered a blow February 1, when the Space Shuttle Columbia was lost during its re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere. Seven crewmembers' lives were taken during the tragic incident, and spacecraft debris was scattered across New Mexico desert and rolling Texas plains.
BLACK HOLES VOA 19 Mar 2003 -- Scientists report they have witnessed what they believe is the birth of a black hole--an object so massive that not even light can escape from its gravitational pull.
Space command cancels Guardian Challenge AFPN 19 Mar 2003 -- Air Force Space Command officials have canceled this year's Guardian Challenge, the annual space warfighter competition held at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif.
NASA OFFICIAL UPBEAT VOA 18 Mar 2003 -- A NASA official says the coming year should bring some breakthroughs in space exploration as the agency moves beyond the tragedy that claimed the lives of seven astronauts.
Satellites Reveal Continued Drought in the Horn of Africa Washington File 14 Mar 2003 -- For the fourth year in a row, the environmental satellites operated by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have detected crippling drought conditions in parts of Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia that will leave residents in this broad area facing severe water shortages, potential outbreaks of disease and starvation.
Atlas II arrives for last launch AFPSC 14 Mar 2003 -- The last Atlas IIAS to be launched from the West Coast arrived here March 12. A C-5 Galaxy from Denver ferried the historic booster and its Centaur upper stage to Vandenberg.
SHUTTLE / RETURN TO FLIGHT VOA 14 Mar 2003 -- The U-S space agency NASA is getting ready to resume shuttle flights as early as September or October. But the return to flight depends on whether the cause of the shuttle Columbia's demise can be found and fixed.
Vandenberg prepares for last Atlas II launch AFPN 14 Mar 2003 -- The last Atlas IIAS rocket scheduled to be launched arrived here March 12. A C-5 Galaxy ferried the historic booster and its Centaur upper stage from Denver, landing at the airfield here around 10:30 a.m.
Policymakers visit ‘Top of the World’ AFSPC News 13 Mar 2003 -- Denmark’s foreign minister and the Greenland Home Rule premier visited Thule March 10 as part of ongoing talks between Denmark and Greenland regarding a U.S. proposal to include Thule’s radar in the U.S. missile defense initiative. “Missile defense has created concerns for the population of Greenland,” said Greenland Premier Hans Enoksen. “But, we are willing to make it happen and make it a success. With continued cooperation, we can make this a win-win for all.”
Commentary: Reshaping the force never an easy task AFSPC News 13 Mar 2003 -- Over the next seven years, Air Force Space Command will trim 1,125 manpower positions. That is our share of the more than 13,200 reductions the Air Force must make before the end of the decade.
Manpower reductions planned throughout AFSPC AFSPC News 13 Mar 2003 -- Air Force Space Command will trim 1,125 employee positions over the next seven years as part of an Air Force initiative to realign more than 13,000 active-duty and civilian manpower authorizations by 2010.
Wyoming missile successfully launches from Vandenberg AFSPC News 13 Mar 2003 -- An unarmed Peacekeeper intercontinental ballistic missile was successfully launched March 12 at 1:29 a.m.
MARS/RADIATION VOA 13 Mar 2003 -- Travelers to Mars, beware! A U-S satellite orbiting the Red Planet shows that space radiation reaching Mars is very intense. This poses severe health risks for future human explorers
SHUTTLE COLUMBIA / PROBE VOA 13 Mar 2003 -- Investigators for the U-S Space Agency, NASA, are running tests on selected pieces of debris recovered from the space shuttle Columbia.Officials continue to focus on the orbiter's left wing as they try to pinpoint what caused the shuttle to disintegrate minutes before its scheduled landing February first.
Transcript: Air Force Briefing on "Space: The Warfighter's Perspective" 12 Mar 2003 -- "Good morning. Today we're going to have an on-the-record briefing on the support that military operations in space provide to our warfighters. The first briefer will be Major General Judd Blaisdell, the director of Space Operations and Integration for the Air Force. And then he'll be followed by Colonel Steven Fox, the director of Army space support."
Peacekeeper launches from Vandenberg AFPN 12 Mar 2003 -- An unarmed Peacekeeper intercontinental ballistic missile was successfully launched at 1:29 a.m. March 12.
Teets, Lord tell Senate the nation needs 'space cadre' AFPN 12 Mar 2003 -- The Air Force's top two space officials told lawmakers March 12 that development of a "space cadre" was one of their top agenda items for national security space programs in 2004.
