<p>NASA has said that the International Space Station is still at risk from the debris of a weapons test by&nbsp;Russia.</p>

<p>Russia had destroyed one of its own satellites and generated a cloud of debris near the International Space Station (ISS) and its seven-strong crew.</p>

<p>They were directed to take shelter in their docked spaceship capsules for two hours after the test as a precaution to allow for a quick getaway had it been necessary.</p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-russia-destroys-satellite-releases-big-cloud-of-space-junk-429873/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>It generated more than 1,500 pieces of "trackable orbital debris" and would likely spawn hundreds of thousands of smaller fragments. They tracked by the US Space Command.</p>

<p>"NASA will continue monitoring the debris in the coming days and beyond to ensure the safety of our crew in orbit," NASA chief Bill Nelson said in the statement.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/auditors-say-nasas-artemis-programme-likely-to-be-delayed-by-several-years-430217" hreflang="en">Auditors say NASA's Artemis programme likely to be delayed by several years</a></strong></p>

<p>The incident came just four days after the latest group of four space station astronauts,&nbsp;Americans Raja Chair, Tom Marshburn, and Kayla Barron of NASA and European Space Agency crewmate Matthias Maurer of Germany,&nbsp;arrived at the orbiting platform to begin a six-month science mission.</p>

<p>Didier Schmitt, a senior figure at the European Space Agency (ESA) said Moscow's action increased the risk of a collision in space.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasas-mars-rover-probing-undisturbed-ancient-time-capsule-on-red-planet-428788" hreflang="en">NASA's Mars rover probing undisturbed ancient time capsule on Red planet</a></strong></p>

<p>However, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said the test had not posed a threat to the International Space Station.</p>

<p>The target was a non-operational spacecraft, Tselina-D, that had been in orbit since 1982.</p>

<p>The United States was the first country to conduct anti-satellite tests in space, in 1959 when satellites were rare and new.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em><br />
&nbsp;</p>


NASA has said that the International Space Station is still at risk from the debris of a weapons test by Russia. Russia had destroyed one of its own satellites and generated a cloud of debris near the International Space Station (ISS) and its seven-strong crew.

NASA has said that the International Space Station is still at risk from the debris of a weapons test by Russia. Russia had destroyed one of its own satellites and generated a cloud of debris near the International Space Station (ISS) and its seven-strong crew. They were directed to take shelter in their docked spaceship capsules for two hours after the test as a precaution to allow for a quick getaway had it been necessary. It generated more than 1,500 pieces of "trackable orbital debris" and would likely spawn hundreds of thousands of smaller fragments. They tracked by the US Space Command. "NASA will continue monitoring the debris in the coming days and beyond to ensure the safety of our crew in orbit," NASA chief Bill Nelson said in the statement. Also read | Auditors say NASA's Artemis programme likely to be delayed by several years The incident came just four days after the latest group of four space station astronauts, Americans Raja Chair, Tom Marshburn, and Kayla Barron of NASA and European Space Agency crewmate Matthias Maurer of Germany, arrived at the orbiting platform to begin a six-month science mission. Didier Schmitt, a senior figure at the European Space Agency (ESA) said Moscow's action increased the risk of a collision in space. Also read | NASA's Mars rover probing undisturbed ancient time capsule on Red planet However, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said the test had not posed a threat to the International Space Station. The target was a non-operational spacecraft, Tselina-D, that had been in orbit since 1982. The United States was the first country to conduct anti-satellite tests in space, in 1959 when satellites were rare and new. (With inputs from agencies)

NASA says International Space Station is still at risk from debris of Russian weapons test

<p>The United States and NASA condemned Russia for launching a "dangerous and irresponsible" missile strike that blew up a Russian satellite and created a debris cloud that forced the crew of International Space Station (ISS) to take evasive action.</p>

<p>According to officials, Washington was not notified of the test, which was only the fourth ever to hit a spacecraft from the ground.</p>

<p>There is renewed concern over the growing space arms race, which covers everything from the development of satellites capable of shunting others out of orbit to laser weapons.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/debris-generating-event-reports-say-russia-may-have-carried-out-anti-satellite-weapons-test-429627">'Debris generating event': Reports say Russia may have carried out anti-satellite weapons test</a></strong></p>

<p>"The Russian Federation recklessly conducted a destructive test of a direct-ascent anti-satellite missile against one of its own satellites," said Secretary of State Anthony Blinken in a statement.</p>

<p>He added that over 1,500 trackable pieces of orbital debris were produced by the "dangerous and irresponsible test," which will likely result in hundreds of thousands of smaller pieces.</p>

<p>In strongly worded remarks, Blinken said the danger was far from over and debris would continue to pose risks to satellites and operations on the ISS. He said that the United States was discussing its response with partners.</p>

<p>The crew; four Americans, a German, and two Russians aboard the orbital outpost were awakened and told to close hatches, then take shelter in their return ships, the standard "safe haven" alarm procedure in case of an emergency that might force evacuation.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/achieving-what-trump-couldnt-biden-celebrates-rare-win-with-us-infrastructure-bill-signing-429648">Achieving what Trump couldn't, Biden celebrates rare win with US infrastructure bill signing</a></strong></p>

<p>NASA reported that the crew made their way to the Dragon and Soyuz spacecraft around 2:00 am Eastern Time (0700 GMT) and remained there for about two hours.</p>

<p>Every 90 minutes, the research lab, orbiting around 250 miles above Earth, passes through or near the debris cluster. However, NASA specialists determined it was safe for the crew to return to the station's interior after the third pass.</p>

<p>"I am outraged by this irresponsible and destabilizing action," said NASA administrator Bill Nelson in a statement.</p>

<p>"With its long and storied history in human spaceflight, it is unthinkable that Russia would endanger not only the American and international partner astronauts on the ISS, but also their own cosmonauts" as well as Chinese "taikonauts" aboard China's space station, he said.</p>

<p><strong>Also read&nbsp; |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-china-virtual-summit-biden-urges-for-guardrails-against-conflict-xi-calls-for-better-communication-429645">US-China virtual summit: Biden urges for 'guardrails' against conflict, Xi calls for better communication</a></strong></p>

<p>According to Seradata, a space industry analysis company, the missile was aimed at Cosmos 1408, a Soviet signals intelligence satellite launched in 1982 now defunct for decades.</p>

<p>ASATs, or anti-satellite weapons, are high-tech missiles possessed by a few nations.</p>

<p>Even before Russia, anti-satellite tests in space have been conducted by several countries. Back in 1959, when satellites were rare and new, the United States performed the first.</p>

<p>Further, a similar knockout demonstrated by China in 2007 led the United States to shoot down a satellite in 2008.</p>

<p><strong>Watch |&nbsp;The United States slams Russia for 'irresponsible' act</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/the-united-states-slams-russia-for-irresponsible-act-429713/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>As of 2019, India was the last nation to launch such a test, creating hundreds of pieces of "space junk", something which was harshly criticized by others, including the United States.</p>


The United States and NASA condemned Russia for launching a "dangerous and irresponsible" missile strike that blew up a Russian satellite and created a debris cloud that forced the crew of International Space Station (ISS) to take evasive action.

The United States and NASA condemned Russia for launching a "dangerous and irresponsible" missile strike that blew up a Russian satellite and created a debris cloud that forced the crew of International Space Station (ISS) to take evasive action. According to officials, Washington was not notified of the test, which was only the fourth ever to hit a spacecraft from the ground. There is renewed concern over the growing space arms race, which covers everything from the development of satellites capable of shunting others out of orbit to laser weapons. Also read | 'Debris generating event': Reports say Russia may have carried out anti-satellite weapons test "The Russian Federation recklessly conducted a destructive test of a direct-ascent anti-satellite missile against one of its own satellites," said Secretary of State Anthony Blinken in a statement. He added that over 1,500 trackable pieces of orbital debris were produced by the "dangerous and irresponsible test," which will likely result in hundreds of thousands of smaller pieces. In strongly worded remarks, Blinken said the danger was far from over and debris would continue to pose risks to satellites and operations on the ISS. He said that the United States was discussing its response with partners. The crew; four Americans, a German, and two Russians aboard the orbital outpost were awakened and told to close hatches, then take shelter in their return ships, the standard "safe haven" alarm procedure in case of an emergency that might force evacuation. Also read | Achieving what Trump couldn't, Biden celebrates rare win with US infrastructure bill signing NASA reported that the crew made their way to the Dragon and Soyuz spacecraft around 2:00 am Eastern Time (0700 GMT) and remained there for about two hours. Every 90 minutes, the research lab, orbiting around 250 miles above Earth, passes through or near the debris cluster. However, NASA specialists determined it was safe for the crew to return to the station's interior after the third pass. "I am outraged by this irresponsible and destabilizing action," said NASA administrator Bill Nelson in a statement. "With its long and storied history in human spaceflight, it is unthinkable that Russia would endanger not only the American and international partner astronauts on the ISS, but also their own cosmonauts" as well as Chinese "taikonauts" aboard China's space station, he said. Also read | US-China virtual summit: Biden urges for 'guardrails' against conflict, Xi calls for better communication According to Seradata, a space industry analysis company, the missile was aimed at Cosmos 1408, a Soviet signals intelligence satellite launched in 1982 now defunct for decades. ASATs, or anti-satellite weapons, are high-tech missiles possessed by a few nations. Even before Russia, anti-satellite tests in space have been conducted by several countries. Back in 1959, when satellites were rare and new, the United States performed the first. Further, a similar knockout demonstrated by China in 2007 led the United States to shoot down a satellite in 2008. Watch | The United States slams Russia for 'irresponsible' act As of 2019, India was the last nation to launch such a test, creating hundreds of pieces of "space junk", something which was harshly criticized by others, including the United States.

Russia blasts own satellite, US slams it as missile test threatens International Space Station

<p>Elon Musk's SpaceX has sent four astronauts to the International Space Station in its fifth crewed mission.</p>

<p>The company's Dragon capsule roared into outer space atop a Falcon 9 rocket, including the 600th person to reach space in 60 years, from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Crew3?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Crew3</a>... 2... 1... and liftoff!<br />
<br />
Three <a href="https://twitter.com/NASA_Astronauts?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NASA_Astronauts</a> and one <a href="https://twitter.com/esa?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ESA</a> astronaut are on their way to the <a href="https://twitter.com/Space_Station?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Space_Station</a> aboard the <a href="https://twitter.com/SpaceX?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SpaceX</a> Crew Dragon Endurance: <a href="https://t.co/dxobsFb4Pa">pic.twitter.com/dxobsFb4Pa</a></p>
— NASA (@NASA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NASA/status/1458616859385868290?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 11, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p>According to mission commander Raja Chari, ''It was a great ride, better than we imagined.''</p>

<p>The crew launch marked SpaceX’s fourth for NASA and the company’s fifth passenger flight overall, including a September charter flight for four that skipped the space station.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/astronomers-offer-hint-on-how-suns-death-might-unfold-428057" hreflang="en">Astronomers offer hint on how Sun's death might unfold</a></strong></p>

<p>The Dragon capsule’s toilet leaked during their three days in orbit, necessitating a quick redesign of the flushing system in the newest capsule, named Endurance by its crew.</p>

<p>SpaceX launch director Mark Soltys told the crew, ''Enjoy your holidays among the stars. We’ll be waving as you fly by.''</p>

<p>"Crew-3" includes two members of NASA's latest graduating class of astronauts, Indian-origin Raja Chari, 44, a US Air Force combat jet and test pilot serving as mission commander, and mission specialist Kayla Barron, 34, a US Navy submarine officer and nuclear engineer.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/no-plumber-in-space-toilet-leak-pushes-astronauts-to-use-diapers-on-way-back-to-earth-427309" hreflang="en">No plumber in space? Toilet leak pushes astronauts to use diapers on way back to Earth</a></strong></p>

<p>Chari's father, Sreenivas is from Telangana in India, while his mother, Peggy Egbert is from Iowa in the United States.</p>

<p>The list of 600 travelers ranges from those who have barely scratched space, like actor William Shatner last month, to US and Russian astronauts who have spent a year or more in orbit.&nbsp;</p>

<p>This year’s surge in space tourists helped push the tally over the 600 mark. That averages out to 10 people per year since Yuri Gagarin’s pioneering flight in 1961.</p>

<p>NASA has extolled space station missions in low-Earth orbit as critical training grounds and incubators for technologies that will help achieve the goals of a sustainable lunar presence and eventual human flights to Mars.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Elon Musk's SpaceX has sent four astronauts to the International Space Station in its fifth crewed mission. The company's Dragon capsule roared into outer space atop a Falcon 9 rocket, including the 600th person to reach space in 60 years, from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Elon Musk's SpaceX has sent four astronauts to the International Space Station in its fifth crewed mission. The company's Dragon capsule roared into outer space atop a Falcon 9 rocket, including the 600th person to reach space in 60 years, from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. #Crew3... 2... 1... and liftoff! Three @NASA_Astronauts and one @ESA astronaut are on their way to the @Space_Station aboard the @SpaceX Crew Dragon Endurance: pic.twitter.com/dxobsFb4Pa — NASA (@NASA) November 11, 2021 × According to mission commander Raja Chari, ''It was a great ride, better than we imagined.'' The crew launch marked SpaceX’s fourth for NASA and the company’s fifth passenger flight overall, including a September charter flight for four that skipped the space station. Also read | Astronomers offer hint on how Sun's death might unfold The Dragon capsule’s toilet leaked during their three days in orbit, necessitating a quick redesign of the flushing system in the newest capsule, named Endurance by its crew. SpaceX launch director Mark Soltys told the crew, ''Enjoy your holidays among the stars. We’ll be waving as you fly by.'' "Crew-3" includes two members of NASA's latest graduating class of astronauts, Indian-origin Raja Chari, 44, a US Air Force combat jet and test pilot serving as mission commander, and mission specialist Kayla Barron, 34, a US Navy submarine officer and nuclear engineer. Also read | No plumber in space? Toilet leak pushes astronauts to use diapers on way back to Earth Chari's father, Sreenivas is from Telangana in India, while his mother, Peggy Egbert is from Iowa in the United States. The list of 600 travelers ranges from those who have barely scratched space, like actor William Shatner last month, to US and Russian astronauts who have spent a year or more in orbit. This year’s surge in space tourists helped push the tally over the 600 mark. That averages out to 10 people per year since Yuri Gagarin’s pioneering flight in 1961. NASA has extolled space station missions in low-Earth orbit as critical training grounds and incubators for technologies that will help achieve the goals of a sustainable lunar presence and eventual human flights to Mars. (With inputs from agencies)

Watch | Indian-origin astronaut leads SpaceX's mission to International Space Station

<p>Billionaire Jeff&nbsp;Bezos-owned Blue Origin has&nbsp;unveiled a plan for launching a commercial space station in the&nbsp;second half of the decade.</p>

<p>Known as "Orbital Reef" the venture&nbsp;will be nearly as big as the International Space Station (ISS) and will house up to 10 people.</p>

<p>The aim of the&nbsp;"mixed-use business park" is&nbsp;to provide the infrastructure needed to scale economic activity and open new markets in space.</p>

<p>It will fly at an altitude of 500 kilometres (310 miles) with inhabitants experiencing 32 sunrises and sunsets a day.</p>

<p><strong>Also see |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/what-a-blast-the-rush-of-amateur-astronauts-420637" hreflang="en">What a blast: The rush of amateur astronauts</a></strong></p>

<p>According to Blue Origin executive Brent Sherwood, "For over sixty years, NASA and other space agencies have developed orbital space flight and space habitation, setting us up for commercial business to take off in this decade."&nbsp;</p>

<p>"We will expand access, lower the cost, and provide all the services and amenities needed to normalise space flight."</p>

<p><strong>Also see |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/want-to-become-a-space-tourist-here-is-all-you-need-to-do-399437" hreflang="en">Want to become a space tourist? Here is all you need to do</a></strong></p>

<p>Blue Origin will work in collaboration with Boeing, Sierra Space, the spaceflight wing of defense contractor Sierra Nevada Corp, and will be backed by Redwire Space, Genesis Engineering Solutions, and Arizona State University.</p>

<p>Blue Origin holds a contract with a company called Axiom to develop a space station that will initially dock with the ISS and later become free-flying.</p>

<p><strong>Also see |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/who-is-winning-space-tourism-race-between-bezos-branson-and-musk-396420" hreflang="en">Who is winning space tourism race between Bezos, Branson and Musk?</a></strong></p>

<p>Space services company Nanoracks, along with Voyager Space and Lockheed Martin, had also announced a planned space station last week. Known as Starlab, it will be operational by 2027.</p>

<p>Bezos had completed a successful space tourism flight along with pioneering female aviator Wally Funk and two others on board in July.</p>

<p>The race to commercialise space is heating up with big companies such as Elon Musk's SpaceX and Richard Branson's Virgin Atlantic giving tough competition to Blue Origin.</p>

<p>Bezos aims to space colonies with artificial gravity where millions of people will work and live, freeing Earth from pollution.</p>


Billionaire Jeff Bezos-owned Blue Origin has unveiled a plan for launching a commercial space station in the second half of the decade. Known as "Orbital Reef" the venture will be nearly as big as the International Space Station (ISS) and will house up to 10 people.

