A helium leak in one of space shuttle Discovery's rocket pods may delay a planned April 5 launch, officials said Saturday. If the shuttle can't be repaired on its oceanside pad, the launch team may have to roll Discovery to its processing hanger for repairs. Space Shuttle - Space Shuttle Discovery - Space - Technology - NASA

Science editor Alan Boyle's Weblog: Pluto and the other small fry of the solar system are getting their due 80 years after the dwarf planet's discovery was announced to the world. Dwarf planet - Solar System - Pluto - Alan Boyle - Astronomy

California-based SpaceX says it has conducted a successful engine test for its Falcon 9 launch vehicle, a key milestone on the way to the inaugural launch of a rocket that could one day ferry astronauts to the International Space Station. International Space Station - Falcon 9 - NASA - SpaceX - Space

A new study reports that the top of the gigantic conveyor belt of plasma moving inside the sun has been running at record-high speeds for the past five years. Conveyor belt - Sunspot - Plasma - Industrial Supply - Materials Handling

Space.com: Reusable rocket-propelled vessels are expected to offer quick, routine and affordable access to the edge of space, along with the capability to carry research and educational crew members. Space - Technology - Sub-orbital spaceflight - Spacecraft - Colonization