• NASA probe blasts off for Jupiter after launch-pad snags

    By Rich Shulman

    Even in the post shuttle world, rocket launches are still big attractions. Full story.

    Justin Dernier / EPA

    Nn Atlas V rocket carryies NASA's JUNO spacecraft from launch pad 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Cape Canaveral, Florida, August 5. The spacecraft will take 5 years to reach orbit around Jupiter and then spend about one year gathering information on Jupiter' magnetic field, atmosphere and interior.

    Justin Dernier / EPA

    Beach goers from Cocoa Beach watch the launch of NASA's JUNO Spacecraft at Cape Canaveral, Florida August 25.

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  • Craig Rubadoux / Florida Today via AP

    Rain storms in the area of pad 39a on Thursday night, July 7, form puddles as the Space Shuttle Atlantis gets ready for its final launch Friday afternoon from the Kennedy Space Center. Atlantis is set to liftoff Friday on the final flight of the shuttle program, STS-135, a 12-day mission to the International Space Station. NASA decided to start the fueling operations early Friday morning.

    Shuttle fueled up for last launch amid iffy weather

    msnbc.com's Alan Boyle reports from CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla.:

    Despite the looming threat of stormy weather, NASA fueled up Atlantis on Friday for the final launch of the 30-year space shuttle program.

    The three-hour process of filling the shuttle's external fuel tank was completed just before 5 a.m. ET, marking the day's first step toward the last liftoff at 11:26 a.m. ET. After this resupply flight to the International Space Station, NASA is due to prepare Atlantis for museum display, as it is already doing with the fleet's other two spaceships, Discovery and Endeavour.

    No technical issues stood in the way of Friday's scheduled liftoff, but it was by no means a sure thing. Forecasters put the chances of acceptable weather for launch at 30 percent, after a day that saw lightning and torrents of rain. Continue reading.

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  • Space shuttle Endeavour touches down for the final time

    The AP reports from CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla.:

    The space shuttle Endeavour and its six astronauts returned to Earth on Wednesday, closing out the next-to-last mission in NASA's 30-year program with a safe middle-of-the-night landing.

    Craig Bailey / AFP - Getty Images

    US space shuttle Endeavour comes in to land at Kennedy Space Center on June 1. Endeavour landed safely at Kennedy Space Center, wrapping up its final mission to space before becoming the next to last US shuttle to retire. "It is sad to see her land for the last time, but she really has a great legacy," said shuttle commander Mark Kelly moments after landing the youngest ship in the US fleet, ending its 25th journey to space.

    Bill Ingalls / NASA via AP

    Space Shuttle Endeavour making its final landing at the Shuttle Landing Facility at the Kennedy Space Center on June 1.

    Read the full story and view our slideshow of the life of Endeavour.

  • Roberto Gonzalez / Getty Images

    Photographers take pictures of space shuttle Endeavour as it sits atop launch pad 39A after arriving from the Vehicle Assembly Building to prepare for Mission STS-134 at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, on Friday, March 11. The launch of Endeavour is scheduled for April 19 with Mission Commander Mark Kelly and five other crew members aboard. Kelly is the husband of U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, who was wounded in a shooting in Tucson, Arizona in January.

    Shuttle Endeavour makes final journey to launch pad

    By Jonathan Woods, msnbc.com

    Read more on the upcoming launch of Endeavour here.

  • Craig Rubadoux / AP

    Photographers take photos of the Rotating Service Structure as it rolled back from the space shuttle Discovery, Wednesday night, Feb. 23, 2011 at Cape Canaveral, Fla. After 143 million miles (230 million kilometers) and nearly a year all told in orbit, space shuttle Discovery is poised to blast off Thursday one last time.

    Space shuttle Discovery cleared for Thursday launch

    By James Cheng

    Read the latest about the Discovery's launch from here.