Billionaire Jeff Bezos-owned Blue Origin has unveiled a plan for launching a commercial space station in the second half of the decade. Known as "Orbital Reef" the venture will be nearly as big as the International Space Station (ISS) and will house up to 10 people. The aim of the "mixed-use business park" is to provide the infrastructure needed to scale economic activity and open new markets in space. It will fly at an altitude of 500 kilometres (310 miles) with inhabitants experiencing 32 sunrises and sunsets a day. Also see | What a blast: The rush of amateur astronauts According to Blue Origin executive Brent Sherwood, "For over sixty years, NASA and other space agencies have developed orbital space flight and space habitation, setting us up for commercial business to take off in this decade." "We will expand access, lower the cost, and provide all the services and amenities needed to normalise space flight." Also see | Want to become a space tourist? Here is all you need to do Blue Origin will work in collaboration with Boeing, Sierra Space, the spaceflight wing of defense contractor Sierra Nevada Corp, and will be backed by Redwire Space, Genesis Engineering Solutions, and Arizona State University. Blue Origin holds a contract with a company called Axiom to develop a space station that will initially dock with the ISS and later become free-flying. Also see | Who is winning space tourism race between Bezos, Branson and Musk? Space services company Nanoracks, along with Voyager Space and Lockheed Martin, had also announced a planned space station last week. Known as Starlab, it will be operational by 2027. Bezos had completed a successful space tourism flight along with pioneering female aviator Wally Funk and two others on board in July. The race to commercialise space is heating up with big companies such as Elon Musk's SpaceX and Richard Branson's Virgin Atlantic giving tough competition to Blue Origin. Bezos aims to space colonies with artificial gravity where millions of people will work and live, freeing Earth from pollution.

Jeff Bezos firm Blue Origin unveils plan to build commercial space station

<p class="MsoNormal">While the International Space Station is busy hosting a film crew, American astronauts on board had to sound alarm as the ISS was mistakenly rotated.<o:p></o:p></p>

<p class="MsoNormal">An error by the Russian cosmonauts on the ISS ended up in the ISS rotating by nearly 57 degrees. The error happened while engine testing was taking place. This error forced the American astronauts on board to send a distress signal.</p>

<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/wang-yaping-all-set-to-become-first-female-chinese-astronaut-to-work-on-its-unfinished-space-station-420956">Wang Yaping all set to become first female Chinese astronaut to work on its unfinished space station</a></strong></o:p></p>

<p class="MsoNormal">The error happened when Russian cosmonauts were testing Soyuz MS-18, a spacecraft that is right now docked to the ISS. The thrust from the engine testing caused the satellite to rotate by 57 degrees.<o:p></o:p></p>

<p class="MsoNormal">Soyuz MS-18 is the spacecraft that is docked to the ISS to bring the film crew back to Earth. ISS is currently hosting director Klim Shipenko and actress Yulia Peresild, who are visiting the outer space station to shoot a feature film. Titled 'The Challenge', the movie will be the first film to be shot in outer space.</p>

<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/russian-film-crew-in-orbit-to-make-first-movie-in-space-418694"><strong>WATCH |</strong></a></o:p></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/russian-film-crew-in-orbit-to-make-first-movie-in-space-418694/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p class="MsoNormal">While the American astronauts went signals of distress immediately after the movement, the head of the Russian segment of ISS, Vladimir Solovyov, said it was "no big deal" and it was not a huge or very serious problem.<o:p></o:p></p>

<p class="MsoNormal">However, the space agency chief Dmitry Rogozin&nbsp;told off Solovyov for the error. "Oleg, never mind, so what if the station was rotated 57 degrees,"&nbsp;he told cosmonaut Oleg Novitsky, who was present at the ISS when the error took place and will be commanding the spacecraft. "Dmitry Olegovich [Rogozin] has already chided me for it."<o:p></o:p></p>

<p class="MsoNormal">The crew is expected to come back to the Earth this weekend.<o:p></o:p></p>


While the International Space Station is busy hosting a film crew, American astronauts on board had to sound alarm as the ISS was mistakenly rotated. An error by the Russian cosmonauts on the ISS ended up in the ISS rotating by nearly 57 degrees.

While the International Space Station is busy hosting a film crew, American astronauts on board had to sound alarm as the ISS was mistakenly rotated. An error by the Russian cosmonauts on the ISS ended up in the ISS rotating by nearly 57 degrees. The error happened while engine testing was taking place. This error forced the American astronauts on board to send a distress signal. Also read | Wang Yaping all set to become first female Chinese astronaut to work on its unfinished space station The error happened when Russian cosmonauts were testing Soyuz MS-18, a spacecraft that is right now docked to the ISS. The thrust from the engine testing caused the satellite to rotate by 57 degrees. Soyuz MS-18 is the spacecraft that is docked to the ISS to bring the film crew back to Earth. ISS is currently hosting director Klim Shipenko and actress Yulia Peresild, who are visiting the outer space station to shoot a feature film. Titled 'The Challenge', the movie will be the first film to be shot in outer space. WATCH | While the American astronauts went signals of distress immediately after the movement, the head of the Russian segment of ISS, Vladimir Solovyov, said it was "no big deal" and it was not a huge or very serious problem. However, the space agency chief Dmitry Rogozin told off Solovyov for the error. "Oleg, never mind, so what if the station was rotated 57 degrees," he told cosmonaut Oleg Novitsky, who was present at the ISS when the error took place and will be commanding the spacecraft. "Dmitry Olegovich [Rogozin] has already chided me for it." The crew is expected to come back to the Earth this weekend.

International Space Station mistakenly rotates by 57 degrees as film shooting continues

A Russian film crew blasted into space today on a mission to make the world's first movie in orbit. Actor Yulia Peresild and director Klim Shipenko have spent three months training for life onboard the International Space Station. Along with cosmonaut Anton Shkaplerov, they are set to spend 12 days flying above Earth to film scenes for a feature-length production.

Russian film crew in orbit to make first movie in space

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="3">Due to a malfunction of the ISS docking mechanism, Russia's Soyuz MS-19 spacecraft carrying the film crew had to connect manually to the International Space Station (ISS), a choice made to reduce risks, Russian State Space Corporation Roscosmos president Dmitry Rogozin said.&nbsp;</p>

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="5">"There is a passive reception pick-up antenna at the station. Two subsystems are in the passive mode there, while two others are in the active mode. So, the active component is in the spacecraft, the passive one is at the ISS. They malfunctioned ... and we decided to play it safe and switch to manual control, there is nothing special here, " Rogozin said.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russian-spacecraft-blasts-off-to-international-space-station-with-actress-director-to-film-first-movie-in-space-418355"><strong>Also read | Russian spacecraft blasts off to International Space Station with actress, director to film first movie in space</strong></a><br />
&nbsp;</p>

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="6">At 4.55 am EDT, Roscosmos astronaut Anton Shkaplerov, actress Yulia Peresild, and producer Klim Shipenko were lifted onboard Russia's Soyuz MS-19 spacecraft from Kazakhstan's Baikonur Cosmodrome (2.25 pm Tuesday, India time).</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="und">Пропустили сегодняшний пуск? Мы подготовили для вас повтор этого исторического события!<br />
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Missed today's launch? We have a replay of this historic event for you! <a href="https://t.co/XiVqjG0FVl">pic.twitter.com/XiVqjG0FVl</a></p>
— РОСКОСМОС (@roscosmos) <a href="https://twitter.com/roscosmos/status/1445346512205193216?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 5, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p>The Soyuz MS-19 spacecraft connected to the station's Rassvet module after a two-orbit trip. It docked at around 8.12 am EDT (5.42 pm on Tuesday, India time).</p>

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="8">"Contact confirmed, capture confirmed! The #SoyuzMS19 crewed spacecraft has docked to the Russian segment of the International Space Station after just two orbits around the Earth! Welcome to the ISS, @Anton_Astrey, Klim and Yulia!" Roscosmos- the Russian space agency posted on Twitter.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Contact confirmed, capture confirmed!<br />
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The <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SoyuzMS19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SoyuzMS19</a> crewed spacecraft has docked to the Russian segment of the International Space Station after just two orbits around the Earth!<br />
<br />
Welcome to the ISS, <a href="https://twitter.com/Anton_Astrey?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Anton_Astrey</a>, Klim and Yulia!</p>
— РОСКОСМОС (@roscosmos) <a href="https://twitter.com/roscosmos/status/1445363900824883205?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 5, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p>According to NASA, the launch signals the growth of commercial space potential to include feature filmmaking.&nbsp;</p>

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="10"><em>(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;</em></p>


Due to a malfunction of the ISS docking mechanism, Russia's Soyuz MS-19 spacecraft carrying the film crew had to connect manually to the International Space Station (ISS), a choice made to reduce risks, Russian State Space Corporation Roscosmos president Dmitry Rogozin said.

Due to a malfunction of the ISS docking mechanism, Russia's Soyuz MS-19 spacecraft carrying the film crew had to connect manually to the International Space Station (ISS), a choice made to reduce risks, Russian State Space Corporation Roscosmos president Dmitry Rogozin said. "There is a passive reception pick-up antenna at the station. Two subsystems are in the passive mode there, while two others are in the active mode. So, the active component is in the spacecraft, the passive one is at the ISS. They malfunctioned ... and we decided to play it safe and switch to manual control, there is nothing special here, " Rogozin said. Also read | Russian spacecraft blasts off to International Space Station with actress, director to film first movie in space At 4.55 am EDT, Roscosmos astronaut Anton Shkaplerov, actress Yulia Peresild, and producer Klim Shipenko were lifted onboard Russia's Soyuz MS-19 spacecraft from Kazakhstan's Baikonur Cosmodrome (2.25 pm Tuesday, India time). Пропустили сегодняшний пуск? Мы подготовили для вас повтор этого исторического события! Missed today's launch? We have a replay of this historic event for you! pic.twitter.com/XiVqjG0FVl — РОСКОСМОС (@roscosmos) October 5, 2021 × The Soyuz MS-19 spacecraft connected to the station's Rassvet module after a two-orbit trip. It docked at around 8.12 am EDT (5.42 pm on Tuesday, India time). "Contact confirmed, capture confirmed! The #SoyuzMS19 crewed spacecraft has docked to the Russian segment of the International Space Station after just two orbits around the Earth! Welcome to the ISS, @Anton_Astrey, Klim and Yulia!" Roscosmos- the Russian space agency posted on Twitter. Contact confirmed, capture confirmed! The #SoyuzMS19 crewed spacecraft has docked to the Russian segment of the International Space Station after just two orbits around the Earth! Welcome to the ISS, @Anton_Astrey, Klim and Yulia! — РОСКОСМОС (@roscosmos) October 5, 2021 × According to NASA, the launch signals the growth of commercial space potential to include feature filmmaking. (With inputs from agencies)

Russian film crew docks on ISS manually to make first movie in space

<p>Russia's space mission blasted off to the <strong>International Space Station&nbsp;</strong>(ISS) with an actress and director as they set course to shoot a movie in space.</p>

<p>Actress <strong>Yulia Peresild</strong>, 37 and film director Klim Shipenko, 38, took the space flight from Russia's Baikonur Cosmodrome as they bid to outmanoeuvre Hollywood.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/russian-superstar-yulia-peresild-set-to-film-space-movie-aboard-international-space-station-417098">Also Read:&nbsp;Russian superstar Yulia Peresild set to film space movie</a></p>

<p>"Mission Impossible" star <strong>Tom Cruise</strong> had earlier announced that he would be shooting for a movie in space on &nbsp;Elon Musk's SpaceX. However, Russia's Soyuz MS-19 spaceship which is on a 12-day mission led by cosmonaut Anton Shkaplero is set to outshine Tom Cruise.</p>

<p>The movie which Peresild is seeking to make is reportedly about an astronaut who rescues a doctor in space. The film is titled <strong>"The Challenge"</strong>.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/how-international-space-station-captured-aurora-australis-images-above-indian-ocean-405892">Also Read:&nbsp;How International Space Station captured Aurora Australis images above Indian Ocean</a></p>

<p>The<strong> Russian</strong> duo packed themselves in heavy spacesuits hours before the flight waving to the crowds as they boarded their spacecraft.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/you-got-pizza-northrop-grumman-makes-delivery-to-international-space-station-via-resupply-spacecraft-404580">Also Read:&nbsp;You got pizza -&nbsp;Northrop Grumman makes delivery to International Space Station</a></p>

<p>The spaceship is due to arrive back home on October 17 along with Russian <strong>cosmonaut</strong> Oleg Novitsky who has been aboard the ISS for the past six months.</p>

<p>(With inputs from Agencies)</p>


Russia's space mission blasted off to the International Space Station (ISS) with an actress and director as they set course to shoot a movie in space. Actress Yulia Peresild, 37 and film director Klim Shipenko, 38, took the space flight from Russia's Baikonur Cosmodrome as they bid to outmanoeuvre Hollywood.

