August 3, 2008 / 1:29 a.m. CT (0629 GMT) Lost in flight: The third flight for SpaceX's Falcon 1 two-stage rocket ended in its loss when two and a half minutes into its ascent a "problem occurred with stage separation." On-board the Falcon were three satellites to be deployed, including what could have been the first test flight of a solar sail, NASA's NanoSail-D. Also lost in flight were the cremated remains of 208 participants in Celestis' memorial "Explorers" mission, including astronaut Gordon Cooper who died in 2004. According to SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, an investigation into the failure is underway and the company intends to go forward with plans to launch again.
August 6, 2008 / 10:46 p.m. CT (0346 GMT Aug 7) Look to the Stars in 2009: Astronaut Buzz Aldrin and artist Wendell Minor are teaming again to publish a children's book. Speaking with MSNBC, Aldrin revealed "Look To The Stars," the title of his and Wendell's second collaboration after their 2005 New York Times Best-Seller "Reaching for the Moon". The book, says the moonwalker, is aimed at stimulating "young people to look at the reality of history and how well it was carried out in the past." Due for release in April 2009 by Putnam Juvenile, the 40 page hardcover will be out for the 40th anniversary of Apollo 11.
August 8, 2008 / 8:56 a.m. CT (1356 GMT) Astronauts and the Olympics: Yang Liwei, China's first taikonaut, was among the five international space explorers who took part in the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics torch relay, which ended Friday after the longest flame procession in history. Passing through 130 cities in 130 days, the torch covered the equivalent of three orbits around the Earth. The torchbearers, who also include the first woman and first Malaysian in space, weren't the only astronaut-connection to the games; the gymnast son of a mission specialist is a member of the United States team.
August 11, 2008 / 10:41 a.m. CT (1541 GMT) Hubble hits 100,000: At 6:42 a.m. CDT on Monday, the Hubble Space Telescope saw its orbital odometer reach 100,000. Circling the Earth since April 1990, the observatory has traveled 2.72 billion miles, about 5,700 round trips to the Moon. To mark the milestone, scientists aimed Hubble at a small portion of a nebula 170,000 light- years away in a region of celestial birth and renewal. The Space Telescope Science Institute will reward 18 visitors to its website with a 16 by 20-inch print of Hubble's photo.
August 11, 2008 / 3:00 p.m. CT (2000 GMT) Rocket relocation: The San Diego Air and Space Museum wants to bring a nearly 100 foot Atlas rocket to Balboa Park, the Union Tribune reports. The 48-year old booster is currently at El Cajon's Gillespie Field where it serves as a landmark for drivers along Route 67. Before the move can go forward however, the museum must get the approval of the park's committee, which oversees the landmark property and enforces its Spanish Colonial look. The Atlas, a model 2E built in 1960, would be modified by the museum to place a replica Mercury capsule at its top, in the memory of Mercury-Atlas 8 astronaut Wally Schirra.
August 13, 2008 / 12:19 p.m. CT (1719 GMT) His other bike is a spacecraft: Beginning Wednesday in Cape Flattery cross country to Cape Canaveral, former astronaut John Herrington launches on a 4,000-mile coast to coast bike tour to inspire students while touting opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Having been the first Native American to fly and walk in space during the 2002 STS-113 shuttle mission, Herrington will stop along his 'Rocketrek' to visit NASA Explorer Schools in 10 states including several on Native American reservations. He will record his 3-month journey on rocketrek.net and Google Earth GPS tracking.
August 14, 2008 / 2:23 p.m. CT (2023 GMT) John Bull (1934-2008):John Bull, a former astronaut who, due to illness, was forced to resign in 1968 while supporting what would become the first crewed lunar mission, died on Monday at age 73. A naval aviator, Bull was diagnosed with a rare pulmonary disease, resulting in his exit from the astronaut corps and his role as a support crew member for what would fly as Apollo 8. Bull returned to NASA in 1973 after earning his Ph.D. from Stanford, to perform and manage research in advanced flight systems.
August 15, 2008 / 10:09 a.m. CT (1609 GMT) Animated Apollo: nWave Pictures' "Fly Me To The Moon" opens Friday in U.S. 3-D and IMAX theaters. The film, which claims to be the first ever animated movie created for 3D follows three young houseflies as they stow away aboard the real 1969 Apollo 11 lunar landing mission that made Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin (who voices his own character as well as appears in a live action epilogue) the first men on the Moon. Reviewers have been critical of "Fly Me To The Moon" for historical errors but others have applauded introducing the next generation to NASA's past.
August 18, 2008 / 1:23 a.m. CT (0623 GMT) Home away from home: A week and a half after the Mets play their final regular season game at Shea Stadium (the New York team moves to the new Citi Field in 2009) a literal landmark from the 44 year old diamond will take a trip greater than 85 million orbits around the mound. On October 8, STS-125 spacewalker Mike Massimino will launch with the Mets' 2007 season home plate aboard the shuttle Atlantis. The five-sided slab of whitened rubber will accompany Massimino and his six crew mates on the last Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission before coming back to Earth. The plate will then be brought 'home' to NY.
August 20, 2008 / 2:30 a.m. CT (0730 GMT) First look to at the stars: Two weeks after learning from astronaut Buzz Aldrin the title of his children's book due out in April 2009, we're now getting our first look at the cover art for "Look to the Stars". Painted by artist Wendell Minor, who also illustrated Aldrin's "Reaching for the Moon" in 2005, the cover shows the 36-year old Aldrin during his Gemini 12 spacewalk. Below the portrait, Minor depicts waning and waxing moon-shaped images that are symbolic of Stars's story line, which introduces readers to historic and future pioneers who have 'looked to the stars.'
Lost in flight: The third flight for SpaceX's Falcon 1 two-stage rocket ended in its loss when two and a half minutes into its ascent a "problem occurred with stage separation." On-board the Falcon were three satellites to be deployed, including what could have been the first test flight of a solar sail, NASA's NanoSail-D. Also lost in flight were the cremated remains of 208 participants in Celestis' memorial "Explorers" mission, including astronaut Gordon Cooper who died in 2004. According to SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, an 
Look to the Stars in 2009: Astronaut Buzz Aldrin and artist Wendell Minor are teaming again to 
Astronauts and the Olympics: Yang Liwei, China's first taikonaut, was among the five international space explorers who took part in the 
Hubble hits 100,000: At 6:42 a.m. CDT on Monday, the Hubble Space Telescope saw its orbital odometer reach 100,000. Circling the Earth since April 1990, the observatory has traveled 2.72 billion miles, about 5,700 round trips to the Moon. To 
Rocket relocation: The San Diego Air and Space Museum 
His other bike is a spacecraft: Beginning Wednesday in Cape Flattery cross country to Cape Canaveral, former astronaut John Herrington launches on a 4,000-mile coast to coast 
John Bull (1934-2008): 
Animated Apollo: nWave Pictures' "Fly Me To The Moon" opens Friday in U.S. 3-D and IMAX theaters. The film, which claims to be the first ever animated movie created for 3D follows three young houseflies as they stow away aboard the real 1969 Apollo 11 lunar landing mission that made Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin (who voices his own character as well as appears in a live action epilogue) the first men on the Moon. Reviewers 
Home away from home: A week and a half after the Mets play their final regular season game at Shea Stadium (the New York team moves to the new Citi Field in 2009) a literal landmark from the 44 year old diamond will take a trip greater than 85 million orbits around the mound. On October 8, STS-125 spacewalker Mike Massimino will launch with the 
First look