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Tuesday

NASA Astronaut Dick Gordon Has Died At Age 88

Astronaut Dick Gordon, a member of the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame, attends a 2009 event at Cape Canaveral, Fla. NASA/Jim Grossmann hide caption

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NASA/Jim Grossmann

The Two-Way

NASA Astronaut Dick Gordon Has Died At Age 88

As a child in the Great Depression, he never dreamed of being a pilot — let alone an astronaut who would be one of just 24 people to fly to the moon. He had two of the early spacewalks.

NASA Astronaut Dick Gordon Has Died At Age 88

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Wednesday

3, 2, 1 ... Bake Off! The Mission To Make Bread In Space

"It's not just about making one German astronaut happy with fresh bread," Marcu explains. "There's really a deeper meaning to bread in space." Above, a photo illustration of bread in space. NASA/ Bake in Space GmbH hide caption

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NASA/ Bake in Space GmbH

The Salt

3, 2, 1 ... Bake Off! The Mission To Make Bread In Space

WHYY

On Earth, crumbs are harmless, but in orbit they can be perilous. But bread is a big deal in Germany, so scientists and engineers there are teaming up to create an oven and dough fit for microgravity.

Tuesday

A Microbe Hunter Plies Her Trade In Space

NASA astronaut Kate Rubins floats in the International Space Station in September 2016, wearing a spacesuit decorated by patients recovering at the MD Anderson Cancer Center. NASA Johnson/Flickr hide caption

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NASA Johnson/Flickr

Shots - Health News

A Microbe Hunter Plies Her Trade In Space

Meet Kate Rubins, a virus-hunter turned astronaut. When she sequenced DNA in space for the first time, she opened the door to a new era in space biology.

A Microbe Hunter Plies Her Trade In Space

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Wednesday

After Making History In Space, Mae Jemison Works To Prime Future Scientists

Mae Jemison addresses congressional representatives and distinguished guests at Bayer's Making Science Make Sense 20th anniversary celebration in 2015. Kevin Wolf/AP Images for Bayer Making Science Make Sense hide caption

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Kevin Wolf/AP Images for Bayer Making Science Make Sense

Space

After Making History In Space, Mae Jemison Works To Prime Future Scientists

For the first African-American woman in space, her path to spaceflight and beyond includes trying to pave the way for more girls of color to follow in her footsteps.

After Making History In Space, Mae Jemison Works To Prime Future Scientists

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Thursday

50 Years Later, NASA Creates Tribute To 3 Astronauts Who Died In Space Race

Apollo 1 astronauts Ed White (from left), Gus Grissom and Roger Chaffee, 1967. The astronauts died as a result of a fire in the cockpit during a training session on Jan. 27, 1967. Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images hide caption

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Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Space

50 Years Later, NASA Creates Tribute To 3 Astronauts Who Died In Space Race

On Jan. 27, 1967, three astronauts were killed when a fire broke out in their Apollo 1 cockpit during a test on the launchpad. The capsule will be put on public view for the first time Friday.

50 Years Later, NASA Creates Tribute To 3 Astronauts Who Died In Space Race

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Friday

NASA's Other Asteroid Mission: Grab A Chunk And Put It In Orbit Around The Moon

Under NASA's plan, a spacecraft would get to the asteroid in the early 2020s — then pluck a car-sized boulder from the surface and head back toward Earth, to put the boulder in orbit around the moon. NASA hide caption

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NASA

The Two-Way

NASA's Other Asteroid Mission: Grab A Chunk And Put It In Orbit Around The Moon

Flying people to an asteroid is really hard, so NASA wants to bring part of it to them. But some former astronauts say the $2 billion plan was born of politics and budget cuts, and makes little sense.

NASA's Other Asteroid Mission: Grab A Chunk And Put It In Orbit Around The Moon

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Tuesday

Scott Kelly Reflects On His Year Off The Planet

NASA astronaut Scott Kelly takes a selfie inside the cupola, a special module that provides a 360-degree view of Earth. Kelly and Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko have spent nearly a year aboard the International Space Station. NASA hide caption

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NASA

Science

Scott Kelly Reflects On His Year Off The Planet

During his 340 days aboard the International Space Station, the astronaut documented his time there with hundreds of photos. Kelly says the perspective makes him feel like an environmentalist.

Wednesday

This Aspiring Astronaut Might Be The World's Most Amazing Teen

It took 101 takes to get the right shot for Gideon Gidori's Kickstarter video. He hopes supporters will fund his flight school tuition in exchange for a secret potato salad recipe. via Kickstarter hide caption

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via Kickstarter

Goats and Soda

This Aspiring Astronaut Might Be The World's Most Amazing Teen

He lived in a village in Tanzania. He dreamed of being an astronaut. Now he's studying in a Florida flight academy — and hoping his secret potato salad recipe will bring support to pay the tuition.