http://phys.org/ en-us Phys.org internet news portal provides the latest news on science including: Physics, Nanotechnology, Life Sciences, Space Science, Earth Science, Environment, Health and Medicine. (Phys.org) -- In this photo taken from the International Space Station, the European Space Agency’s Automated Transfer Vehicle-3 (ATV-3) is seen on approach for docking. The unmanned cargo spacecraft docked to the space station at 6:31 p.m. EDT on March 28, 2012. http://phys.org/news253180627.html Space & Earth Mon, 09 Apr 2012 08:57:17 EST news253180627 So much for the idea that space capsules are cramped and can only carry a limited crew. SpaceX revealed a prototype for their new crew cabin design, as they conducted a joint daylong review with NASA of the Dragon crew vehicle layout. In this configuration, the Dragon will be able to carry a crew of seven, the same number the space shuttle could carry. Using a Dragon engineering model equipped with seats and representations of crew systems, they were able to get assessments and feedback from engineers and four NASA astronauts on interior amenities such as lighting, environmental control and life support systems, displays, cargo racks, and the all important seating system. The evaluators participated in human factors assessments which covered entering and exiting Dragon under both normal and contingency cases, as well as reach and visibility evaluations. . Photo: SpaceXwhich they say will work well for astronauts in both regular and emergency (that’s ‘off-nominal’ in NASA-speak) scenarios. http://phys.org/news251371140.html Space & Earth Mon, 19 Mar 2012 10:19:13 EST news251371140 (AP) -- NASA surprised John Glenn with the kind of anniversary gift only a space agency can give, enabling him to speak live with the International Space Station on Monday as he marked 50 years since his historic spaceflight. http://phys.org/news248976583.html Space & Earth Mon, 20 Feb 2012 16:09:55 EST news248976583 In the mid-1960s, before any Apollo hardware had flown with a crew, NASA was looking ahead and planning its next major programs. It was a bit of a challenge. After all, how do you top landing a man on the Moon? Not wanting to start from scratch, NASA focused on possible missions that would use the hardware and software developed for the Apollo program. One mission that fit within these parameters was a manned flyby of our cosmic twin, Venus.  http://phys.org/news243596991.html Space & Earth Tue, 20 Dec 2011 09:50:21 EST news243596991 Staying inside cramped, windowless modules for nearly a year-and-half was a tough challenge for an international crew of six researchers simulating a mission to Mars under 24-hour surveillance by scientists. http://phys.org/news239967531.html Space & Earth Tue, 08 Nov 2011 09:42:40 EST news239967531 Six volunteers on Friday stepped out into the outside world after spending the last one-and-a-half-years locked away in an isolation module in Moscow to simulate the effects of a return trip to Mars. http://phys.org/news239623455.html Space & Earth Fri, 04 Nov 2011 11:40:01 EST news239623455 (AP) -- Pale but smiling, an international crew of researchers on Friday walked out of a set of windowless modules after a grueling 520-day simulation of a flight to Mars. http://phys.org/news239615837.html Space & Earth Fri, 04 Nov 2011 08:57:52 EST news239615837 The 520 days of isolation for the Mars500 crew will end on 4 November, when the hatch of their ‘spacecraft’ is opened for the first time since June last year. Scientists eagerly await the final samples as the crew count the hours to liberty. http://phys.org/news239275219.html Space & Earth Mon, 31 Oct 2011 10:20:52 EST news239275219 NASA evacuated a crew of astronauts Wednesday from an underwater lab off the coast of Florida where they were training for a trip to an asteroid, due to the approach of Hurricane Rina. http://phys.org/news238840135.html Space & Earth Wed, 26 Oct 2011 09:29:06 EST news238840135 Battery-powered jet packs are definitely the best part of tooling around on the ocean floor in practice drills for an eventual visit to an asteroid, an international crew of astronauts said Monday. http://phys.org/news238737191.html Space & Earth Tue, 25 Oct 2011 04:53:19 EST news238737191 Russia said Monday it would return three of the six international crew members on board the International Space Station to Earth later this week despite no immediate plans to send up their replacement. http://phys.org/news235062627.html Space & Earth Mon, 12 Sep 2011 16:11:30 EST news235062627 (AP) -- The astronauts aboard the International Space Station say ground controllers are figuring out how best to leave the complex running in case it needs to be temporarily abandoned. http://phys.org/news234532997.html Space & Earth Tue, 06 Sep 2011 13:09:27 EST news234532997 The possible first-ever evacuation of the International Space Station, if a Russian spacecraft is not launched in November, would risk the loss of the