Russia's space mission blasted off to the International Space Station (ISS) with an actress and director as they set course to shoot a movie in space. Actress Yulia Peresild, 37 and film director Klim Shipenko, 38, took the space flight from Russia's Baikonur Cosmodrome as they bid to outmanoeuvre Hollywood. Also Read: Russian superstar Yulia Peresild set to film space movie "Mission Impossible" star Tom Cruise had earlier announced that he would be shooting for a movie in space on Elon Musk's SpaceX. However, Russia's Soyuz MS-19 spaceship which is on a 12-day mission led by cosmonaut Anton Shkaplero is set to outshine Tom Cruise. The movie which Peresild is seeking to make is reportedly about an astronaut who rescues a doctor in space. The film is titled "The Challenge". Also Read: How International Space Station captured Aurora Australis images above Indian Ocean The Russian duo packed themselves in heavy spacesuits hours before the flight waving to the crowds as they boarded their spacecraft. Also Read: You got pizza - Northrop Grumman makes delivery to International Space Station The spaceship is due to arrive back home on October 17 along with Russian cosmonaut Oleg Novitsky who has been aboard the ISS for the past six months. (With inputs from Agencies)

Russian spacecraft blasts off to International Space Station with actress, director to film first movie in space

<p>Russian actress Yulia Peresild along with director Klim Shipenko are&nbsp;set to be launched on Soyuz spacecraft next week for the International Space Station(ISS) as Putin's regime races to beat Hollywood by making a movie in space which will be the world's first.</p>

<p>Yulia Peresild, 37, will be on the 12-day mission to space with Shipenko. The movie is reportedly based on a doctor who goes to the international space station to save a cosmonaut. The title of the movie is reportedly called &nbsp;'Challenge'.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/international-space-station-thrown-out-of-control-by-misfire-of-russian-module-nasa-401689">Also Read: International Space Station thrown out of control by misfire of Russian module&nbsp;</a></p>

<p>The Russian actress has practised intensively for the space journey. Peresild and Shipenko had attended the final examiniaton on Star City Cosmonaut Training Centre earlier this month as they began their final prepartion for the space flight.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/you-got-pizza-northrop-grumman-makes-delivery-to-international-space-station-via-resupply-spacecraft-404580">Also Read:&nbsp;You got pizza: Northrop Grumman makes delivery to ISS</a></p>

<p>Hollywood superstar Tom Cruise had earlier announced a mega movie to be shot aboard the International Space Station (ISS). NASA had said the "Mission Impossible" star and his team will be shooting the film on the ISS which is reportedly a mega Universal project.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/international-space-station-thrown-out-of-control-by-misfire-of-russian-module-nasa-401689">Also Read:&nbsp;International Space Station thrown out of control by misfire of Russian module</a></p>

<p>The Russian project is however set to beat the Hollywood's venture as Peresild and her crew will begin shooting next month.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Tom Cruise and director Doug Liman had reportedly booked a SpaceX rocket for next month to shoot the film even as Russia soon announced they would also be sending a crew to shoot a film.</p>

<p>Universal Pictures was reportedly set to layout a budge of $200 million for the project.</p>


Russian actress Yulia Peresild along with director Klim Shipenko are set to be launched on Soyuz spacecraft next week for the International Space Station(ISS) as Putin's regime races to beat Hollywood by making a movie in space which will be the world's first.

Russian actress Yulia Peresild along with director Klim Shipenko are set to be launched on Soyuz spacecraft next week for the International Space Station(ISS) as Putin's regime races to beat Hollywood by making a movie in space which will be the world's first. Yulia Peresild, 37, will be on the 12-day mission to space with Shipenko. The movie is reportedly based on a doctor who goes to the international space station to save a cosmonaut. The title of the movie is reportedly called 'Challenge'. Also Read: International Space Station thrown out of control by misfire of Russian module The Russian actress has practised intensively for the space journey. Peresild and Shipenko had attended the final examiniaton on Star City Cosmonaut Training Centre earlier this month as they began their final prepartion for the space flight. Also Read: You got pizza: Northrop Grumman makes delivery to ISS Hollywood superstar Tom Cruise had earlier announced a mega movie to be shot aboard the International Space Station (ISS). NASA had said the "Mission Impossible" star and his team will be shooting the film on the ISS which is reportedly a mega Universal project. Also Read: International Space Station thrown out of control by misfire of Russian module The Russian project is however set to beat the Hollywood's venture as Peresild and her crew will begin shooting next month. Tom Cruise and director Doug Liman had reportedly booked a SpaceX rocket for next month to shoot the film even as Russia soon announced they would also be sending a crew to shoot a film. Universal Pictures was reportedly set to layout a budge of $200 million for the project.

Russian superstar Yulia Peresild set to film space movie aboard International Space Station

<p>You may have seen aurora&nbsp;in person if you ever happened to go to Scandinavian countries or far in the southern hemisphere. The photos are aplenty. It's possible for most of us to witness them once in life, at least dream of it. But watching the mesmerising play of aurora from above it is a fortune only astronauts may have.</p>

<p>And in times of social media, it has become possible for them to share the wonderful experience with all of us. Thomas Pesquet, the European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut has done just the same from his perch on International Space Station (ISS). He has posted a picture of aurora, not with sky in its background but Earth! This adds another one to what is a soothing play of colours.</p>

<p>In Pesquet's photo, the blue Earth appears bathed in colour green. The waves dance, rise up and reach the horizon where they change colour to red.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasa-posts-image-of-hand-of-god-netizens-are-awestruck-416265">NASA posts image of 'Hand of God', netizens are awestruck</a></strong></p>

<p>"Another aurora but this one is special as it is so bright. It is the full Moon lighting up the shadow side of Earth almost like daylight." writes Pesquet in his post on Instagram.</p>

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<p>He hasn't mentioned exact location of the aurora or whether it was Aurora Borealis or Aurora Australis (aurora visible in southern hemisphere). But such details don't matter while we look at the picture.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/a-super-huge-comet-is-hurtling-through-space-towards-solar-system-asteroids-black-hole-416501">A super-huge comet is hurtling through space towards solar system</a></strong></p>

<p>Aurora is formed due to interaction between solar particles and particles of Earth's atmosphere. When particles from the Sun interact with Earth's magnetic field, they get channelled to the poles and there they interact with the atmosphere. The result? A soft dance of colours which is a sight to behold!</p>


You may have seen aurora in person if you ever happened to go to Scandinavian countries or far in the southern hemisphere. The photos are aplenty. It's possible for most of us to witness them once in life, at least dream of it.

You may have seen aurora in person if you ever happened to go to Scandinavian countries or far in the southern hemisphere. The photos are aplenty. It's possible for most of us to witness them once in life, at least dream of it. But watching the mesmerising play of aurora from above it is a fortune only astronauts may have. And in times of social media, it has become possible for them to share the wonderful experience with all of us. Thomas Pesquet, the European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut has done just the same from his perch on International Space Station (ISS). He has posted a picture of aurora, not with sky in its background but Earth! This adds another one to what is a soothing play of colours. In Pesquet's photo, the blue Earth appears bathed in colour green. The waves dance, rise up and reach the horizon where they change colour to red. Also Read | NASA posts image of 'Hand of God', netizens are awestruck "Another aurora but this one is special as it is so bright. It is the full Moon lighting up the shadow side of Earth almost like daylight." writes Pesquet in his post on Instagram. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Thomas Pesquet (@thom_astro) × He hasn't mentioned exact location of the aurora or whether it was Aurora Borealis or Aurora Australis (aurora visible in southern hemisphere). But such details don't matter while we look at the picture. Also Read | A super-huge comet is hurtling through space towards solar system Aurora is formed due to interaction between solar particles and particles of Earth's atmosphere. When particles from the Sun interact with Earth's magnetic field, they get channelled to the poles and there they interact with the atmosphere. The result? A soft dance of colours which is a sight to behold!

Astronaut posts breathtaking photo of aurora taken from above Earth

<p>Former NASA astronaut Bill Shepherd has expressed concerns over cracks developing in International Space Station (ISS). He has stated that development of cracks is a "fairly serious issue". He was speaking during US Congressional Committee hearing.</p>

<p>During the hearing, Shepherd said that "there are probably other cracks we haven't found yet."</p>

<p>Russian Cosmonaut Vladimir Solovyov in August spoke of the cracks in International Space Station's Zarya module. Solovyov is the flight director of Russian segment of the ISS. NASA has been maintaining that the cracks do not pose threat to astronauts at present. Shepherd's words throw a fresh light on the matter. He has added that the cracks are not long enough to cause a "serious problem".</p>

<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/at-iss-sun-rises-and-sets-every-45-minutes-nasa-tells-why-412923">At ISS, Sun rises and sets every 45 minutes, NASA tells why</a></strong></p>

<p>Shepherd himself has flown in orbit in space shuttles four times. He commanded the first crew to ISS in 2000.</p>

<p>This is not the first time ISS has faced issues in 20 years of its functioning. The space station is ageing. Russian side of the space station has some of the oldest components.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasa-to-send-ice-seeking-rover-to-moon-414613">NASA to send ice-seeking rover to Moon</a></strong></p>

<p>In September 2019, Zvezda module of the ISS started leaking air. The module has living quarters for the cosmonauts. The hole was eventually patched and there was no threat to life.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasa-ingenuity-helicopter-latest-mars-flying-tougher-415112">NASA's Ingenuity helicopter is finding it tougher to fly on Mars</a></strong></p>

<p>Russia's latest module Nauka, launched in July, shortly after docking with the ISS, unexpectedly started firing its thrusters. This caused the ISS to sping around 540 degrees and flip upside down.</p>


Former NASA astronaut Bill Shepherd has expressed concerns over cracks developing in International Space Station (ISS). He has stated that development of cracks is a "fairly serious issue".

Former NASA astronaut Bill Shepherd has expressed concerns over cracks developing in International Space Station (ISS). He has stated that development of cracks is a "fairly serious issue". He was speaking during US Congressional Committee hearing. During the hearing, Shepherd said that "there are probably other cracks we haven't found yet." Russian Cosmonaut Vladimir Solovyov in August spoke of the cracks in International Space Station's Zarya module. Solovyov is the flight director of Russian segment of the ISS. NASA has been maintaining that the cracks do not pose threat to astronauts at present. Shepherd's words throw a fresh light on the matter. He has added that the cracks are not long enough to cause a "serious problem". Also Read | At ISS, Sun rises and sets every 45 minutes, NASA tells why Shepherd himself has flown in orbit in space shuttles four times. He commanded the first crew to ISS in 2000. This is not the first time ISS has faced issues in 20 years of its functioning. The space station is ageing. Russian side of the space station has some of the oldest components. Also Read | NASA to send ice-seeking rover to Moon In September 2019, Zvezda module of the ISS started leaking air. The module has living quarters for the cosmonauts. The hole was eventually patched and there was no threat to life. Also Read | NASA's Ingenuity helicopter is finding it tougher to fly on Mars Russia's latest module Nauka, launched in July, shortly after docking with the ISS, unexpectedly started firing its thrusters. This caused the ISS to sping around 540 degrees and flip upside down.

Cracks on ISS a 'serious issue', says former NASA astronaut

<p>International Space Station (ISS) has come much 'closer' to Earth in a way considering how much we get to witness things using social media. Each bit of info brings wonder and amazement to us. Astronauts at the space station keep the buzz up by posting memserising pics often.</p>

<p>But did you know that ISS experiences sunrise and sunset every 45 minutes? Yep, that's a thing there and there's a reason for it.</p>

<p>The ISS completes one revolution of Earth in 90 minutes. And this makes it witness 16 sunsets and sunrises every day!</p>

<p>NASA explained this amazing bit in a tweet on Sunday (September 12). It was answering a question asked by a Twitter user who wondered whether astronauts feel any temperature difference.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">The spacewalkers experience a sunrise and sunset every 90 minutes and <a href="https://twitter.com/cquantumspin?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@cquantumspin</a> asks if they feel temperature differences in their suits. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AskNASA?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AskNASA</a> | <a href="https://t.co/yuOTrYN8CV">https://t.co/yuOTrYN8CV</a> <a href="https://t.co/R8ZjQcpQyr">pic.twitter.com/R8ZjQcpQyr</a></p>
— International Space Station (@Space_Station) <a href="https://twitter.com/Space_Station/status/1437096408927162371?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 12, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p>The temperature difference in space is huge since there is no atmosphere to maintain a comfortable temperature. At sunrise, the temperature is 250 degrees Fahrenheit and at sunset, it is -250 Fahrenheit. But astronauts are safe because their spacesuits have provision to keep them cool and in top condition to carry out scientific experiments or conducting spacewalks.</p>


International Space Station (ISS) has come much 'closer' to Earth in a way considering how much we get to witness things using social media. Each bit of info brings wonder and amazement to us.

International Space Station (ISS) has come much 'closer' to Earth in a way considering how much we get to witness things using social media. Each bit of info brings wonder and amazement to us. Astronauts at the space station keep the buzz up by posting memserising pics often. But did you know that ISS experiences sunrise and sunset every 45 minutes? Yep, that's a thing there and there's a reason for it. The ISS completes one revolution of Earth in 90 minutes. And this makes it witness 16 sunsets and sunrises every day! NASA explained this amazing bit in a tweet on Sunday (September 12). It was answering a question asked by a Twitter user who wondered whether astronauts feel any temperature difference. The spacewalkers experience a sunrise and sunset every 90 minutes and @cquantumspin asks if they feel temperature differences in their suits. #AskNASA | https://t.co/yuOTrYN8CV pic.twitter.com/R8ZjQcpQyr — International Space Station (@Space_Station) September 12, 2021 × The temperature difference in space is huge since there is no atmosphere to maintain a comfortable temperature. At sunrise, the temperature is 250 degrees Fahrenheit and at sunset, it is -250 Fahrenheit. But astronauts are safe because their spacesuits have provision to keep them cool and in top condition to carry out scientific experiments or conducting spacewalks.

At ISS, Sun rises and sets every 45 minutes, NASA tells why

<p>French astronaut Thomas Pesquet is known for posting mesmerising pics on his Instagram account. The astronaut, who is at International Space Station (ISS) has again&nbsp;posted an intriguing entry on Instagram. Pesquet often posts photos of Earth from the ISS. Many of his posts have shown beauty of the outer space. But this time, he has chosen to take a few snaps of the very vehicle that has enabled him to take pics that are literally out of this world.</p>

<p>Pesquet has focussed his lens on ISS service module's solar panels, the mighty wings that sustain it by receiving solar energy. In the pics, not only the solar panels are shining in all their glory but are resplendent in bluish hue that is likely a reflection of our blue planet.</p>

<p>Pesquet has posted two images. In one, collection of thousands of panels is seen with Earth in the background. But Pesquet has also zoomed in and has let the camera lens unravel the intriguing beauty of individual panels. The panels retain the blue hue and the picture seems as if a wing of a butterfly has been magnified to absorb the intricate beauty.</p>

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<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CTrLmxTKk2P/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Thomas Pesquet (@thom_astro)</a></p>
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<p>Pesquet's pics have gone viral as they do always. The 'like's are likely to hit 50 thousand mark. The comments are pouring in as well.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Thomas Pesquet was sent to International Space Station in November 2016 for a six month mission. For his current mission, he was sent to the ISS aboard SpaceX Crew Dragon.</p>


French astronaut Thomas Pesquet is known for posting mesmerising pics on his Instagram account. The astronaut, who is at International Space Station (ISS) has again posted an intriguing entry on Instagram.

