2004 Space News

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

December

SPACE STATION / FOOD SHORTAGE VOA 29 Dec 2004 -- The international space station astronauts say the recent food shortage aboard the outpost forced them to cut their food intake dramatically and eat lots of sweets for energy. They attribute the food problem to a lack of communication between the previous crew and ground controllers.
Iran, Russia to finalize Zohreh satellite contract IRNA 29 Dec 2004 -- Iran and Russia is to finalize an agreement for the construction of the Zohreh satellite for Iran.
Mars and Saturn Exploration, Scramjet Top List of NASA Successes Washington File 29 Dec 2004 -- Exploration of Mars and Saturn and the record-breaking flight of the X-43A scramjet were among the highlights mentioned in a December 27 review of NASA's accomplishments in 2004.
SPACE SHUTTLE REPAIRS VOA 28 Dec 2004 -- The United States has taken a major step toward resuming launches of the space shuttle to the international space station next year. The space agency NASA says safety modifications have been successfully completed on the spacecraft's external fuel tank, the source of the problem that caused the orbiter Columbia disaster last year.
U.S. Energy Department Database Locates Tsunami Victims Washington File 28 Dec 2004 -- Relief agencies working to help victims of the December 26 tsunamis in the Indian Ocean are using a demographic database developed at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) in Tennessee.
World: 'Huygens' Probe Preparing To Land On Saturn's Titan Moon RFE/RL 28 Dec 2004 -- The first landing by a manmade space probe on the moon of another planet is set to happen. Europe's "Huygens" probe has separated successfully from its U.S.-built mother ship "Cassini" and is cruising toward Titan, Saturn's mysterious moon. "Huygens" is on course to enter Titan's hazy atmosphere on 14 January. The probe is expected to take more than 1,000 photographs and measurements during the descent and landing -- information that could help understand life's origins on Earth. Project scientists speculate that "Huygens" will find hydrocarbon seas, geysers, and icebergs and conditions similar to our planet billions of years ago.
Huygens Probe Begins Three-Week Journey to Saturn's Moon Washington File 27 Dec 2004 -- The European Space Agency's Huygens probe detached from NASA's Cassini orbiter December 24 to begin a three-week journey to Saturn's moon, Titan, according to a NASA press release.
SPACE STATION RESUPPLY VOA 26 Dec 2004 -- An unmanned Russian spacecraft delivered badly-needed supplies to the International Space Station late Saturday, enabling the crew to cancel plans to abandon the station for lack of food.
International Space Mission to Send Huygens Probe to Titan Washington File 22 Dec 2004 -- On December 24, the Huygens probe, built and managed by the European Space Agency (ESA), will cut loose from its mother ship, the Cassini orbiter, and coast toward Saturn's moon, Titan, arriving on January 14, 2005.
SURPRISING NEW GALAXIES VOA 21 Dec 2004 -- U.S. astronomers have discovered massive new galaxies evolving in our corner of the universe. This means that galaxy-forming processes thought to have ended eons ago continue relatively nearby, making it easier to study how these massive congregations of stars come about.
Researchers Present Cassini Findings About Saturn Washington File 20 Dec 2004 -- As the international Cassini spacecraft approached Saturn in July, it found evidence that lightning on Saturn is roughly 1 million times stronger than lightning on Earth, according to a December 16 University of Iowa press release.
Saturn's Outer Rings Could Be Disappearing, Scientist Says Washington File 20 Dec 2004 -- A massive eruption of atomic oxygen from Saturn's outer rings suggests that the planet's wispy E ring is eroding so fast that it could disappear within 100 million years if not replenished.
Ariane Rocket Launched with Seven Satellites VOA News 18 Dec 2004 -- An Ariane rocket has lifted off from Kourou, French Guiana, carrying seven satellites, including at least one that is to gather intelligence for France's military.
US / MISSILE DEFENSE VOA 17 Dec 2004 -- A Bush administration official says the United States will continue to pursue missile defense despite a failed test of the system this week when an interceptor missile did not go off during an exercise in the Pacific Ocean. The official made his comments just hours after the United States signed an agreement with Japan to expand cooperation on missile defense.
U.S. Pursues Cooperative Approach to a Limited Missile Defense Washington File 17 Dec 2004 -- The growing threat from unsophisticated ballistic missiles suggests that large cities, not military facilities, would be potential targets in the future, according to a top U.S. arms control official.
ASTEROID DEFLECTION VOA 16 Dec 2004 -- Hollywood films have dramatized an event that scientists say could one day happen. An asteroid approaches the earth, threatening the planet, and a team of daring astronauts travels to space to stop it. Some scientists and engineers say the films were not realistic, but that the threat is real.
NASA Set to Launch First Comet Impact Probe Washington File 15 Dec 2004 -- Launch and flight teams are in final preparations for the planned January 12, 2005, liftoff from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, of NASA's Deep Impact spacecraft.
Missile Defense Flight Test Conducted Missile Defense Agency 15 Dec 2004 -- The Missile Defense Agency announced today it was unable to complete a planned flight test after the interceptor missile experienced an anomaly shortly before it was to be launched from the Ronald Reagan Test Site, Republic of the Marshall Islands, in the central Pacific Ocean.
U.S., Russia to Discuss Satellite Navigation System Cooperation Washington File 14 Dec 2004 -- The United States and the Russian Federation intend to begin preliminary discussions on an agreement for cooperation between the U.S. Global Positioning System (GPS) and the Russian Global Navigation Satellite System (GLONASS).
US SPACE CHIEF RESIGNS VOA 13 Dec 2004 -- The head of the U.S. space agency, NASA, has resigned after a tumultuous three years in office that included the loss of a space shuttle and its seven astronauts. A spokesman for President Bush has acknowledged that Sean O'Keefe intends to step down. Mr. O'Keefe is credited with beginning to reorient an agency beset by budget troubles and what some have called a lack of focus.
Vandenberg activates interceptor missile AFPN 13 Dec 2004 -- Missile defense is likened to hitting a bullet with a bullet. Using that analogy, the Air Force now has a round in the chamber.
Airborne Laser conducts extended flight test AFPN 13 Dec 2004 -- YAL-1A, the Airborne Laser aircraft, flew for 2 hours and 31 minutes here Dec. 9. The flight was part of a continuing series to re-establish airworthiness, a requirement since the aircraft has been out of service for almost two years for modifications and installation of the laser’s complex beam control system.
Army Announces Patriot Missile System’s Performance In Operation Iraqi Freedom Army News Release 10 Dec 2004 -- The U.S. Army announced today its investigation into the Patriot Missile System’s performance in Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), which found the system was successful in performing its mission protecting troops and assets against enemy tactical ballistic missiles (TBM).
NASA Explorer School Concept Goes International Washington File 10 Dec 2004 -- A NASA education initiative designed to bring science, technology, engineering and mathematics learning and activities to U.S. educators, students and families is going abroad to the Netherlands.
HUBBLE REPAIR URGED VOA 08 Dec 2004 -- A report commissioned by the U.S. Congress says NASA should send a space shuttle mission, not a robotic one, to repair the Hubble Space Telescope. The panel of experts also says the U.S. space agency should consider launching the manned mission as early as possible after the space shuttle is deemed safe to fly again.
U.S. Satellite Completes Three-Year Mission Washington File 08 Dec 2004 -- A U.S. satellite named Jason completes a three-year mission this month to measure the surface height of the world's oceans, according to a December 7 press release from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL).
EU seeks Morocco`s participation in its Galileo satellite navigation system IRNA 07 Dec 2004 -- The European Commission, the EU`s executive, Tuesday proposed to start talks for a cooperation agreement with Morocco on the development of Galileo, a European civil satellite navigation system.
Three GLONASS navigation satellites to be launched from Baikonur IRNA 07 Dec 2004 -- Three satellites of the navigation system GLONASS will be launched from the spaceport Baikonur on December 25.
NASA Releases Latest Version of Shuttle Return-to-Flight Report Washington File 07 Dec 2004 -- NASA offered its response to recommendations by the Columbia Accident Investigation Board (CAIB) with the release of “NASA’s Implementation Plan for Space Shuttle Return to Flight and Beyond" on December 3.
SPACE SHUTTLE PROGRESS VOA 06 Dec 2004 -- The U.S. space agency, NASA, says work continues on safety improvements on the space shuttle design in anticipation of the shuttle's return to flight in 2005. Agency officials concede that they have yet to determine whether the shuttle crew could fix the kind of damage that contributed to the loss of the shuttle Columbia in February 2003.
November
Iran, Russia resume talks on Zohreh Satellite IRNA 27 Nov 2004 -- Iranian and Russian officials will resume talks on the project concerning Zohreh Satellite as of Monday, it was announced here Saturday.
NASA Names Next International Space Station Crew Washington File 24 Nov 2004 -- NASA astronaut John Phillips and Russian cosmonaut Sergei Krikalev will be the next International Space Station (ISS) crew, according to a November 23 NASA press release.
Memorandum of Understanding for the Provision of a Satellite Communications Capability Signed NATO 23 Nov 2004 -- NATO completed on 22 November the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding with the Governments of France, Italy and the United Kingdom for the provision of a satellite communications capability for fifteen years, commencing 1 January 2005. This new NATO satellite capability will primarily be used to provide the communications support of NATO’s deployed forces.
NASA Launches International Swift Satellite Washington File 22 Nov 2004 -- NASA's Swift satellite, launched November 20 aboard a Boeing Delta 2 rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, is intended to pinpoint the location of distant, fleeting explosions that seem to signal the births of black holes.
NASA X-43A rockets to Mach 9.8 at Edwards AFPN 19 Nov 2004 -- After postponing the mission because of a problem with the X-43A hypersonic research aircraft, NASA officials said they could not have hoped for a better flight than the one they had here Nov. 16.
INTERNATIONAL SPACE COOPERATION VOA 18 Nov 2004 -- Delegates from 18 spacefaring countries, the European Space Agency, and the European Commission held an unprecedented meeting in Washington this week to discuss ways of cooperating with the new space exploration program on which the United States is embarking. China was among the participants, even though political obstacles stand in the way of U.S.-Chinese space cooperation.
NASA Scramjet Breaks Speed Record Washington File 17 Nov 2004 -- NASA's X-43A scramjet-powered research vehicle broke the air speed record November 16 and showed that an "air-breathing" engine can fly at nearly 10 times the speed of sound.
Space assets critical to winning war on terrorism AFPN 16 Nov 2004 -- Space-based assets are proving critical to winning the war on terrorism, according to the commander of Air Force Space Command.
U.S. AIR SPEED RECORD VOA 16 Nov 2004 -- A U.S. space agency jet has broken the air speed record for the second time this year. The unpiloted X-43A aircraft achieved nearly 10 times the speed of sound over the Pacific Ocean.
