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NASA's Return to Space Discovery makes a perfect landing in Florida, marking the end of a 13-day trip to the International Space Station. With a successful mission under the belt, NASA officials hope the human space flight program is back on track.
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NASA's Return to Space

Discovery makes a perfect landing in Florida, marking the end of a 13-day trip to the space station.

Monday

Monday

Space Shuttle Discovery Returns to Florida

The space shuttle Discovery lands at the Kennedy Space Center after a successful visit to the International Space Station. NASA now turns its attention to the launch of Atlantis. That mission may go as early as Aug. 27 and will haul a major addition to the space station.

Space Shuttle Discovery Returns to Florida

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Friday

Shuttle Astronauts Do Back-Flip to Get to Work

The astronauts of the shuttle Discovery spent the third day of their mission moving tons of cargo into the International Space Station. They docked at the station after putting the shuttle through a back-flip. But the astronauts say they first had to overcome a snag: a bad thermostat on a thruster.

Shuttle Astronauts Do Back-Flip to Get to Work

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Shuttle Discovery Drops Supplies at Space Station

The space shuttle Discovery is dropping off supplies and a new crew member at the International Space Station, one day after docking at the facility. Discovery is also being inspected for damage from launch.

Shuttle Discovery Drops Supplies at Space Station

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Thursday

One Astronaut's Personal Journey in Space Program

Among the seven-member crew of the Space Shuttle Discovery is Stephanie Wilson, only the second African-American woman to travel into space. NASA Mission Specialist Alvin Drew is a black astronaut on the waiting list for a space flight. He speaks with Ed Gordon about Discovery's mission and his personal journey through the space program.

One Astronaut's Personal Journey in Space Program

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Wednesday

Shuttle Makes Historic Independence Day Launch

Space shuttle Discovery's successful launch Tuesday was the first shuttle launch ever on the Fourth of July. It was only the second flight since the loss of the shuttle Columbia and its crew in 2003.

Shuttle Makes Historic Independence Day Launch

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Tuesday

Shuttle Discovery Launches After Delays

The Space Shuttle Discovery roared off its Florida launch pad Tuesday, NASA'S first Independence Day manned shuttle launch in its history. The voyage to the International Space Station was postponed twice over the weekend due to bad weather. Engineers decided to launch the shuttle despite the discovery Monday of a pencil-sized piece of foam that cracked off the external fuel tank.

Shuttle Discovery Launches After Delays

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Is the Space Shuttle Worth the Effort?

Former NASA employee Keith Cowing is the editor of nasawatch.com, and co-author of a book with journalist Frank Sietzen on the remaking of the space agency (New Moon Rising). Is there a good argument to be made to drop the space shuttle program?

Is the Space Shuttle Worth the Effort?

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NASA Set for Third Attempt at Shuttle Launch

The shuttle Discovery is due to lift off from Cape Canaveral Tuesday afternoon. NASA says a crack found in the foam insulation around the shuttle's fuel tank will not delay the July 4 launch, though weather might.

NASA Set for Third Attempt at Shuttle Launch

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Independence Day Shuttle Launch Is a Go

After a day of inspections and debates over safety following the discovery of a crack in the foam insulation of the shuttle's fuel tank, officials decided the launch was a go and the shuttle soars off on its mission.

Independence Day Shuttle Launch Is a Go

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A Live Look at the Shuttle Launch

Live coverage of the launch of shuttle Discovery. The spacecraft is expected to take off on a mission twice delayed by weather concerns, amid concern over a crack in the insulating foam on an external fuel tank.

A Live Look at the Shuttle Launch

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Monday

Shuttle Launch Is a Go, Despite Cracked Foam

NASA engineers move ahead with a rescheduled Fourth of July launch for the space shuttle Discovery. Technicians were concerned by a small piece of insulating foam that had fallen off the shuttle's fuel tank.

Shuttle Launch Is a Go, Despite Cracked Foam

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Crack in Foam Could Delay Shuttle Again

Bad weather stopped the scheduled launch of the space shuttle Discovery over the weekend. Now NASA experts are studying a crack in the foam on the shuttle's fuel tank to see if that could further delay the mission.

Crack in Foam Could Delay Shuttle Again

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NASA Finds Crack in Shuttle Fuel-Tank Insulation

NASA is investigating a new potential problem with the space shuttle Discovery. A crack in the insulation that covers Discovery's external fuel tank was found during a routine inspection after Sunday's scrubbed launch attempt. Engineers are meeting to decide if the crack is serious enough to delay Tuesday's planned launch.

Space Shuttle Problem.

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