French astronaut Thomas Pesquet is known for posting mesmerising pics on his Instagram account. The astronaut, who is at International Space Station (ISS) has again posted an intriguing entry on Instagram. Pesquet often posts photos of Earth from the ISS. Many of his posts have shown beauty of the outer space. But this time, he has chosen to take a few snaps of the very vehicle that has enabled him to take pics that are literally out of this world. Pesquet has focussed his lens on ISS service module's solar panels, the mighty wings that sustain it by receiving solar energy. In the pics, not only the solar panels are shining in all their glory but are resplendent in bluish hue that is likely a reflection of our blue planet. Pesquet has posted two images. In one, collection of thousands of panels is seen with Earth in the background. But Pesquet has also zoomed in and has let the camera lens unravel the intriguing beauty of individual panels. The panels retain the blue hue and the picture seems as if a wing of a butterfly has been magnified to absorb the intricate beauty. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Thomas Pesquet (@thom_astro) × Pesquet's pics have gone viral as they do always. The 'like's are likely to hit 50 thousand mark. The comments are pouring in as well. Thomas Pesquet was sent to International Space Station in November 2016 for a six month mission. For his current mission, he was sent to the ISS aboard SpaceX Crew Dragon.

French astronaut posts intriguing pics of ISS

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="3">A smoke alarm was activated in a Russian service module on the International Space Station (ISS), the Russian space agency Roscosmos said on Thursday, and Russian news agencies reported that cosmonauts had smelled burning plastic.</p>

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="7">The RIA news agency quoted Roscosmos as saying all systems were later working properly. Plans for a space walk later on Thursday were still in force, the space agency said.</p>

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="8">Roscosmos said a smoke detector and an alarm were set off on the Zvezda service module, which provides living quarters for crew members on the ISS, when batteries were being recharged overnight.</p>

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="9">RIA, citing audio communications broadcast by the U.S. space agency NASA, reported that Russian cosmonaut Oleg Novitsky had seen and smelled smoke and that French astronaut Thomas Pesquet said the smell of burnt plastic or electronics had spread from the Russian segment to the U.S. section.</p>

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="10">The space station has suffered a number of recent mishaps.</p>

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="11">Russian space officials said a software glitch and a possible human attention lapse caused the entire space station to pitch out of its normal flight position 250 miles (400 km) above Earth with seven crew members aboard in July.</p>


A smoke alarm was activated in a Russian service module on the International Space Station (ISS), the Russian space agency Roscosmos said on Thursday, and Russian news agencies reported that cosmonauts had smelled burning plastic.

A smoke alarm was activated in a Russian service module on the International Space Station (ISS), the Russian space agency Roscosmos said on Thursday, and Russian news agencies reported that cosmonauts had smelled burning plastic. The RIA news agency quoted Roscosmos as saying all systems were later working properly. Plans for a space walk later on Thursday were still in force, the space agency said. Roscosmos said a smoke detector and an alarm were set off on the Zvezda service module, which provides living quarters for crew members on the ISS, when batteries were being recharged overnight. RIA, citing audio communications broadcast by the U.S. space agency NASA, reported that Russian cosmonaut Oleg Novitsky had seen and smelled smoke and that French astronaut Thomas Pesquet said the smell of burnt plastic or electronics had spread from the Russian segment to the U.S. section. The space station has suffered a number of recent mishaps. Russian space officials said a software glitch and a possible human attention lapse caused the entire space station to pitch out of its normal flight position 250 miles (400 km) above Earth with seven crew members aboard in July.

Smoke detected in Russian module on international space station: Report 

<p>The segment of the International Space Station belonging to Russia is facing "irreparable failures" due to out-of-date hardware.</p>

<p>According to Vladimir Solovyov, chief engineer of the Energia rocket and space corporation, "Around 80 percent of the inflight systems on Russia's segment have reached the end of their service period."</p>

<p>"This means that literally a day after the systems are fully exhausted, irreparable failures may begin," Solovyov added.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/international-space-station-did-540-degree-flip-turned-upside-down-mishap-more-serious-than-earlier-reported-402761">International Space Station did 540-degree flip, turned upside down: Mishap more serious than earlier reported</a></strong></p>

<p>Energia is the leading developer of Russia's section of the ISS, a joint venture with the United States, Canada, Japan and the European Space Agency. It is a manufacturer of spacecraft and space station components.</p>

<p>The space station has suffered several recent incidents. Russian officials last month said a software glitch, and a possible lapse in human attention, were to blame for throwing the ISS out of control.</p>

<p>Jet thrusters on the Russian research module Nauka inadvertently reignited a few hours after it had docked, causing the entire orbital outpost to pitch out of its normal flight position with seven crew members aboard.</p>

<p>Roscosmos, Russia's space agency, also reported last month a drop in pressure in the Zvezda service module, which provides living quarters for crew members on the ISS that was caused by an air leak.</p>

<p>The Russian space agency, Roscosmos, has said it will remain part of the ISS until 2024 and that it is open to extending its participation beyond then.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


The segment of the International Space Station belonging to Russia is facing "irreparable failures" due to out-of-date hardware. According to Vladimir Solovyov, chief engineer of the Energia rocket and space corporation, "Around 80 percent of the inflight systems on Russia's segment have reached the end of their service period.

The segment of the International Space Station belonging to Russia is facing "irreparable failures" due to out-of-date hardware. According to Vladimir Solovyov, chief engineer of the Energia rocket and space corporation, "Around 80 percent of the inflight systems on Russia's segment have reached the end of their service period." "This means that literally a day after the systems are fully exhausted, irreparable failures may begin," Solovyov added. Also read | International Space Station did 540-degree flip, turned upside down: Mishap more serious than earlier reported Energia is the leading developer of Russia's section of the ISS, a joint venture with the United States, Canada, Japan and the European Space Agency. It is a manufacturer of spacecraft and space station components. The space station has suffered several recent incidents. Russian officials last month said a software glitch, and a possible lapse in human attention, were to blame for throwing the ISS out of control. Jet thrusters on the Russian research module Nauka inadvertently reignited a few hours after it had docked, causing the entire orbital outpost to pitch out of its normal flight position with seven crew members aboard. Roscosmos, Russia's space agency, also reported last month a drop in pressure in the Zvezda service module, which provides living quarters for crew members on the ISS that was caused by an air leak. The Russian space agency, Roscosmos, has said it will remain part of the ISS until 2024 and that it is open to extending its participation beyond then. (With inputs from agencies)

Russian segment of International Space Station facing 'irreparable failures'

<p>Russia's&nbsp;space agency Roscosmos has&nbsp;postponed its first mission to the moon's surface in decades as a result of "problems" encountered during tests of the Luna-25 spacecraft.</p>

<p>Russia had announced last week that the mission, originally scheduled for October 1, from the Vostochny Cosmodrome in the Far East had been moved to May 2022.</p>

<p>The Luna-25 mission to the Moon's south pole aims to probe ice deposits there. It is set to be&nbsp;Russia's first mission to the moon's surface in 45 years and the first in its post-Soviet history.</p>

<p>The chief engineer of&nbsp;Russia's state NPO Lavochkin design bureau explained the delay Tuesday saying that "more time" was needed to complete successful trials.</p>

<p>"We have encountered certain problems during testing," Alexander Shirshakov told the Interfax news agency.</p>

<p>"A safe landing system is of crucial importance and we are working on Luna-25's soft landing system," Shirshakov said.</p>

<p>The race back to the moon is in full swing after China in December 2020 became the first country to return samples from the moon since the Soviet Luna-24 mission in 1976.&nbsp;</p>

<p>US space agency NASA also has pledged to land the next man and the first woman on the moon in 2024 as part of its Artemis programme.</p>

<p>Meanwhile,&nbsp;Russia and China signed a memorandum of understanding&nbsp;to set up an international lunar research station.</p>

<p>Russia's space programme inherited from the Soviet Union has in recent years suffered from problems like corruption scandals and budget cuts.</p>

<p>Its space industry took a blow in 2020 when it lost its monopoly over manned flights to the ISS after the successful mission of Space X, the company belonging to US billionaire Elon Musk.</p>

<p>Roscosmos has however announced a number of ventures including a mission to Venus and the creation of a rocket capable of making round trips to space.</p>

<p>Russia&nbsp;has also indicated that it plans to start building its own space station with the aim of launching it into orbit by 2030 if President Vladimir Putin gives the go-ahead.</p>

<p>The project would mark a new chapter for Russian space exploration and an end to more than two decades of close cooperation with the United States aboard the ageing International Space Station (ISS).</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Russia's space agency Roscosmos has postponed its first mission to the moon's surface in decades as a result of "problems" encountered during tests of the Luna-25 spacecraft.

Russia's space agency Roscosmos has postponed its first mission to the moon's surface in decades as a result of "problems" encountered during tests of the Luna-25 spacecraft. Russia had announced last week that the mission, originally scheduled for October 1, from the Vostochny Cosmodrome in the Far East had been moved to May 2022. The Luna-25 mission to the Moon's south pole aims to probe ice deposits there. It is set to be Russia's first mission to the moon's surface in 45 years and the first in its post-Soviet history. The chief engineer of Russia's state NPO Lavochkin design bureau explained the delay Tuesday saying that "more time" was needed to complete successful trials. "We have encountered certain problems during testing," Alexander Shirshakov told the Interfax news agency. "A safe landing system is of crucial importance and we are working on Luna-25's soft landing system," Shirshakov said. The race back to the moon is in full swing after China in December 2020 became the first country to return samples from the moon since the Soviet Luna-24 mission in 1976. US space agency NASA also has pledged to land the next man and the first woman on the moon in 2024 as part of its Artemis programme. Meanwhile, Russia and China signed a memorandum of understanding to set up an international lunar research station. Russia's space programme inherited from the Soviet Union has in recent years suffered from problems like corruption scandals and budget cuts. Its space industry took a blow in 2020 when it lost its monopoly over manned flights to the ISS after the successful mission of Space X, the company belonging to US billionaire Elon Musk. Roscosmos has however announced a number of ventures including a mission to Venus and the creation of a rocket capable of making round trips to space. Russia has also indicated that it plans to start building its own space station with the aim of launching it into orbit by 2030 if President Vladimir Putin gives the go-ahead. The project would mark a new chapter for Russian space exploration and an end to more than two decades of close cooperation with the United States aboard the ageing International Space Station (ISS). (With inputs from agencies)

Russian space agency Roscosmos postpones lunar mission over 'problems during testing'

<p><strong>International Space Station</strong>(ISS) shared images of Aurora Australis as it streamed across the Earth’s atmosphere.</p>

<p>Aurora Australis is also known as the southern lights and <strong>southern polar lights</strong>. It shapes as a constellation of lights often in green, red and other colours.</p>

<p>It is best viewed from<strong> Antarctica </strong>and also visible in New Zealand, Australia, southern Chile and Argentina including sometimes in South Africa.</p>

<p>The dynamic colour patterns make it a delight for celestial watchers. It occurs due to disturbances in the magnetosphere caused by solar wind and can be seen in the form of a glow near the horizon.</p>

<p>Aurora australis is named after the Roman goddess of dawn.</p>

<p>The arc on the cloud with rays of lights&nbsp;in the form of "curtains" with red, blue, green, <strong>ultraviolet</strong>, infrared and a mix of yellow and pink is a delight to watch.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">POV: You're on the International Space Station watching the Aurora Australis. <a href="https://t.co/fG2aJJaIl0">pic.twitter.com/fG2aJJaIl0</a></p>
— Cheddar News 🧀 (@cheddar) <a href="https://twitter.com/cheddar/status/1426564015656947714?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 14, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">'Aurora Australis Lights Up the Sky' image from the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NASA_App?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NASA_App</a><a href="https://t.co/MoDBX9r7wC">https://t.co/MoDBX9r7wC</a> <a href="https://t.co/OgfPyxnXVm">pic.twitter.com/OgfPyxnXVm</a></p>
— FJ Powers (@starshiptroopr) <a href="https://twitter.com/starshiptroopr/status/1426510581419364356?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 14, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p>According to reports, the Aurora and its currents also produce radio emissions around 150 kHz known as auroral kilometric radiation (AKR). It also produces a sound known as "Aurora noise".</p>


International Space Station(ISS) shared images of Aurora Australis as it streamed across the Earth’s atmosphere. Aurora Australis is also known as the southern lights and southern polar lights.

International Space Station(ISS) shared images of Aurora Australis as it streamed across the Earth’s atmosphere. Aurora Australis is also known as the southern lights and southern polar lights. It shapes as a constellation of lights often in green, red and other colours. It is best viewed from Antarctica and also visible in New Zealand, Australia, southern Chile and Argentina including sometimes in South Africa. The dynamic colour patterns make it a delight for celestial watchers. It occurs due to disturbances in the magnetosphere caused by solar wind and can be seen in the form of a glow near the horizon. Aurora australis is named after the Roman goddess of dawn. The arc on the cloud with rays of lights in the form of "curtains" with red, blue, green, ultraviolet, infrared and a mix of yellow and pink is a delight to watch. POV: You're on the International Space Station watching the Aurora Australis. pic.twitter.com/fG2aJJaIl0 — Cheddar News 🧀 (@cheddar) August 14, 2021 × 'Aurora Australis Lights Up the Sky' image from the #NASA_Apphttps://t.co/MoDBX9r7wC pic.twitter.com/OgfPyxnXVm — FJ Powers (@starshiptroopr) August 14, 2021 × According to reports, the Aurora and its currents also produce radio emissions around 150 kHz known as auroral kilometric radiation (AKR). It also produces a sound known as "Aurora noise".

How International Space Station captured Aurora Australis images above Indian Ocean

<p>Scientists are blasting off a&nbsp;500-million-year-old 'blob' that can think into space that will be welcomed by astronauts aboard the International Space Station.</p>

<p>Physarum Polycephalum better known as "blob", is a unicellular organism that is neither plant, mushroom nor animal and capable of learning despite its lack of neuron.</p>

<p>It has long fascinated scientists and will now be part of a unique experiment carried out simultaneously by astronauts hundreds of kilometres above the Earth and by hundreds of thousands of French school students.</p>

<p>The slime mould first appeared on Earth around 500 million years ago, and defies conventional&nbsp;biology&nbsp;because it is made up of one cell with multiple nuclei.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also see |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/want-to-become-a-space-tourist-here-is-all-you-need-to-do-399437" hreflang="en">Want to become a space tourist? Here is all you need to do</a></strong></p>

<p>While most organisms grow and reproduce through the division and multiplication of cells, Physarum polycephalum does not.</p>

<p>"It is a single cell that grows without ever dividing," explains Pierre Ferrand, professor of Earth&nbsp;sciences&nbsp;and life seconded to French space agency CNES, one of the people behind the project.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Another oddity: "When most organisms make do with two sex types, the Blob has more than 720. It is an organism 'with drawers' which tells us that life consists of multitude originalities," he says.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/for-first-time-kepler-space-telescope-records-initial-phase-of-supernova-explosion-403448" hreflang="en">For first time, Kepler space telescope records initial phase of supernova explosion</a></strong></p>

<p><strong>What one's cell can do?</strong></p>

<p>A yellowish, spongy mass, the slime mould lacks a mouth, legs or brain. Yet despite these apparent disadvantages, the mould eats, grows, moves,&nbsp;albeit very slowly,&nbsp;and has amazing learning abilities.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Because the Blob's DNA floats freely around inside its cell walls,&nbsp;rather than being contained inside a nucleus,&nbsp;it can "slough off" parts of itself at will.&nbsp;</p>

<p>It can also enter a dormant state by dehydrating,&nbsp;called "sclerotia".</p>

<p>And it is several pieces of sclerotia that will embark on their odyssey aboard an ISS refuelling freighter.&nbsp;</p>

<p>When rehydrated in September, four sclerotia,&nbsp;each about the size of the average pinky fingernail,&nbsp;will be roused from their torpor in their Petri-dish beds.</p>

<p>The samples, both shorn from the same "parent Blob cell" (labelled by scientists as LU352), will undergo two protocols: one will deprive certain sub-Blobs of food; the others will be able to gorge out on a food source, porridge oats.</p>

<p>The goal is to observe the effects of weightlessness on this organism,&nbsp;&nbsp;but as an educational experience, a giant school experiment that reaches into space. There are no scientific papers expected as part of the mission's design.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Nobody knows what its behaviour will be in a microgravity environment: what direction will it move in? Will it take the third dimension by going upwards, or go sideways?" asks Ferrand.</p>

<p>"I'll be curious to see if it develops by forming pillars," says Blob specialist Audrey Dussutour, director for the Centre for Research on Animal Cognition in Toulouse.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Meanwhile, back on Earth, thousands of specimens cut from the same LU352 strain will be distributed to about 4,500 schools and colleges in France.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"More than 350,000 students will 'touch' the Blob," says Christine Correcher, who runs the space agency's educational programme.</p>

<p>At the end of this month, teachers will receive kits containing three to five sclerotia.</p>

<p>When the sections of the Blob are revived in space, their cohorts will also be rehydrated on Earth.</p>

<p>Observations will then begin to compare the differences in how the samples in space adapt compared with those on Earth, which may cast light on fundamental questions surrounding the basic building blocks of life.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Scientists are blasting off a 500-million-year-old 'blob' that can think into space that will be welcomed by astronauts aboard the International Space Station. Physarum Polycephalum better known as "blob", is a unicellular organism that is neither plant, mushroom nor animal and capable of learning despite its lack of neuron.