EUROPEAN MOON PROBE VOA 16 Nov 2004 -- European Space Agency officials say the continent's first Moon probe has arrived for a six-month geological survey. The orbiter has already completed its main goal -- to test a revolutionary type of spacecraft engine.
NASA Advances Water Recycling for Space Travel, Earth Use Washington File 15 Nov 2004 -- NASA is using several strategies to develop dependable ways to recycle water -- one of the most crucial provisions for astronauts in space.
U.S. AIR SPEED RECORD VOA 12 Nov 2004 -- The U.S. space agency NASA plans to launch an experimental aircraft Monday that it hopes will set a new world record for air speed.
GPS satellite blasts off from Cape Canaveral AFPN 08 Nov 2004 -- A Delta II launch vehicle carried a Global Positioning System satellite nearly 11,000 miles above Earth from here Nov. 6.
ROBOT SPACE DOCKING VOA 08 Nov 2004 -- The U.S. space agency is planning to conduct its first completely automated rendezvous in space Tuesday. In a test of new technology, a spacecraft is scheduled to be launched to track and meet an orbiting satellite with no human intervention, a capability now enjoyed only by Russia.
World: Spacecraft Begins To Unravel Mysteries Of Saturn's Moon RFE/RL 05 Nov 2004 -- Titan -- the enigmatic, cloud-shrouded moon of the planet Saturn -- is still largely a mystery despite a successful recent approach by the "Cassini-Huygens" spacecraft. The U.S.-European vessel made some discoveries, sending back photos, radar images, and measurements. But more studies are needed to understand the exact nature of the moon's surface, where no lakes or seas of hydrocarbons have been spotted. Scientists are puzzled, but still hope to find a "primordial soup of life" similar to what may have existed on Earth. They say it could help explain the origins of life. The spacecraft is due to pass by Titan again in December, sending home further data. In January 2005, the vessel is expected to release a European-built probe onto Titan's mysterious surface.
International Space Station Crews Learn to Live, Work in Space Washington File 03 Nov 2004 -- The four years during which humans have continuously staffed the International Space Station have provided exceptional opportunities to discover what it takes to live and work in space, according to a November 2 NASA press release.
International Mission to Study Black Hole, Gamma Ray Link Washington File 01 Nov 2004 -- NASA's Swift mission, an international collaboration, is dedicated to studying the connection between black holes and gamma-ray bursts (GRB), the most distant and powerful explosions known.
NASA Sets May-June 2005 for Shuttle's Return to Space Washington File 01 Nov 2004 -- After an extensive review, NASA is planning its Return to Flight space shuttle mission, STS-114, for a launch window that opens in May 2005.
October
Cassini Radar Shows Titan's Young, Active Surface Washington File 29 Oct 2004 -- The first radar images of Saturn's largest moon, Titan, show a very complex geological surface that might be relatively young, according to an October 29 NASA press release.
U.S. set to have missile defense by year's end Army News 28 Oct 2004 -- The United States will have the capability to defend itself against a limited attack by long-range ballistic missiles when the missile defense system becomes operational later this year.
International Spacecraft Peeks Below Cloud Shroud Around Titan Washington File 28 Oct 2004 -- Scientists are getting their best view ever of Saturn's largest moon, Titan, from early analysis of images and other data captured during the October 27 close flyby of the Cassini spacecraft, according to a NASA press release.
Astronomers Identify Surviving Star of 1572 Supernova Washington File 28 Oct 2004 -- An international team of astronomers has identified the probable surviving companion star to a supernova explosion witnessed in 1572 by Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe and other astronomers of the era.
CASSINI / TITAN THURSDAY VOA 28 Oct 2004 -- Scientists say new images from the U.S.-European Cassini spacecraft support the view that Saturn's giant moon, Titan, has conditions similar to that of early Earth before life appeared. As expected, it has detected the presence of organic chemicals in the atmosphere and ground that are the precursors to life.
CASSINI PICTURES VOA 27 Oct 2004 -- The U.S. space agency has released the first close-up pictures of Titan, Saturn's secretive, giant moon. Photos from the international Cassini spacecraft show the orbiting object shrouded in haze, and astronomers say the new images do not answer many questions surrounding the mysterious moon.
Cassini Completes First High-Resolution Reconnaissance of Titan Washington File 27 Oct 2004 -- The first high-resolution reconnaissance of Saturn's largest moon, Titan, shows dark and light features and possible striations on the surface, but scientists at an October 27 NASA press briefing are "not quite sure" yet what the images mean.
DPRK's Stand on Peaceful Use of Space Clarified KCNA 26 Oct 2004 -- The space, the common heritage of humankind, must be used under all circumstances for the wellbeing of the peoples of all countries, urged the DPRK delegate in his speech in the discussion of the agenda "International Cooperation in Peaceful Use of Outer Space" at the Fourth Committee of the 59th UN General Assembly on Oct. 18.
NASA Helps Find Lifelong Gene Activity in Live Organisms Washington File 25 Oct 2004 -- NASA scientists and colleagues are learning how DNA encodes instructions for controlling basic biological functions, work that may change the understanding of human diseases, according to an October 22 NASA press release.
World: Soyuz Brings Russian, U.S. Astronauts Safely Back From Space RFE/RL 24 Oct 2004 -- A Russian Soyuz spacecraft has brought back American and Russian astronauts from space. The capsule landed safely in Kazakhstan early today, precisely on time and on target. Two of the three men on board were returning from a six-month mission to the International Space Station, which now has a new Russian-American crew in charge.
Earth Drags Space and Time as It Rotates, Scientists Say Washington File 22 Oct 2004 -- An international team of NASA and university researchers has found the first direct evidence that the Earth drags space and time around itself as it rotates, according to an October 21 NASA press release.
World: U.S.-European Mission To Solve Mystery Of Saturn's Enigmatic Moon RFE/RL 22 Oct 2004 -- A U.S.-European spacecraft is preparing to explore the planet Saturn's huge moon, Titan. The "Cassini-Huygens" spacecraft that has orbited the ringed planet since July is to venture within 1,200 kilometers of the cloud-covered moon on 26 October. The fly-by is to be the first of as many as 45 close encounters with Titan over the next four years. The space probe is scheduled to land a capsule on Titan's surface in January. The impending pass will examine the moon's surface, including the target area.
Planets Born from Turbulence, Scientists Find Washington File 20 Oct 2004 -- New planets are formed by massive collisions of rocky embryonic planets, according to new observations made by NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope.
Navy Transfers Space Surveillance Mission to Air Force Navy NewsStand 20 Oct 2004 -- The Navy transferred operation of the former Naval Space Surveillance System, the nation’s oldest sensor built to track satellites and debris in orbit around the Earth, to the Air Force during formal ceremonies here Oct. 1.
NASA Scientists Predict Next Period of Minimum Solar Activity Washington File 19 Oct 2004 -- Scientists at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center have found a simple way to predict the date of the next solar minimum, one extreme of the sun's 11-year activity cycle, according to an October 18 NASA press release.
Officials activate National Security Space Institute AFPN 18 Oct 2004 -- Air Force Space Command officials stood up a space education and training organization here recently that they said will provide the foundation to creating a new generation of space professionals.
Scientists Prepare for Space Probe's Plunge into Titan Atmosphere Washington File 18 Oct 2004 -- On January 14, 2005, the Huygens probe will plow into the orange atmosphere of Saturn's moon, Titan, becoming the first spacecraft to attempt to land on a moon in the solar system since the Soviet Union's Luna 24 touched down on Earth's moon in 1976, according to an October 14 press release from the University of California (UC), Berkeley.
New Propulsion System Could Make Possible 90-Day Mars Round Trip Washington File 18 Oct 2004 -- NASA-funded researchers at the University of Washington are developing a new way to propel spacecraft that could cut the time for a 154-million-kilometer round trip to Mars from 2.5 years to 90 days, according to an October 14 University of Washington (UW) press release.
RUSSIA/SPACE DOCKING VOA 16 Oct 2004 -- A three-man crew has arrived at the International Space Station, after a two-day trip in a Russian Soyuz spacecraft. Two of the men will replace the crew now on the station as part of the normal six-month rotation.
NASA Stratospheric Monitoring Satellite Marks 20 Years in Orbit Washington File 14 Oct 2004 -- A NASA instrument that monitors Earth's upper atmosphere -- from volcanic eruptions to ozone holes -- marks 20 years in orbit, according to an October 13 NASA press release.
New U.S., Russian Crew on its way to International Space Station Washington File 14 Oct 2004 -- The tenth crew of the International Space Station successfully rocketed into space October 13, beginning a six-month mission, according to a NASA press release.
Italian-Built Space Station Cupola Arrives at NASA Washington File 13 Oct 2004 -- The world's ultimate observation deck, a control tower for robotics in space, has arrived at NASA's Kennedy Space Center (KSC) on its way to the International Space Station, according to an October 12 NASA press release.
State Department Uses Satellite Imagery as Key Foreign Policy Tool Washington File 12 Oct 2004 -- The U.S. State Department is using remote-sensing technology on board satellites in an increasing number of nonmilitary applications to support U.S. foreign policy objectives, and one of the fastest-growing applications may be humanitarian assistance.
NASA Rovers Find More Evidence of Water on Mars, Scientists Say Washington File 08 Oct 2004 -- NASA's Spirit and Opportunity rovers have found more evidence of past liquid water on Mars, raising the possibility that areas of the Martian surface were soaked long ago, before it dried and eroded into a wide plain, according to an October 7 NASA press release.
Edwards system monitors SpaceShipOne during flights AFPN 08 Oct 2004 -- As SpaceShipOne rocketed over the Mojave Desert on Oct. 4 to claim the famed Ansari X Prize, a team of engineers here collected data about the spacecraft’s trajectory thanks to the spaceport arrival and departure safety system.
Officials unveil new space badge AFPN 07 Oct 2004 -- Air Force Space Command officials unveiled a new space badge at the Strategic Space 2004 Convention in Omaha, Neb., on Oct. 7.
MARS / WATER VOA 07 Oct 2004 -- The U.S. space agency NASA says one of its two rovers on Mars has found possible fresh evidence that liquid water existed there in the past
AFRL technology flies on SpaceShipOne AFPN 05 Oct 2004 -- Cutting-edge technology developed by experts at Air Force Research Laboratory’s human effectiveness directorate is being used with SpaceShipOne. The privately manned spaceship reached 328,491 feet (62.2 miles) for the second time in five days Oct. 4.
NASA Administrator Congratulates the SpaceShipOne Team Washington File 05 Oct 2004 -- NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe congratulated the SpaceShipOne team on the third successful flight of a private human spacecraft. The team also wins the $10 million Ansari X Prize competition for its October 4 achievement.
NASA Studies Space Railway to Explore Planet Origins Washington File 05 Oct 2004 -- A NASA-led team is studying the construction of a railway in space for a pair of telescopes that will provide views of planet, star and galaxy formation in unprecedented detail, according to an October 5 NASA press release.
