Description (1956) Famed astronaut Neil A. Armstrong, the first man to set foot on the moon during the historic Apollo 11 space mission in July 1969, served for seven years as a research pilot at the NACA-NASA More
Original caption: The three Project Mercury astronauts training for the nation's first manned space flight are (from left) John H. Glenn, Jr., Virgil I. Grissom and Alan B. Shepard, Jr. The forthcoming sub-orb More
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, space shuttle Atlantis' main engines and solid rocket boosters ignite on Launch Pad 39A leaving behind a billow of steam as it lifts off on its More
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, STS-135 Pilot Doug Hurley pauses for a photo. The space shuttle Atlantis crew arrived at Kennedy at about 5:30 More
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Taken from the Vehicle Assembly Building roof at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, this image shows the Press Site complex with a myriad of vehicles, satellite trucks and trailers More
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- STS-135 Commander Chris Ferguson and Pilot Doug Hurley perform touch-and-go landings aboard a Shuttle Training Aircraft (STA) at the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Cent More
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- On a cloudy and overcast day on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, workers monitor the progress of the rotating service structure (RSS) as it rolls away from space More
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- STS-135 Commander Chris Ferguson, left, and Pilot Doug Hurley head out on the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida to practice touch-and-go landings aboard More
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Technicians prepare shuttle Atlantis for its final planned move from Orbiter Processing Facility-1 to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. More
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, STS-127 Commander Mark Polansky takes part in a news conference following the landing of space shuttle Endeavour. The landing completed the 16- More
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Space shuttle Atlantis, attached to its external fuel tank and solid rocket boosters atop a mobile launcher platform, awaits its final journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launc More
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- In Firing Room 4 of the Launch Control Center at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, launch team members monitor the countdown to the launch of space shuttle Atlantis on its STS-135 More
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At the Kennedy Space Center Shuttle Landing Facility, noted physicist Stephen Hawking, in the wheelchair, arrives at the runway for his first zero-gravity flight. The flight will b More
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- In the Operations and Checkout Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Mission Specialist Sandy Magnus checks the fit of her launch and landing suit. The STS-135 crew is at K More
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- A canister, carrying the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module (MPLM) for space shuttle Atlantis' STS-135 mission to the International Space Station, arrives at Launch Pad 39A at NASA More
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – STS-127 Commander Mark Polansky kneels next to the landing gear on space shuttle Endeavour. He and other crew members returned to Earth on Endeavour to complete the 16-day, 6.5-million More
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At the Kennedy Space Center Shuttle Landing Facility, noted physicist Stephen Hawking, in the wheelchair, arrives at the runway for his first zero-gravity flight. The flight will b More
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- STS-135 Pilot Doug Hurley prepares to perform touch-and-go landings aboard one of two Shuttle Training Aircrafts (STA) on the Shuttle Landing Facility runway at NASA's Kennedy Space Cent More
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida media take advantage of the beautiful sunrise to snap photos of space shuttle Atlantis on Launch Pad 39A after the payload canister carrying the More
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- As Space Shuttle Atlantis lifts off from Launch Pad 39A on mission STS-101, twin columns of smoke from the solid rocket boosters trail behind. Liftoff occurred on time at 6:11:10 More
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Merritt Island Launch Annex (MILA) Spaceflight Tracking and Data Network Station at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the Patrick Air Force Base Color Guard folds the U.S. f More
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, STS-135 Mission Specialist Rex Walheim pauses for a photo. The space shuttle Atlantis crew members arrived at K More
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At the Kennedy Space Center Shuttle Landing Facility, Peter Diamandis, founder of the Zero Gravity Corp., talks to the media about physicist Stephen Hawking's (in the wheelchair) f More
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At the Kennedy Space Center Shuttle Landing Facility, a modified Boeing 727 aircraft owned by Zero Gravity Corp. is ready to take off with its well-known passenger, physicist Steph More
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- In the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, shuttle Atlantis is lifted by an overhead crane and moved into a high bay where it will be attached to its ext More
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- After sunset, lights glow on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida as space shuttle Atlantis awaits delivery of the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module (MPLM) in More
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Dressed in their bright-orange launch-and-entry suits, the final four astronauts to launch aboard a space shuttle exit the Astronaut Crew Quarters in the Operations and Checkout Building More
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Merritt Island Launch Annex (MILA) Spaceflight Tracking and Data Network Station at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the Patrick Air Force Base Color Guard presents the U.S More
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Workers move the Orbiter Transporter System (OTS) into Orbiter Processing Facility-1 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The OTS will be moved under shuttle Atlantis for its rollov More
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- In the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, an overhead crane moves the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module, or MPLM, toward a payload canist More
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- In the Operations Support Building II at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Space Shuttle Program and mission managers meet for the traditional Flight Readiness Review, a thorough a More
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- During a simulated launch countdown the STS-135 crew pauses for a photo before climbing aboard the waiting Astrovan at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. As part of the Terminal Cou More
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- STS-135 Commander Chris Ferguson and Mission Specialist Sandy Magnus have touched down in a T-38 jet on the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The More
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – A closeup of the wing leading edge on space shuttle Atlantis where a reinforced-carbon carbon, or RCC, panel has been removed. The structural edge of the wing (area of red and green behin More
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At the Kennedy Space Center Shuttle Landing Facility, noted physicist Stephen Hawking, in the wheelchair, is ready to get onboard a modified Boeing 727 aircraft owned by Zero Gravi More