Scientists are blasting off a 500-million-year-old 'blob' that can think into space that will be welcomed by astronauts aboard the International Space Station. Physarum Polycephalum better known as "blob", is a unicellular organism that is neither plant, mushroom nor animal and capable of learning despite its lack of neuron. It has long fascinated scientists and will now be part of a unique experiment carried out simultaneously by astronauts hundreds of kilometres above the Earth and by hundreds of thousands of French school students. The slime mould first appeared on Earth around 500 million years ago, and defies conventional biology because it is made up of one cell with multiple nuclei. Also see | Want to become a space tourist? Here is all you need to do While most organisms grow and reproduce through the division and multiplication of cells, Physarum polycephalum does not. "It is a single cell that grows without ever dividing," explains Pierre Ferrand, professor of Earth sciences and life seconded to French space agency CNES, one of the people behind the project. Another oddity: "When most organisms make do with two sex types, the Blob has more than 720. It is an organism 'with drawers' which tells us that life consists of multitude originalities," he says. Also read | For first time, Kepler space telescope records initial phase of supernova explosion What one's cell can do? A yellowish, spongy mass, the slime mould lacks a mouth, legs or brain. Yet despite these apparent disadvantages, the mould eats, grows, moves, albeit very slowly, and has amazing learning abilities. Because the Blob's DNA floats freely around inside its cell walls, rather than being contained inside a nucleus, it can "slough off" parts of itself at will. It can also enter a dormant state by dehydrating, called "sclerotia". And it is several pieces of sclerotia that will embark on their odyssey aboard an ISS refuelling freighter. When rehydrated in September, four sclerotia, each about the size of the average pinky fingernail, will be roused from their torpor in their Petri-dish beds. The samples, both shorn from the same "parent Blob cell" (labelled by scientists as LU352), will undergo two protocols: one will deprive certain sub-Blobs of food; the others will be able to gorge out on a food source, porridge oats. The goal is to observe the effects of weightlessness on this organism, but as an educational experience, a giant school experiment that reaches into space. There are no scientific papers expected as part of the mission's design. "Nobody knows what its behaviour will be in a microgravity environment: what direction will it move in? Will it take the third dimension by going upwards, or go sideways?" asks Ferrand. "I'll be curious to see if it develops by forming pillars," says Blob specialist Audrey Dussutour, director for the Centre for Research on Animal Cognition in Toulouse. Meanwhile, back on Earth, thousands of specimens cut from the same LU352 strain will be distributed to about 4,500 schools and colleges in France. "More than 350,000 students will 'touch' the Blob," says Christine Correcher, who runs the space agency's educational programme. At the end of this month, teachers will receive kits containing three to five sclerotia. When the sections of the Blob are revived in space, their cohorts will also be rehydrated on Earth. Observations will then begin to compare the differences in how the samples in space adapt compared with those on Earth, which may cast light on fundamental questions surrounding the basic building blocks of life. (With inputs from agencies)

Scientists are sending a 500-million-year-old 'blob' that can think into space

<p>Northrop Grumman is launching Cygnus&nbsp;resupply spacecraft&nbsp;to the&nbsp;International Space Station along with a&nbsp;special delivery that includes pizza for the seven residents on board.</p>

<p>This is Northrop Grumman’s 16th cargo flight to the space station and is the fifth under its Commercial Resupply Services 2 contract with NASA.</p>

<p>It&nbsp;will also&nbsp;deliver nearly 8,200 pounds of science and research, crew supplies, and vehicle hardware to the International Space Station and its crew.</p>

<p>The Cygnus spacecraft will remain at the space station until November before it disposes of several thousand pounds of trash through its destructive re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere.</p>

<p>NASA astronaut&nbsp;Megan McArthur&nbsp;will use the space station’s robotic Canadarm2 to capture Cygnus upon its arrival, while ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut&nbsp;Thomas Pesquet&nbsp;monitors telemetry during rendezvous, capture, and installation on the Earth-facing port of the Unity module.</p>

<p>The resupply flight will support dozens of new and existing investigations.</p>

<p>The CRS-16 Cygnus spacecraft is named in honor of American astronaut Ellison Onizuka, who was the first Asian American to fly in space.</p>

<p>Previously, defence contractor Northrop Grumman Corp had&nbsp;won a NASA contract worth $935 million to develop living quarters for the US&nbsp;space agency's planned outpost in lunar orbit.</p>

<p data-testid="paragraph-1">Astronauts will live and conduct research in the Habitation And Logistics Outpost (HALO) made by Northrop for the lunar Gateway, a vital component of NASA's Artemis moon program.</p>

<p data-testid="paragraph-2">China is also planning to set up a base in the south pole of the moon, and is deploying robotic expeditions to asteroids and Jupiter around 2030.</p>

<p data-testid="paragraph-3">NASA and its commercial and international partners are building Gateway to support science investigations and enable surface landings at the moon, the agency said in a statement.</p>

<p data-testid="paragraph-4">Northrop Grumman will be responsible for attaching and testing the integrated quarters with a solar propulsion module being developed.</p>

<p data-testid="paragraph-5">Eight countries have signed an international pact for moon exploration as a part of NASA's Artemis programme as the US&nbsp;space agency tries to shape standards for building long-term settlements on the lunar surface.</p>

<p data-testid="paragraph-6">NASA is targeting a November 2024 launch for the integrated spacecraft on a SpaceX rocket.</p>

<p data-testid="paragraph-6"><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


Northrop Grumman is launching Cygnus resupply spacecraft to the International Space Station along with a special delivery that includes pizza for the seven residents on board.

Northrop Grumman is launching Cygnus resupply spacecraft to the International Space Station along with a special delivery that includes pizza for the seven residents on board. This is Northrop Grumman’s 16th cargo flight to the space station and is the fifth under its Commercial Resupply Services 2 contract with NASA. It will also deliver nearly 8,200 pounds of science and research, crew supplies, and vehicle hardware to the International Space Station and its crew. The Cygnus spacecraft will remain at the space station until November before it disposes of several thousand pounds of trash through its destructive re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere. NASA astronaut Megan McArthur will use the space station’s robotic Canadarm2 to capture Cygnus upon its arrival, while ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Thomas Pesquet monitors telemetry during rendezvous, capture, and installation on the Earth-facing port of the Unity module. The resupply flight will support dozens of new and existing investigations. The CRS-16 Cygnus spacecraft is named in honor of American astronaut Ellison Onizuka, who was the first Asian American to fly in space. Previously, defence contractor Northrop Grumman Corp had won a NASA contract worth $935 million to develop living quarters for the US space agency's planned outpost in lunar orbit. Astronauts will live and conduct research in the Habitation And Logistics Outpost (HALO) made by Northrop for the lunar Gateway, a vital component of NASA's Artemis moon program. China is also planning to set up a base in the south pole of the moon, and is deploying robotic expeditions to asteroids and Jupiter around 2030. NASA and its commercial and international partners are building Gateway to support science investigations and enable surface landings at the moon, the agency said in a statement. Northrop Grumman will be responsible for attaching and testing the integrated quarters with a solar propulsion module being developed. Eight countries have signed an international pact for moon exploration as a part of NASA's Artemis programme as the US space agency tries to shape standards for building long-term settlements on the lunar surface. NASA is targeting a November 2024 launch for the integrated spacecraft on a SpaceX rocket. (With inputs from agencies)

You got pizza: Northrop Grumman makes delivery to International Space Station via resupply spacecraft

<p>As the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tokyo-olympics-2020-closing-day-live-updates-final-events-underway-followed-by-ceremony-403835"><strong>Olympic Games</strong> </a>have been going on at a hectic pace in Tokyo, astronauts aboard the International Space Station(ISS) have created their own brand of <strong>"Space Olympics"</strong>.</p>

<p>The crew members had watched the opening ceremony high above the Earth as they split into two teams in space - <strong>Soyuz</strong> and Crew Dragon although the same <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/photos/indian-army-to-tokyo-olympic-gold-india-javelin-thrower-neeraj-chopras-unknown-journey-in-pictures-403758">Olympic</a> games could not be conducted in zero gravity.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="fr">Space <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Olympics?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Olympics</a> 1/4:<br />
Lack-of-floor routine – much 👏 to Pyotr for completing his routine without touching anything, a difficult feat!<br />
🥇<br />
Gym hors-sol – on ne dirait pas comme ça, mais les immobilisations en plein vol de Piotr requièrent une grande expérience<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MissionAlpha?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MissionAlpha</a> <a href="https://t.co/gXAHSHHmcu">pic.twitter.com/gXAHSHHmcu</a></p>
— Thomas Pesquet (@Thom_astro) <a href="https://twitter.com/Thom_astro/status/1423780299243196422?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 6, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p>The crew members came up with new original ideas for the games namely <strong>synchronised floating</strong> or lack-of-floor routine, very long jumps and no-hand ball as they put mini flags of the participating countries atop the ISS lab.</p>

<p>The <strong>ISS</strong> crew reportedly take&nbsp;part in two and half hours of daily exercises in space to maintain their fitness levels. The crew is commanded by Akihiko Hoshide of Japan where the Olympic Games are being held with three Americans,&nbsp;two Russian cosmonauts and one French astronaut onboard.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="fr">Space <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Olympics?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Olympics</a> 2/4:<br />
No-handball – we had to adapt the rules a bit during the match, much investment on both sides for the win.<br />
🏐<br />
Handball sans les mains – les règles ont dû être adaptées au cours d’un match que nous décrirons sobrement comme intense. <a href="https://t.co/dVOv3GRThD">pic.twitter.com/dVOv3GRThD</a></p>
— Thomas Pesquet (@Thom_astro) <a href="https://twitter.com/Thom_astro/status/1423780526230548480?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 6, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p>The Olympic spirit is very much alive at the ISS with the advent of the cosmic games. &nbsp;French astronaut <strong>Thomas Pesquet </strong>said "The very first Space Olympics, for crew cohesion, we put together a friendly competition between the Soyuz team and the Crew Dragon team. With sports specific to space, mind you." &nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tokyo-olympics-2020-closing-ceremony-when-and-where-to-watch-ist-time-theme-venue-indian-flag-bearers-403843">Also Read:&nbsp;Tokyo Olympics 2020 closing ceremony: When and where to watch</a></p>

<p>The <strong>Maxar </strong>Earth observation satellite had earlier captured photos of Japan's National Stadium in Tokyo.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>French astronaut </strong>Thomas Pesquet had earlier wished the athletes good luck as the Olympic Games kicked off in Tokyo last month with the games now set to close today.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="fr">Space <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Olympics?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Olympics</a> 4/4:<br />
Weightless sharpshooting – concentration and skill (or luck) proved necessary to reach the target.<br />
🎯<br />
Tir sans gravité – concentration et persévérance ont dicté cette épreuve pour bien négocier la trajectoire des élastiques<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MissionAlpha?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MissionAlpha</a> <a href="https://t.co/eV2cSxEWQ5">pic.twitter.com/eV2cSxEWQ5</a></p>
— Thomas Pesquet (@Thom_astro) <a href="https://twitter.com/Thom_astro/status/1423780871761534980?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 6, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p>In a tweet, Pesquet said: "<strong>Weightless sharpshooting</strong> – concentration and skill (or luck) proved necessary to reach the target," as the crew celebrated the Olympic spirit.&nbsp;</p>

<p>They also took part in "synchronised space swimming" to exhibit teamwork and crew cohesion.</p>

<p>"No-handball – we had to adapt the rules a bit during the match, much investment on both sides for the win," Pesquet informed.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from Agencies)</em><br />
&nbsp;</p>


As the Olympic Games have been going on at a hectic pace in Tokyo, astronauts aboard the International Space Station(ISS) have created their own brand of "Space Olympics".