New US jamming system endangers Russian telecom sats - expert IRNA 05 Oct 2004 -- New US system of active jamming of satellite communications poses a serious danger for the Russian satellite orbital grouping, in particular telecommunications and navigation, Dr Ivan Mescheryakov, the vice president of the Russian Academy of Cosmonautics, told Itar-Tass Tuesday.
X PRIZE FLIGHT VOA 04 Oct 2004 -- The privately funded craft SpaceShipOne has completed a flight into space after an airborne launch above the California desert. The flight will bring the spaceship crew the 10 million dollar X Prize. Mike O'Sullivan reports from Mojave, California, the project is being hailed as the start of a new space age.
Reconnaissance Office Transforms Space ISR AFPS 04 Oct 2004 -- The National Reconnaissance Office serves as the nation's eyes and ears in space. And while other organizations are working to transform military intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance on the ground, the NRO is looking at that transformation with a bird's-eye view.
NASA Display System Gives Pilots Electronic View of Ground Washington File 01 Oct 2004 -- NASA has developed a revolutionary cockpit display technology that gives pilots a clear electronic 3-D perspective of what's outside, no matter how their vision may be impaired by weather or darkness, according to a September 30 NASA press release.
September
SPACE LAUNCH VOA 29 Sep 2004 -- The private spacecraft SpaceShipOne has briefly entered space above the California desert, completing the first of two qualifying flights for the 10-million dollar X Prize. There were some nervous moments for spectators as the craft was on its way up, but it glided safely to a landing.
BRITAIN / SPACE VOA 27 Sep 2004 -- British airline magnate Richard Branson says his company will begin launching paying customers into outer space by 2007 on the world's first commercial space flights.
Space: British Tycoon Announces Ambitious Venture For Commercial Space Travel RFE/RL 27 Sep 2004 -- British entrepreneur and adventurer Richard Branson -- known for placing his Virgin brand on everything from airplanes to trains -- wants to put his logo on a spaceship next. He says he has signed a deal that could put paying customers into space within the next five years. Called Virgin Galactic, the venture joins Branson's business know-how with the technology of Mojave Aerospace Ventures, the firm behind the first private manned voyage into space in June. Branson hopes that some 3,000 amateur astronauts could fly into space over the next five years.
International Scientists See Head-On Collision of Galaxies Washington File 24 Sep 2004 -- An international team of scientists, led by a NASA-funded researcher, has observed a nearby head-on collision of two galaxy clusters, according to a September 23 NASA press release.
GALAXY COLLISION VOA 23 Sep 2004 -- An international team of astronomers has obtained the clearest images yet of the merger of two distant clusters of galaxies, calling it one of the most powerful cosmic events ever witnessed. The merging clusters bring together thousands of galaxies and trillions of stars into a single, bigger cluster, perhaps destined to merge yet again someday.
India successfully launches EDUSAT satellite for education IRNA 21 Sep 2004 -- India`s Geo-synchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) successfully launched EDUSAT, the country`s first thematic satellite dedicated exclusively for educational services, into a Geo-synchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) from Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR (SDSC SHAR) in Sriharikota, in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, on Monday.
India to launch Indonesian satellite IRNA 18 Sep 2004 -- India`s Antrix Corporation Limited concluded a contract for commercial launching of a satellite of the National Institute of Aeronautics and Space (LAPAN), Indonesia.
Space mission critical to Air Force success AFPN 16 Sep 2004 -- The commander of Air Force Space Command made his point perfectly clear to those whose focus remains firmly on the ground -- wars cannot be won without space supremacy.
Teets: America must reach for space dominance AFPN 15 Sep 2004 -- On the anniversary of the first man-made object reaching the moon, the Department of Defense’s executive agent for space urged America to strive for dominance in space.
Iraq Jamming Incident Underscores Lessons about Space AFPS 15 Sep 2004 -- As the Air Force prepares to observe its 57th birthday Sept. 18, the nation's youngest military service continues to keep a sharp eye on the future.
World: Space Probe Finds New Ring, New Moon Around Saturn RFE/RL 13 Sep 2004 -- The "Cassini-Huygens" Saturn probe is continuing to bring new information about the sixth planet in the solar system. The latest discovery involves a new ring around the planet and new moon -- Saturn's 34th known satellite. The discoveries indicate the planet's moons may influence the shape of the rings.
NASA Scientists Measure Size, Strange Contents of Neutron Star Washington File 10 Sep 2004 -- Scientists have obtained their best measurement yet of the size and contents of a neutron star, an ultra-dense object containing the strangest and rarest matter in the universe, according to a National Aeronautics and Space Administration September 8 press release.
GENESIS CRASH VOA 08 Sep 2004 -- Scientists with the U.S. space agency NASA have begun investigating the crash landing Wednesday of the Genesis space capsule in Utah. The mission came to a disastrous end when a parachute attached to the capsule did not open, sending the vehicle crashing to the ground. Scientists are hoping to recover as much data as they can from the wrecked space probe.
GENESIS CRASH VOA 08 Sep 2004 -- The highly-publicized capture of the Genesis space craft came to a catastrophic end when the capsule crashed to the ground in Utah. A parachute designed to slow the space vehicle's descent did not deploy, resulting in a disastrous landing.
United States Presents Draft Plan for Earth Observation System Washington File 08 Sep 2004 -- The United States released the draft 10-year Strategic Plan for the U.S. Integrated Earth Observation System September 8, a milestone in developing a Global Earth Observation System that involves 48 other countries, the European Commission and 29 international organizations, according to a press release from the president's Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP).
NASA Genesis Capsule Crashes on the Utah Desert Floor Washington File 08 Sep 2004 -- The NASA Genesis capsule, carrying samples of solar wind particles, crash landed and broke apart in the desert of west-central Utah September 8, according to a press briefing at the Michael Army Air Field at the U.S. Army Dugway Proving Ground, Utah.
Israeli spy satellite falls into sea after faulty launch IRNA 06 Sep 2004 -- An Israeli spy satellite has plunged into the Mediterranean minutes after it was launched into space at a site near Tel Aviv Monday, the Israeli media reported.
SPACEWALK VOA 03 Sep 2004 -- A U.S. astronaut and Russian cosmonaut have taken a spacewalk outside the international space station to work on an aging air conditioner and install communications antennas.
Saturn's Rings Run Cool to Warm, Cassini Spacecraft Discovers Washington File 03 Sep 2004 -- The Cassini spacecraft has taken the temperature of Saturn's rings as it pulls in close to the planet, finding that they are both cool and relatively warm, report scientists at mission headquarters at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California.
Report shows space programs improving AFPN 02 Sep 2004 -- Space programs are improving and cultural change is under way, according to a recent review of the May 2003 Task Force on Acquisition of National Security Space Programs report.
August
DISTANT SUNS / SMALL PLANETS VOA 31 Aug 2004 -- U.S. astronomers have made a finding they say increases the chance that distant stars may harbor planetary systems like our own. They have discovered two planets the size of Neptune elsewhere in our galaxy. These are the smallest planets yet found outside our solar system and may herald the discovery of even smaller ones like Earth.
U.S. Scientists Announce New Class of Planets Washington File 31 Aug 2004 -- U.S. scientists announced the discovery of a new class of planets outside Earth's solar system August 31, the smallest planets ever detected so far from Earth.
U.S.: Spacecraft Set To Return Solar Particles To Earth RFE/RL 31 Aug 2004 -- Though made of diamonds, sapphires, gold, and silicon, a sampling device on board a U.S. spacecraft is set to bring even more precious cargo back to Earth in a week's time -- bits of the sun caught during the probe's three-year journey. Named "Genesis," the spacecraft should swing by Earth on 8 September, releasing a capsule containing particles of solar wind. The capsule is due to come down in Utah.
Rumsfeld Says U.S. Expects Limited Missile Defense by End of 2004 Washington File 20 Aug 2004 -- Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld says the United States expects to have a limited ability to defend against incoming long-range ballistic missiles by the end of 2004.
NASA Genesis Spacecraft Returns to Earth with Solar Wind Samples Washington File 20 Aug 2004 -- The Genesis spacecraft will swing by Earth next month and jettison a capsule that is carrying samples of particles of the sun that may help explain the beginnings of the solar system, says a National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) press release.
Water Changed Rocks in Mars Gusev Crater, NASA Rover Finds Washington File 19 Aug 2004 -- NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit is examining bedrock in the Columbia Hills of Mars and finding evidence that water thoroughly altered some rocks in Gusev Crater, according to a NASA press release.
Transcript: Remarks by Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld at the Seventh Annual Space and Missile Defense Conference 18 Aug 2004 -- Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld
MARS / WATER VOA 18 Aug 2004 -- Scientists say they might be on the verge of confirming that large amounts of water once flowed in a region of Mars that has looked curiously dry until now. Such a finding could be comparable to their discovery earlier this year of an ancient shallow sea on the other side of the red planet.
Missile Defense Needed to Thwart Extremists, Rumsfeld Says AFPS 18 Aug 2004 -- With extremists constantly looking for weaknesses to exploit and the means to exploit them, missile defense capabilities are a must, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said here today.
TWO MORE SATURN MOONS VOA 17 Aug 2004 -- The planet with the second largest number of moons now has two more. The U.S. Cassini spacecraft discovered them around Saturn, bringing the giant ringed planet's known total to 33.
NASA Cassini Spacecraft Finds Two New Saturn Moons Washington File 17 Aug 2004 -- The Cassini spacecraft has discovered two new moons at Saturn that may be the smallest bodies seen so far around the ringed planet, according to a NASA press release.
Mars Rover Sends Pictures to European Space Agency Orbiter Washington File 11 Aug 2004 -- The Mars rover Opportunity sent pictures from the planet's surface to the European Space Agency's (ESA) Mars Express orbiter on August 4, showing for the first time that the orbiter could serve as a communications link.
Mars Rovers Continue to Explore While Teams Diagnose Problems Washington File 05 Aug 2004 -- NASA's Spirit rover has climbed higher into Mars's rocky hills while its twin craft, Opportunity, descended deeper into a crater, but both are operating with restrictions while team members diagnose unexpected behavior.
Canada and United States Amend NORAD Agreement Department of National Defence of Canada 05 Aug 2004 -- Minister of National Defence Bill Graham and Minister of Foreign Affairs Pierre Pettigrew today announced that the Government is amending the North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD) agreement with the United States. The amendment authorizes NORAD to make its missile warning function — a role it has been performing for the last 30 years — available to the U.S. commands conducting ballistic missile defence.
NASA's Mercury-bound MESSENGER Launches from Cape Canaveral Washington File 03 Aug 2004 -- MESSENGER, the first mission to Mercury in 30 years and the first ever to orbit the closest planet to the Sun, launched August 3 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida.
