Doorway to the Future: 15 Years Since STS-104 (Part 2)

By Ben Evans, on July 10th, 2016

Expedition 46 Commander Scott Kelly departs the Quest airlock on 28 October 2015 to begin an EVA with crewmate Kjell Lindgren. Photo Credit: NASA

Fifteen years ago, this week, the crew of STS-104—Commander Steve Lindsey, Pilot Charlie Hobaugh, and Mission Specialists Mike Gernhardt, Janet Kavandi, and Jim Reilly—rocketed into the pre-dawn darkness to […]

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'Return to Flight, Not Rush to Flight': 10 Years Since Discovery Came Safely Home to Earth (Part 1)

By Ben Evans, on August 8th, 2015

Discovery sits on the runway at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., on 9 August 2005, after completing STS-114, the first post-Columbia shuttle mission. Photo Credit: NASA

Ten years have now passed since the first space shuttle streaked safely back to Earth on 9 August 2005, in the aftermath of the Columbia disaster. The […]

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Astronaut Don Thomas, Veteran of 'Repeat' Shuttle Mission, Turns 60 Today

By Ben Evans, on May 6th, 2015

Don Thomas, pictured in March 2002, during training for Expedition 6. Photo Credit: NASA

Astronaut Don Thomas—one of only four humans to have flown Shuttle Columbia as many as three times, joint record-holder for the shortest interval between two discrete space flights, and a member of 1995’s famous “All-Ohio Mission”—turns 60 today (Wednesday, […]

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Don Pettit, Fourth Most Experienced US Astronaut, Turns 60 Today

By Ben Evans, on April 20th, 2015

Don Pettit holds a still camera as he looks through the nadir window in the Destiny laboratory on the International Space Station (ISS). The islands of Lanzarote and Fuerteventura of the Canary Island chain in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Morocco are visible. Photo Credit: NASA

Astronaut Don Pettit, a veteran […]

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'The Most Complex So Far': What 2003 Might Have Been

By Ben Evans, on February 9th, 2015

Columbia roars into orbit for the 28th and final time on 16 January 2003. Eighty-two seconds into the ascent, a chunk of foam from her External Tank would spell disaster for the outcome of STS-107. Photo Credit: NASA

Twelve years ago, last weekend, Shuttle Columbia and the crew of STS-107—Commander Rick Husband, Pilot […]

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'Fifteen Midnights': Celebrating the New Year in Space (Part 1)

By Ben Evans, on December 27th, 2014

Bill Shepherd (center) and his Expedition 1 crewmates, Yuri Gidzenko (left) and Sergei Krikalev, juggle oranges during their time aboard the International Space Station. They celebrated both Christmas and the dawn of 2001 in orbit. Photo Credit: NASA

With a naval officer in command of the International Space Station, it might have seemed […]

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Ding-Dong Merrily On-Orbit: Celebrating Yuletide in Space (Part 2)

By Ben Evans, on December 24th, 2014

Since December 2000, a multi-national mix of Americans and Russians, Japanese and Italians, a Dutchman and a Canadian have celebrated Christmas aboard the International Space Station. Photo Credit: NASA

As we celebrate the festive period over the coming days, spare a thought for the four men and two women from three discrete nations […]

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