Space and Astronomy News Headlines

A generation's worth of breakthroughs in astronomy have revolutionized humanity's view of cosmic history, transforming our understanding of how the early cosmos evolved into the complex universe of stars and galaxies seen today.

The violent death of stars has long been thought to disperse heavy elements into the surrounding hydrogen-dominated universe. But observations of the remnants of these stellar deaths, called supernovas, have not revealed the large quantities of dust needed to support this theory — until now.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – NASA is checking the shuttle Atlantis for any damage from a bolt of lightning that struck within a mile of the of the spacecraft today (July 7), just one day before the agency's last space shuttle launch ever, agency officials said.

NASA is checking for any damage to space shuttle Atlantis or the launch pad after a lightning strike.

A thunderstorm delayed final inspections Thursday on the shuttle Atlantis as it prepares for liftoff on the historic last mission of the 30-year space shuttle program, NASA said.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — NASA's space shuttle Atlantis is all packed up for the agency's historic last launch of its winged spaceship tomorrow (July 8), but foul weather continues to threaten the upcoming liftoff.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — NASA's planned Friday (July 8) launch of the space shuttle Atlantis will be the 135th and final liftoff for the iconic space program since its debut in 1981.

The four astronauts who will fly Atlantis on the final mission of NASA's space shuttle program have a busy mission ahead and an important legacy behind them.

The Great White Spot on Saturn has been imaged in unprecedented detail and is now yielding clues to how this titanic storm may have formed far earlier than scientists expected.

Answering a question in a Twitter town hall meeting today, President Obama suggested spaceflight is stuck in the Apollo-era mode and said NASA needs a technological breakthrough to allow faster, longer spaceflight with a goal of getting astronauts to Mars.

NASA is just days away from launching Atlantis on the final mission of the agency's 30-year space shuttle program. This last flight will carry four astronauts and a cargo bay packed full of supplies and spare parts to the International Space Station.

The final astronaut crew to fly on a space shuttle has a secret in store for everyone watching when the astronauts pause during their mission to offer a tribute to NASA's 30-year shuttle program.

The four astronauts who will fly Atlantis on the final mission of NASA's space shuttle program have a busy mission ahead and an important legacy behind them.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — NASA has whittled the possible landing sites for its next Mars rover down to two, scientists announced today (July 6).

The weather isn't cutting NASA any breaks, not even for the last space shuttle launch set for Friday.

A somewhat generational battle over NASA's future is escalating even as NASA is about to close the book on the space shuttle era.

NASA is deciding between two places on Mars to send its next rover.

The Great White Spot on Saturn has been imaged in unprecedented detail and is now yielding clues to how this titanic storm may have formed far earlier than scientists expected.