MERCURY MISSION VOA 03 Aug 2004 -- The United States has launched a spacecraft to explore the mysteries of the planet Mercury. Mercury is the least understood of the nine planets in our solar system.
NASA Set to Launch Orbiter to Mercury Washington File 02 Aug 2004 -- Bad weather forced NASA to cancel the scheduled August 2 launch of MESSENGER, the first mission to Mercury in 30 years. The space agency's window to begin the mission extends to August 14.
July
Imaging Technology Aids Humanitarian Efforts in Chad, U.N. Says Washington File 30 Jul 2004 -- The U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reports July 30 that the transfer of refugees is complete from volatile Chad-Sudan border towns to the relative safety of camps in the region.
World: Mercury Rising As NASA's 'Messenger' Probe Set To Begin Seven-Year Journey RFE/RL 27 Jul 2004 -- Mercury -- the solar system's closest planet to the sun -- is due to be explored for the first time in almost 40 years, and this time in far greater detail. On 26 July, a U.S. spacecraft named "Messenger" is set to begin its complicated seven-year journey to Mercury, considered the least-explored of our solar system's terrestrial planets, those most like Earth.
DoD Ushers in New Missile Defense Capability AFPS 23 Jul 2004 -- A historic moment took place July 22 at Fort Greely, Alaska, as the first ground-based missile interceptor was placed in an underground silo at the missile defense complex there.
HUBBLE REPAIR RECOMMENDATIONS VOA 13 Jul 2004 -- A panel of experts recommends that the U.S. space agency NASA not rule out sending astronauts to repair the Hubble Space Telescope. Their call contradicts NASA's strong stand against launching a shuttle to upgrade the orbiting observatory
Kazakhstan To Launch Own Space Program RFE/RL 10 Jul 2004 -- Kazakhstan today announced its intention to set up its own space program.
AUSTRALIA / US MISSILE DEFENSE VOA 08 Jul 2004 -- Australia and the United States have signed a pact to develop a controversial missile defense shield. President Bush made the project a priority after the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington in 2001. But critics have questioned its cost, viability, and Australia's need for such a system.
Transcript: Q&A following meetings on the U.S. Ballistic Missile Defense Shield 07 Jul 2004 -- Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, Secretary of State Colin Powell, Australian Defense Minister, Robert Hill and Australian Foreign Minister, Alexander Downer
United States and Australia Sign Missile Defense Agreement 07 Jul 2004 -- The United States and Australia today signed a framework memorandum of understanding outlining future Australian participation on cooperative missile defense activities. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld signed for the United States and Sen. Robert Hill, Minister for Defence, signed for Australia.
CASSINI / SATURN / TITAN'S SECRETS VOA 03 Jul 2004 -- The U.S. Cassini spacecraft's first look at Saturn's largest moon, Titan, is thrilling scientists and changing their ideas about what its surface is made of. Researchers are hoping to find water there, but the first glimpse does not show it.
SATURN'S DIRTY, DECAYING RINGS VOA 02 Jul 2004 -- The U.S. Cassini spacecraft orbiting Saturn has found evidence that the giant planet's dazzling rings are decaying and may eventually be gone. The rings are dirtier than thought, too.
NASA Celebrates "Mind-Boggling" Images of Saturn Washington File 01 Jul 2004 -- More than 20 years of scientific work on the Cassini-Huygens space mission came to fruition July 1 when the scientific team at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory saw the first images of Saturn's rings. Cassini transmitted the pictures back to Earth -- across more than 900 million miles of space -- just hours after the spacecraft slipped through the rings June 30 to enter an orbit around the planet.
Cassini Enters Saturn's Orbit Washington File 01 Jul 2004 -- After more than 900 million miles and almost seven years in flight, the Cassini-Huygens space mission has successfully entered orbit around Saturn, passing deftly through the rings of the gaseous planet on June 30.
World: Saturn Probe Flawlessly Enters Orbit, Running Rings Around The Planet RFE/RL 01 Jul 2004 -- After a 3 billion-kilometer journey through space, the international "Cassini-Huygens" spacecraft has gone into orbit around the ringed planet Saturn. Almost seven years after leaving Earth, the spacecraft is now beginning a research program to unlock the secrets of the planet and its many moons. "Cassini-Huygens" is a joint project of the U.S. and European space agencies. It consists of two probes, the major one being the "Cassini" vehicle that will study the planet and its famous rings. Carried piggyback on "Cassini" is the European Space Agency's "Huygens" probe, which will detach and land on the surface of Saturn's biggest moon, Titan.
June
SATURN ARRIVAL WRAP VOA 01 Jul 2004 -- An American-European spacecraft has entered orbit around the ringed planet Saturn -- the first to do so. The maneuver ended a seven-year journey and began a four-year inspection of the giant gas planet and eight of its 31 moons.
SPACEWALK WRAP VOA 01 Jul 2004 -- The two U.S. and Russian space station crewmen repaired a vital steering mechanism during a spacewalk late Wednesday.
SPACEWALK VOA 30 Jun 2004 -- The U.S. and Russian crewmen of the international space station are carrying out a maintenance spacewalk. It is a repeat effort to fix a vital control mechanism following last week's aborted attempt.
Mapping Agency Correcting Afghanistan Charts AFPS 30 Jun 2004 -- Mapmakers at the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency have detected errors in topographic line maps of Afghanistan and are working to correct these mistakes, agency officials said today.
Length of Saturn's Day a Puzzle to Scientists Washington File 29 Jun 2004 -- The Cassini spacecraft, now approaching Saturn, has measured the planet's day at 10 hours, 45 minutes and 45 seconds, a finding that conflicts with measurements taken by the Voyager One and Two missions in 1980 and 1981.
U.S., EU Reach Agreement on Satellite Navigation Services Washington File 26 Jun 2004 -- At the European Union Summit held June 26 in Ireland, the United States and the European Union reached an agreement covering their satellite navigation services, the U.S. Global Positioning System, and Europe's planned Galileo system.
INDIA/US/SPACE VOA 27 Jun 2004 -- India and the United States are exploring ways to step up trade and collaboration in civilian space-related activities. New avenues in commerce between the two countries have opened up since the United States eased decades of restrictions on high-technology exports to India.
MORE MARS WATER VOA 25 Jun 2004 -- A U.S. robotic rover on Mars is finding evidence that the shallow salt water sea that once covered part of the red planet was deeper than suspected. The signs come from a crater that allows mission geologists to peer beneath the surface of Mars.
SPACE STATION / SPACEWALK VOA 24 Jun 2004 -- The two international space station crewmen have aborted a maintenance spacewalk because of a faulty oxygen tank on one of them.
World: 'Cassini' Probe Nearing Historic Rendezvous With Saturn RFE/RL 24 Jun 2004 -- After a seven-year journey, the U.S. space probe "Cassini" is about to reach its destination, the ringed planet Saturn. "Cassini" is the largest interplanetary spacecraft ever built -- at nearly six tons and the height of a three-story house -- and is designed to explore the massive planet and its 31 moons over the next four years.
India`s ISRO nears deal with US based Raytheon IRNA 24 Jun 2004 -- The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) is about to sign a major contract with a US company, Raytheon.
US policy may deter India`s growth in satellite-launch market IRNA 23 Jun 2004 -- Nations wanting to take advantage of up to 30 percent cheaper satellite launches by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) were unlikely to be allowed to do so if they had either bought US-made satellites or satellites that had US-made components, the local media reported here Wednesday.
SHUTTLE PROGRESS SLOW VOA 22 Jun 2004 -- The head of the U.S. space agency NASA says returning the space shuttle fleet to orbit is proving more challenging than expected. His comments raise the prospect that the first shuttle mission after last year's Columbia accident will be delayed again.
State's Morin Encourages Greater U.S.-India Space Cooperation Washington File 22 Jun 2004 -- Increased U.S.-Indian cooperation in space technologies could lead to tremendous advances in economic development, according to Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Lee Morin.
SPACE FLIGHT VOA 21 Jun 2004 -- A California team has achieved the first manned space flight by a commercial venture, an event being hailed as an aviation milestone. Pilot Mike Melvill completed the flight Monday, becoming the world's first commercial astronaut.
President Bush Praises U.S.-India Space Cooperation Washington File 21 Jun 2004 -- Following is the text of a message from President Bush to participants in the India-United States Conference on Space Science, Applications, and Commerce that took place in Bangalore, India, June 21.
SPACE FLIGHT PREVIEW VOA 20 Jun 2004 -- Early Monday, a private team will try to send a human into space after launch from an aircraft high above the California desert. The team hopes to send a manned rocket 100 kilometers above the earth's surface, achieving the first private space flight.
World: First Private Manned Space Mission Set To Blast Off RFE/RL 18 Jun 2004 -- A commercial aerospace company is planning to launch the first private manned mission to space. If successful, the spacecraft's creators will be a step closer to winning a $10 million dollar offered as an incentive for private industry to catch up with government space programs. But can the private sector really reinvigorate space exploration as some backers claim?
Space Commission Launches New Approach To Space Exploration Washington File 16 Jun 2004 -- A specially appointed presidential commission on space policy issued a report June16 charting out a new vision to pursue U.S. ambitions in outer space. Titled "A Journey to Inspire, Innovate and Discover," the 64-page document calls for firm national commitment to the continued exploration of space, increased involvement from the private sector, and a transformation of the way in which the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) manages its programs.
U.S. SPACE / REORGANIZATION VOA 16 Jun 2004 -- A U.S. presidential commission says the government should shift many of its space tasks to private industry so the government can focus on human space exploration.
MARS ROVERS VOA 15 Jun 2004 -- One of the two U.S. robot rovers on Mars has developed a problem in one of its six wheels. Ground controllers do not know how long the wheel will operate, but say it should not prevent the machine from continuing to roll along.
Spacecraft Offers Look at Saturn Moon Washington File 15 Jun 2004 -- The Cassini spacecraft is seeing a surface that appears battered, cratered and somewhat icy on the Saturn moon Phoebe as the spacecraft sends back the closest pictures humans have ever seen of this satellite circling the solar system's ringed planet.
Cassini Spacecraft Approaches Saturn Moon Washington File 10 Jun 2004 -- The Cassini spacecraft is entering the Saturn planetary system and is set to make its closest approach to the outer moon Phoebe June 11. On arrival at Saturn itself June 30, Cassini will begin a four-year tour of the Saturn system.
MARS / WATER VOA 08 Jun 2004 -- A U.S. rover on Mars has discovered more evidence of ancient water, revealing that the liquid was once widely distributed on the red planet. The other U.S. robot is about to begin a risky trek into a crater from which it might not return.
ROCSAT-2 SENDS BACK FIRST BATCH OF PHOTOS CNA 04 Jun 2004 -- ROCSAT-2 has sent back its first batch of test photos, with better-than-expected results, the National Space Program Office (NSPO) reported Friday.
