NASA has decommissioned its Lockheed Martin-built Spitzer Space Telescope after over 16 years of observatory operations.

A NASA-operated space observatory has passed the preliminary design review phase, marking a major milestone for the spacecraft's development, Space News reported Monday. Michael New, deputy associate administrator for science at NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, said the Wide-Field Infrared Survey Telescope passed the PDR phase with successful results.

Greg Robinson, program director of NASA's James Webb Space Telescope, said his team and Northrop Grumman are working on testing and integration towards the observatory spacecraft's launch in March 2021, Space News reported Tuesday. The activities, including optics and instrument integration, took place at Northrop Grumman's facility in Southern California.

NASA has set March 30, 2021, as the new launch date for the James Webb Space Telescope after the independent review board released its findings and recommendations for the program. NASA said Thursday IRB recommended that development work on the Webb telescope should continue and that the revised launch date …

NASA‘s Johnson Space Center will be closed to non-essential personnel through Labor Day on Sept. 4 as a result of the weather conditions in Houston, Texas and the impact of Tropical Storm Harvey. The space agency said Wednesday that the center’s leaders continue to monitor the situation in Houston and …

NASA will install cameras and science data processing computers for the Massachusetts Institute of Technology-built Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite onto an Orbital ATK spacecraft in the coming weeks following the platform’s completion of a systems integration review. The space agency said Saturday that independent technical and scientific experts reviewed the TESS …

The departments of State and Commerce have moved space-related equipment from the U.S. Munitions List to the Commerce Control List as part of revisions to the May 2014 export control rules, Space News reported Thursday. Jeff Foust writes the revised rules took effect Jan. 15 and were published in the …

NASA is seeking proposals for observations the James Webb Space Telescope will perform after its planned October 2018 launch, Space News reported Friday. Jeff Foust writes JWST officials said at a town hall meeting that one call for proposals is for astronomers that helped develop Webb telescope’s components while the other is for …

The National Institute of Standards and Technology has used the M48 Coordinate Measurement Machine to measure the four mounts that work to support the Primary Mirror Backplane Support Structure of the James Webb Space Telescope. PMBSS is designed to support the telescope’s 21-foot-diameter mirror and 5,300 pounds of optical tools …

The 2015 White House Astronomy Night highlighted several private-sector and government programs that work to build interest in space exploration and the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The White House said Monday the event brings together scientists, astronomers, space enthusiasts, students and teachers to engage in learning activities …