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Mice, gerbils perish in Russia space flight

Agence France-PresseMay 19, 2013 12:15

A number of mice and eight gerbils sent into space in a Russian capsule destined to find out how well organisms can withstand extended flights perished during their journey, scientists said Sunday as the month-long mission touched back down on Earth. Most of the 45 mice sent into orbit -- along with the gerbils and 15 newts -- died on the mission, which nevertheless returned with data that scientists hope will pave the way for a manned flight to Mars. The animals on board the Bion-M craft died because of equipment failure or due to the stresses of space, scientists said.

Russia retrieves mice, newts from space

Agence France-PresseMay 19, 2013 08:45

A Russian capsule filled with 45 mice and 15 newts along with other small animals returned from a month's mission in orbit on Sunday with data scientists hope will pave the way for a manned flight to Mars. Russian Mission Control said the Bion-M craft landed softly with the help of a special parachute system in the Orenburg Region about 1,200 kilometres (750 miles) southeast of Moscow. The capsule was also carrying snails and gerbils as well as some plants and microflora. Rossiya state television said not all the animals survived but provided no other details.

'Very serious' ammonia leak outside ISS: Russian official

Agence France-PresseMay 13, 2013 16:35

Russian and American space experts on Friday will discuss a "very serious" ammonia leak outside the International Space Station, a Russian official said. "Indeed, they have a serious defect, very serious," Vladimir Solovyov, flight director for the Russian segment of the space station was quoted as saying by the Interfax news agency. The US space agency NASA earlier said the ammonia leak detected in the cooling system did not pose a danger to astronauts on board the station.

Astronaut Chris Hadfield back on Earth after five-month mission in space

The Canadian PressMay 13, 2013 06:00

LONGUEUIL, Que. - Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield, who became a worldwide sensation thanks to his tweets, musical performances and stunning photos from the International Space Station, was back on the ground Monday night. Hadfield touched down in Kazakhstan on a Russian Soyuz capsule which was also carrying Russian cosmonaut Roman Romanenko and NASA astronaut Tom Marshburn — the same pair the Canadian astronaut blasted off with on Dec. 19, 2012.

CORRECTED: 'Very serious' ammonia leak outside ISS: Russian official

Agence France-PresseMay 11, 2013 18:19

Russian and US space experts were scrambling to address a "very serious" ammonia leak outside the International Space Station that may require astronauts to perform an emergency spacewalk, a Russian official said on Friday. "Indeed, they have a serious defect, very serious," Vladimir Solovyov, flight director for the Russian segment of the space station was quoted as saying by the Interfax news agency. The US space agency NASA earlier said the leak of ammonia used to cool the station's power system did not pose a danger to astronauts on board.

NASA to pay Russia $424 mln more for lift into space

Agence France-PresseApril 30, 2013 22:45

NASA said Tuesday it will pay $424 million more to Russia for giving US astronauts a lift to the International Space Station. The hefty bill includes the training and transporting of six astronauts to and from the ISS in 2016 and the first half of 2017 in Russian Soyuz spacecraft. That comes down to $70.6 million a seat, an increase of $5.6 million from the previous price tag.

Skyrocketing inflation: Russia now charging NASA $70 million per seat to fly US astronauts

The Canadian PressApril 30, 2013 13:45

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA is paying $424 million more to Russia to get U.S. astronauts into space, and the agency's leader is blaming Congress for the extra expense. NASA announced its latest contract with the Russian Space Agency on Tuesday. The $424 million represents flights to and from the International Space Station aboard Russian Soyuz spacecraft, as well as training, for six astronauts in 2016 and the first half of 2017. That's $70.6 million per seat — well above the previous price tag of about $65 million.

Space debris problem now urgent - scientists

Agence France-PresseApril 25, 2013 12:46

Governments must start working urgently to remove orbital debris, which could become a catastrophic problem for satellites a few decades from now, a space science conference heard on Thursday. Since 1978, the total of junk items whizzing around the planet has tripled, said Heiner Klinkrad, head of the European Space Agency's Space Debris Office. "There is a wide and strong expert consensus on the pressing need to act now to begin debris removal activities," he said in an ESA press release at the end of a four-day conference in Darmstadt, Germany.

Umanned Russian spaceship suffers mishap on way to ISS

Agence France-PresseApril 24, 2013 11:16

A unmanned Progress spaceship racing to the International Space Station with 2.5 tonnes of cargo on board failed Wednesday to deploy a key antenna that helps it dock with the orbiting lab in the latest hitch in Russia's space programme. The incident threatens to cast a new shadow over a once-vaunted programme that competed with the United States for space supremacy. Russian and US space officials said the problem occurred just as the Progress settled into orbit after blasting off aboard a Soyuz rocket from the Baikonur space station that Moscow leases from Kazakhstan.

Orbital Sciences launches Antares rocket

Agence France-PresseApril 21, 2013 20:48

US manufacturer Orbital Sciences launched its first Antares rocket Sunday, paving the way for a demonstration flight to the International Space Station within months. The two-stage launch vehicle blasted off at 5:00 pm (2100 GMT) from the Wallops Flight Facility on an island off the coast of the eastern US state of Virginia.