U.S. Dominance in Space Makes General 'Pity the Enemy' AFPS 12 Mar 2003 -- Anybody who goes against the massive space capability of the U.S. military "is in for a tough go," Air Force Maj. Gen. Franklin J. "Judd" Blaisdell told reporters during a Pentagon press briefing today.
First Hispanic Woman in Space Honored by U.S. State Department Washington File 12 Mar 2003 -- "heroine and role model," a wife and mother, a researcher and engineer -- and the first Hispanic woman to travel in space, Dr. Ellen Ochoa became this year's first Women's History Month honoree at the State Department March 10 for her achievements and service to the United States of America.
PENTAGON / IRAQ / SPACE VOA 12 Mar 2003 -- With U-S forces massing around Iraq, a senior military official says America's space-based assets will give Washington dominance in any battle with Baghdad.
Air Force launches first military payload on Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle AFPSC 11 Mar 2003 -- The Air Force launched it’s first military satellite payload on an Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle from here March 10.
Badlands Observatory Hunts Asteroids VOA 12 Mar 2003 -- For years, the American space agency NASA has relied on amateur astronomers to search for asteroids huge chunks of space rock that may be on a collision course with the planet Earth. Many professional telescopes are well suited to scanning large portions of the sky and picking out new asteroids. But hundreds of amateur observatories around the globe use their narrower telescopes to zero in on the new discoveries, and track their progress through space
TOP HAND program returns AFSPC 10 Mar 2003 -- TOP HAND has returned to Air Force Space Command. After a seven-year absence, the command has reinstated the TOP HAND Selection Board, a program to select the best missile and space operators for key positions in operational testing.
SHUTTLE PROBE: FOLLOWING THE HEAT VOA 05 Mar 2003 -- Investigators probing the U-S space shuttle Columbia disaster are piecing together the world's biggest puzzle. In a big U-S space agency hangar in Florida, workers are painstakingly placing thousands of recovered shuttle parts in their original position and analyzing each for clues to what caused the orbiter to disintegrate upon re-entry last month.
Space war game concludes AFPSC 03 Mar 2003 -- An eight-day space war game that took place 14 years in the future concluded here at the Space Warfare Center Feb. 27.
U-N/OUTER SPACE VOA 01 Mar 2003 -- Scientists meeting in Vienna under U-N auspices have been discussing ways of reducing space debris, in order to make space exploration safer.
SHUTTLE VIDEO VOA 28 Feb 2003 -- The U-S space agency, NASA, has released a videotape of the crew of the doomed shuttle Columbia in their last minutes of life before the craft disintegrated one month ago.
February
MARGARET WEITEKAMP VOA 28 Feb 2003 -- NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe answered questions from angry U-S lawmakers Thursday who wanted to know why he never saw e-mails from engineers warning that the Space Shuttle Columbia could fall apart. Columbia broke apart upon re-entry February first, killing all seven astronauts. A piece of insulating foam breaking off and striking the shuttle during lift-off is a possible cause of the disaster. Worried engineers wrote a series of e-mail memos the day before the scheduled landing, saying the shuttle's left wing could fall off and doom the crew, if super-hot gases leaked into the landing gear wheel well.
SHUTTLE / SPACE STATION VOA 27 Feb 2003 -- The United States and its international space station partners have agreed to use Russian spacecraft to exchange station crews as long as U-S space shuttles remain grounded because of the Columbia accident. The size of the station crew will decrease.
Pilot school highlights space education AFPN 27 Feb 2003 -- With the increasing push for a military space force, Department of Defense officials are expanding the Air Force envelope to include space education with an emphasis on military application.
SHUTTLE / SPACE STATION VOA 27 Feb 2003 -- The United States and its international space station partners have agreed to use Russian spacecraft to exchange station crews as long as U-S space shuttles remain grounded after the Columbia accident.
SHUTTLE PROBE VOA 25 Feb 2003 -- U-S investigators say a badly burned piece of thermal tile from the doomed space shuttle Columbia might hold clues to why the spacecraft disintegrated upon re-entry from orbit. The location where it was found and its original place on the orbiter make it a potentially important discovery.
