NASA Solicits Commercial Mars Telecom Relay Proposals to Avoid Science Transmission Gap

By Ken Kremer, on July 24th, 2014

Artist rendering of commercial Mars satellites providing communications back to Earth. Credit: NASA/JPL

Facing the undeniable reality of a looming communications gap in the 2020s in getting gigabits of precious data back from NASA’s highly productive science armada exploring Mars, the agency is now soliciting information on the potential for utilizing commercial Mars-orbiting […]

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LADEE Sees Zodiacal Light at Moons Horizon Just Prior to Crash

By Ken Kremer, on April 30th, 2014

Video caption: A series of star tracker images taken by LADEE on April 12, 2014. The lunar horizon is ahead, a few minutes before orbital sunrise. Click to see gif animation. Credit: NASA Ames

Mere days before its planned mission ending crash on April 17, scientists directing NASA’s wildly successful LADEE lunar orbiter sought […]

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NASA’s LADEE Dust Probe Plunges Deliberately Into Lunar Surface

By Ken Kremer, on April 21st, 2014

Depiction of NASA’s Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) observatory as it approaches lunar orbit. Credit: NASA Ames/Dana Berry

NASA’s newest Moon probe, the Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE), aimed at studying the moon ultra tenuous atmosphere and dust, has deliberately plunged into the lunar surface after successfully completing its […]

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NASA's LADEE Spacecraft Concludes Primary Mission, Enters Extended Science Phase

By Leonidas Papadopoulos, on March 18th, 2014

Artist’s concept of NASA’s Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) spacecraft in orbit above the Moon as dust scatters light during the lunar sunset. Image Credit/Caption: NASA Ames / Dana Berry

Although somewhat neglected by the media, partly because of its lack of any grabbing and impressive space imagery, as opposed to […]

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'Space Frog' Joins List of Wayward Animal Launch Day Casualties

By Jason Rhian, on September 12th, 2013

Being an animal who calls one of the locations that NASA launches from home can be extremely hazardous to your health. Images courtesy of NASA

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla — The list of animal launch day casualties increased by one (that we’re aware of) this past week with the launch of NASA’s LADEE spacecraft […]

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Moon-Bound LADEE Spacecraft Back On Track After Minor Problem

By Mike Killian, on September 10th, 2013

NASA’s latest spacecraft bound for the Moon, LADEE, has encountered and recovered from a glitch on the way to survey the lunar atmosphere. Image Credit: NASA / Ames

NASA’s $280 million Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer mission, or LADEE, is well on its way to the Moon after the compact car-size spacecraft […]

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NASA to Share the Universe With Instagram Users Through Its Images

By NASA, on September 10th, 2013

NASA’s LADEE mission begins its journey to the Moon with a spectacular liftoff from Pad 0B at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS) on Wallops Island, Va., on 6 September 2013. The mission marked the maiden voyage of the five-stage Minotaur V rocket. Photo Credit: NASA-Wallops/Chris Perry

NASA is launching an official Instagram profile […]

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First Minotaur V Rocket Boosts NASA's LADEE Spacecraft on Mission to the Moon

By Ben Evans, on September 7th, 2013

NASA’s LADEE mission begins its journey to the Moon with a spectacular liftoff from Pad 0B at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS) on Wallops Island, Va., on 6 September 2013. The mission marked the maiden voyage of the five-stage Minotaur V rocket. Photo Credit: Mark Usciak / AmericaSpace

Orbital Sciences Corp. has successfully […]

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LADEE Arrives at Wallops for Moon Mission

By NASA, on June 7th, 2013

The NASA Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) arrives at NASA Wallops to begin final processing for its trip to the moon later this year. Photo Credit: NASA

The NASA Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) arrived today at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility to begin final processing for its trip to […]

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LADEE Set to Investigate Lunar Atmosphere and Test High-Speed Data Link

By Steve Nerlich, on June 5th, 2013

Artist’s impression of the LADEE spacecraft in lunar orbit. Image Credit: NASA / Ames

The Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) is due for launch in September 2013 from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport. LADEE will study the composition and structure of the tenuous lunar atmosphere, including dust that may be lofted up […]

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