Three astronauts return to Earth after a year in space. NASA's Frank Rubio sets US space record

A NASA astronaut and two Russian cosmonauts returned to Earth on Wednesday after being stuck in space for just over a year. American Frank Rubio set a record for the longest U.S. spaceflight — a result of the extended stay. The trio landed in a remote area of Kazakhstan, descending...

Three astronauts land in Kazakhstan after a longer-than-expected year in space. NASA's Frank Rubio sets U.S. record

NASA's first asteroid samples land on Earth after release from spacecraft

NASA’s first asteroid samples fetched from deep space parachuted into the Utah desert Sunday to cap a seven-year journey. In a flyby of Earth, the Osiris-Rex spacecraft released the sample capsule from 63,000 miles (100,000 kilometers) out. The small capsule landed four hours later...

Space capsule carrying NASA’s first asteroid samples lands in Utah desert

NASA says more science and less stigma are needed to understand UFOs

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — NASA said Thursday that the study of UFOs will require new scientific techniques, including advanced satellites as well as a shift in how unidentified flying objects are perceived. The space agency released the findings after a yearlong study into UFOs....

NASA astronaut Frank Rubio breaks US record for longest spaceflight

NASA astronaut Frank Rubio now holds the record for the longest U.S. spaceflight. Rubio surpassed the U.S. space endurance record of 355 days on Monday at the International Space Station. He arrived at the outpost last September with two Russians for a routine six months. But their...

Japan launches rocket carrying lunar lander and X-ray telescope to explore origins of universe

TOKYO (AP) — Japan launched a rocket Thursday carrying an X-ray telescope that will explore the origins of the universe as well as a small lunar lander. The launch of the HII-A rocket from Tanegashima Space Center in southwestern Japan was shown on live video by the Japan...

New crew for the space station launches with 4 astronauts from 4 countries

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Four astronauts from four countries rocketed toward the International Space Station on Saturday. They should reach the orbiting lab in their SpaceX capsule Sunday, replacing four astronauts living up there since March. A NASA astronaut was...

Launch of 4 astronauts to space station bumped to Saturday

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — NASA and SpaceX halted the countdown late Thursday for the launch of four astronauts to the International Space Station. Mission managers rescheduled the liftoff for early Saturday morning, giving them an extra 24 hours to close out lingering issues,...

India lands a spacecraft near the moon's south pole, a first for the world as it joins elite club

NEW DELHI (AP) — India became the first country to land a spacecraft near the moon’s south pole on Wednesday — a historic voyage to uncharted territory that scientists believe could hold vital reserves of frozen water, and a technological triumph for the world’s most populous nation. ...