Shuttle Atlantis over Tenerife...

in the Canary Islands, as photographed during a previous mission from the International Space Station (click image for high res version):

North is to the left in the image, and you can clearly see the Pico del Teide volcano within the Las Cañadas caldera through the break in the clouds over the island.

Personal note:  I'll be exploring Tenerife and the volcanic edifice seen here in about five weeks time with Zegrahm Expeditions as their geologist lecturer/guide.  I'm getting excited.

Mesmerizing view from space...

More information about this compelling compilation is found here.

A fascinating and unprecedented view...

of a space shuttle de-orbiting, as seen from the International Space Station (click image for more information):

Everything's a "last"...

for Atlantis and the space shuttle program:

• The Last Space Shuttle Launches Safely Into Orbit
• At Space Station, Shuttle Astronauts Make Last Big Delivery

Sad.

Inside and out...

of the International Space Station.  An excellent and comprehensive graphic.

Final external fuel tank...

for Space Shuttle Endeavour, the last shuttle ever to fly, has been delivered to Cape Kennedy (click to enlarge).   The last shuttle mission (STS-134) is scheduled to launch in February 2011 and will carry spare parts to the International Space Station (ISS).  Thereafter, US astronauts will have to hitch a lift to the ISS from the Russian Space Agency.

Here's a photogallery that documents this depressing event, the beginning of the end of US manned spaceflight for the foreseeable future.

In the right place...

at the right time: Amazing Aurora Seen From Space.

Window on the world...

on board the International Space Station attached to the Tranquility module (click to enlarge). Wow - I can only imagine the views.

Image credit: NASA.

Float-through tour of the ISS...

The last night launch...

of a space shuttle will occur this Sunday, 7 February, at 4:39 am EST: Space Shuttle Endeavour 'Go' for Sunday Launch. The STS-130 mission will deliver the final module of the U.S. portion of the International Space Station (ISS). I gave serious thought to traveling to Florida in order to witness this launch.

That leaves only four more shuttle missions - all to the ISS - and then the United States will be without the capability of human spaceflight for the first time since 1961. Sad, really. I may indeed have to watch, in person, one of these final launches.

Space shuttle Endeavour...

has been positioned on the launch pad for a planned 7 February lift off to the International Space Station (ISS). It's mission is to deliver the final modules to the U.S. portion of the orbiting laboratory.

NASA clears space shuttle Atlantis...

to launch on Monday on another mission to nowhere to resupply the ISS.

Click into the on-line NASA-TV feed at 11:28 am PST on 16 November to catch the lift-off from Launch Pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida.

UPDATE: It was a successful launch.

Two for the price...

of one,with the space shuttle Discovery leading the International Space Station in their shared orbit high above Castle Valley, Utah this evening (8 sec exposure captured at ~ 8:50 pm MDT.) Both spacecraft separated earlier this afternoon and the astronauts on board Discovery are preparing for re-entry and landing on Thursday.

ISS/Discovery in orbit above...

Castleton Tower this evening around 8:26 pm MDT in this 16 sec exposure (click to enlarge.)

ISS/Discovery pierce...

the heart of "The Hunter" - the Orion constellation - early this morning above Castle Valley, Utah (click to enlarge.) The joined spacecraft passed overhead at 5:29 am MDT when I captured this image.

Image details: Canon 30D with EFS 17 mm lens, ISO 200, f/4.5, 20 sec exposure.

Space shuttle eye view...

of the International Space Station (click to enlarge.) Discovery is scheduled to dock at about 9 pm EDT. What a sight.

Space shuttle Discovery...

is in orbit after a successful launch one minute before midnight. Its mission is to deliver crew and cargo to the International Space Station (ISS) in support of micro-gravity research.

Link to STS-128 mission updates.

Thunderstorms in Florida...

delay the launch of space shuttle Discovery to the ISS. Another attempt will be made tomorrow.

Previous related post.

UPDATE: Now a glitch with a valve, this Tuesday afternoon. Launch scrubbed for tomorrow. Check mission status by using the first link above.

NASA approves launch...

of STS-128 for 25 August. Shuttle Discovery is tasked to fly to the International Space Station (ISS) to deliver cargo and crew on another mission to low Earth orbit.

I'm looking forward to more enterprising manned missions to the Moon and Mars. Faster, please.

New launch date...

set by NASA for space shuttle Endeavour after engineers solved the hydrogen leak (they think.) The STS-127 mission to the International Space Station (ISS) will liftoff on 11 July if leak tests go well in the next week.