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The media surround noted wheelchair-bound physicist Stephen Hawking after his arrival at the Kennedy Space Center Shuttle Landing Facility for his first zero-gravity flight. Behin More
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. — Noted physicist Stephen Hawking greets the media after his arrival at the Kennedy Space Center Shuttle Landing Facility for his first zero-gravity flight. The flight will be aboard More
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Space Shuttle Atlantis is poised for flight at liftoff from Launch Pad 39A on mission STS-117 to the International Space Station. Liftoff was on-time at 7:38:04 p.m. EDT. The s More
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Sunrise at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida finds space shuttle Atlantis on Launch Pad 39A after the payload canister carrying the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module (MPLM) w More
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- In Firing Room 4 of the Launch Control Center at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, launch team members monitor the countdown to the launch of space shuttle Atlantis on its STS-135 More
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Liberty Star, one of NASA's solid rocket booster retrieval ships, tows a spent booster from space shuttle Atlantis' final launch, to Port Canaveral in Florida. The shuttle's two solid r More
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At the Kennedy Space Center Shuttle Landing Facility, noted physicist Stephen Hawking, in the wheelchair, arrives at the runway for his first zero-gravity flight. The flight will b More
Originally investigated in the 1960's by Marshall Space Flight Center plarners as part of the Nuclear Energy for Rocket Vehicle Applications (NERVA) program, nuclear-thermal rocket propulsion has been more rece More
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Noted physicist Stephen Hawking arrives at the Kennedy Space Center Shuttle Landing Facility for his first zero-gravity flight. The flight will be aboard a modified Boeing 727 More
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, space shuttle Atlantis' main engines and solid rocket boosters ignite on Launch Pad 39A leaving behind a billow of steam as it lifts off on its More
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Space Shuttle Atlantis rockets into the blue sky above Launch Pad 39A after liftoff. Beneath Atlantis' main engines are blue cones of light, known as shock or mach diamonds. T More
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Space shuttle Atlantis, attached to its external fuel tank and solid rocket boosters atop a mobile launcher platform, makes its final debut outside the Vehicle Assembly Building. "Rollou More
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Thousands of spectators came out to watch space shuttle Atlantis' historic final journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. F More
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the STS-135 crew members arrived aboard their T-38 jets at about 5:30 p.m. EDT to participate in a launch coun More
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Dressed in their bright-orange launch-and-entry suits, the final four astronauts to launch aboard a space shuttle exit the Astronaut Crew Quarters in the Operations and Checkout Building More
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- NASA photographer Sandra Joseph aims her remote camera tracker on space shuttle Atlantis at it lifts off from Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida beginning its STS-1 More
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- The container that carries the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module (MPLM), secured on its transportation vehicle, begins its journey from the Canister Rotation Facility to Launch Pa More
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Space shuttle Atlantis soars from Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on its STS-135 mission to the International Space Station. Atlantis with its crew of four; Comm More
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- STS-135 Mission Specialist Rex Walheim speaks to media during a question-and-answer session at NASA Kennedy Space Center's Launch Pad 39A in Florida. Space shuttle Atlantis' astronauts a More
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- In the Operations and Checkout Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, STS-135 Mission Specialist Rex Walheim checks the fit of his launch-and-entry suit before during a simu More
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, space shuttle Atlantis' STS-135 crew members take part in a payload bay walkdown to check out the cargo secured in Atlantis' More
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Battalion Chief David Seymour provides supervision while space shuttle Atlantis' STS-135 crew members participate in M113 armored personnel carrier training at NASA's Kennedy Space Cente More
Cape Canaveral, Fla. -- Space shuttle Atlantis made its historic final journey to Launch Pad 39A after its 3.4 mile trek from NASA Kennedy Space Center's Vehicle Assembly Building. Atlantis was secured or "hard More
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, technicians in the payload changeout room have maneuvered space shuttle Atlantis' cargo, the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module (MPLM) in More
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The media surround noted wheelchair-bound physicist Stephen Hawking after his arrival at the Kennedy Space Center Shuttle Landing Facility for his first zero-gravity flight. Be More
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At the Kennedy Space Center Shuttle Landing Facility, a modified Boeing 727 aircraft owned by Zero Gravity Corp. takes off with its well-known passenger, physicist Stephen Hawking. More
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Vehicle Assembly Building, the STS-120 solid rocket booster left aft booster and left aft center segments are being stacked on the mobile launcher platform. STS-120 will b More
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- During a tanking test on June 15 at Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, there was an apparent liquid hydrogen leak in the main fuel valve in Atlantis' space shuttle More
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Another STS-120 solid rocket booster segment waits to be stacked in the Vehicle Assembly Building on the mobile launcher platform. STS-120 will be the 23rd flight to the Interna More
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Shuttle Atlantis' three main engines take center stage in this image as Atlantis is being moved to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) from Orbiter Processing Faciity-1 at NASA's Kennedy More
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- On a cloudy and overcast day on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, workers prepare to roll the rotating service structure (RSS) away from space shuttle Atlantis. T More
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, space shuttle Atlantis' main engines and solid rocket boosters ignite on Launch Pad 39A producing billows of smoke and steam as it lifts off on More
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- STS-135 Commander Chris Ferguson and Pilot Doug Hurley perform touch-and-go landings on the Shuttle Landing Facility runway at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The pilot and comma More
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the Forward Reaction Control System, or FRCS, for space shuttle Discovery arrives at Orbiter Processing Facility Bay 3. Discovery is being pr More
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Employees check out space shuttle Atlantis after it was uncovered on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida following the move of the rotating service structure (RSS). More
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At the Kennedy Space Center Shuttle Landing Facility, Space Florida president Steve Kohler (left) talks to the media about physicist Stephen Hawking's (in the wheelchair) first zer More