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Jan | Feb | Mar | April | May | Jun
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/ 12:00 a.m. CT (0600 GMT)
Second SpaceShipTwo: Virgin Galactic has set Feb. 19 for the roll out and christening of its second SpaceShipTwo from its assembly, integration and test hangar at the Mojave Air and Space Port in California. The invite-only event is expected to include the participation of theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking, who will help reveal the name of the suborbital spacecraft. The reveal comes more than a year after the first SpaceShipTwo was lost in a test flight.
/ 6:45 p.m. CT (0045 GMT Jan 8)
A history lesson from space: Jeff Williams, who is set to make space history on his next space station expedition launching in March, will devote part of his third six-month mission to sharing the history of the orbiting outpost. The NASA astronaut, whose father taught history, revealed on Thursday (Jan. 7) that his outreach activities aboard the space station will focus on the significance of its past.
/ 6:25 p.m. CT (0025 GMT Jan 9)
Space Shuttle Atlantis™: A legal challenge over the trademarks registered for Yosemite National Park has raised questions over who owns Space Shuttle Atlantis. The spacecraft, which was retired in 2011 after 33 missions, is displayed at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. The orbiter is still NASA property, but the service marks sharing its name were granted to another entity.
/ 2:00 a.m. CT (0800 GMT)
Shuttle for tomorrow: "Inspiration," the full-scale space shuttle mockup that for 20 years sat outside the US Astronaut Hall of Fame in Florida, is moving. Also called the "Shuttle to Tomorrow," the orbiter is set to be upgraded to become an educational outreach tool and showpiece for LVX System, the company underwriting the work. If current plans hold, the Inspiration will ultimately embark on a barge and tour along the waterways of the United States.
/ 10:05 p.m. CT (0405 GMT Jan 15)
Three to get ready: NASA announced three contracts to resupply the International Space Station from 2019 through 2024 on Thursday (Jan. 14). In addition to continuing flights by SpaceX's Dragon and Orbital ATK's Cygnus capsules, the agency also selected Sierra Nevada's Dream Chaser spaceplane to deliver science equipment and crew logistics to the orbiting laboratory. Each company will fly at least six uncrewed cargo missions to the space station.
/ 2:25 p.m. CT (2025 GMT)
Spacewalk cut short: A small water leak in NASA astronaut Tim Kopra's helmet resulted in Mission Control terminating his and British astronaut Tim Peake's extravehicular activity (EVA) on Friday (Jan. 15). The two achieved their main task, replacing a voltage regulator, before having to return to the airlock as a result of the leak. Kopra wasn't in any danger NASA said, but they followed procedures set after a more serious leak in 2013. The spacewalk had been slated for six and a half hours but ended shy of five.
/ 3:20 p.m. CT (2120 GMT)
'Inspiration' in motion: A full scale model of a space shuttle departed its "parking spot" of 20 years on Saturday (Jan. 16) to embark on a new mission as an educational exhibit. The "Inspiration," which was on display in Florida outside the now-former U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame, rolled atop a multi-wheeled transporter to a barge that then took it to where it will be repaired and upgraded. Acquired by LVX System, the orbiter mockup will eventually travel America's waterways to bring the space shuttle to new audiences.
/ 1:30 p.m. CT (1930 GMT)
Astronauts, skydivers and fireworks: The largest single artifact saved from NASA's 30-year space shuttle program will the center of a celebration on Saturday (Jan 23) as Space Center Houston opens Independence Plaza. The $12 million, eight-story-tall exhibit features NASA's first Shuttle Carrier Aircraft, a modified Boeing 747 jetliner, and the replica space shuttle Independence – both of which can be boarded. The opening ceremony will feature astronauts, skydivers and fireworks, leading into a day full of events.
/ 12:45 a.m. CT (0645 GMT)
Spaceflower: Two months after starting as a seed inside NASA's Veggie growth chamber, a bright orange zinnia flower bloomed on the International Space Station on Saturday (Jan 16). "First ever flower grown in space makes its debut!" astronaut Scott Kelly stated in response. Though he had reason to be proud (he helped save the plant from dying due to mold), his '#spaceflower' was not the first.
/ 12:00 a.m. CT (0600 GMT)
'Bigger on the inside': Independence Plaza at Space Center Houston opens on Saturday (Jan. 23), providing guests a first look inside the historic shuttle carrier aircraft NASA 905 and full-size replica orbiter Independence. In this photo gallery, collectSPACE shares an inside and out, top to bottom preview of the new eight-story-tall exhibit.
/ 7:15 a.m. CT (1315 GMT)
'Challenger Disaster: Lost Tapes' National Geographic's new documentary, "Challenger Disaster: Lost Tapes," premieres on Monday (Jan. 25) to mark the 30th anniversary of the space shuttle accident. The one-hour special uses long-forgotten news footage, radio reports and rarely-seen NASA video to reconstruct the 1986 tragedy.
/ 10:15 p.m. CT (0415 GMT Jan 27)
Viking Mission Museum: A newly-launched online archive documents the first mission to successfully land on Mars 40 years ago. The virtual Viking Mission Museum displays more than 300 artifacts from the robotic spacecraft that touched down on the red planet in 1976. The non-profit Viking Mars Missions Education & Preservation Project has partnered with the Google Cultural Institute to preserve and present the collection of documents and recollections.
/ 1:05 a.m. CT (0705 GMT)
51L's fallen flags and patches: Thirty years after the space shuttle Challenger was lost in flight, what became of the flags and patches recovered from its debris and then presented to the U.S. states and territories? The artifact adorned plaques were meant to be memorials to the fallen STS-51L astronauts, so where are they displayed today?
/ 4:45 p.m. CT (2245 GMT)
One watch, two space stations: An Omega Speedmaster X-33 watch that was worn by a cosmonaut aboard the Mir space station and the International Space Station is now being auctioned. Christie's began online bidding on Thursday (Jan. 28) for the chronograph that Sergei Zalyotin wore for a total of 84 days on his two space missions.
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