Loren Grush
at 12:47 PM Feb 20 2015

The International Space Station is getting a makeover starting this week. On Friday, astronauts Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Terry Virts will conduct the first of a series of spacewalks to reconfigure the outside of the station to create two new docking ports, Discovery News reports. The new ports will provide parking spots for spacecraft that will be visiting in the near future—namely, the commercial space taxis being developed by SpaceX and Boeing.

Leroy Chiao
at 09:25 AM Nov 12 2014

NASA has been launching astronauts into low Earth orbit for over fifty years, so the technology is mature and we clearly know how to do it. Letting private companies do the job is the next logical step. The question is, can the risks be adequately controlled? And can private human spaceflight be jumpstarted and maintained at a profit? I think that the answer to both of these questions is “yes” -- using tested hardware and an honest communication of risk.

Loren Grush
at 10:20 AM Sep 30 2014

With the recent retirement of the Space Shuttle program in 2011, NASA has been in desperate need of some space taxis -- vehicles designed to transport astronauts to and from the International Space Station. For the past three years, the space agency has had to rely on Russia’s Soyuz rocket to fulfill this need, which hasn't been cheap or ideal.

Loren Grush
at 12:20 PM Sep 19 2014

Of course, it wasn’t long before reality sank in. I’m not really part of this proverbial “we.” The rides are for NASA astronauts only, not for us mere mortals, fated to only walk on one planet for the rest of our lives. My excitement soon became mixed with a reinvigorated longing to explore the celestial frontier.

Loren Grush
at 09:37 AM Sep 17 2014

Ladies and gentlemen, we have a winner - well two, actually.

Lacey Henry
at 06:30 AM Jul 24 2013
Space // 

From the outside, Boeing's CST-100 spacecraft model resembles a high-tech gumdrop. On the inside, it's a spacious, LED-glowing dream. The new commercial vehicle is designed to transport NASA astronauts to and from low Earth orbit. Boeing recently unveiled the interior for the first time.

Emily Elert
at 06:00 AM Nov 7 2012
Science // 

Proof that remote e-voting is possible, even if we haven't figured out how to make it happen on Earth: NASA astronauts aboard the International Space Station are filling out digital versions of their ballots today, and beaming them back to Mission Control.

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