20th November 1998 saw the deployment of the first part of the International Space Station. 10 years on, it is still not finished, the merits of the science it embodies are in question and today it transpires they've recently lost a spider and a tool bag.

But happy birthday, anyway. picked by pocksucket 1 year ago

One of two spiders sent to the orbiting laboratory aboard the space shuttle Endeavour last week was added to the lost property list after the crew checked its tank and found it empty. picked by AutumnLotus 1 year ago

Catching a free ride to Mars takes more than sticking out a thumb, but some hardy Earth bacteria could survive as hitchhikers clinging to the outside of spacecraft, studies have shown. Now a set of experiments going up with space shuttle Atlantis to the International Space Station will test how exposure to the harshness of space might change bacteria during a simulated Mars mission. picked by AutumnLotus 2 years ago

Scientists sent Salmonella bacteria to the International Space Station aboard two space shuttle missions in September 2006 and March 2008. The researchers found that when the bacteria were cultured in the microgravity environment of orbit, they became more virulent than those on Earth. The findings showed that the conditions in which the bacteria grows affect how dangerous it will become. picked by AutumnLotus 8 months ago

To a pod. For all of eleven minutes as space debris passed within three miles of them.

What if the debris just hit the pod?

I changed the link because the Washington Post sucks ass. picked by sykeo56 9 months ago

On April 12, 1961, the Soviets launched a 27-year-old fighter pilot named Yuri Gagarin on the world's first piloted space mission. picked by suebe 3 years ago

An explanation for the ice circles spotted in Siberia by space station astronauts and reported here by AutumnLotus has been put forward. picked by pocksucket 6 months ago

A new picture of a sunrise from space was taken with a handheld camera by astronauts Friday on the day the Space Shuttle Endeavour docked with the International Space Station during shuttle mission STS-127.

Earth's atmosphere appears as a thin crescent shape ranging from white to blue to purple, while the planet in the foreground is a black as the void beyond. picked by AutumnLotus 4 months ago

Astronomers from SRON Netherlands Institute for Space Research have discovered a new cluster of galaxies, hidden behind a previously identified cluster of galaxies. The recently exposed cosmic giant is apparently just as bright as the first group, but is six times further away. The astronomers made the discovery as part of an international team using the space telescope XMM-Newton. picked by AutumnLotus 2 years ago

Oct 4th will be Sputnik's 50th anniversary. Although it had its scary connotations, the dawn of the Space Age was also a hopeful event. Visionaries celebrated humanity’s long-awaited climb out of its cradle, and pragmatists soon savored the benefits of communications and weather satellites. The evolution of the space program continues to be dramatic. In a decade or so, it will be hard... read full post picked by 2manyusernames 2 years ago

It may look like an intriguing star constellation far away in space, but these lights are actually far closer to home. These images shows cities at night as viewed by the International Space Station. picked by AutumnLotus 1 year ago

NASA discovered that space shuttle Atlantis has been holed by a tiny piece of space debris. The 1/10-inch hole represents the second largest debris damage event ever identified. Fortunately, it missed everything that was important to the mission. Space debris is an increasingly challenging problem. picked by Fanatic 3 years ago

Japanese space food will soon be available on the International Space Station picked by osiris12 2 years ago

Richard Garriott, a famous video game developer, is paying millions of dollars for a ride on a Russian rocket to the International Space Station. He's wanted to go to space since he was a kid. His father and all his neighbors were NASA astronauts. Garriott is America's first, second generation astronaut. While at the Space Station, he’ll meet his Russian counterpart. Take a listen. picked by meggysue 1 year ago

The new commander of the International Space Station (ISS) has revealed details of a growing rift between Russia and the United States over the use of onboard facilities, including the toilets. picked by kakana 8 months ago

The crew of the International space station finishes preparations for “Vsplesk” (“Burst”) experiment, results of which are expected to help in developing methods for real-time forecasting of earthquakes. picked by Bornbad 1 year ago

Very easy to navigate, offering low and high resolutions makes for a wonderful site even for dial-up users. picked by 2manyusernames 3 years ago

The American, Russian, and Japanese astronauts aboard the ISS got a special treat for their Friday movie night after NASA got permission to beam up a copy of the new Star Trek movie. picked by tigertony 6 months ago

Orbiting more than 200 miles above the Earth, the crew of the International Space Station has sent home a special Thanksgiving message that is now airing on NASA Television and the agency's Web site. picked by Lilo 2 years ago

A weirdly wonderful sight appeared to astronauts aboard the International Space Station this summer — thin blue clouds hovering at the boundary between Earth's atmosphere and the void. picked by AutumnLotus 1 year ago