Space Exploration
- January 15 - The Stardust spacecraft successfully completes its primary mission of returning samples of cometary and interstellar dust to Earth. Its sample return capsule touches down safely inside its intended landing area in Utah, close to the Army Dugway Proving Ground.
- January 19 - The NASA spacecraft New Horizons launches successfully from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station and leaves Earth's orbit shortly afterwards on its journey to Pluto
- February 2 - NASA's public affairs office is accused of censoring the comments by James Hansen of the Goddard Institute for Space Studies in New York.
- March 24 - The maiden flight of the SpaceX Falcon 1 rocket ends in failure.
- July 12 - The launch of the first private experimental space habitat, Genesis I.
- September 12 - The construction of the International Space Station is continued for the first time after a hiatus of almost four years.
Read more about this topic: 2006 In Science
Famous quotes containing the words space and/or exploration:
“This moment exhibits infinite space, but there is a space also wherein all moments are infinitely exhibited, and the everlasting duration of infinite space is another region and room of joys.”
—Thomas Traherne (1636–1674)
“For women who do not love us, as for the “disappeared”, knowing that we no longer have any hope does not prevent us form continuing to wait. We live on our guard, on watch; women whose son has gone asea on a dangerous exploration imagine at any minute, although it has long been certain that he has perished, that he will enter, miraculously saved, and healthy.”
—Marcel Proust (1871–1922)