As the Olympic Games have been going on at a hectic pace in Tokyo, astronauts aboard the International Space Station(ISS) have created their own brand of "Space Olympics". The crew members had watched the opening ceremony high above the Earth as they split into two teams in space - Soyuz and Crew Dragon although the same Olympic games could not be conducted in zero gravity. Space #Olympics 1/4: Lack-of-floor routine – much 👏 to Pyotr for completing his routine without touching anything, a difficult feat! 🥇 Gym hors-sol – on ne dirait pas comme ça, mais les immobilisations en plein vol de Piotr requièrent une grande expérience#MissionAlpha pic.twitter.com/gXAHSHHmcu — Thomas Pesquet (@Thom_astro) August 6, 2021 × The crew members came up with new original ideas for the games namely synchronised floating or lack-of-floor routine, very long jumps and no-hand ball as they put mini flags of the participating countries atop the ISS lab. The ISS crew reportedly take part in two and half hours of daily exercises in space to maintain their fitness levels. The crew is commanded by Akihiko Hoshide of Japan where the Olympic Games are being held with three Americans, two Russian cosmonauts and one French astronaut onboard. Space #Olympics 2/4: No-handball – we had to adapt the rules a bit during the match, much investment on both sides for the win. 🏐 Handball sans les mains – les règles ont dû être adaptées au cours d’un match que nous décrirons sobrement comme intense. pic.twitter.com/dVOv3GRThD — Thomas Pesquet (@Thom_astro) August 6, 2021 × The Olympic spirit is very much alive at the ISS with the advent of the cosmic games. French astronaut Thomas Pesquet said "The very first Space Olympics, for crew cohesion, we put together a friendly competition between the Soyuz team and the Crew Dragon team. With sports specific to space, mind you." Also Read: Tokyo Olympics 2020 closing ceremony: When and where to watch The Maxar Earth observation satellite had earlier captured photos of Japan's National Stadium in Tokyo. French astronaut Thomas Pesquet had earlier wished the athletes good luck as the Olympic Games kicked off in Tokyo last month with the games now set to close today. Space #Olympics 4/4: Weightless sharpshooting – concentration and skill (or luck) proved necessary to reach the target. 🎯 Tir sans gravité – concentration et persévérance ont dicté cette épreuve pour bien négocier la trajectoire des élastiques#MissionAlpha pic.twitter.com/eV2cSxEWQ5 — Thomas Pesquet (@Thom_astro) August 6, 2021 × In a tweet, Pesquet said: "Weightless sharpshooting – concentration and skill (or luck) proved necessary to reach the target," as the crew celebrated the Olympic spirit. They also took part in "synchronised space swimming" to exhibit teamwork and crew cohesion. "No-handball – we had to adapt the rules a bit during the match, much investment on both sides for the win," Pesquet informed. (With inputs from Agencies)

Watch: 'Space Olympics' at ISS with synchronised swimming, weightless sharpshooting & no-handball

<p>Japanese scientists have developed&nbsp;postcards made from&nbsp;freeze-dried mouse sperm to ensure that their vials never break in transit&nbsp;ever again.</p>

<p>Researchers in Japan have developed a way to freeze-dry rodent ejaculate between thin plastic sheets and sticky tape it to postcards, with the samples surviving long journeys to produce healthy pups.</p>

<p>The team from the University of Yamanashi were so delighted with their success one scientist even sent another a "Happy New Year" card with mouse sperm attached as a gift.</p>

<p>"Until now, storing or sending to other researchers of mouse sperm has required a freezing environment such as liquid nitrogen or dry ice," said Daiyu Ito, first author of a paper in iScience.</p>

<p><strong>Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/mouse-sperm-stored-at-iss-produces-unremarkable-space-pups-391142">Mouse sperm stored at ISS produces unremarkable 'space pups'</a></strong></p>

<p>Ito is a PhD student at Professor Teruhiko Wakayama's lab, which had previously been the first team to succeed in freeze-drying mammal sperm, and send it to the International Space Station to study the effects of cosmic radiation.</p>

<p>The sperm originally had to be stored in tiny glass bottles that broke easily, rendering the sample unusable.</p>

<p>With such pitfalls in mind, the team set about working on a new method of preservation.</p>

<p>Plastic sheets were found to be a good way to seal the sperm, but it was also toxic to the DNA, and the scientists realised they needed another material to go inside.</p>

<p>After testing various types of paper, they found that weighing paper had the highest offspring production rate.</p>

<p>Using this technique, they were able to produce a "sperm book" made of postcards with different samples, "a completely new concept that no one has ever thought of before," said Ito.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Almost every day, new genetic modified mouse strains were created from many laboratories in the world. Therefore, (with) this method, a thousand mouse strains can be stored and easily managed in only this one book at low cost," he added.</p>

<p>Though the book was stored in a freezer at -30 degrees Celsius (-22 Fahrenheit), the team found the samples survived journeys of up to three days at room temperature when the postcards were sent in the mail,&nbsp;for example between the University of Yamanashi and the University of Tokyo.</p>

<p>Wakayama, the senior author of the paper, has previously said he developed freeze-dried mouse sperm for a future in which humans migrate to other planets and need to preserve the genetic resources of Earth, including our own species.</p>

<p>"It is now recognized that genetic resources are an asset to humanity's future," he said in a statement.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"The plastic sheet preservation method in this study will be the most suitable method for the safe preservation of a large amount of valuable genetic resources because of the resistance to breakage and less space required for storage."</p>

<p>The team is currently working on a method to freeze-dry mammal eggs. "We believe that we can do it," Ito said.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Japanese scientists have developed postcards made from freeze-dried mouse sperm to ensure that their vials never break in transit ever again. Researchers in Japan have developed a way to freeze-dry rodent ejaculate between thin plastic sheets and sticky tape it to postcards, with the samples surviving long journeys to produce healthy pups.

Japanese scientists have developed postcards made from freeze-dried mouse sperm to ensure that their vials never break in transit ever again. Researchers in Japan have developed a way to freeze-dry rodent ejaculate between thin plastic sheets and sticky tape it to postcards, with the samples surviving long journeys to produce healthy pups. The team from the University of Yamanashi were so delighted with their success one scientist even sent another a "Happy New Year" card with mouse sperm attached as a gift. "Until now, storing or sending to other researchers of mouse sperm has required a freezing environment such as liquid nitrogen or dry ice," said Daiyu Ito, first author of a paper in iScience. Also read| Mouse sperm stored at ISS produces unremarkable 'space pups' Ito is a PhD student at Professor Teruhiko Wakayama's lab, which had previously been the first team to succeed in freeze-drying mammal sperm, and send it to the International Space Station to study the effects of cosmic radiation. The sperm originally had to be stored in tiny glass bottles that broke easily, rendering the sample unusable. With such pitfalls in mind, the team set about working on a new method of preservation. Plastic sheets were found to be a good way to seal the sperm, but it was also toxic to the DNA, and the scientists realised they needed another material to go inside. After testing various types of paper, they found that weighing paper had the highest offspring production rate. Using this technique, they were able to produce a "sperm book" made of postcards with different samples, "a completely new concept that no one has ever thought of before," said Ito. "Almost every day, new genetic modified mouse strains were created from many laboratories in the world. Therefore, (with) this method, a thousand mouse strains can be stored and easily managed in only this one book at low cost," he added. Though the book was stored in a freezer at -30 degrees Celsius (-22 Fahrenheit), the team found the samples survived journeys of up to three days at room temperature when the postcards were sent in the mail, for example between the University of Yamanashi and the University of Tokyo. Wakayama, the senior author of the paper, has previously said he developed freeze-dried mouse sperm for a future in which humans migrate to other planets and need to preserve the genetic resources of Earth, including our own species. "It is now recognized that genetic resources are an asset to humanity's future," he said in a statement. "The plastic sheet preservation method in this study will be the most suitable method for the safe preservation of a large amount of valuable genetic resources because of the resistance to breakage and less space required for storage." The team is currently working on a method to freeze-dry mammal eggs. "We believe that we can do it," Ito said. (With inputs from agencies)

Mouse sperm postcards? Scientists make unique discovery

<p>The International Space Station (ISS) did a 540-degree flip after jet thrusters of a newly arrived Russian research module inadvertently fired a few hours as per a new report.</p>

<p>Zebulon Scoville, the flight director who was in charge at NASA's mission control centre in Houston has revealed in a report by 'The&nbsp;New York Times' that the mishap more serious than earlier reported.</p>

<p>“We had two messages, just two lines of code, saying that something was wrong,” Scoville said adding that engineers first considered it to be a false message.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Following this morning's docking of the Nauka module to the <a href="https://twitter.com/Space_Station?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Space_Station</a>, the module's thrusters started firing at 12:45pm ET inadvertently and unexpectedly, moving the station 45 degrees out of attitude. Recovery operations have regained attitude and the crew is in no danger: <a href="https://t.co/jFlDZD7ZHp">pic.twitter.com/jFlDZD7ZHp</a></p>
— NASA (@NASA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NASA/status/1420801401358364678?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 29, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p>"And then I looked up at the video monitors and saw all the ice and thruster firings. This is no kidding. A real event. So let’s get to it. You get about half a breath of ‘Oh, geez, what now?’ and then you kind of push that down and just work the problem,” he told New York Times.</p>

<p>It&nbsp;began about three hours after the multipurpose Nauka module had latched onto the space station, as mission controllers in Moscow were performing some post-docking "reconfiguration" procedures, according to&nbsp;NASA.</p>

<p>The seven crew members aboard,&nbsp;two Russian cosmonauts, three&nbsp;NASA&nbsp;astronauts, a Japanese astronaut, and a European space agency astronaut from France, were never in any immediate danger, according to&nbsp;NASA&nbsp;and Russian state-owned news agency RIA.</p>

<p>The module's jets inexplicably restarted, causing the entire station to pitch out of its normal flight position some 250 miles above the Earth, leading the mission's flight director to declare a "spacecraft emergency," US&nbsp;space agency officials said.</p>

<p>An unexpected drift in the station's orientation was first detected by automated ground sensors, followed 15 minutes later by a "loss of attitude control" that lasted a little over 45 minutes, according to Joel Montalbano, manager of&nbsp;NASA's space station program.</p>

<p><strong>'Tug-of-war'</strong></p>

<p>Flight teams on the ground managed to restore the space station's orientation by activating thrusters on another module of the orbiting platform,&nbsp;NASA&nbsp;officials said.</p>

<p>In its broadcast coverage of the incident, RIA cited&nbsp;NASA&nbsp;specialists at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, as describing the struggle to regain control of the space station as a "tug of war" between the two modules.</p>

<p>At the height of the incident, the station was pitching out of alignment at the rate of about a half a degree per second, Montalbano said during a&nbsp;NASA&nbsp;conference call with reporters.</p>

<p>The Nauka engines were ultimately switched off, the space station was stabilized and its orientation was restored to where it had begun,&nbsp;NASA&nbsp;said.</p>

<p>Communication with the crew was lost for several minutes twice during the disruption, but "there was no immediate danger at any time to the crew," Montalbano said. He said "the crew really didn't feel any movement."</p>

<p>Had the situation become so dangerous as to require evacuation of personnel, the crew could have escaped in a SpaceX crew capsule still parked at the outpost and designed to serve as a "lifeboat" if necessary, said Steve Stich, manager of&nbsp;NASA's commercial crew program.</p>

<p>What caused the malfunction of the thrusters on the Nauka module, delivered by the Russian space agency Roscosmos, has yet to be determined,&nbsp;NASA&nbsp;officials said.</p>

<p>Montalbano said there was no immediate sign of any damage to the space station. The flight correction maneuvers used up more propellant reserves than desired, "but nothing I would worry about," he said.</p>

<p>After its launch last week from Kazakhstan's Baikonur Cosmodrome, the module experienced a series of glitches that raised concern about whether the docking procedure would go smoothly.</p>

<p>Roscosmos attributed Thursday's post-docking issue to Nauka's engines having to work with residual fuel in the craft, TASS news agency reported.</p>

<p>"The process of transferring the Nauka module from flight mode to 'docked with ISS' mode is underway. Work is being carried out on the remaining fuel in the module," Roscosmos was cited by TASS as saying.</p>

<p>The Nauka module is designed to serve as a research lab, storage unit, and airlock that will upgrade Russia's capabilities aboard the ISS.</p>

<p>A live broadcast showed the module, named after the Russian word for "science," docking with the space station a few minutes later than scheduled.</p>

<p>"According to telemetry data and reports from the ISS crew, the onboard systems of the station and the Nauka module are operating normally," Roscosmos said in a statement.</p>

<p>"There is contact!!!" Dmitry Rogozin, the head of Roscosmos, wrote on Twitter moments after the docking.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


The International Space Station (ISS) did a 540-degree flip after jet thrusters of a newly arrived Russian research module inadvertently fired a few hours as per a new report.

The International Space Station (ISS) did a 540-degree flip after jet thrusters of a newly arrived Russian research module inadvertently fired a few hours as per a new report. Zebulon Scoville, the flight director who was in charge at NASA's mission control centre in Houston has revealed in a report by 'The New York Times' that the mishap more serious than earlier reported. “We had two messages, just two lines of code, saying that something was wrong,” Scoville said adding that engineers first considered it to be a false message. Following this morning's docking of the Nauka module to the @Space_Station, the module's thrusters started firing at 12:45pm ET inadvertently and unexpectedly, moving the station 45 degrees out of attitude. Recovery operations have regained attitude and the crew is in no danger: pic.twitter.com/jFlDZD7ZHp — NASA (@NASA) July 29, 2021 × "And then I looked up at the video monitors and saw all the ice and thruster firings. This is no kidding. A real event. So let’s get to it. You get about half a breath of ‘Oh, geez, what now?’ and then you kind of push that down and just work the problem,” he told New York Times. It began about three hours after the multipurpose Nauka module had latched onto the space station, as mission controllers in Moscow were performing some post-docking "reconfiguration" procedures, according to NASA. The seven crew members aboard, two Russian cosmonauts, three NASA astronauts, a Japanese astronaut, and a European space agency astronaut from France, were never in any immediate danger, according to NASA and Russian state-owned news agency RIA. The module's jets inexplicably restarted, causing the entire station to pitch out of its normal flight position some 250 miles above the Earth, leading the mission's flight director to declare a "spacecraft emergency," US space agency officials said. An unexpected drift in the station's orientation was first detected by automated ground sensors, followed 15 minutes later by a "loss of attitude control" that lasted a little over 45 minutes, according to Joel Montalbano, manager of NASA's space station program. 'Tug-of-war' Flight teams on the ground managed to restore the space station's orientation by activating thrusters on another module of the orbiting platform, NASA officials said. In its broadcast coverage of the incident, RIA cited NASA specialists at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, as describing the struggle to regain control of the space station as a "tug of war" between the two modules. At the height of the incident, the station was pitching out of alignment at the rate of about a half a degree per second, Montalbano said during a NASA conference call with reporters. The Nauka engines were ultimately switched off, the space station was stabilized and its orientation was restored to where it had begun, NASA said. Communication with the crew was lost for several minutes twice during the disruption, but "there was no immediate danger at any time to the crew," Montalbano said. He said "the crew really didn't feel any movement." Had the situation become so dangerous as to require evacuation of personnel, the crew could have escaped in a SpaceX crew capsule still parked at the outpost and designed to serve as a "lifeboat" if necessary, said Steve Stich, manager of NASA's commercial crew program. What caused the malfunction of the thrusters on the Nauka module, delivered by the Russian space agency Roscosmos, has yet to be determined, NASA officials said. Montalbano said there was no immediate sign of any damage to the space station. The flight correction maneuvers used up more propellant reserves than desired, "but nothing I would worry about," he said. After its launch last week from Kazakhstan's Baikonur Cosmodrome, the module experienced a series of glitches that raised concern about whether the docking procedure would go smoothly. Roscosmos attributed Thursday's post-docking issue to Nauka's engines having to work with residual fuel in the craft, TASS news agency reported. "The process of transferring the Nauka module from flight mode to 'docked with ISS' mode is underway. Work is being carried out on the remaining fuel in the module," Roscosmos was cited by TASS as saying. The Nauka module is designed to serve as a research lab, storage unit, and airlock that will upgrade Russia's capabilities aboard the ISS. A live broadcast showed the module, named after the Russian word for "science," docking with the space station a few minutes later than scheduled. "According to telemetry data and reports from the ISS crew, the onboard systems of the station and the Nauka module are operating normally," Roscosmos said in a statement. "There is contact!!!" Dmitry Rogozin, the head of Roscosmos, wrote on Twitter moments after the docking. (With inputs from agencies)

International Space Station did 540-degree flip, turned upside down: Mishap more serious than earlier reported

<p>Boeing delayed an uncrewed flight of its Starliner capsule to the International Space Station (ISS)&nbsp;over a propulsion issue, pushing back by at least a day a key test it last attempted in 2019.</p>

<p>Boeing&nbsp;engineers ruled out "a number of potential causes, including software," but were still working to understand the source of "unexpected valve position indications" in the propulsion system,&nbsp;Boeing&nbsp;said in a statement.</p>

<p>"Additional time is needed to complete the assessment,"&nbsp;Boeing&nbsp;said, adding that it would also not proceed with the next potential launch window on Wednesday.</p>

<p><strong>Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/all-is-well-says-moscow-after-space-station-thrown-off-course-by-nauka-module-401759" hreflang="en">'All is well', says Moscow after space station thrown off course by Nauka module</a></strong></p>

<p>The test flight was supposed to take place Friday but had to be rescheduled after a new Russian&nbsp;science&nbsp;module inadvertently fired its thrusters following docking with the ISS, pushing the orbital outpost off kilter.&nbsp;</p>

<p>After NASA ended the Space Shuttle programme in 2011, it gave both Boeing and SpaceX multi-billion dollar contracts to provide its astronauts with taxi services to the space station and end US reliance on Russian rockets for the journey.</p>

<p>SpaceX's program has moved forward faster, having now undertaken three crewed missions.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Boeing's program is lagging behind, and needs to complete a successful uncrewed mission before it can carry astronauts.</p>

<p>During an initial uncrewed test flight in December 2019, the Starliner capsule experienced software glitches that caused problems with the way it fired its thrusters.</p>

<p>As a result, Starliner did not have enough fuel to reach the ISS and had to return to Earth prematurely, and a subsequent investigation showed it almost experienced a dire flight anomaly while reentering the atmosphere.</p>

<p>NASA later called the mission a "high visibility close call," a rare designation reserved for near-catastrophes.</p>

<p>Steve Stich, manager of NASA's commercial crew program, told reporters last week he had confidence this time around.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"We want it to go well, we expect it to go well, and we've done all the preparations we can possibly do," he said.</p>

<p>"Starliner is a great vehicle, but we know how hard it is, and it's a test flight as well and I fully expect we'll learn something on this test flight."</p>

<p>When it flies, the spacecraft will carry more than 400 pounds (180 kilogrammes) of cargo and crew supplies to the ISS and will return more than 550 pounds of cargo, including air tanks, when it lands in the western US desert at the end of its mission.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Boeing delayed an uncrewed flight of its Starliner capsule to the International Space Station (ISS) over a propulsion issue, pushing back by at least a day a key test it last attempted in 2019.