orbiting lab, a NASA official has warned. http://phys.org/news233945623.html Space & Earth Tue, 30 Aug 2011 17:54:16 EST news233945623 Russia on Monday delayed its next manned mission to the International Space Station (ISS) by at least a month after an unmanned cargo vessel crashed into Siberia instead of reaching orbit. http://phys.org/news233830664.html Space & Earth Mon, 29 Aug 2011 09:57:54 EST news233830664 (AP) -- Russian authorities said Thursday they are using helicopters in their search for the wreckage of the unmanned supply ship that crashed and exploded in a forested area in Siberia. http://phys.org/news233479299.html Space & Earth Thu, 25 Aug 2011 08:21:50 EST news233479299 The six-member crew aboard the International Space Station has plenty of food and fuel and will not be immediately affected by the crash of a Russian supply ship, NASA said Wednesday. http://phys.org/news233411866.html Space & Earth Wed, 24 Aug 2011 13:38:37 EST news233411866 The space shuttle flew to the International Space Station 37 times, but its retirement leaves NASA reliant on the Russian Soyuz for future trips, raising the question of what would happen if the Soyuz is grounded for an accident or another problem. http://phys.org/news231338306.html Space & Earth Sun, 31 Jul 2011 13:39:03 EST news231338306 (AP) -- On the eve of NASA's historic, wheel-stopping end to the shuttle program, the four astronauts making the final journey and the flight controllers who will guide them home said Wednesday they're starting to feel a rush of emotions. http://phys.org/news230356070.html Space & Earth Wed, 20 Jul 2011 04:48:03 EST news230356070 (AP) -- The astronauts on NASA's final shuttle voyage floated out of the International Space Station for the last time Monday, leaving behind a historic U.S. flag and a commemorative shuttle model to mark the end of a 30-year era. http://phys.org/news230220809.html Space & Earth Mon, 18 Jul 2011 15:13:39 EST news230220809 A piece of space debris narrowly missed the International Space Station on Tuesday in a rare incident that forced the six-member crew to scramble to their rescue craft, space agency officials said. http://phys.org/news228473990.html Space & Earth Tue, 28 Jun 2011 10:00:08 EST news228473990 NASA is inviting the public to view a test version of the agency's next spacecraft that will carry humans into deep space. http://phys.org/news227345339.html Space & Earth Wed, 15 Jun 2011 08:29:08 EST news227345339 NASA said Tuesday that a new spacecraft to ferry humans into deep space will be based on designs for the Orion crew exploration vehicle and built by Lockheed Martin. http://phys.org/news225466793.html Space & Earth Tue, 24 May 2011 14:40:13 EST news225466793 (AP) -- In an unprecedented cosmic photo shoot Monday, a departing spaceship snapped close-up glamour pictures of the space shuttle Endeavour attached to the International Space Station. http://phys.org/news225393608.html Space & Earth Mon, 23 May 2011 18:20:31 EST news225393608 The US space shuttle Endeavour, with six astronauts on board including an Italian, docked at the International Space Station (ISS) on Wednesday, NASA said. http://phys.org/news224930387.html Space & Earth Wed, 18 May 2011 09:40:03 EST news224930387 Countdown has begun for the final flight of the Endeavour, scheduled to lift off Monday on the American space program's second to last mission to the International Space Station. http://phys.org/news224574706.html Space & Earth Sat, 14 May 2011 06:52:06 EST news224574706 The first full-duration simulation of a manned voyage to Mars has reached a major milestone: the ‘spacecraft’ yesterday ‘arrived’ at Mars after 244 days of virtual interplanetary flight. Three crewmembers will ‘land’ on Mars on 12 February and make three sorties onto simulated martian terrain. http://phys.org/news215948830.html Space & Earth Thu, 03 Feb 2011 09:47:29 EST news215948830 For many, no single word evokes as much pain. Challenger. http://phys.org/news215358707.html Space & Earth Thu, 27 Jan 2011 13:52:01 EST news215358707 (AP) -- An astronaut who crashed his bicycle over the weekend won't be taking part in space shuttle Discovery's final voyage next month. http://phys.org/news214666127.html Space & Earth Wed, 19 Jan 2011 13:29:41 EST news214666127 (AP) -- The shocking gundown of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords has left NASA reeling: Her astronaut husband was due to rocket away in just three months as perhaps the last space shuttle commander, and her brother-in-law is currently on the International Space Station. http://phys.org/news213886741.html Space & Earth Mon, 10 Jan 2011 12:59:45 EST news213886741 This unique, close-up view of the X-38 under the wing of NASA's B-52 mothership prior to launch of the lifting-body research vehicle was taken from the observation window of the B-52 bomber as it banked in flight. http://phys.org/news209230012.html Space & Earth Wed, 17 Nov 2010 15:27:09 EST news209230012