News briefs: May 4-5
Posted: Mon, May 6 2:15 PM ET (1815 GMT)
PanAmSat will likely remain an autonomous entity even after EchoStar acquires the communications satellite operator, Space News reported Friday. PanAmSat is currently 81 percent owned...

Soyuz, Shuttleworth return to Earth
Posted: Sun, May 5 9:08 AM ET (1308 GMT)
A Soyuz spacecraft carrying three people, including space tourist Mark Shuttleworth, landed safely in Kazakhstan late Saturday night, ending their 10-day trip in space....

Delta 2 launches NASA Aqua satellite
Posted: Sat, May 4 10:21 AM ET (1421 GMT)
A Delta 2 rocket successfully launched NASA's Aqua Earth-observing satellite early Saturday morning. The Delta 2 lifted off from Vandenberg Air Force Base,...

News briefs: May 3
Posted: Sat, May 4 10:07 AM ET (1407 GMT)
NASA awarded Boeing's Rocketdyne division a five-year, $1.14 billion contract on Friday to continue maintenance of the space shuttle main engines. The...

Ariane launches SPOT 5 satellite
Posted: Sat, May 4 1:41 AM ET (0541 GMT)
An Ariane 4 booster successfully launched the French SPOT 5 remote sensing satellite Friday night. The Ariane 42P, the version of the Ariane 4 that...

TRW shareholders reject Northrop offer
Posted: Sat, May 4 1:10 AM ET (0510 GMT)
TRW announced Friday that its shareholders have rejected a hostile offer from rival Northrop Grumman. TRW said that shareholders, voting in a special meeting, turned...

News briefs: May 1
Posted: Fri, May 3 10:42 AM ET (1442 GMT)
The Defense Department on Thursday cleared the way to continue work on a space-based missile warning system despite the program's cost overruns. Pete...

NASA preparing to end X-38 program
Posted: Thu, May 2 2:50 PM ET (1850 GMT)
NASA Headquarters has instructed the Johnson Space Center to stop work on the X-38, a prototype of a proposed International Space Station crew return...

Report: more studies of Martian hazards necessary
Posted: Thu, May 2 1:53 PM ET (1753 GMT)
NASA should conduct more research into potential environmental, chemical, and biological hazards before sending any humans to Mars, a report issued Wednesday concluded. The report,...

News briefs: May 1
Posted: Thu, May 2 7:56 AM ET (1156 GMT)
US Senator Barbara Mikulski said at a hearing Wednesday that she plans to work to restore funding for a Pluto mission into NASA's 2003...