Searched for
NASA MISSION
In 2013, balloons were launched by NASA near the North and South poles to study X-rays in Earth’s atmosphereIn 2013, balloons were launched by NASA near the North and South poles to study X-rays in Earth’s atmosphere as part of the Balloon Array f...- In 1958, NASA launched a spacecraft Able 2 for the first time to the Moon but the mission failed after a small error and the probe reentered Earth's atmosphere about 43 hours after launchIn 1958, NASA launched Able 2, later known as Pioneer 1, on a mission to study the Moon. The spacecraft failed to reach lunar orbit after a...
- Can NASA’s Pandora find water on alien worlds? The new mission is now watchingNASA's Pandora satellite has begun observing distant exoplanets to study their atmospheres. This mission aims to separate planetary atmosph...
- In 1997, NASA launched Columbia to study undercooled molten metals in microgravity; the STS-83 mission also carried experiments on sintering and fire behaviorThe 1997 mission of space shuttle Columbia was cut short due to problems with fuel cells. However, the crew managed to perform crucial micr...
- In 1972, Apollo 17 astronauts tore a rover fender on the Moon; they rebuilt it with four spare maps, duct tape, and clamps, and the fix lasted through 9.1 km of drivingDuring Apollo seventeen, Commander Eugene Cernan broke the rover's rear fender extension. Astronauts Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt rep...
- In 1976, NASA's Viking Project sent the first images from a Mars lander back to Earth; its landing-site lessons influenced later U.S. Mars missionsIn 1976, Viking 1's successful touchdown on Mars set in motion a vital new strategy for choosing landing sites. Following safety concerns t...
- In 1984, NASA sent about 3,300 honeybees into space to test comb-building without gravity; the colony built about 31 square inches of honeycombIn 1984, honeybees traveled aboard the Space Shuttle Challenger for a unique student experiment. These bees successfully built honeycomb an...
- In 1965, an astronaut secretly smuggled corned-beef sandwich into space, creating a '$30 million' problem for NASAIn 1965, astronaut John Young secretly carried an unauthorized corned-beef sandwich aboard NASA’s Gemini 3 mission. The sandwich created pr...
- In 1997, NASA sent a lightning sensor into orbit aboard TRMM to study storms. 29 years later, the mission’s data still helps scientists understand lightning, rainfall and climateNASA's Lightning Imaging Sensor aboard TRMM studied lightning's role in weather. Earlier missions observed lightning from space, revealing ...
- In 1971, Apollo 15 astronauts found a white rock later identified as part of the Moon's ancient crust; the "Genesis rock" was estimated to be around four billion years oldIn 1971, the Apollo 15 mission led astronauts to discover a remarkable lunar rock, affectionately termed the 'Genesis rock' due to its age ...
- In 1986, Challenger broke apart 73 seconds after liftoff; 36 years later, a TV dive team found a shuttle artifact with 8-inch tiles off FloridaDivers found a large, tiled object while filming a documentary series. This unexpected discovery was later identified as space shuttle Chal...
- In 1973, NASA sent two fish into space to test their swimming ability in zero gravity; they initially swam in loops but later used light as cue to move normally after 21 daysIn 1973, NASA sent two mummichog fish and 50 eggs aboard Skylab 3 to study how weightlessness affected their sense of balance. The fish ini...
- In 1999, a small unit mismatch sent NASA's Mars Climate Orbiter deep into the Martian atmosphere and led to the failure of the missionIn 1999, a small unit mismatch sent NASA's Mars Climate Orbiter deep into the Martian atmosphere and led to the failure of the mission. The...
- In 1973, NASA sent about two spiders into space to test web-building without gravity; within days, they adapted and spun complete webs in orbitTwo spiders, Arabella and Anita, flew on Skylab 3 to test web-building in space. Initially disoriented, the spiders eventually adapted to t...
- In 1969, three NASA astronauts abroad Apollo 10 flew incredibly close to the Moon. They had a lunar module a working descent engine but weren't allowed to landDuring the Apollo 10 mission, astronauts soared just nine miles above the Moon's surface, meticulously testing lunar module systems and lan...
- In 1985, NASA astronauts built two giant “flyswatters” aboard Space Shuttle Discovery; they used them in an attempt to activate a stranded satelliteIn the remarkable year of 1985, astronauts faced a daunting challenge when they crafted makeshift tools from spare materials aboard their s...
- In 1969, Apollo 12 began broadcasting from the Moon, but Alan Bean accidentally aimed its camera at the Sun and killed the live TV feedDuring the Apollo 12 mission, astronaut Alan Bean mistakenly aimed the color television camera at the sun, leading to overheating and the l...
- In 1966, Michael Collins lost a camera and a micrometeorite experiment during a Gemini X spacewalk; both drifted away into orbitDuring the Gemini X mission in 1966, astronaut Michael Collins faced setbacks when he lost both his camera and a scientific experiment duri...
- In 2004, NASA’s Genesis sample capsule crashed in Utah at up to 193 miles per hour; scientists later recovered valuable solar-wind samplesNASA's Genesis mission faced a dramatic mishap in Utah when its capsule crashed after gathering precious solar wind samples. The failure of...
- Rescue mission for aging NASA space telescope failsKatalyst's LINK craft was launched in early July to approach the observatory, also known as Swift, some 216 miles (347 km) in space, grap...
Load More