African-Americans in Space VOA 24 Feb 2003 -- tragic death of African-American astronaut Michael P. Anderson aboard the shuttle Columbia during Black History Month made the nation pause and think of those other African-Americans who were chosen to fly in space.
Navy Salvage and Diving Teams Assist in Shuttle Columbia Recovery Navy NewStand 24 Feb 2003 -- As the search for remnants of the Space Shuttle Columbia continue, Navy salvage and dive teams are now on scene to provide assistance searching several lakes in this region of Texas that is normally known only to avid fishermen. The Navy's presence in this extensive effort could aide in finding clues that could bring closure to this national tragedy.
War game tests space assets AFSPC 21 Feb 2003 -- Although the calendar on the wall reads 2003, the playing field in this room operates against a backdrop of the year 2017. Schriever flipped the calendar pages ahead 14 years Feb. 20 for an eight-day space war game that involves military use of new space systems, which may include Space-Based Radar and updated Satellite Communications Systems. The only thing at stake is determining how the United States military conducts space operations for years to come.
SHUTTLE / FOAM VOA 21 Feb 2003 -- The U-S space agency, NASA, has released documents showing that the doomed shuttle Columbia was struck by three pieces of stiff insulating foam at launch, not one as noted previously. Investigators are probing the possibility that the foam impact may have led to Columbia's demise upon landing.
SHUTTLE / PROBE VOA 21 Feb 2003 -- U-S investigators are seeking every photograph and movie they can find of the disintegration of the space shuttle Columbia to help them locate debris. They are seeking pieces from the earliest stages of the orbiter's break-up.
SHUTTLE-SPACE STATION VOA 20 Feb 2003 -- The U-S space agency NASA says a decision is close on how to exchange the international space station crew while the U-S shuttle fleet is grounded. The moratorium on shuttle flights during the Columbia disaster probe is putting the spotlight on Russian Soyuz rockets to serve the station.
MARS-WATER VOA 19 Feb 2003 -- Two U-S spacecraft orbiting Mars have found signs that liquid water can survive on the Red Planet, despite its freezing climate and thin atmosphere. The clues pointing to this are recently discovered gullies apparently eroded by the water.
SHUTTLE PROBE VOA 18 Feb 2003 -- The panel investigating the space shuttle Columbia disaster is making itself more independent of the U-S space agency, NASA, which appointed it. The board says it wants to find not only the immediate cause of Columbia's disintegration earlier this month, but also aims to find out possible contributing causes such as NASA management and safety practices.
BABY UNIVERSE VOA 18 Feb 2003 -- Astronomers say they have the best picture ever of when the universe was born, and how it will die.
DOD space chief outlines priorities VOA 14 Feb 2003 -- Things are going well for the national security space program, but America needs a roadmap to ensure future success, the Defense Department's executive agent for space said Feb. 12.
SHUTTLE / PROBE VOA 14 Feb 2003 -- Investigators probing the space shuttle Columbia disaster are visiting a facility in Alabama that overseas the production of massive external fuel tanks that propel shuttles during lift-off.
NASA seeks help from sky watchers AFPN 14 Feb 2003 -- NASA is still seeking help from the American public to supply video and still images of Space Shuttle Columbia on its return flight to Earth. There has been a great public response, officials said, but more material will help the investigation of the Columbia accident.
SHUTTLE FLIGHT DIRECTOR AFPN 14 Feb 2003 -- The American space agency official directing the space shuttle Columbia's return to Earth says he was not expecting any problems with the landing.
SPECIAL ENGLISH AMERICAN MOSAIC VOA 13 Feb 2003 -- Our VOA listener question this week comes from India. Sampath asks about Kalpana Chawla, the Indian-born American astronaut who was one of the seven people killed on the space shuttle Columbia.
Space offers 'high ground' in war on terror, other conflicts AFPN 13 Feb 2003 -- Space-based assets are vitally important to success in the war on terrorism and future conflicts, the Defense Department's executive agent for space said Feb. 12.
Columbia Disaster Opens Door to Examination of U.S. Space Effort Washington File 13 Feb 2003 -- Members of the U.S. Congress and the head of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) agree that investigation of the break-up of the space shuttle Columbia will prompt a larger look at where the U.S. space program is headed. NASA administrator Sean O'Keefe testified February 12 at a joint hearing convened by the House and Senate subcommittees that oversee the space program.