New launch site for Russian rocket IRNA 01 Jun 2004 -- The last details of a project to launch the Russian Soyuz rockets from the Kourou space center in French Guiana have been settled.
May
World: U.S. Spacecraft Ready For Life As Satellite Of Saturn RFE/RL 31 May 2004 -- Following a successful trajectory adjustment last week, America's "Cassini" spacecraft is now on course to encounter the planet Saturn's enigmatic moon Phoebe. The encounter will be a crucial test of the spacecraft's health after its nearly seven-year voyage from Earth. The craft is to become Saturn's first-ever artificial satellite, and will study its rings and natural satellites for four years. It will also drop a European probe on its largest satellite, Titan, later in the year.
ROCSAT-2 SUCCESSFULLY LAUNCHED CNA 21 May 2004 -- President Chen Shui-bian pushed a button during a teleconference Friday to activate a connection between the ROCSAT-2 satellite and Taiwan, marking the success of the launch and operations of Taiwan's second satellite.
ROCSAT-2 EXPECTED TO BE SUCCESSFULLY LAUNCHED: NSC OFFICIAL CNA 20 May 2004 -- The Republic of China's second satellite -- ROCSAT-2 -- is expected to be successfully launched into orbit from the Vandenberg Air Force Base in California on Thursday morning, a ranking official of the ROC Cabinet-level National Science Council (NSC) said Wednesday in California.
Orbital Successfully Launches Taiwan's ROCSAT-2 Satellite Aboard Taurus XL Rocket Orbital Sciences Corporation 20 May 2004 -- Orbital Sciences Corporation (NYSE:ORB) announced today that its Taurus XL space launch vehicle successfully boosted the Republic of China's ROCSAT-2 remote sensing satellite into low-Earth orbit in a mission that originated from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California earlier this afternoon.
Orbital Set To Launch Taurus Rocket On May 20 Orbital Sciences Corporation 19 May 2004 -- Orbital Sciences Corporation announced today that it is in final preparations to launch its Taurus® space launch vehicle carrying the Republic of China's ROCSAT-2 remote sensing satellite on Thursday, May 20, 2004.
PATRIOT MISSILE, TORNADO FRIENDLY FIRE INVESTIGATION COMPLETED CENTCOM Release 14 May 2004-- The investigation into the March 22, 2003 friendly fire incident between a U.S. Patriot missile system and a British Royal Air Force aircraft is complete.
Probe Says Tornado Jet Downed in 'Perceived Self-Defense' AFPS 14 May 2004 -- A U.S. Patriot missile crew in Iraq downed a British Royal Air Force Tornado attack fighter jet in "perceived self-defense," U.S. Central Command's investigation of the March 22, 2003, incident has concluded.
U.S. Dangerous Moves for Missile Defence System under Fire KCNA 13 May 2004 -- The U.S. Defense Department, which recently decided to deploy nearly 10 interceptor missiles by the end of this year, is going full steam ahead for its materialization.
Ballistic Missile Defense in Korea to be Strengthened US Forces Korea 06 May 2004 -- Earlier this week Congresswoman Madeleine Bordallo, a member of the House Armed Services Committee, was informed by the Secretary of the Army that additional Patriot assets will be stationed in the Republic of Korea (ROK) to augment the ballistic missile defense capabilities already in the region.
April
US Forces Korea 30 Apr 2004 -- Republic of Korea and United States has agreed to deploy additional Patriot units, air defense missile system to Korea temporarily this fall.
RUSSIA SPACE VOA 29 Apr 2004 -- A three-man crew has returned to earth Friday from the International Space Station in a Russian Soyuz capsule that touched down in Kazakhstan. The three men are from the United States, Russia and the Netherlands.
SPACE STATION / GYROSCOPE VOA 23 Apr 2004 -- Astronauts aboard the international space station say the failure of a stabilizing gyroscope is not a crisis. As we hear from V-O-A's David McAlary in Washington, the orbiting outpost is now operating with the minimum number of gyroscopes.
RUSSIA/SPACE STATION VOA 21 Apr 2004 -- A two-man replacement crew and a scientist aboard a Russian spacecraft have arrived at the International Space Station, or I-S-S.
U-S / RUSSIA / SPACE STATION VOA 20 Apr 2004 -- The United States has rejected a Russian request to extend the length of International Space Station missions from six months to one year.
NEW SPACE STATION CREW VOA 18 Apr 2004 -- A new crew is [will soon be] on its way to the International Space Station in a Russian Soyuz spaceship. A Russian cosmonaut and U-S astronaut took off from Baikonur, Kazahsktan, and are to arrive at the outpost Wednesday for a six-month stay. The mission maintains the basic operations of the research outpost until space shuttles fly again.
DISTANT PLANET MAGNIFIED VOA 15 Apr 2004 -- An international team of astronomers has discovered yet another planet far beyond our solar system, but the astronomers used a different method than the one previously used to find planets. They used a cosmic magnifying glass provided by nature.
MISSING MOON VOA 14 Apr 2004 -- Astronomers are looking for a missing moon. They think it is orbiting the tiny, icy, red planetoid named Sedna they discovered last month, far beyond Pluto, until then the most distant planet in the solar system. But a search with the most powerful ground and space telescopes has failed to turn a moon up.
ROCSAT-2 TO HELP IN NATURAL DISASTER CONTROL MISSION KCNA 08 Apr 2004 -- The National Space Program Office (NSPO) and the Natural Disaster Center under National Chengkung University (NCU) forged a joint venture Thursday on the prevention of natural and environmental hazards by using images that will be captured by a Taiwanese satellite.
March
MARS ROVERS VOA 08 Apr 2004 -- The U-S space agency NASA says its twin Mars rovers appear healthy enough to last at least five more months. It has extended their water-seeking odyssey now that the "Spirit" rover has completed its 90 day prime mission and the "Opportunity" robot is approaching that goal.
Transformation Director Says Cold War Space Approach Must Change AFPS 31 Mar 2004 -- Transformation across the armed forces is happening much faster than expected when the concept was announced two years ago, the Defense Department's director of force transformation told lawmakers during recent testimony before the Senate Subcommittee on Strategic Forces.
International Interest in Missile Defense Rising, Kadish Says Washington File 29 Mar 2004 -- The director of the U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA) says governments and companies around the world are expressing greater interest in participating in the widening effort to develop defenses against ballistic missiles.
General Explains Missile Defense Funding Request AFPS 26 Mar 2004 -- The man in charge of safeguarding the United States against a ballistic missile attack warned members of the House Armed Services Committee's Strategic Forces Subcommittee on March 25 that in the coming years the country will face a ballistic threat from a variety of sources.
Rover Finds More Evidence of Water on Ancient Mars Washington File 24 Mar 2004 -- The Opportunity rover has detected rocks on the surface of Mars marked by patterns that suggest the stones formed as deposits in a saltwater body, according to an announcement from the National Air and Space Administration's (NASA) Jet Propulsion Laboratory March 23.
World: Mars Mission Finds Evidence Of A Salty Sea Hospitable To Life RFE/RL 24 Mar 2004 -- U.S. space scientists have moved one step closer to determining whether Mars once harbored life. Earlier this month, one of two robotic vehicles roaming the planet found evidence that water had once eroded stone. Now they've announced that the evidence points to something even more important.
MARS / WATER VOA 23 Mar 2004 -- The U-S space agency NASA says Mars once had a shallow, salty sea that could have supported life. The evidence has come from chemical and physical traits of rocks being explored by one of the two robotic rovers on the red planet.
SHUTTLE REPAIRS VOA 22 Mar 2004 -- The U-S space agency NASA is conducting an investigation into the failure of inspections over the years to find that a critical gear in a shuttle tail rudder was improperly installed when the orbiters were built in the 1970s. The part is being replaced, but one NASA official says the mistake could have been catastrophic to a shuttle crew.
MARS / WATER VOA 18 Mar 2004 -- The European Space Agency's Mars Express orbiter has sent back images that show there is plenty of icy water at the red planet's southern pole. The finding confirms previous scientific studies suggesting the presence of icy water in the far reaches of earth's closest neighbor.
Carrier rocket for Shenzhou VI to be shipped in June or July,2005 PLA Daily 17 Mar 2004 -- China will see the shipment of the carrier rocket for Shenzhou VI, the country's second manned space flight to be launched in 2005, in June or July next year, revealed a top scientist Monday.
Space Digest VOA 17 Mar 2004 -- Water on Mars; Tumbleweed Rover; New Comet; Photos of Distant Galaxies
NATO, Russia Conduct First Joint Missile Defense Exercise Washington File 11 Mar 2004 -- NATO and Russia are conducting their first joint exercise to test the interoperability of missile defense systems.
NASA Looks a Decade Ahead in Planning Its Mars Missions Washington File 11 Mar 2004 -- The two exploratory vehicles currently roaming the surface of Mars are sending back data that have been "incredibly revealing," National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Associate Administrator Edward Weiler told the Senate Space subcommittee March 10.
Hubble Telescope Sees Deep into the Universe Washington File 10 Mar 2004 -- The Hubble Space Telescope has achieved its most probing view ever of the visible universe, according to a March 9 press release from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
PROS, CONS EXCHANGED IN DEBATE ON PURCHASE OF ANTI-MISSILE EQUIPMENT CNA 10 Mar 2004 -- Two debaters expressed their pros and cons in a televised debate Wednesday over the question of Taiwan's anti-missile military procurement, one of the two questions to be raised in a referendum planned for March 20 to coincide with the presidential election.
HUBBLE IMAGE VOA 09 Mar 2004 -- Just-released photos from the Hubble space telescope have unveiled the earliest and deepest images into the universe to date. Scientists around the world are trying to decipher the Hubble images that peer into space 13 billion light years away to try to understand how galaxies originate.
MARS ROVER VOA 07 Mar 2004 -- The Mars twin rovers are preparing to search for more evidence of water on the red planet. Last week, scientists announced Opportunity had found geological signs of great amounts of water, an ingredient necessary to sustain life.
NATO-Russia Council Theatre Missile Defence Command Post Exercise (TMD CPX) NATO 05 Mar 2004 -- Under the aegis of the NATO-Russia Council (NRC), the Theatre Missile Defence Ad Hoc Working Group will conduct the first joint NATO-Russia TMD Command Post Exercise from 8-12 March 2004 at the United States Joint National Integration Center (JNIC) (1) in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
MARS / WATER VOA 05 Mar 2004 -- A U-S Mars rover has found more hints that water once existed on the planet. The latest evidence is on the other side of the planet from where scientists showed earlier this week that water once drenched the region.
Spacecraft Finds Evidence of Water in Martian Past Washington File 03 Mar 2004 -- The rocks of Mars seem to reveal a past in which the Red Planet was a wet planet. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, headquarters for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) MARS mission, announced March 2 that the exploratory rover on Mars has discovered strong evidence that the area of the planet under investigation was once soaking wet.
