STS-135 mission coverage


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Shenzhou 18 launches to Tiangong space station
Posted: Sun, Apr 28 10:11 AM ET (1411 GMT)
Long March 2F launch of Shenzhou-18 (Xinhua) A new crew launched to China's Tiangong space station Thursday. A Long March 2F rocket lifted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center at 8:59 am EDT (1250 GMT) and placed the three-person Shenzhou-18 spacecraft into orbit. The spacecraft docked with the Tiangong station six and a half hours later. The Shenzhou-18 crew of Ye Guangfu, Li Cong and Li Guangsu will relieve the Shenzhou-17 crew of Tang Hongbo, Tang Shengjie and Jiang Xinlin, who have been on Tiangong since late October. Shenzhou-17 is scheduled to return to Earth April 30.


Starliner cleared for first crewed flight
Posted: Sun, Apr 28 10:06 AM ET (1406 GMT)
The first crewed flight of Boeing's CST-100 Starliner is a step closer to launch. NASA completed a flight test readiness review Thursday for the Crew Flight Test (CFT) mission, giving approval to proceed with a launch scheduled for May 6. NASA said they are only dealing with a few minor issues with the spacecraft and launch pad, but the launch will also depend on the schedule of the departure of a cargo Dragon spacecraft from the International Space Station and relocation of a Crew Dragon spacecraft to free up a docking port for Starliner. The CFT mission, flown by NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, is a final test of the spacecraft before certified by NASA for crew rotation missions to the station.


Cosmonauts perform ISS spacewalk
Posted: Sun, Apr 28 10:03 AM ET (1403 GMT)
Two cosmonauts wrapped up an ISS spacewalk ahead of schedule Thursday. Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub were scheduled to spend up to seven hours outside...


Russia vetoes UN resolution on nuclear weapons in space
Posted: Sat, Apr 27 10:20 AM ET (1420 GMT)
Russia vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution Wednesday regarding the placement of nuclear weapons in space. The resolution, drafted by Japan and the United...


Electron launches NASA, South Korean satellites
Posted: Sat, Apr 27 10:18 AM ET (1418 GMT)
Rocket Lab launched a South Korean imaging satellite and a NASA solar sail experiment Tuesday. An Electron rocket lifted off at 6:32 pm EDT (...





Monday, April 29
SpaceX launches Starlink satellites Sunday night from Florida
WESH-TV Orlando — 6:13 am ET (1013 GMT)
EU Space Law – Three reasons against, three reasons in favour
European Journal of International Law — 6:12 am ET (1012 GMT)
Susana Hancock: History of space exploration proves politics can be transcended
Portland (ME) Press Herald — 6:11 am ET (1011 GMT)
Interstellar research: UI alum at NASA hosts space technology panel
Univ. of Illinois Daily Illini — 6:03 am ET (1003 GMT)
Probing the effects of interplanetary space on asteroid Ryugu
Hokkaido Univ. — 6:01 am ET (1001 GMT)
Falcon 9 launches Galileo navigation satellites
Space News — 5:52 am ET (0952 GMT)
SpaceX launches 23 Starlink satellites from Florida
SPACE.com — 5:49 am ET (0949 GMT)

Sunday, April 28





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