DOD's top space official committed to space discovery AFPN 12 Feb 2003 -- Just days after Space Shuttle Columbia broke apart in the skies over Texas, the Department of Defense's executive agent for space said the nation's program would go on.
CONGRESS / NASA VOA 12 Feb 2003 -- The head of the U-S space agency, NASA, told Congress today (Wednesday) that there were no indications of trouble with the space shuttle fleet before the Columbia disaster.
Columbia Investigation: Nacogdoches VOA 12 Feb 2003 -- Truckloads of debris from the space shuttle Columbia have begun arriving at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Each piece of the orbiter will be put in its proper place over a grid marked in yellow and blue tape on the floor of a huge hangar, which also houses the offices of the panel investigating the February 1st disaster. Much of the shuttle broke up over eastern Texas, where the search for more debris is expected to continue for several weeks.
Teets: Space access vital to warfighting efforts AFPN 11 Feb 2003 -- America needs to redouble its efforts to make sure the nation has a vigorous and successful national security space program, the Defense Department's executive agent for space said.
Guard soldiers clean up ruptured shuttle tank Army News 11 Feb 2003 -- Texas National Guard troops trained to test for toxic substances dealt with a dangerous piece of history - a ruptured tank from the space shuttle Columbia's fuel system -- in the Piney Woods region of East Texas in the rainy chill of Feb. 5.
Columbia Accident VOA 11 Feb 2003 -- Seven astronauts and the Space Shuttle Columbia were lost in an accident February first. Today, we tell about the accident and the investigation that is trying to discover the cause. We also tell about the astronauts who were killed.
SPACE STATION ASTRONAUTS VOA 11 Feb 2003 -- The International Space Station astronauts say they are not concerned about the extra time they'll remain in orbit because of the space shuttle disaster.
COLUMBIA INVESTIGATION VOA 11 Feb 2003 -- More than 12-thousand pieces of debris from the space shuttle Columbia will soon be arriving at the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral, Florida. The wreckage will be painstakingly examined in hopes of learning what caused the February 1st accident.
ISRAEL-ASTRONAUT VOA 10 Feb 2003 -- A state memorial service has been held in Israel for astronaut Ilan Ramon, shortly after his remains were brought back from the United States. Colonel Ramon was one of seven crewmembers killed when the space-shuttle Columbia broke-up upon re-entry on February first.
SHUTTLE PROBE VOA 10 Feb 2003 -- The U-S space agency NASA says a search team has recovered part of the left wing of the doomed space shuttle Columbia. This part may be important in determining what caused the orbiter to disintegrate on its return to Earth on February 1st.
Scientists Seek to Learn How Much Research Data Lost with Columbia Washignton File 10 Feb 2003 -- The space shuttle Columbia – its 16-day mission devoted entirely to science – carried more than 80 experiments sponsored by space agencies, universities and organizations from around the world.
SHUTTLE PROBE VOA 07 Feb 2003 -- The U-S space agency NASA is analyzing a military photograph that appears to show damage to a wing of the ill-fated shuttle Columbia shortly before it disintegrated last Saturday. But the agency's shuttle chief says the image provides little evidence for the cause of the disaster.
NORAD and USNORTHCOM Provide Support in Response to Columbia Disaster NORTHCOM 07 Feb 2003 -- "The crew in the Cheyenne Mountain command center was monitoring NASAs television channel when communications broke with the space shuttle Columbia," said Maj. Barry Venable, Public Affairs Officer for the North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command. "It was clear there was a problem and the Cheyenne Mountain crew members began following emergency procedures."
SHUTTLE PROBE VOA 07 Feb 2003 -- U-S space agency officials confirmed Friday that they are analyzing military photographs that appear to show damage to the space shuttle Columbia, shortly before it disintegrated over Texas last week. Searchers in Texas have also found part of one of the shuttle's wings.
Reservists Support Columbia Emergency Response NNS 07 Feb 2003 -- As soon as it was reported that space shuttle Columbia had broken up over Texas, what began as a normal training weekend turned into an impromptu support mission for Navy Reserve public affairs units training at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base (NAS JRB) Fort Worth.
SHUTTLE PROBE VOA 06 Feb 2003 -- The U-S space agency NASA will investigate the possibility that foam debris damaged the shuttle Columbia's wing during launch, although it says it still considers it an unlikely cause of the orbiter's disintegration Saturday. As search teams continue the hunt for debris, an independent board has taken control of the investigation from NASA.