TAIWAN TO PURCHASE SIX PATRIOT PAC-3 MISSILE BATTERIES: MND CNA 03 Mar 2004 -- Taiwan will purchase six Patriot PAC-3 missile batteries from the United States under a 10-year weaponry system procurement plan, a high ranking Ministry of National Defense (MND) official said Wednesday.
Space Digest VOA 02 Mar 2004 -- " Today we tell the latest news from the International Space Station. We tell about new evidence of a black hole, one of the most powerful objects in space. We report about problems that must be solved before people can be sent to the planet Mars. We begin our report with news about the two vehicles that are now exploring that planet."
Europe: Comet-Chasing Spacecraft Due To Blast Off RFE/RL 01 Mar 2004 -- The European Space Agency is due this week to launch a mission to explore a distant comet. The spacecraft will eventually orbit the comet and -- for the first time ever -- send a lander to its surface to look for clues to the origins of the solar system.
NATO Statement on the EU Commission - US Agreement on GPS/Galileo cooperation NATO 01 Mar 2004 -- "NATO welcomes the agreements reached between the United States and the European Commission on overall principles governing Galileo/GPS cooperation. "
February
ESA mulls blasting Rosette probe with Russian launch vehicle IRNA 29 Feb 2004 -- Following two failures to lift off an Arianne-5 launch vehicle with the Rosette probe under a flight program to discover the secrets of the Churyumov-Geramisenko comet, the European Space Agency (ESA) is mulling over putting the probe into orbit with, among other versions, a Russian Proton carrier.
U.S.-EU Joint Statement on GPS/Galileo Cooperation Washington File 27 Feb 2004 -- The United States and the European Union have achieved agreement "on most of the overall principles of GPS [Global Positioning System]/Galileo cooperation," according to a U.S.-EU joint statement issued in Brussels February 26, the day after the conclusion of the latest round of negotiations.
Remarks by Braibanti, Hilbrecht on GPS/Galileo Agreement Washington File 27 Feb 2004 -- A joint statement on principles of cooperation between two satellite navigation systems -- America's GPS, or Global Positioning System, and Europe's Galileo -- was issued in Brussels at the end of the latest round of negotiations February 25.
China unveils lunar probe project details PLA Daily 27 Feb 2004 -- China's long-expected lunar probe program broke the ground Thursday, with its scientific targets, project targets and the development schedule laid out, said China's Commission of Science Technology and Industry for National Defense.
US Air Force to pay Boeing, Lockheed more PLA Daily 27 Feb 2004 -- The US Air Force will pay 50 percent more to Boeing Co. and Lockheed Martin Corp. to send military satellites into space, the Bloomberg News reported on Thursday.
MARS ROVERS VOA 26 Feb 2004 -- The U-S Mars rover "Spirit" has entered the rockiest terrain it has encountered since arriving in January, as it heads for a crater to search for signs that water once flowed on the red planet. A mission scientist says he is confident the water question will be answered in about a month, when Spirit and its twin, "Opportunity," have gathered more data.
DARK ENERGY VOA 25 Feb 2004 -- U-S astronomers say their Hubble Space Telescope observations make them more confident that a mysterious, repulsive "dark energy" that counters gravity will keep the universe expanding, but not so fast as to tear it apart. However, a steadily expanding cosmos will eventually move other galaxies out of sight.
SPACE STATION / SPACEWALK VOA 25 Feb 2004 -- The two U-S and Russian crewmen aboard the International Space Station are preparing for a spacewalk later today (Thursday) that will leave the outpost temporarily unoccupied for the first time. The U-S space agency, NASA, had to overcome initial qualms about the maneuver before accepting it.
Shenzhou VI to fly five to seven days in space PLA Daily 24 Feb 2004 -- Shenzhou VI, China's second manned space flight to be launched next year, is scheduled to fly five to seven days, says Wang Yongzhi, chief designer of China's manned space program.
China plans to put two people into space in 2005 PLA Daily 23 Feb 2004 -- China, which last year became the third nation to blast a man into space, plans to send two astronauts up on a five-to-seven-day mission in 2005 and later build a space station, China Central Television (CCTV) reported on Saturday.
Officail: Interplanetary shuttle can be built in five years IRNA 22 Feb 2004 -- A Russian interplanetary shuttle can be built in five years provided there is normal funding, said first deputy general designer of the Energia Space Corporation Nikolai Zelenschikov here Sunday.
SHUTTLE RESCUE PLANS VOA 19 Feb 2004 -- Officials at the U-S Space agency NASA suggest the space shuttle will not return to flight until next year. When it does, a second shuttle crew will be standing by on the ground to rescue its crew if necessary.
MARS ROVERS VOA 19 Feb 2004 -- Soil stuck to the wheels of a U-S rover on Mars is causing mission scientists to wonder if it is mud. Two rovers are on the red planet seeking evidence of liquid water that might once have supported life.
Putin vows to build missile defense system with new strategic weapons PLA Daily 19 Feb 2004 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday that his country may begin building its own missile defense system and the military will be equipped with new strategic weapons.
BLACK HOLE DESTROYS STAR VOA 18 Feb 2004 -- For the first time, two orbiting telescopes have seen the violent death throes of a star being partially swallowed by a black hole. The observation supports a long-held theory of how black holes capture unsuspecting stars that wander into their neighborhood.
MARS ROVERS VOA 17 Feb 2004 -- One of the U-S Mars rovers has spun a wheel to dig a shallow trench in the sand in the continuing search for evidence that water once flowed on the red planet. The second rover is in the midst a long trek to a nearby crater that will take several days.
MARS ROVERS VOA 16 Feb 2004 -- The U-S Mars rover "Spirit" has set a distance record in its pursuit of evidence the red planet once had liquid water that could have supported life.
HUBBLE TELESCOPE'S FUTURE VOA 13 Feb 2004 -- After 14 years of stunning cosmic observations, the Hubble Space Telescope is facing oblivion. The U-S space agency NASA has canceled its final maintenance by a space shuttle crew, upsetting many astronomers, politicians, and private citizens. But new techniques in astronomy are making the Hubble obsolete.
U-S / MOON-MARS VOA 11 Feb 2004 -- President Bush's new space commission has embarked on its effort to translate his broad plan for human visits to the moon and Mars into reality. The commissioners say the biggest challenge is not technology but sustaining public interest and political commitment for the decades necessary to complete the task.
MARS ROVERS VOA 09 Feb 2004 -- The U-S Mars rover "Opportunity" has photographed an unusual rock that scientists say reminds them of a blueberry muffin. As they debate its origins, the twin rover "Spirit" is making its way to its second rock in the search for traces of water on the red planet.
MARS/ROVERS VOA 06 Feb 2004 -- The U-S space agency, NASA, says its troubled Mars rover, "Spirit," is finally back to normal and collecting science again. Computer problems had interrupted its data transmission more than two weeks ago, and threatened its water seeking mission.
Minister says lab model of Mesbah satellite to be launched IRNA 03 Feb 2004 -- Minister of Communications and Information Technology Ahmad Motamedi said here on Tuesday that Mesbah miniature satellite is going to be launched into space within the next one year and four months.
China to start astronaut training for Shenzhou VI PLA Daily 03 Feb 2004 -- China's astronaut team is to start training in March for the nation's second manned space flight on Shenzhou VI, reported the Beijing Youth Daily on Monday.
Two U.S. Exploration Rovers Now Operating on Martian Surface Washington File 02 Feb 2004 -- U.S. scientists report that for the first time in history two mobile robots -- the Mars Exploration Rovers Opportunity and Spirit -- roam the surface of another planet at the same time.
MARS ROVERS VOA 02 Feb 2004 -- The troubled U-S Mars rover "Spirit" is healthy again after the repair of its computer. The six-wheeled vehicle is finally resuming science operations that were halted almost two weeks ago.
Mars rover sees possible water evidence PLA DAily 02 Feb 2004 -- NASA's Mars rover Opportunity spied hints Friday of a mineral that typically forms in water - a finding that could mean the dry and dusty Red Planet was once wetter and more hospitable to life.
January
Bush Establishes Commission on Implementation of U.S. Space Exploration Policy Washington File 31 Jan 2004 -- Following is President Bush's Executive Order establishing a commission to study ways of implementing the Administrations "new vision for space exploration activities of the United States"
Opportunity Mars Rover Rolls Off Landing Platform VOA News 31 Jan 2004 -- Six days after landing on Mars, the U.S. Opportunity rover has rolled off its landing platform onto the ground, ready to collect scientific data. Mission scientists report that it had earlier sensed the presence of a mineral that suggests liquid water might have flowed on the red planet.
Army activates space defense battalion in Alaska Army News Service 30 Jan 2004-- A component of the nation’s emerging missile defense system stood up Jan. 22 when the Missile Defense Space Battalion was formally activated at Fort Greely, Alaska.
China to launch new solid-fuel rocket PLA Daily 30 Jan 2004 -- China plans to launch a new generation of rockets later this year. The small satellite launch vehicle, Explorer I, will use solid fuel to carry a scientific experimental satellite into space. The new breed of rocket is needed to complement the Long March group, the country's large-scale liquid-fuel space launchers.
Mars Rover Spirit Resumes Taking Pictures VOA 30 Jan 2004 -- The U.S. Spirit rover on Mars is taking pictures again as engineers continue fixing a computer problem that had stopped its research. On the other side of the red planet, its twin, Opportunity, has stretched its legs in preparation for rolling off its lander.
Challenger crew memorialized on Mars AFPN 28 Jan 2004-- Late Air Force Lt. Cols. Francis R. (Dick) Scobee and Ellison S. Onizuka are among those now memorialized on the red planet. NASA officials have named the landing site of the Mars rover Opportunity in honor of the Space Shuttle Challenger's final crew. The area in the vast flatland called Meridiani Planum, where Opportunity landed Jan. 25, will be called the Challenger Memorial Station.
Second U.S. Mars Rover Sends Back Pictures from Red Planet Washington File 27 Jan 2004 -- The National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) second Mars Exploration Rover, Opportunity, has sent back the first pictures of its landing site, which indicate that the spacecraft sits in a shallow crater about 20 meters across.
SPACE COMPANY VOA 27 Jan 2004 -- Workers at a small aerospace company in Pasadena, California, played a crucial role in the Mars exploration rover missions. The company designed and manufactured the robotic arm on each of two rovers now on the Red Planet.
MARS ROVERS VOA 27 Jan 2004 -- Scientists are excited about a new image from the second U-S Mars rover showing the planet's underlying rock for the first time. While they plan an exploration of the site, engineers are reporting a heater problem aboard the craft.