Boeing delayed an uncrewed flight of its Starliner capsule to the International Space Station (ISS) over a propulsion issue, pushing back by at least a day a key test it last attempted in 2019. Boeing engineers ruled out "a number of potential causes, including software," but were still working to understand the source of "unexpected valve position indications" in the propulsion system, Boeing said in a statement. "Additional time is needed to complete the assessment," Boeing said, adding that it would also not proceed with the next potential launch window on Wednesday. Also read| 'All is well', says Moscow after space station thrown off course by Nauka module The test flight was supposed to take place Friday but had to be rescheduled after a new Russian science module inadvertently fired its thrusters following docking with the ISS, pushing the orbital outpost off kilter. After NASA ended the Space Shuttle programme in 2011, it gave both Boeing and SpaceX multi-billion dollar contracts to provide its astronauts with taxi services to the space station and end US reliance on Russian rockets for the journey. SpaceX's program has moved forward faster, having now undertaken three crewed missions. Boeing's program is lagging behind, and needs to complete a successful uncrewed mission before it can carry astronauts. During an initial uncrewed test flight in December 2019, the Starliner capsule experienced software glitches that caused problems with the way it fired its thrusters. As a result, Starliner did not have enough fuel to reach the ISS and had to return to Earth prematurely, and a subsequent investigation showed it almost experienced a dire flight anomaly while reentering the atmosphere. NASA later called the mission a "high visibility close call," a rare designation reserved for near-catastrophes. Steve Stich, manager of NASA's commercial crew program, told reporters last week he had confidence this time around. "We want it to go well, we expect it to go well, and we've done all the preparations we can possibly do," he said. "Starliner is a great vehicle, but we know how hard it is, and it's a test flight as well and I fully expect we'll learn something on this test flight." When it flies, the spacecraft will carry more than 400 pounds (180 kilogrammes) of cargo and crew supplies to the ISS and will return more than 550 pounds of cargo, including air tanks, when it lands in the western US desert at the end of its mission. (With inputs from agencies)

Boeing postpones Starliner launch to International Space Station after new glitch

<p>Russia said on Friday that all was well with the International Space Station and its seven-member crew after its newly-docked Nauka research module briefly threw the ISS out of control a day earlier.</p>

<p>According to NASA, the mishap began about three hours after the Nauka module, named after the Russian word for 'science', had latched onto the space station, as mission controllers in&nbsp;Moscow&nbsp;were performing post-docking "reconfiguration" procedures.</p>

<p>Nauka's jet thrusters inadvertently fired, causing the station to pitch out of position 250 miles above the Earth, leading the mission's flight director to declare a "spacecraft emergency," US&nbsp;space agency officials said.</p>

<p>The crew - two Russian cosmonauts, three NASA astronauts, a Japanese astronaut and a European space agency astronaut from France - were never in any immediate danger, according to NASA and Russia.</p>

<p>Russian cosmonaut Oleg Novitsky told his followers on Twitter not to worry.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Dear friends, I’m reading your numerous comments. Don’t worry! Our work at the International <a href="https://twitter.com/Space_Station?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Space_Station</a> to integrate the newly arrived <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Nauka?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Nauka</a> module continues!<br />
<br />
Tonight we are going to open the hatches. Will keep you posted! <a href="https://t.co/N7ub8U3YhQ">pic.twitter.com/N7ub8U3YhQ</a></p>
— Oleg Novitskiy (@novitskiy_iss) <a href="https://twitter.com/novitskiy_iss/status/1421010859376119809?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 30, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p>On Friday, Roscosmos, Russia's space agency, said work to integrate Nauka with the ISS was underway and Russian cosmonauts would later open the module's hatch to try to access it.</p>

<p>It said checks on Nauka's engines were being completed remotely by Russian specialists to ensure everyone's safety, that the ISS was on its normal flight trajectory, and that the docking had been successful in so far as the seal between the new module and the rest of the ISS was hermetic.</p>

<p>It did not say what had prompted Nauka's engines to unexpectedly roar into life.</p>

<p>Dmitry Rogozin, head of Roscosmos, retweeted Novitsky. He had hailed Nauka's docking with the ISS as "a very difficult and important victory for us" and warmly accepted congratulations on Twitter from space entrepreneur Elon Musk.</p>

<p>Rogozin also spoke of plans to launch another Russian module to the ISS in November.</p>

<p>Roscosmos has suffered a series of mishaps and corruption scandals, including during the construction of the Vostochny Cosmodrome in the country's far east where contractors were accused of embezzling state funds.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Russia said on Friday that all was well with the International Space Station and its seven-member crew after its newly-docked Nauka research module briefly threw the ISS out of control a day earlier.

Russia said on Friday that all was well with the International Space Station and its seven-member crew after its newly-docked Nauka research module briefly threw the ISS out of control a day earlier. According to NASA, the mishap began about three hours after the Nauka module, named after the Russian word for 'science', had latched onto the space station, as mission controllers in Moscow were performing post-docking "reconfiguration" procedures. Nauka's jet thrusters inadvertently fired, causing the station to pitch out of position 250 miles above the Earth, leading the mission's flight director to declare a "spacecraft emergency," US space agency officials said. The crew - two Russian cosmonauts, three NASA astronauts, a Japanese astronaut and a European space agency astronaut from France - were never in any immediate danger, according to NASA and Russia. Russian cosmonaut Oleg Novitsky told his followers on Twitter not to worry. Dear friends, I’m reading your numerous comments. Don’t worry! Our work at the International @Space_Station to integrate the newly arrived #Nauka module continues! Tonight we are going to open the hatches. Will keep you posted! pic.twitter.com/N7ub8U3YhQ — Oleg Novitskiy (@novitskiy_iss) July 30, 2021 × On Friday, Roscosmos, Russia's space agency, said work to integrate Nauka with the ISS was underway and Russian cosmonauts would later open the module's hatch to try to access it. It said checks on Nauka's engines were being completed remotely by Russian specialists to ensure everyone's safety, that the ISS was on its normal flight trajectory, and that the docking had been successful in so far as the seal between the new module and the rest of the ISS was hermetic. It did not say what had prompted Nauka's engines to unexpectedly roar into life. Dmitry Rogozin, head of Roscosmos, retweeted Novitsky. He had hailed Nauka's docking with the ISS as "a very difficult and important victory for us" and warmly accepted congratulations on Twitter from space entrepreneur Elon Musk. Rogozin also spoke of plans to launch another Russian module to the ISS in November. Roscosmos has suffered a series of mishaps and corruption scandals, including during the construction of the Vostochny Cosmodrome in the country's far east where contractors were accused of embezzling state funds. (With inputs from agencies)

'All is well', says Moscow after space station thrown off course by Nauka module

<p>Russia upgraded its capabilities on the International Space Station on Thursday after&nbsp;its new Nauka module&nbsp;successfully docked with it after a nervy journey from Earth.</p>

<p>A live broadcast from Russia's space agency, Roscosmos, showed the module, a multipurpose laboratory named after the Russian word for 'science', docking with the ISS at 1329 GMT, a few minutes later than scheduled.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Welcome to the International Space Station, <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Nauka?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Nauka</a>!<br />
<br />
New module — new perspectives for the Russian cosmonautics. Moreover, an addition to the internal volume of the Russian segment of the <a href="https://twitter.com/Space_Station?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Space_Station</a>.<br />
<br />
I wish the crew good luck in integrating the module! <a href="https://t.co/u5nvwPt0o6">pic.twitter.com/u5nvwPt0o6</a></p>
— Ivan Vagner (@ivan_mks63) <a href="https://twitter.com/ivan_mks63/status/1420742445441032194?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 29, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p>Cosmonaut Oleg Novitsky took over manual control of the module in the final minutes of its approach towards the station.</p>

<p>It will now take several months and multiple spacewalks to fully integrate the module with the space station.</p>

<p>Since its launch last week from Kazakhstan's Baikonur Cosmodrome, the module had suffered a series of glitches that had raised concerns about whether the docking procedure would go smoothly.</p>

<p>The launch was closely watched by the European Space Agency as the module was travelling with the European Robotic Arm, the first robot arm that will be able to work on Russia's ISS segment.</p>

<p>'Nauka' (Science) module will provide the astronauts at the ISS with additional storage space, technical equipment, including for water and air regeneration.</p>

<p>According to Russia's TASS news agency, 'Nauka' module also supplies the station with ERA manipulator which will allow astronauts to avoid some of the open-space missions.</p>

<p>It will also "improve the conditions of cosmonauts' stay, providing an additional toilet and a third sleeping location for the Russian side of the ISS.</p>

<p>The assembly of the 20-tonne&nbsp;Nauka&nbsp;multipurpose laboratory module started back in the 1990s but its launch, initially scheduled for 2007, has been continuously delayed. &nbsp;</p>

<p>The Nauka multipurpose laboratory module was conceived as early as the mid-1990s when it was intended as a back-up for the Russian control module Zarya.</p>

<p>It was later repurposed as a science module but joined a line-up of stagnating Russian space projects that have fallen victim to funding problems or bureaucratic procedures.</p>

<p>The launch of the 20-tonne Nauka,&nbsp;one of the largest modules on the ISS,&nbsp;was initially scheduled for 2007 but has been repeatedly delayed over various issues.</p>

<p>While last week's launch was succesful, Nauka experienced several "hiccups in orbit" during its eight-day journey to the ISS, the European Space Agency said.</p>

<p>Nauka replaces the long-serving Pirs docking module which joined the ISS in 2001 as a temporary addition but ended up staying in service for two decades.</p>

<p>Making room for Nauka, Pirs detached from the ISS earlier this week, burning up in the Earth's atmosphere and its remains falling into the Pacific Ocean.</p>

<p>Launched in 1998, the ISS is a multinational project and comprises two segments, a Russian one and another one used by the United States and other space agencies.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Russia upgraded its capabilities on the International Space Station on Thursday after its new Nauka module successfully docked with it after a nervy journey from Earth.

Russia upgraded its capabilities on the International Space Station on Thursday after its new Nauka module successfully docked with it after a nervy journey from Earth. A live broadcast from Russia's space agency, Roscosmos, showed the module, a multipurpose laboratory named after the Russian word for 'science', docking with the ISS at 1329 GMT, a few minutes later than scheduled. Welcome to the International Space Station, #Nauka! New module — new perspectives for the Russian cosmonautics. Moreover, an addition to the internal volume of the Russian segment of the @Space_Station. I wish the crew good luck in integrating the module! pic.twitter.com/u5nvwPt0o6 — Ivan Vagner (@ivan_mks63) July 29, 2021 × Cosmonaut Oleg Novitsky took over manual control of the module in the final minutes of its approach towards the station. It will now take several months and multiple spacewalks to fully integrate the module with the space station. Since its launch last week from Kazakhstan's Baikonur Cosmodrome, the module had suffered a series of glitches that had raised concerns about whether the docking procedure would go smoothly. The launch was closely watched by the European Space Agency as the module was travelling with the European Robotic Arm, the first robot arm that will be able to work on Russia's ISS segment. 'Nauka' (Science) module will provide the astronauts at the ISS with additional storage space, technical equipment, including for water and air regeneration. According to Russia's TASS news agency, 'Nauka' module also supplies the station with ERA manipulator which will allow astronauts to avoid some of the open-space missions. It will also "improve the conditions of cosmonauts' stay, providing an additional toilet and a third sleeping location for the Russian side of the ISS. The assembly of the 20-tonne Nauka multipurpose laboratory module started back in the 1990s but its launch, initially scheduled for 2007, has been continuously delayed. The Nauka multipurpose laboratory module was conceived as early as the mid-1990s when it was intended as a back-up for the Russian control module Zarya. It was later repurposed as a science module but joined a line-up of stagnating Russian space projects that have fallen victim to funding problems or bureaucratic procedures. The launch of the 20-tonne Nauka, one of the largest modules on the ISS, was initially scheduled for 2007 but has been repeatedly delayed over various issues. While last week's launch was succesful, Nauka experienced several "hiccups in orbit" during its eight-day journey to the ISS, the European Space Agency said. Nauka replaces the long-serving Pirs docking module which joined the ISS in 2001 as a temporary addition but ended up staying in service for two decades. Making room for Nauka, Pirs detached from the ISS earlier this week, burning up in the Earth's atmosphere and its remains falling into the Pacific Ocean. Launched in 1998, the ISS is a multinational project and comprises two segments, a Russian one and another one used by the United States and other space agencies. (With inputs from agencies)

Russia's new Nauka space module reaches International Space Station

<p>Boeing's unmanned Starliner crew capsule is all set for its&nbsp;test flight&nbsp;on Friday, July 30, before attempting to launch astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS).</p>

<p>The space agency's new administrator, Bill Nelson, Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy, and Associate Administrator Bob Cabana held a briefing at NASA's Kennedy Space Center ahead of the launch.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Happening now: Ahead of the July 30 launch of <a href="https://twitter.com/BoeingSpace?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BoeingSpace</a>'s Orbital Flight Test-2, <a href="https://twitter.com/Commercial_Crew?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Commercial_Crew</a> astronauts and mission experts discuss the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Starliner?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Starliner</a> flight with virtual social guests: <a href="https://t.co/qTsZ3f8a3C">https://t.co/qTsZ3f8a3C</a></p>
— NASA (@NASA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NASA/status/1420762640796819460?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 29, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p>All three NASA administrators are former astronauts. They spoke about the significance of the upcoming launch and the future of the space program.</p>

<p>NASA and Boeing are targeting launch at 2:53 p.m. EDT with a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket.</p>

<p>NASA says the five-to-10-day flight test will help prove the Starliner system is ready to carry astronauts to the space station later this year.</p>

<p><strong>Also see|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/who-is-winning-space-tourism-race-between-bezos-branson-and-musk-396420" hreflang="en">Who is winning space tourism race between Bezos, Branson and Musk?</a></strong></p>

<p>Boeing is eager for another shot at proving its crew capsule after technical failures put the aerospace juggernaut behind Elon Musk’s rocket company SpaceX, which successfully returned its rival crew capsule from the ISS earlier this month.</p>

<p>During Boeing’s first uncrewed test, in December 2019, a series of software glitches and an issue with the spacecraft’s automated timer resulted in Starliner failing to dock at the space station and returning to Earth a week early.</p>

<p>In February, a NASA safety review panel found Boeing had narrowly missed a “catastrophic failure” in the botched test, and recommended examining the company’s software verification process before letting it fly humans to space.</p>

<p>Earlier this month, Boeing watched from the sidelines as SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico after a two-month voyage to the International Space Station,&nbsp;NASA’s first crewed mission from home soil in nine years.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Boeing's unmanned Starliner crew capsule is all set for its test flight on Friday, July 30, before attempting to launch astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS).