U.S. Appreciates Support of International Space Partners Washington File 06 Feb 2003 -- Support from America's international partners in the exploration of space is appreciated "more than ever" in times of tragedy, U.S. diplomat Douglas A. Davidson said February 6
Space Shuttle Science VOA 06 Feb 2003 -- When NASA first conceived of the Space Shuttle, the idea was to design a rocket that could be reusable and more economical and versatile than the standard disposable stage rockets. David Aiken, an associate professor of aerospace engineering at the University of Maryland, worked at the Kennedy Space Center soon after the shuttle program was approved in 1972. He believes that in hindsight the reusability aspect of the Space Shuttle was grossly overestimated.
National Guard assists in search for shuttle debris Army News 06 Feb 2003 -- National Guard airmen and soldiers joined the grim and painstaking search for debris from the ill-fated Space Shuttle Columbia soon after it disintegrated over Texas the morning of Feb. 1.
Honoring India's First Female Astronaut VOA 06 Feb 2003 -- About 400 students and teachers at space shuttle astronaut Kalpana Chawla's (kal-pawna chav-la)former college in India, observed two minutes of silence on Monday to honor the memory of the aerospace engineer. Ms. Chawla -- who was born in northern India and attended Punjab Engineering College at Chandigar (chan-di-gar)for four years -- was one of seven astronauts killed when the Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated during reentry into the earth's atmosphere on Saturday after 16 days in space.
Transcript: America's Exploration of Space Will Continue, Cheney says Washington File 06 Feb 2003 -- The "greatest memorial" to the Columbia astronauts who died February 1 when their space shuttle broke apart on reentering earth's atmosphere will be the continued exploration of space, Vice President Dick Cheney said February 6 at a service at the National Cathedral in Washington in memory of the seven.
Text: Researchers Assess Status of Scientific Research Data from Columbia Washington File 06 Feb 2003 -- The space shuttle Columbia carried more than 80 scientific experiments during its 16-day mission, and researchers report several achievements by the seven shuttle astronauts before they perished when Columbia broke up as it descended for a landing on February 1.
AFRCC takes lead in shuttle search, recovery AFPN 05 Feb 2003 -- Fifteen minutes after NASA's Mission Control in Houston lost contact with Space Shuttle Columbia, the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center here was dispatched to begin search and rescue efforts.
Civil Support Teams Help in Columbia Debris Search AFPS 05 Feb 2003 -- The National Guard Civil Support teams called to duty to handle the aftermath of the Columbia tragedy are uniquely suited to the purpose.
DDMS responds to Columbia disaster AFSPC 05 Feb 2003 -- Within seconds of NASA’s announcement that it had lost contact with Space Shuttle Columbia Feb. 1, the Department of Defense Manned Space Flight Support here initiated their catastrophic incident checklists. The DDMS mission is to coordinate NASA requests for DOD's unique capabilities in support of the manned space flight program, if search and rescue is needed.
SHUTTLE PROBE VOA 05 Feb 2003 -- The U-S space agency NASA stands by its original view that a piece of foam that struck the wing of the ill-fated shuttle Columbia during launch did not cause the spacecraft to disintegrate Saturday as it was landing. NASA technicians are struggling to identify another cause of the disaster.
MCALARY-SHUTTLE VOA 05 Feb 2003 -- VOA-TV host David Borgida talks with David McAlary, Space and Science correspondent for Voice of America.
SHUTTLE / MANNED RESEARCH VOA 05 Feb 2003 -- The space shuttle Columbia was on a purely scientific mission when it broke up just minutes before landing on Saturday morning.
SHUTTLE/MEMORIAL VOA 06 Feb 2003 -- A memorial service was held Thursday at the National Cathedral in Washington for the seven astronauts who died aboard the space shuttle Columbia.
SHUTTLE PROBE VOA 05 Feb 2003 -- The U-S space agency NASA stands by its original view that a piece of foam that struck the wing of the ill-fated shuttle Columbia during launch did not cause the spacecraft to disintegrate Saturday as it was landing. NASA technicians are struggling to identify another cause of the disaster.
MCALARY-SHUTTLE VOA 05 Feb 2003 -- VOA-TV host David Borgida talks with David McAlary, Space and Science correspondent for Voice of America.