MISSILE DEFENSE BOOSTER TEST IS SUCCESSFUL Missile Defense Agency 27 Jan 2004 -- The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) announced today the completion last night of another successful flight test involving a new booster rocket designed to support the Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) system to intercept and destroy long-range ballistic missiles of the type that could be aimed at any of our 50 states.
Russia, United States set to explore space together IRNA 27 Jan 2004 -- In his January 14 speech, President George Bush unveiled a truly fantastic national space program which, to all appearances, would seem to involve the United States and the entire international community in further space exploration.
Exercise tests shuttle rescue capabilities AFPN 26 Jan 2004-- LAJES FIELD, Azores (AFPN) -- Lajes Field's capabilities to save a downed space shuttle crew will be put to the test during a daylong exercise here Jan. 30.
MARS ROVERS VOA 26 Jan 2004 -- The U-S space agency, NASA, says its second Mars rover, Opportunity, is in excellent shape after Sunday's landing, relaying photographs of the terrain around it. As V-O-A's David McAlary in Washington tells us, NASA computer experts have a new theory about why its twin, Spirit, is malfunctioning -- an overloaded memory.
BRITAIN / MARS VOA 26 Jan 2004 -- British space scientists say they have asked their U-S colleagues to help in a last ditch effort to contact the missing Martian lander, Beagle Two.
MARS ROVERS VOA 25 Jan 2004 -- Another U-S spacecraft has landed successfully on Mars to begin a three-month search for traces of ancient water. It has deployed itself and begun transmitting its first images of the surrounding terrain, never seen before. Engineers are making progress fixing the malfunctioning rover that arrived earlier in the month.
MARS ROVERS VOA 24 Jan 2004 -- The U-S space agency NASA reports progress in repairing its crippled Mars rover as it guides a second rover toward landing later today (12:05 a.m. EST, Sunday).
NASA Engineers Receive Limited Data from Mars Rover Washington File 23 Jan 2004 -- Engineers of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) received 30 minutes of transmissions early January 23 from the robot explorer that landed safely on Mars three weeks ago. The NASA team is attempting further communications hoping to diagnose the problem that has been hindering the craft's communications with Earth.
Exercise to Test Space Shuttle Rescue Capabilities AFPS 23 Jan 2004 -- Lajes Field's capabilities to save a downed space shuttle crew will be put to the test during a daylong exercise here Jan. 30.
MARS ROVER VOA 23 Jan 2004 -- The U-S Mars rover has sent back engineering data to Earth for the first time since Wednesday. But mission officials do not expect it return to service anytime soon as they analyze what is causing its erratic communications.
EUROPE / MARS VOA 23 Jan 2004 -- Scientists say an orbiting European space probe has confirmed there is water on Mars.
MARS ROVER 2ND UPDATE VOA 22 Jan 2004 -- The U-S space agency NASA is having trouble communicating with its robotic rover on Mars. Something has caused it to stop sending research data back to Earth.
MARS ROVER VOA 22 Jan 2004 -- The U-S space agency NASA has lost contact with its robot rover on Mars. Ground controllers are trying to get its attention.
Mars Exploration Rover Mission Status NASA 21 Jan 2004 -- Ground controllers were able to send commands to the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit early Wednesday and received a simple signal acknowledging that the rover heard them, but they did not receive expected scientific and engineering data during scheduled communication passes during the rest of that martian day.
Spirit's Analysis of Soil Patch on Mars Yields Surprises Washington File 21 Jan 2004 -- The examination of a patch of soil on the Martian surface with the U.S. rover Spirit's scientific instruments has yielded some surprises, according to scientists.
SHUTTLE / RETURN TO FLIGHT VOA 21 Jan 2004 -- An independent oversight panel says the U-S space agency NASA is making substantial, but uneven progress in getting its space shuttle fleet back to orbit. NASA's ability to fly a shuttle this year remains in question.
Boosting use of space technology for development to be focus of UN meeting UN News Centre 21 Jan 2004 -- Representatives from a dozen countries are set to meet with United Nations agencies later this week for talks on how to strengthen the world body’s efforts to bring civilian adaptations of space-related technology to the developing world.
MARS ROVER VOA 20 Jan 2004 -- The U-S Mars rover has dug into the red planet's soil for the first time in the U-S space agency's quest to find traces of ancient water. Mission scientists say the day's findings reveal some surprises and pose new questions about Martian geology.
MND TO PROVIDE VIEWS ON PURCHASE OF ANTI-MISSILE WEAPONS CNA 20 Jan 2004 -- The Ministry of National Defense (MND) will provide its views on the purchase of anti-missile weapons, an MND spokesman said Tuesday.
MARS ROVER VOA 19 Jan 2004 -- The U-S robotic Mars rover has completed its first drive across the dusty Martian terrain. The "Spirit" rover drove about three meters to approach a nearby rock for closer inspection.
Canada ready to negotiate with US on anti-missile shield PLA Daily 17 Jan 2004 -- Canadian Defense Minister David Pratt said on Thursday that his country is ready to negotiate withthe United States on a planned missile defense project, according to a communique released by the Defense Ministry.
Indonesia concerned over Australia's participation in US missile defense program PLA Daily 17 Jan 2004 -- The Indonesian government is concerned over Australia's participation in the US missile defenseprogram, saying that it will not contribute to the regional security and could fuel the regional arms race, the foreign ministry said on Friday.
Army, NASA ink partnership for space technology Army News Service 16 Jan 2004-- An Army research and development center has entered a partnership with NASA to provide technology to the Space Shuttle program, and at the same time, transfer NASA technology to Army ground vehicle development.
NOAA Announces U.S. Climate Monitoring Network Washington File 16 Jan 2004 -- The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has announced that a new, high-tech climate monitoring network, designed to track the nation's temperature and precipitation trends, is now operating in 28 states.
MARS ROVER VOA 16 Jan 2004 -- The U-S mechanical rover on Mars has taken its first close-up pictures of the red planet's surface. The activity took place one day after it rolled onto Martian dirt from its landing platform.
PRESIDENT BUSH'S MARS INITIATIVE: A 'GRAND BUT COSTLY VISION' US Dept. of State IIP, Foreign Media Reaction 16 Jan 2004
AUSTRALIA U-S DEFENSE VOA 16 Jan 2004 -- Australian Prime Minister John Howard says his government would be "recklessly negligent" if it did not consider joining the United States' missile defense program. Mr. Howard's comments come as the United States' highest-ranking military officer visits Australia.
Outstanding units and individuals in manned space project commended PLA Daily 16 Jan 2004 -- Recently the Ministry of Personnel, the Commission of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense and the General Armaments Department of the PLA, made the decision to cite the advanced units and individuals who have made outstanding contributions in China's manned space project.
U.S. Rover Is Driven Off Platform onto Mars Surface Washington File 15 Jan 2004 -- The U.S. rover Spirit that landed on Mars successfully drove off its lander platform onto the soil of the Red Planet early January 15 -- setting off cheers from the rover's flight team at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California.
NASA Chief Cites Interest of Foreign Partners in New U.S. Space Program Washington File 15 Jan 2004 -- National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Administrator Sean O'Keefe says foreign governments have already expressed a lot of interest in the new space exploration program announced by President Bush. The new proposals for space outlined January 14 call for a return to the moon to build a permanent base for human missions to Mars and other planets.
New GPS satellite operational AFPN 15 Jan 2004-- Global Positioning System satellite IIR-10, which launched from here Dec. 21, is now fully operational.
BUSH SPACE PLANS VOA 15 Jan 2004 -- President Bush's announcement of a new space exploration initiative by this country that will land astronauts on the moon and later Mars is drawing a good deal of comment. Most papers are pleased with the announcement, but skeptical as to how the country will pay for it.
U.S.: Experts Applaud Bush Plan To Explore the Moon, Mars RFE/RL 15 Jan 2004 -- Space experts are applauding yesterday's announcement by U.S. president George W. Bush to renew manned space flights to the moon to be used as a stepping stone to Mars. They say the technology exists and the needs -- both practical and philosophical -- are there.
MND TO INSTALL PATRIOT III ANTI-MISSILE DEFENSE SYSTEMS CNA 15 Jan 2004 -- The Ministry of National Defense (MND) is planning to install Patriot III anti-missile defense systems in central and southern Taiwan to beef up the nation's low-altitude missile defensive capability, a senior official said Thursday.
Australia may contribute money to US missile defense system, FM PLA Daily 15 Jan 2004 -- The Australian government said Wednesday that it may make financial contribution to the US missile defense system.
China tests European satellite positioning system PLA Daily 15 Jan 2004 -- China tested the European global satellite navigation system EGNOS on the Yangtze River Saturday. EGNOS is the first phase of the GALILEO navigation system, which China joined last October.
China to launch 10 satellites in 2004 PLA Daily 15 Jan 2004 -- China plans to launch 10 satellites this year while preparing for the country's second manned space flight and starting development of the country's first lunar-probing satellite, a top space official said Wednesday.
MARS ROVER VOA 15 Jan 2004 -- The U-S Mars rover has driven off its landing platform onto the Red Planet's soil, nearly two weeks after arriving. It was a short maneuver, but an emotional one for the mission team.
BEYOND THE SPACE STATION VOA 14 Jan 2004 -- The United States has a new space policy that looks beyond the international space station. President Bush's new directive to return astronauts to the moon between 2015 and 2020 defines an end to U-S participation in the research outpost.
Transcript: President Bush Announces New Vision for Space Exploration Program White House 14 Jan 2004 -- "America is proud of our space program. The risk takers and visionaries of this agency have expanded human knowledge, have revolutionized our understanding of the universe, and produced technological advances that have benefited all of humanity. (...) Today I announce a new plan to explore space and extend a human presence across our solar system. We will begin the effort quickly, using existing programs and personnel. We'll make steady progress -- one mission, one voyage, one landing at a time."
President Bush Announces New Vision for Space Exploration Program White House 14 Jan 2004 -- Fact Sheet: A Renewed Spirit of Discovery
BUSH / SPACE VOA 14 Jan 2004 -- President Bush has launched plans for a new series of U-S space missions that may eventually include human flights to Mars.
MARS ROVER VOA 14 Jan 2004 -- The U-S Mars rover is poised to make its first foray onto the red planet's surface in a few hours. Mission controllers have finished pointing it in the direction it is going to go.
Myers is First Foreign Visitor to Chinese Space Center AFPS 14 Jan 2004 -- The scene at the Beijing Aerospace Control Center here would be familiar to any visitor to the Johnson Space Flight Center in Houston.
President Bush Announces New Vision for Space Exploration Program White House 14 Jan 2004 -- Fact Sheet: A Renewed Spirit of Discovery
Bush Launches a Dangerous Space Policy Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space Jan 2004 -- Two leading experts on the space program are warning that the expected space policy announcement by George W. Bush to establish permanent bases on the moon and an aggressive program to take humans to Mars will be an expensive and dangerous undertaking.
