Virgin Galactic's suborbital spaceship, Enterprise, makes its first solo test flight, gliding to a runway after being dropped from an altitude of 45,000ft (13,700m).

The idea of using the space station as a launching point to fly a manned mission around the Moon will be studied by the station partners.

Scientists discover a new species of carnivore in Madagascar, which they say could be one of the world's most threatened mammals.

The US space agency is given a new direction, one that will seek to put astronauts in orbit using privately run launch services.