VOA 05 Feb 2003 --
SHUTTLE/MEMORIAL VOA 06 Feb 2003 -- A memorial service was held Thursday at the National Cathedral in Washington for the seven astronauts who died aboard the space shuttle Columbia.
ASTRONAUT REMAINS VOA 05 Feb 2003 -- The U-S space agency NASA says it has recovered the remains of all seven astronauts killed in the shuttle Columbia disaster. Their flag-draped coffins have been flown to a military mortuary in Delaware
SHUTTLE DEBATE VOA 05 Feb 2003 -- The demise of the space shuttle Columbia has sparked a new debate over the usefulness of the shuttle program. Space agency officials and members of Congress have said the shuttle program will continue. But shuttle critics are getting a new hearing in the wake of the Columbia disaster.
SHUTTLE/SCIENCE VOA 05 Feb 2003 -- The U-S space agency, NASA, says a lot of the scientific work of the space shuttle Columbia crew has been preserved, despite the tragic end to the mission.
ISRAEL ASTRONAUT VOA 05 Feb 2003 -- The remains of Israeli astronaut Ilan Ramon, have been found among the debris of the space shuttle Columbia. The remains are expected to be brought back to Israel for burial.
SHUTTLE PROBE VOA 04 Feb 2003 -- The length of the debris strewn from the ill-fated space shuttle Columbia Saturday could be much longer than previously thought. The U-S space agency NASA says it has reports that the shuttle may have begun disintegrating as early as California, thousands of kilometers west of Texas, where most of it dispersed.
BUSH / MEMORIAL VOA 04 Feb 2003 -- President Bush told mourners at the Johnson Space Center Tuesday that the dream of space exploration pursued by the crew of the shuttle Columbia will continue. The seven crewmembers died Saturday when their shuttle broke as it re-entered earth's atmosphere. Mr. Bush offered encouragement to the friends and families of the astronauts at an outdoor memorial service.
COLUMBIA / BOEHLERT VOA 04 Feb 2003 -- The chairman of a key Congressional committee that oversees funding for the U-S space agency, NASA, says no stone will be left unturned in hearings about the space shuttle Columbia disaster. Lawmakers will be looking into whether NASA scrimped on safety due to budget cutbacks.
Bush Honors Memory of Columbia Astronauts at Houston Ceremony Washington File 04 Feb 2003 -- America's space program will continue, President Bush said in remarks February 4 at a memorial ceremony at the NASA Space Center in Houston, Texas for the seven astronauts -- two women and five men -- killed February 1 when the Columbia space shuttle split apart as it was re-entering earth's atmosphere.
Bush Offers Inspiring Words to Grieving Families of the Columbia Crew Washington File 04 Feb 2003 -- The grieving families of the seven astronauts who perished February 1 when their space shuttle Columbia broke apart as it reentered Earth's atmosphere sat with President and First Lady Laura Bush at a February 4 memorial service at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.
Department of Defense assets support search effort for space shuttle Columbia AFSC 04 Feb 2003 -- Department of Defense assets currently involved in search, security and transportation operations related to the loss of Space Shuttle Columbia include: U.S. Air Force -- C-141 aircraft from McGuire AFB, N.J., will be used to transport NASA's rapid response team from Kennedy Space Center to Barksdale AFB, La.
RUSSIA / SHUTTLE VOA 04 Feb 2003 -- An unmanned Russian spacecraft successfully docked with the orbiting International Space Station on Tuesday, bringing fuel and supplies to the the two American astronauts and one Russian cosmonaut aboard the station.
EUROPEAN SPACE/SHUTTLE VOA 04 Feb 2003 -- Saturday's fiery breakup of the space shuttle Columbia, carrying seven astronauts, has raised new questions in the United States about the future of shuttle flights. But the Paris-based European Space Agency is among those supporting continuing the shuttle program
ASIA SHUTTLE IMPACT VOA 04 Feb 2003 -- The demise of the U-S space shuttle Columbia (Saturday) and its crew of seven is affecting Asian space programs in very different ways. China will press ahead, Japan is having second thoughts and India will continue to focus on unmanned missions.
The Columbia Disaster -- The Future of America's Space Program VOA 04 Feb 2003 -- At least three government commissions will investigate the Columbia space shuttle tragedy that killed 7 astronauts Saturday -- including the first Indian-born woman to travel into space and Israel's first astronaut. It was the worst space disaster since the shuttle Challenger exploded in 1986.
