international space station

Lots of companies are trying to encourage budding scientists to test out their wacky ideas. We've covered some of the more well-known contests before, but here are a few not-as-widely-publicized challenges for young scientists out there.

The future of manned spaceflight to other planets is a bit uncertain nowadays, but there are still plenty of people who are working on plans that could lead to people walking around on Mars before the end of the century.

In the meantime, unmanned missions will have to suffice, but here are some quick links on traveling to Mars.

Unmanned missions to explore other planets and asteroids in our solar system look like a really cost-effective way to collect scientific data.

But manned missions are so much more inspirational. Here are just a few space projects that are trying to keep manned spaceflight alive.

The failure rate of space programs makes space travel a bit of a risky venture. Sitting on enough explosive materials to escape the Earth's gravity isn't the safest-sounding job, but there are still plenty of willing volunteers to try it.

Here are just a few stories on some recent space missions.

Watch, download or share the latest NASA videos, including launches and landings, mission operations, science updates and animations.

NASA has announced the imminent birth of the Space Launch System (SLS), a rocket that will be powered by five Space Shuttle Main Engines (pictured below) and two Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Boosters — a configuration that will make it the most powerful launch vehicle ever made.

Space debris remains one of the biggest challenges for a space-faring humanity in the 21st century, as even the smallest pieces can pose a serious threat to satellites, manned spacecraft and the International Space Station.

Earlier today STS-135, the Space Shuttle Atlantis, touched down for the last time and ended an era that began in 1972 when President Nixon signed off on the development of reusable, orbiting spacecraft.

In many regards the Space Shuttle program never quite lived up to expectations, but at the same time it’s hard to put a value on the data, knowledge, and wisdom that has resulted from NASA’s launches of Enterprise, Columbia, Challenger, Discovery, Atlantis, and Endeavour.