Scientist feels tie to distant spacecraft

NASA scientist Larry Lasher feels a bit left out when people talk about Voyager 1 being on the verge of leaving the solar system.

In memory of brave explorers

The Space Shuttle Challenger is seen as it lifts off the pad on its aborted mission in Kennedy Space Center, Florida, Jan. 28, 1986. Seen at the bottom section of the solid rocket booster, just to the right of the right wing of Challenger, a black plume of smoke can be seen. Investigators be…

The ghosts of Halloween past

Pictured here is the Halloween festival in Anaheim, Calif., Oct. 20, 1962. Nearly everyone turns out to watch the parade, and thousands are on hand to watch the show that launches it at the Palma Stadium. Another 7,000 or more school children take part in a youngsters' parade and there is br…

Neil Armstrong: First man on the moon

Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins and Edwin Aldrin Jr. appeared in a cheerful mood as they left the Manned Spacecraft Operations Building to enter the transfer van that takes them to Pad 39 where they will enter their spacecraft looking forward to a moon landing, July 16, …

Neil Armstrong: First man on the moon

Astronaut Neil Armstrong in space suit in 1969. (AP Photo)

100 days of science: Former UA scientist helped shape Saturn-exploration mission

The Cassini-Huygens spacecraft revealed a series of geysers, or jets, near the south polar region of Enceladus, a Saturn moon.

100 days of science: Former UA scientist helped shape Saturn-exploration mission

Carolyn Porco

UA-led HiRise cam captures image of latest Mars landing

HiRise has done it again - this time, capturing a photo of the NASA rover Curiosity payload descending toward the surface of Mars beneath its parachute.

History of American Spaceflight

The huge Saturn rocket carrying the Apollo 13 spacecraft is on its moon mission, lifts off the launch pad at Cape Kennedy, Fla., April 11, 1970

History of American Spaceflight

Ham, also known as Ham the Chimp, was the first higher primate launched into outer space on January 31, 1961. Ham is shown on the deck of the rescue ship after his capsule splashed down in the Atlantic Ocean on January 31. Ham's journey started when he was secured in a Project Mercury capsul…

History of American Spaceflight

The Space Shuttle orbiter Discovery lifts off from Launch Pad 398 in Kennedy Space Center at morning on Tuesday, April 24, 1990, carrying a crew of five and the Hubble Space Telescope. The mission, STS-31, had been originally scheduled for launch on April 10th but was scrubbed because of a f…

History of American Spaceflight

Apollo 14 Astronaut Alan B. Shepard Jr., who hit three golf balls while on the moon, conducts an experiment near a lunar crater, using an instrument from the two-wheeled rickshaw cart carrying the various test tools on Feb. 13, 1971. It was from this cart that Shepard took one tool, screwed …

History of American Spaceflight

The charred interior of the Apollo 1 spacecraft after the flash fire that killed astronauts Ed White, Roger Chaffee, and Virgil Grissom, on January 27, 1967 at Cape Canaveral, Fla. Photographed on Jan.28,1967 this severely damaged area is the most likely region for the start of the blaze. Th…

History of American Spaceflight

America's space shuttle Enterprise rides atop the 747 carrier as she takes off from Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., Aug. 12, 1977. The shuttle is to be blasted away from the 747 for her first free flight. (AP Photo)

History of American Spaceflight

Apollo 15 Lunar Module Pilot James B. Irwin salutes while standing beside the fourth American flag planted on the surface of the moon, July 30, 1971. The lunar module that took them to the moon's surface is seen at right. Hadley Delta is in the background. (AP Photo)

History of American Spaceflight

U.S. astronauts laugh while standing around models of the Atlas and nose capsule designed to carry them into space in San Diego, California September 25, 1959. From left are Walter Schirra, J.R. Dempsey, executive of convair, maker of Atlas, John H. Glenn, Jr., Virgil I. Grissom, Alan Shepar…

History of American Spaceflight

Apollo 11 astronauts stand next to their spacecraft in 1969, from left to right: Col. Edwin E. Aldrin, lunar module pilot; Neil Armstrong, flight commander; and Lt. Michael Collins, command module pilot. (AP Photo)

Mesa tinkerer reaches for stars on a shoestring

MESA - He's chronically short of funds, but Morris Jarvis is bent on building a ship that will make trips beyond Earth affordable to all.

Tucson father aiming for stars

Gregory Schneider and his daughter Emiko, 6, work on building their backyard spaceship in Schneider's video entry, "Young Astronauts," for the Space Race 2012 contest. Below, Schneider's son, Jude, 2, lies alongside his sister, who's counting down to liftoff. If he wins, Schneider plans to t…

Tucson father aiming for stars

Gregory Schneider and his daughter Emiko, 6, work on building their backyard spaceship in Schneider's video entry, "Young Astronauts," for the Space Race 2012 contest. Below, Schneider's son, Jude, 2, lies alongside his sister, who's counting down to liftoff. If he wins, Schneider plans to t…