SHUTTLE/ASTRONAUTS REMEMBERED VOA 03 Feb 2003 -- The entrance of Johnson Space Center in Houston has become a makeshift memorial for the seven astronauts who died Saturday when the space shuttle Columbia broke apart over Texas. The city was home to the astronauts, and many considered them neighbors.
SHUTTLE/ GRIEF COUNSELING VOA 03 Feb 2003 -- In the wake of the Columbia shuttle disaster, the U-S space agency, NASA, must continue to operate, even as its employees struggle to deal with overwhelming emotions surrounding the accident. At the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, mental health professionals have been called in to counsel and assist staffers in the grieving process.
COLUMBIA INVESTIGATION VOA 03 Feb 2003 -- A top NASA official says the U-S space agency is working to recover pieces of heat resistant tiles from the scattered remains of space shuttle Columbia, which could explain what caused it to disintegrate shortly after re-entering the earth's atmosphere.
BUSH/ASTRONAUTS/ SCIENCE VOA 03 Feb 2003 -- President Bush says America is determined to carry on the space exploration that was so important to the crew of the space shuttle Columbia. Mr. Bush says the seven astronauts were on a scientific mission intended to benefit all mankind.
SHUTTLE/SPACE STATION VOA 03 Feb 2003 -- United States and Russia have pledged to keep the International Space Station operating, despite the moratorium on U-S shuttle flights following the Columbia disaster.
COLUMBIA INVESTIGATION VOA 03 Feb 2003 -- U-S space agency officials are looking into whether possible damage to the space shuttle Columbia's heat resistant tiles during lift off may have been a factor in causing the spacecraft to break up over Texas Saturday, killing all seven astronauts on board.
Former Joint Forces Commander to Head Columbia Panel AFPS 03 Feb 2003 -- Retired Adm. Harold Gehman, the first commander of the U.S. Joint Forces Command, will head the Space Shuttle Mishap Interagency Investigation Board to look into the cause of the Columbia shuttle tragedy.
National Guard Takes to the Air and Ground in Columbia Disaster Support AFPS 03 Feb 2003 -- National Guard airmen and soldiers joined the grim and painstaking search for debris from the ill-fated space shuttle Columbia soon after it disintegrated over Texas Feb. 1.
Navy Medicine Grieving The Loss Of Two Of Its Own NNS 03 Feb 2003 -- Navy Medicine is mourning the loss of two colleagues, Capt. David Brown and Cmdr. Laurel Blair Salton Clark. Both were aboard the space shuttle Columbia when it broke apart Feb. 1 during its final descent.
Navy Mourns Loss of Space Shuttle Columbia Crew, 3 of Its Own NNS 03 Feb 2003 -- Space Shuttle Columbia with its crew of seven was lost Feb. 1, during its re-entry to Earth’s atmosphere following a mission that began Jan. 16 and included three naval officers.
Powell Expresses Condolences to Astronaut Survivors Washington File 03 Feb 2003 -- In a brief appearance before reporters February 3, Secretary of State Colin Powell expressed his sadness at the loss of the seven astronauts on board the space shuttle Columbia. The spacecraft was destroyed as it reentered Earth's atmosphere on February 1 in an accident still under investigation.
Powell Expresses Condolences to Astronaut Survivors Washington File 03 Feb 2003 -- The crew that perished when the space shuttle Columbia broke apart February 1 minutes before the end of its 16-day mission included six U.S. astronauts – one of them born in India – and Israel's first astronaut – together representing different cultures and different countries of the planet they had soared above.
CONGRESS COLUMBIA VOA 03 Feb 2003 -- The Senate has passed a resolution honoring the astronauts of the ill-fated space shuttle Columbia
The Columbia Disaster -- The Investigation VOA 03 Feb 2003 -- At least three government commissions will investigate the Columbia space shuttle tragedy that killed 7 astronauts Saturday -- including the first Indian-born woman to travel into space and Israel's first astronaut
SHUTTLE RECOVERY MONDAY VOA 03 Feb 2003 -- In Louisiana and Texas, recovery crews continue to gather debris from the space shuttle Columbia, which broke apart Saturday, killing all seven crew members. Shorthanded authorities in Nacogdoches, Texas, are asking for help from the public to locate the wreckage.
