NASA astronaut Jose Hernandez, set to fly aboard space shuttle Discovery in August, is providing insights about his training on Twitter in both English and Spanish. It will be the agency’s first bilingual Twitter.

Favorable chemistry and episodes with thin films of liquid water during ongoing, long-term climate cycles may sometimes make the area where NASA’s Phoenix Mars mission landed last year a favorable environment for microbes.

The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) were the beneficiary of an additional $110 million in funding over the next three years in yesterday’s budget but a closer look reveals that some of the new money will actually replenish a decreasing budget. The new funding comes at a time when the agency was actually taking a cut in its budget from $368.2 million in 2008-2009 to $348.3 …

Canada may soon have its own mission to the red planet SpaceRef has learned. An official announcement from Canadian Space Agency (CSA) President Dr. Marc Garneau for a feasibility study is expected soon. Garneau became president of CSA nearly 2 1/2 years ago. Throughout that time he’s been pushing for an increase in the CSA’s budget so that Canada could have a greater role in …

The Canadian government released its budget today. Contrary to the expectation of some, this budget did not include any new money for the Canadian Space Agency’s (CSA) plans for Mars. Nearly two years ago, at the 3rd Canadian Space Exploration Workshop, CSA president Marc Garneau announced his vision for the CSA’s next bold adventure: Mars. At that time he said, “We have the expertise, it’s …

Sheila Fraser, Auditor General of Canada, presented her report to the House of Commons this week in which she called in to question the Canadian Space Agency’s (CSA) ability to implement its programs due to funding problems. These problems at CSA are not necessarily of its own making. Indeed, many of them predate the formation of the CSA. According to the Auditor General, the situation …

If former astronaut Marc Garneau has his way, Canada will soon become an important partner in several upcoming Mars missions. Garneau would also like to see Canada become a leader in several new space technology fields as well. Next Friday, Garneau, who is now President of the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), will define this vision to an audience at the University of Toronto. He will …

he Canadian Space Agency announced today that Steve Maclean will fly as a Mission Specialist on STS-115 which will visit the International Space Station in 2003. “Today, Canada continues its innovation and leadership in space sciences and I congratulate Steve MacLean for being Canada’s representative on this future space mission,” said Minister Allan Rock. “The International Space Station is a beacon for excellence and a …

Dr. Marc Garneau will assume leadership of the Canadian Space Agency on November 22. Garneau replaces Mac Evans who had been President for the last seven years and has served in the Canadian Space Agency for 35 years. It was only last February that Garneau transitioned from active astronaut to the role of Executive Vice-president. Last year at this time he had been preparing for …