Australia, US start talks on missile defense system PLA Daily 14 Jan 2004 -- Australian and US officials Tuesday started talks on Australia's involvement in Washington's missile defense system, an issue subject to Opposition's criticism and sensitive to neighboring countries.
U.S. Spacecraft Camera Provides Panoramic View of Mars Surface Washington File 13 Jan 2004 -- A camera aboard the U.S. Mars Exploration Rover Spirit -- which landed on Mars late January 3 -- is being used to provide scientists back on Earth with a color panorama of the Martian surface that includes everything from nearby rocks to hills on the horizon.
Five Russian satellites set to hover over earth Washington File 13 Jan 2004 -- Hopefully, the coming year will stand out for Russia`s space industry due to super-modern communications satellites of the latest generation: the Express-AM series. It is no secret that many pure and applied research spacecraft remained grounded in 2003, said an analysis in the Russian news agency Ria-Novosti.
Engineers mix batch of laser chemicals AFPN 13 Jan 2004 -- A 1,200-gallon batch of chemicals that help make a laser beam capable of destroying a ballistic missile was recently prepared and assessed by airborne laser engineers from here.
BUSH / SPACE OVERNIGHTER VOA 13 Jan 2004 -- President Bush is scheduled to deliver a major address on space exploration today (3:15 pm Wednesday).He is expected to announce a new plan to take Americans back to the moon and perhaps beyond.
MARS ROVER VOA 13 Jan 2004 -- The U-S Mars rover has made its first movement more than a week after landing. Mission controllers say it is ready to crawl onto the red planet's soil late Wednesday or early Thursday [EST].
BUSH / MOON / MARS VOA 12 Jan 2004 -- President Bush is about to announce [has announced] new destinations for U-S astronauts. In a speech Wednesday, he is expected to order [ordered] the space agency NASA to send people back to the moon and eventually to Mars and beyond.
U.S.: Bush Space Proposal -- Vision Or Political Maneuver? RFE/RL 12 Jan 2004 -- This week, U.S. President George W. Bush is expected to announce a new space initiative that would involve a permanent base on the moon for eventually sending astronauts to Mars. Is the United States again stepping forward to lead the human race into space -- or, as some in Washington say, is the announcement aimed more at gaining popular support in an election year?
RUSSIA / SPACE LEAK VOA 12 Jan 2004 -- The two-man crew aboard the International Space Station is working to fix an air leak that is causing a drop in cabin pressure. The leak was first discovered late last month and is believed to have originated in a hose located on the U-S side of the station.
MARS ROVER UPDATE VOA 11 Jan 2004 -- NASA engineers say the Mars rover will begin taking its first soil samples, as soon as it departs the landing platform.
MARS ROVER / SATURDAY VOA 10 Jan 2004 -- The U-S robot rover Spirit is finally standing up on Mars and nearly ready to drive off the lander onto the red planet's surface. Surface exploration is just a few days away.
RUSSIA / SPACE LEAK VOA 10 Jan 2004 -- NASA and the Russian space agency have decided to isolate the two-man crew on board the International Space Station for several days, while experts try to locate the source of a worrying air leak that has caused a drop in pressure inside the station.
RUSSIA / KAZAKHSTAN VOA 10 Jan 2004 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin is in neighboring Kazakhstan, where he and his Kazakh counterpart agreed to extend a rental agreement for the Baikonur Cosmodrome. The two leaders are also discussing terrorism.
BOOSTER VERIFICATION TEST LAUNCH SUCCESSFUL Missile Defense Agency 09 Jan 2004 -- Team Vandenberg successfully launched Booster Verification Test-5 at 10:40 a.m. today.
MARS / WATER VOA 09 Jan 2004 -- Less than a week after landing on Mars, the U-S Spirit spacecraft has found possible evidence that water once flowed on the now-barren planet, the goal of the mission. The scientists are cautious about their interpretation.
BUSH / SPACE RFE/RL 09 Jan 2004 -- President Bush will announce plans for a new U-S space program next week. It is expected to include manned flights to the moon and Mars.
Kazakhstan: Putin Visit To Focus On Baikonur, CIS, Oil Resources RFE/RL 09 Jan 2004 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin begins a two-day visit to Kazakhstan today. Several bilateral agreements are to be signed during his visit, including two extending and specifying the terms for Russia's continued use of the Baikonur cosmodrome.
U.S., EU Working on Global Positioning Systems Agreement Washington File 08 Jan 2004 -- The United States and the European Commission are negotiating an agreement to establish a mutually beneficial cooperative relationship between the U.S. Global Positioning System (GPS) and Europe's planned Galileo satellite navigation system, the State Department said January 8 in advance of the next round of discussions scheduled for late January.
U.S. Global Positioning System and European Galileo System Washington File 08 Jan 2004 -- Following is a fact sheet on the U.S. Global Positioning System (GPS) and the European Galileo System, issued January 8 by the U.S. Department of State
EUROPE / MARS VOA 07 Jan 2004 -- The European Mars orbiter, the Express, has failed to contact the British-built Beagle 2 lander, compounding fears the probe, which was to land on Mars last month, is lost.
MARS ROVER DELAY VOA 07 Jan 2004 -- The U-S roving vehicle on Mars will not dip its wheels into the red planet's soil as soon as scientists had hoped. Engineers are delaying its expedition a few days while they work out some minor technical problems.
U.S.: 'Stardust' Mission Grabs A Comet By Its Tail And Heads Back To Earth RFE/RL 07 Jan 2004 -- The U.S. spacecraft "Stardust" has now begun a two-year journey back to Earth carrying pieces of a comet. The first-ever samples of a celestial body other than the moon were snatched during a dramatic flyby through the comet's tail last week. Yet the mission's spectacular success has to some degree been overshadowed by the successful 4 January landing on Mars by the "Spirit" rover.
NASA Scientists Delighted with Pictures from Mars Rover Washington File 06 Jan 2004 -- National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) scientists are delighted by the pictures of small craters and other features on Mars being sent back by a U.S. spacecraft that landed on the Red Planet January 3.
POSTCARD FROM MARS VOA 06 Jan 2004 -- The U-S Spirit spacecraft has sent its first color postcard from Mars. It is the sharpest image ever taken of Mars or any other planet.
U.S.: NASA's 'Spirit' Remains Strong After Successful Martian Landing RFE/RL 06 Jan 2004 -- America's mission to Mars has so far been a huge success. The roving vehicle "Spirit," which landed on the red planet on 4 January (Prague time), continues transmitting stunning pictures from the surface. And the six-wheeled robot is getting ready to start driving around on the surface next week, looking for signs of water or past life.
China conducts its first observation and control of an extra-distant satellite——"Probe No.1" satellite runs smoothly in orbit PLA Daily 06 Jan 2004 -- On January 4, Xi'an Satellite Observation and Control Center conducted a precision altitude control of the "Probe No.1" before the satellite completed a series of pre-set movements in space and settled down in its predefined position.
China has no Mars probe plan: official PLA Daily 06 Jan 2004 -- Though China has been doing research on Mars, it currently has no plan to send a space probe to the planet, an official in charge of the national space program told Xinhua on Monday.
China to place 10 satellites into orbit in 2004 PLA Daily 06 Jan 2004 -- China's growing space programme will take another great leap skyward this year.
Shenzhou V escape capsule successfully destroyed PLA Daily 06 Jan 2004 -- Recently, a research institute of the Engineering Corps of the PLA General Staff Headquarters successfully accomplished the task of destroying the escape capsule of Shenzhou V manned spacecraft.
U.S. Spacecraft Lands on Mars to Explore for Signs of Past Life Washington File 05 Jan 2004 -- The rover Spirit of the U.S. National Aeronautic and Space Administration (NASA) has landed on Mars and begun transmitting its first images of a crater that it will explore for signs that the Red Planet could have sustained life in the past.
MARS LANDER VOA 05 Jan 2004 -- The new U-S Spirit spacecraft on Mars has transmitted a sweeping three-dimensional panorama of nearby terrain to joyful scientists at mission control. The scientists have already selected a target they want the roving robot to explore when it sets off in several days.
Shamkhani: Iran will launch its own satellite within 18 months IRNA 05 Jan 2004 -- Iran will launch its locally-built satellite within one and half years, Defense Minister Rear-Admiral Ali Shamkhani said here Monday, adding the launch will make the country the first in the Islamic world to capture outer space.
MARS ROVER UPDATE VOA 04 Jan 2003 -- U-S space agency officials say the Mars space rover should return it's first color pictures of the surface of the Red Planet later today (Monday afternoon, ET) after the space probe landed precisely where they had hoped.
U-S / MARS LANDING VOA 04 Jan 2004 -- A U-S spacecraft has landed on Mars to begin a three-month mission to search for traces of ancient water. The vehicle will eventually roam for dozens of kilometers to examine rocks for this evidence.
U-S / MARS LANDING VOA 04 Jan 2004 -- A U-S spacecraft has landed on Mars to begin a three-month search for traces of ancient water.
U-S MARS LANDING VOA 03 Jan 2004 -- The U-S space agency NASA says its Spirit spacecraft is on a perfect course for a planned landing on Mars later today (at 11:35 p.m. EST). The most dangerous part of the nearly 500 million kilometer journey is still ahead.
U-S COMET FLYBY VOA 02 Jan 2004 -- A U-S spacecraft flew through a comet's dusty halo (today) Saturday and for the first time collected samples of stardust for return for study on Earth.
U-S COMET FLYBY VOA 02 Jan 2004 -- A U-S spacecraft has flown close to a comet and, for the first time, collected samples for return for study on Earth.
Agency's Name Changes, But Mission Continues AFPS 02 Jan 2004 -- What's in a name? The director of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency said his organization's new name more accurately reflects its mission than its old name did, but he's quick to add that doesn't mean the agency itself has changed much.
U.K.: British Scientists Wait For Mars 'Beagle' Probe To Bark While U.S. Rovers Prepare To Land RFE/RL 02 Jan 2004 -- Britain's Mars probe, "Beagle 2," is still missing, more than a week after it was supposed to land on the Red Planet. Project scientists refuse to give up, however, and are still hoping to catch a signal from the craft through its European mother ship, "Mars Express," next week. In the meantime, another dramatic Mars arrival is planned. The first of two roving vehicles launched by the United States is expected to land early Sunday (4 January).
MND URGED TO BUILD UP DEFENSE AGAINST BEIJING'S MILITARY SATELLITES CNA 01 Jan 2004 -- The Ministry of National Defense (MND) should build up its capabilities to cope with the threat from mainland China's military satellites, according to a research report drafted by the National Space Program Office (NSPO).
CHINA'S SPACE PROGRAM FAR EXCEEDS TAIWAN'S: REPORT CNA 01 Jan 2004 -- Taiwan's research budget and personnel for its space program are far behind that of mainland China's, a report released by the non-profit National Space Program Office (NSPO) said Thursday.

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