Atlantis crew thrilled with mission so far / Venus launch today

      NEWSALERT: Thursday, May 20, 2010 @ 1651 GMT
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          The latest news from Spaceflight Now


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ASTRONAUTS THRILLED WITH PROGRESS OF SHUTTLE MISSION
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The commander of the shuttle Atlantis says his crew is "elated" with the
progress of their mission to the International Space Station, including
two complex-but-successful spacewalks and the problem-free attachment of a
new Russian module.

http://spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts132/100520fd7/index2.html

SEE OUR MISSION ARCHIVE:
http://spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts132/


SMOOTH SPACEWALK TACKLES PLANNED WORK AND MORE
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Astronauts Steve Bowen and Mike Good logged a seven-hour spacewalk
Wednesday, the first of two devoted to replacing six of the International
Space Station's oldest solar array batteries. They also untangled a cable
on Atlantis' inspection boom sensor and finished deploying the station's
new Ku-band communications antenna.

http://spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts132/status8.html


JAPANESE ORBITER TO BEGIN VOYAGE TO VENUS TODAY
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Three days after thick clouds forced a last-minute launch scrub, an H-2A
rocket is again being prepped for launch from Japan's island spaceport
Thursday evening. Liftoff is set for 2158:22 GMT (5:58 p.m. EDT).

http://spaceflightnow.com/h2a/akatsuki/status.html

SOLAR SAIL WILL HARNESS SUNLIGHT DURING TEST FLIGHT
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Packed inside the H-2A rocket scheduled to launch Thursday is a low-cost
Japanese solar sail that could transform humanity's ability to reach the
stars, assuming the spacecraft's tricky deployment goes as planned and
scientists' theories hold up in real life.

http://spaceflightnow.com/h2a/akatsuki/100520ikaros/


DELTA 4 ROCKET READY TO LAUNCH NEW ERA FOR GPS
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The first satellite in a new generation for the Global Positioning System,
years in the making and built with enhancements users eagerly want, awaits
a Friday night blastoff into orbit atop a Delta 4 rocket.

http://spaceflightnow.com/delta/d349/status.html

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Good Clear Skies
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Astrocomet
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Real Astronomer and head of the Comet section for LYRA (Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth Regional Astronomers) also head of K.A.G (Kessingland Astronomy Group) and Navigator (Astrogator) of the Stars (Fieldwork)
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