US ramping up private sector's role in spaceflight

The first flight of a commercial vessel to the International Space Station in late April will signal a bigger role for the private sector and open up space tourism opportunities, industry experts and lawmakers say.

SpaceX, NASA readies for April 30 launch to ISS

Preparations for the April 30 launch of the SpaceX's Dragon commercial spacecraft to the International Space Station are underway without major problems, a top NASA official said Tuesday.

Ashton Kutcher signs up for Branson space flight

Actor Ashton Kutcher is set to go into orbit after becoming the 500th customer to sign up for Richard Branson's pioneering space ship, the British tycoon said Monday.

Spacewalking astronauts move crane, skip shields

Two spacewalking astronauts moved a construction crane outside the International Space Station on Thursday, a cumbersome job that took so long they scrapped hanging shields to protect against space junk.

Russian spacecraft delivers new crew to ISS

A spacecraft carrying two Russians and an American docked Wednesday with the International Space Station in the first Russian manned mission for five months after a spate of technical failures.

Russia blames scientists for rocket crashes

Russia's chief prosecutor on Tuesday blamed a recent spate of disasters threatening the future of the International Space Station (ISS) on negligence by the country's underpaid rocket scientists.

Russia launches US telecoms satellite into orbit

Russian successfully launched a US Intelsat satellite into space late Wednesday, aboard a Zenit carrier rocket from the Baikonur space centre in Kazakhstan, a Russian space agency official said.

Russia postpones next manned launch to ISS

Russia on Friday said the next manned launch taking astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) would take place two days later than previously announced, on November 14.

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