First Samples Will Test The Rovers Ability To Collect And Analyze Material

NASA's Curiosity rover is in a position on Mars where scientists and engineers can begin preparing the rover to take its first scoop of soil for analysis. The rover's ability to put soil samples into analytical instruments is central to assessing whether its present location on Mars, called Gale Crater, ever offered environmental conditions favorable for microbial life.

Bolden Is First Recipient Of The Doolittle Memorial Award

The Tuskegee Airmen Scholarship Foundation presented NASA Administrator Charles Bolden (pictured in file image) with the Gen. James H. "Jimmy" Doolittle Memorial Award at the organization's Gold Medal Gala Thursday in Los Angeles.

Keeps Spacecraft's Options Open For An Encounter With Asteroid 2002 GT

NASA's Deep Impact spacecraft completed a firing of its onboard rocket motors Thursday. The maneuver began at 1600 EDT, lasted 71 seconds, and changed its velocity by 4.5 mph. The rocket burn was performed to keep the venerable comet hunter's options open for yet another exploration of a solar system small body.

CRS-1 ISS Resupply Docking Coming Up Shortly

On-time and on-spec, the SpaceX Dragon is now its way to the ISS. Following a Sunday night, 2035 ET launch, the Dragon capsule reached its planned orbit of 212 miles above Earth, despite a single engine failure about a minute into the mission, and is on course to catch up to the station during the next couple of days. It has opened the two solar arrays on the side of the spacecraft to power its systems from sunlight. SpaceX launched the first of a dozen operational missions to deliver supplies to the International Space Station on Oct. 7 for NASA. Launch time came at 8:35 p.m. from Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, just a few miles south of the space shuttle launch pads.