If the U.S. Congress manages to pass a new NASA authorization this year—certainly not a sure thing given the riptides of ideological debate roiling Capitol Hill— there's a chance that it will order some new organizational changes at the space agency. A growing refrain in the relevant congressional committees and across the U.S. space community finds post-shuttle NASA dangerously adrift, with its sails in need of patching and weak hands on the tiller.

Another delay besets heavy launcher on which China's betting

First images from the Landsat 8 spacecraft include this true-color scene of Boulder, Colo., where Ball Aerospace (marked) built the Operational Land Imager that collected data for the imager, along with the cryocooler for its Thermal Infrared Sensor. The latter instrument was built at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland.

The annual presentation of Laureates by Aviation Week recognizes intellect, discovery and heroism, and the organizations and programs that cultivate them in the aerospace and defense sector are honored with the Workforce Laureate. In the running for the Workforce Laureate this year were programs that are designed to attract a workforce to aerospace, as well as the individuals who continue to push this effort despite budget cuts and economic issues.

Satellite industry advised to 'stay engaged' as new rules form

It isn't easy getting a rover the size of a small automobile down on the surface of another planet, even if you have been there before.