Radical surgery is needed on NASA’s vision for space exploration of the Moon, Mars and beyond, according to a study released today by the Space Frontier Foundation—a space advocacy group based in Nyack, New York.

The assessment calls for immediate elimination of all work on the block 1 version of NASA’s Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) and to delay the shuttle program-derived Crew Launch Vehicle (CLV)—a solid-rocket booster design now escalating in cost—while reconsidering the Atlas 5 and Delta 4 launchers.

SPACE.com -- NASA Vision Plans Doomed, Space Advocacy Group Reports

The space shuttle Discovery split a nearly cloudless sky with thunder and fire at 2:38 this afternoon, and roared safely into orbit on schedule.

Shuttle Roars Safely Into Orbit on Schedule - New York Times

Space Shuttle Discovery launched at about 1438EDT today without a hitch.

There isn't anything very good to blog yet -- I listened to the launch live on NPR.

NASA announced on Friday the names of the next generation of launch vehicles that will return humans to the moon and later take them to Mars and other destinations. The crew launch vehicle will be called Ares I, and the cargo launch vehicle will be known as Ares V.

NASA Names New Rockets, Saluting The Future, Honoring the Past | SpaceRef - Your Space Reference

After what they called a "spirited discussion," NASA officials decided Saturday to launch the space shuttle Discovery as planned on July 1. It will be only the second flight since the Columbia tragedy.

NASA to Launch Discovery on July 1 for 13-Day Mission - New York Times

LiftPort Group, the space elevator companies, today announced the release of "LiftPort -- The Space Elevator: Opening Space to Everyone," a new book on the LiftPort Space Elevator, a revolutionary new way of sending cargo and humans into space. Compiled by LiftPort, the Seattle based company dedicated to building the first commercial elevator to space, the new book is an exploration of both the scientific and social aspects relating to the development of the LiftPort Space Elevator, as told by a collection of nearly 40 leading authors and experts on science and space.

LiftPort Group Unveils ''LiftPort -- The Space Elevator: Opening Space to Everyone,'' A New Book on the Science and Social Impact of Building the Firs | SpaceRef - Your Space Reference

New views of the most distant touchdown ever made by a spacecraft are being released today by NASA, the European Space Agency and the University of Arizona. The movies show the dramatic descent of the Huygens probe to the surface of Saturn's moon Titan on Jan. 14, 2005.

This video is the most amazing thing I've seen in awhile...

NASA and Partners Release New Movies of Titan

Rutan said if he was the NASA Administrator, he would call a major press conference about the agency plans to go back to the Moon.

“I’d go in front of the microphone,” Rutan said, “and I’d scream at the top of my lungs, ‘this is stupid,’ then turn around and head back to the office and go back to work.”

Rutan Takes Aim at NASA's CEV Plans, Likens it to 'Archeology'

This image was taken on April 28, 2006 and received on Earth April 28, 2006. The camera was pointing toward Epimetheus at approximately 667,385 kilometers away, and the image was taken using the CL1 and CL2 filters. This image has not been validated or calibrated. A validated/calibrated image will be archived with the NASA Planetary Data System in 2007.

There are a lot of really amazing images like this coming back from Cassini.

NASA Cassini Image: Epimetheus, Saturn's Rings, and Titan | SpaceRef - Space News as it Happens

The NASA Institute for Advanced Concepts (NIAC) is funding a team of researchers working on a new design for an antimatter-powered spaceship that avoids this nasty side effect by producing gamma rays with much lower energy.

NASA: New and Improved Antimatter Spaceship for Mars Missions