IMAGINE legendary race driver Enzo Ferrari's worst nightmare: his sleek sports car breaks down, he runs out of cash, and has to borrow a friend's Toyota hatchback to drive around town.That's how embarrassing the past decade has been for American space agency Nasa. For the past nine years it hasn't put a single crewed rocket into space.
The nation that once led the space race, sending six awe-inspiring missions to the surface of the Moon, was reduced to paying the Russians to hitch a ride on their Soyuz spacecraft every time it wanted to put US astronauts on the International Space Station. Until now. Tomorrow, weather permitting, US astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken will be launched into space by an American rocket for the first time since 2011.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Space news: NASA and SpaceX could be charged annual fees in attempt to slash space junkSPACE agencies such as NASA, the ESA and the Elon Musk-owned SpaceX could soon be charged for every satellite launched in a bid cut down on dangerous debris orbiting Earth, researchers have revealed.
Read more »
Nasa SpaceX launch to see astronauts shot into space from US soil - follow liveNasa and SpaceX are about to make history with the first launch of astronauts from US soil since the end of the Space Shuttle programme. The launch will see Nasa astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas
Read more »
NASA and SpaceX launch: Eight things you need to know before lift-offFor the first time in almost a decade, just after 9.30pm on Wednesday, US astronauts will launch into space from American soil.
Read more »
NASA and SpaceX gear up for first US astronaut launch in almost a decadeWednesday's launch will be the first manned mission NASA operates in almost a decade, following the space shuttle's retirement.
Read more »
Everything you need to know about the Nasa SpaceX launchMission will be the first time astronauts have been launched from US soil in nearly a decade – and could start a new era of American spaceflight
Read more »
Richard Branson's Virgin Orbit rocket fails on debut space launch attemptControllers were forced to abort the launch seconds after the rocket ignited its engines due to currently unknown technical problems - with SpaceX's Elon Musk offering his condolences
Read more »