SHUTTLE/PROBE VOA 2 Feb 2003 -- The initial investigation into the U-S space shuttle Columbia disaster shows that something went terribly wrong on the orbiter's left side, minutes before it disintegrated on its return to Earth from orbit Saturday. Search teams hunting for shuttle debris on the ground have found remains of some of the seven astronauts killed in the disaster.
SHUTTLE/RECOVERY VOA 2 Feb 2003 -- Recovery work continues in Louisiana and Texas, where debris was scattered over hundreds of kilometers, when the space shuttle Columbia broke apart Saturday. All seven crew members were killed, and officials say some of their remains have been found.
COLUMBIA / MOURNING VOA 2 Feb 2003 -- Across the United States, people are mourning the seven crew members of the space shuttle Columbia. Cape Canaveral, Florida,local residents feel a special connection with the space program, and for whom the Columbia disaster is especially painful.
NASA Head Says Manned Space Flight Program Will Continue Washington File 2 Feb 2003 -- The head of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration says his agency plans to continue the U.S. manned space flight program, despite the loss February 1 of the Space Shuttle Columbia and its seven astronauts -- the second fatal accident in the shuttle program, following the explosion on launch 17 years before of the shuttle Challenger.
Byliner: A New Commitment to Space by Senator Nelson Washington File 2 Feb 2003 -- This column by Senator Bill Nelson (D-Florida), who is the ranking minority member of the Armed Services subcommittee on strategic forces, whose jurisdiction includes space issues, first appeared in The Washington Post February 02, 2003 and is in the public domain. No republication restrictions
SHUTTLE/EUROPE/REACT VOA 02 Feb -- A stunned Europe has sent messages of sorrow to America, as the loss of the shuttle Columbia and its seven crew members sinks in. European leaders also sent condolences to Israel, which is mourning the loss of the first Israeli to travel to space
COLUMBIA / INVESTIGATION VOA 02 Feb -- The head of the U-S space agency, NASA, says the investigation of the cause of the Columbia space shuttle disaster will be thorough and completed as quickly as possible so America can begin sending people back into space. At least three government agencies and an independent panel of experts are involved in the probe
BUSH/SHUTTLE VOA 02 Feb -- The White House is pledging a thorough investigation into the loss of the shuttle Columbia and it's seven astronauts, and vows the space program will continue. President Bush has scheduled a meeting with the head of the national space agency for later today (Monday), and plans to pay tribute to the seven shuttle crew members at a memorial service on Tuesday
COLUMBIA / SAFETY VOA 02 Feb -- The head of the space agency, NASA ,says budget cuts did not contribute to the space shuttle Columbia disaster, despite warnings of a watchdog group that a lack of funding might have compromised safety of the shuttle program
SHUTTLE / SUCCESSOR VOA 02 Feb -- Saturday's U-S space shuttle disaster has sparked renewed criticism of the shuttle program, which some experts say is too expensive and unwieldy. In fact, the U-S space agency has been developing a successor to the space shuttle fleet, which it wants to retire in 10 years. The space agency was forced to abandon one radical design, and is now looking at a more evolutionary concept that it hopes can be ready by 2012
SHUTTLE / ASTRONAUTS VOA 02 Feb -- space shuttle astronauts killed in Saturday's Columbia tragedy were part of an elite corps of explorers, who have been probing the frontiers of space. The members of the ill-fated Columbia crew are mourned by their families, their country and colleagues who have also experienced the dangers of space travel.
U-S/SPACE FUTURE VOA 02 Feb -- The demise of the space shuttle Columbia has touched off renewed debate about the future of the U-S space program. Space officials and politicians are promising that the program will rebound
SHUTTLE / ASIA REACTION VOA 02 Feb 2003 -- Asian nations are offering their condolences to the United States for the seven crewmembers lost aboard space shuttle Columbia
COLUMBIA / TILES VOA 02 Feb 2003 -- Officials of the U-S space agency, NASA, probing the loss of the space shuttle Columbia are paying close attention to the orbiter's heat-resistant outer tiles -- some of which may have been damaged when the shuttle was launched more than two weeks ago
SHUTTLE / INDIA ASTRONAUT VOA 02 Feb 2003 -- In India, thousands of people are mourning the death of Kalpana Chawla (PRONO: chav-la), the Indian-born astronaut killed along with six others when the space shut

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