NASA manned spaceflight: 2010 Year in Review

[orb]

This topic is dedicated for 3-part 2010 Year in Review - NASASpaceFlight articles summarizing NASA's year 2010 in (manned) spaceflight.

Here's the first article in the series:
January-April 2010: Safety and Understanding Triumph over Schedule

December 29th, 2010 by Chris Gebhardt

If 2009 demonstrated an amazing execution of both unprecedented missions of science, cooperation, and exploration for NASA, 2010 undoubtedly demonstrated the agency’s unwavering commitment to investigation and understanding over launch and mission schedules. During the first four months of 2010 alone, NASA’s commitment to safety over schedule was demonstrated in large ways during the STS-130 (Endeavour) and STS-131 (Discovery) Space Shuttle mission launch campaigns.

(...READ MORE...)

 

[orb]

2nd part:
Mid-2010: Atlantis’s First Last Flight and NASA’s Uncertain Future

December 31st, 2010 by Chris Gebhardt

If the first third of 2010 represented an outstanding and unwavering commitment to safety and technical investigation/understanding, the middle portion of 2010 would bring with it not only a continued commitment to safety, but also a great deal of uncertainty over launch schedules, payload readiness, the status of orbiter Atlantis, and NASA’s overall future and direction.

(...READ MORE...)

 

[orb]

And the final part:
Wrapping Up 2010: Safety and Success with an eye toward the Future

January 2nd, 2011 by Chris Gebhardt

As NASA enters 2011, preparations are underway for an exciting new venture in space operations with the development of commercial transportation services to the International Space Station, the creation of a 21st Century launch facility at KSC, and development of a new Heavy Lift Launch Vehicle for NASA - all as the U.S. and world space agencies prepare to bid farewell to the Space Shuttle orbiter fleet after 30 full years of remarkable service to the science and medical communities.

(...READ MORE...)