Boeing's unmanned Starliner crew capsule is all set for its test flight on Friday, July 30, before attempting to launch astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS). The space agency's new administrator, Bill Nelson, Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy, and Associate Administrator Bob Cabana held a briefing at NASA's Kennedy Space Center ahead of the launch. Happening now: Ahead of the July 30 launch of @BoeingSpace's Orbital Flight Test-2, @Commercial_Crew astronauts and mission experts discuss the #Starliner flight with virtual social guests: https://t.co/qTsZ3f8a3C — NASA (@NASA) July 29, 2021 × All three NASA administrators are former astronauts. They spoke about the significance of the upcoming launch and the future of the space program. NASA and Boeing are targeting launch at 2:53 p.m. EDT with a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. NASA says the five-to-10-day flight test will help prove the Starliner system is ready to carry astronauts to the space station later this year. Also see| Who is winning space tourism race between Bezos, Branson and Musk? Boeing is eager for another shot at proving its crew capsule after technical failures put the aerospace juggernaut behind Elon Musk’s rocket company SpaceX, which successfully returned its rival crew capsule from the ISS earlier this month. During Boeing’s first uncrewed test, in December 2019, a series of software glitches and an issue with the spacecraft’s automated timer resulted in Starliner failing to dock at the space station and returning to Earth a week early. In February, a NASA safety review panel found Boeing had narrowly missed a “catastrophic failure” in the botched test, and recommended examining the company’s software verification process before letting it fly humans to space. Earlier this month, Boeing watched from the sidelines as SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico after a two-month voyage to the International Space Station, NASA’s first crewed mission from home soil in nine years. (With inputs from agencies)

Boeing's Starliner crewed mission all set for test flight to International Space Station

<p>Roscosmos space agency said that a Russian Proton-M rocket carrying the new Nauka laboratory module for the International Space Station blasted off from the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.</p>

<p>The Russian space agency released images showing the carrier rocket taking off at 1458 GMT, taking into orbit the first Russian ISS module in 11 years.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Missed today’s <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Nauka?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Nauka</a> launch? Here is the video of this historic event!<br />
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By the way, this was the 425th launch of the Proton family rockets. <a href="https://t.co/48dO8ur3wL">pic.twitter.com/48dO8ur3wL</a></p>
— РОСКОСМОС (@roscosmos) <a href="https://twitter.com/roscosmos/status/1417878239045984270?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 21, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p>'Nauka' (Science) module will provide the astronauts at the ISS with additional storage space, technical equipment, including for water and air regeneration.</p>

<p>According to&nbsp;Russia's TASS news agency, 'Nauka' module also supplies the station with ERA manipulator which will allow astronauts to avoid some of the open-space missions.</p>

<p>The module's long-planned journey to the ISS will take eight days. It is expected to dock to the nadir port of Russia's Zvezda service module on July 29, Roscosmos said in a statement in early July.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also see|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-sputnik-1-to-sputnik-v-russian-scientific-achievements-375926">From Sputnik-1 to Sputnik V: Russian scientific achievements</a></strong></p>

<p>The assembly of the 20-tonne Nauka multipurpose laboratory module started back in the 1990s but its launch, initially scheduled for 2007,&nbsp;has been continuously delayed. &nbsp;</p>

<p>Pending a successful launch on Wednesday, Nauka will replace the Pirs module after twenty years in service, which is expected to detach from the ISS on Friday and burn up in the Earth's atmosphere over the Pacific Ocean. &nbsp;</p>

<p>Russia’s space program has been dogged by mishaps in recent years, including failed cargo delivery missions into space and the aborted launch in October of the manned Soyuz mission to the International Space Station.</p>

<p>Russia’s current heavy-lift rocket, the Proton-M, has had a nearly 10 percent failure rate in more than 100 launches since it entered service in 2001, creating pressure to reorganise and improve the space program.</p>

<p>The International Space Station is currently operated by NASA astronauts Mark Vande Hei, Shane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur; Oleg Novitsky and Pyotr Dubrov of Russia’s Roscosmos space corporation; Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Akihiko Hoshide and European Space Agency astronaut Thomas Pesquet.</p>

<p>In 1998, Russia launched the station’s first module, Zarya, which was followed in 2000 by another big module, Zvezda, and three smaller modules in the following years. The last of them, Rassvet, arrived at the station in 2010.</p>

<aside><em>(With inputs from agency)</em></aside>


Roscosmos space agency said that a Russian Proton-M rocket carrying the new Nauka laboratory module for the International Space Station blasted off from the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

Roscosmos space agency said that a Russian Proton-M rocket carrying the new Nauka laboratory module for the International Space Station blasted off from the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The Russian space agency released images showing the carrier rocket taking off at 1458 GMT, taking into orbit the first Russian ISS module in 11 years. Missed today’s #Nauka launch? Here is the video of this historic event! By the way, this was the 425th launch of the Proton family rockets. pic.twitter.com/48dO8ur3wL — РОСКОСМОС (@roscosmos) July 21, 2021 × 'Nauka' (Science) module will provide the astronauts at the ISS with additional storage space, technical equipment, including for water and air regeneration. According to Russia's TASS news agency, 'Nauka' module also supplies the station with ERA manipulator which will allow astronauts to avoid some of the open-space missions. The module's long-planned journey to the ISS will take eight days. It is expected to dock to the nadir port of Russia's Zvezda service module on July 29, Roscosmos said in a statement in early July. Also see| From Sputnik-1 to Sputnik V: Russian scientific achievements The assembly of the 20-tonne Nauka multipurpose laboratory module started back in the 1990s but its launch, initially scheduled for 2007, has been continuously delayed. Pending a successful launch on Wednesday, Nauka will replace the Pirs module after twenty years in service, which is expected to detach from the ISS on Friday and burn up in the Earth's atmosphere over the Pacific Ocean. Russia’s space program has been dogged by mishaps in recent years, including failed cargo delivery missions into space and the aborted launch in October of the manned Soyuz mission to the International Space Station. Russia’s current heavy-lift rocket, the Proton-M, has had a nearly 10 percent failure rate in more than 100 launches since it entered service in 2001, creating pressure to reorganise and improve the space program. The International Space Station is currently operated by NASA astronauts Mark Vande Hei, Shane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur; Oleg Novitsky and Pyotr Dubrov of Russia’s Roscosmos space corporation; Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Akihiko Hoshide and European Space Agency astronaut Thomas Pesquet. In 1998, Russia launched the station’s first module, Zarya, which was followed in 2000 by another big module, Zvezda, and three smaller modules in the following years. The last of them, Rassvet, arrived at the station in 2010. (With inputs from agency)

Russia's heavy-lift Proton-M carrier rocket blasts off with ISS module 'Nauka'

<p>President Xi Jinping on Wednesday lauded the work of three astronauts building China's first space station as opening "new horizons" in humanity's bid to explore the cosmos.</p>

<p>Xi spoke to the crew from the Beijing Aerospace Command and Control Center, thanking the astronauts for their "hard work," and sending "sincere regards" on behalf of their fellow countrymen.</p>

<p><strong>Also see|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/milestones-chinas-space-dreams-from-ground-zero-upwards-392152">'Milestones': China's space dreams from ground zero upwards</a></strong></p>

<p>"Building a space station is an important milestone for the spaceflight cause," Xi said from the Beijing Aerospace Flight Control Center, speaking to the astronauts via video link.</p>

<p>The astronauts, who are documenting their first 24 hours aboard the Tianhe module, were seen napping during the afternoon in footage&nbsp;that aired on China's national broadcaster Central China Television (CCTV).</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">First vlog released showing taikonauts cabin life in China's space station<a href="https://t.co/lENoc5pTN1">https://t.co/lENoc5pTN1</a> <a href="https://t.co/E8fobAUdfE">pic.twitter.com/E8fobAUdfE</a></p>
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<p>The astronauts Nie Haisheng, 56, Liu Boming, 54, and Tang Hongbo, 45, departed earth on Thursday and entered the unfinished Tianhe space station capsule that evening. They will live aboard the space station for a total of three months, testing its various systems and getting the module fully up and running.</p>

<p>The launch of China's first crewed mission in nearly five years is a matter of huge prestige as Beijing prepares to mark the 100th anniversary of the ruling Communist Party on July 1 with a massive propaganda campaign.</p>

<p>China's space station, due to be finished by the end of 2022, will be the only alternative to the two-decade-old, US-led International Space Station (ISS), which may be retired in 2024.</p>

<p>The Chinese space agency is planning a total of 11 launches through to the&nbsp;end of next year, including three more crewed missions that will deliver two lab modules to expand the 70-tonne station, along with supplies and crew members.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


President Xi Jinping on Wednesday lauded the work of three astronauts building China's first space station as opening "new horizons" in humanity's bid to explore the cosmos.

President Xi Jinping on Wednesday lauded the work of three astronauts building China's first space station as opening "new horizons" in humanity's bid to explore the cosmos. Xi spoke to the crew from the Beijing Aerospace Command and Control Center, thanking the astronauts for their "hard work," and sending "sincere regards" on behalf of their fellow countrymen. Also see| 'Milestones': China's space dreams from ground zero upwards "Building a space station is an important milestone for the spaceflight cause," Xi said from the Beijing Aerospace Flight Control Center, speaking to the astronauts via video link. The astronauts, who are documenting their first 24 hours aboard the Tianhe module, were seen napping during the afternoon in footage that aired on China's national broadcaster Central China Television (CCTV). First vlog released showing taikonauts cabin life in China's space stationhttps://t.co/lENoc5pTN1 pic.twitter.com/E8fobAUdfE — Global Times (@globaltimesnews) June 23, 2021 × The astronauts Nie Haisheng, 56, Liu Boming, 54, and Tang Hongbo, 45, departed earth on Thursday and entered the unfinished Tianhe space station capsule that evening. They will live aboard the space station for a total of three months, testing its various systems and getting the module fully up and running. The launch of China's first crewed mission in nearly five years is a matter of huge prestige as Beijing prepares to mark the 100th anniversary of the ruling Communist Party on July 1 with a massive propaganda campaign. China's space station, due to be finished by the end of 2022, will be the only alternative to the two-decade-old, US-led International Space Station (ISS), which may be retired in 2024. The Chinese space agency is planning a total of 11 launches through to the end of next year, including three more crewed missions that will deliver two lab modules to expand the 70-tonne station, along with supplies and crew members. (With inputs from agencies)

Xi Jinping holds space chat with astronauts, lauds 'new horizons' for humanity

<p>Spacewalking astronauts ventured out on&nbsp;the International Space Station with powerful, new solar panels to handle the growing electrical demands from upcoming visitors.</p>

<p>It's the first of a series of spacewalks to equip the aging orbital outpost with smaller but stronger solar wings. The electrical boost is needed to accommodate the paying passengers expected to drop by, beginning with a Russian film crew this fall.</p>

<p>NASA put extra safety precautions in place as French astronaut Thomas Pesquet and US astronaut Shane Kimbrough worked on the station's primary power grid, to avoid an electrical shock.</p>

<p>The duo had to conduct the most hazardous parts of the spacewalk on the nighttime side of Earth, to prevent the station's old solar panels from soaking up sunlight and generating power. Metal surfaces on their spacesuits were covered to avoid any contact.</p>

<p>Launched by SpaceX earlier this month, the first of these new solar panels was going to be installed alongside the station's oldest electricity-producing wings, in continuous operation for more than 20 years.</p>

<p>The astronauts had to lug the folded-up solar wing which 10 feet long, by 4 feet wide, and 2 1/2 feet thick&nbsp;to the worksite on the far left end of the station.</p>

<p>Once anchored in place, the solar panel was designed to roll out like a red carpet. It was expected to take six minutes to extend to its full 63 feet in length.</p>

<p>Pesquet and Kimbrough will go back out Sunday to install a second solar panel. Four more will be launched to re-energise the space station.</p>

<p>NASA wants to keep the space station churning out science research through this decade, and space tourists will further tax the power system. A Russian movie director and actress are due to visit in October for filming, followed by wealthy entrepreneurs launching from Kazakhstan and Cape Canaveral as part of a push to open up the private space market.</p>

<p>NASA's space station program manager Joel Montalbano said these visitors will undergo a rigorous training before liftoff.</p>


Spacewalking astronauts ventured out on the International Space Station with powerful, new solar panels to handle the growing electrical demands from upcoming visitors.

Spacewalking astronauts ventured out on the International Space Station with powerful, new solar panels to handle the growing electrical demands from upcoming visitors. It's the first of a series of spacewalks to equip the aging orbital outpost with smaller but stronger solar wings. The electrical boost is needed to accommodate the paying passengers expected to drop by, beginning with a Russian film crew this fall. NASA put extra safety precautions in place as French astronaut Thomas Pesquet and US astronaut Shane Kimbrough worked on the station's primary power grid, to avoid an electrical shock. The duo had to conduct the most hazardous parts of the spacewalk on the nighttime side of Earth, to prevent the station's old solar panels from soaking up sunlight and generating power. Metal surfaces on their spacesuits were covered to avoid any contact. Launched by SpaceX earlier this month, the first of these new solar panels was going to be installed alongside the station's oldest electricity-producing wings, in continuous operation for more than 20 years. The astronauts had to lug the folded-up solar wing which 10 feet long, by 4 feet wide, and 2 1/2 feet thick to the worksite on the far left end of the station. Once anchored in place, the solar panel was designed to roll out like a red carpet. It was expected to take six minutes to extend to its full 63 feet in length. Pesquet and Kimbrough will go back out Sunday to install a second solar panel. Four more will be launched to re-energise the space station. NASA wants to keep the space station churning out science research through this decade, and space tourists will further tax the power system. A Russian movie director and actress are due to visit in October for filming, followed by wealthy entrepreneurs launching from Kazakhstan and Cape Canaveral as part of a push to open up the private space market. NASA's space station program manager Joel Montalbano said these visitors will undergo a rigorous training before liftoff.

Astronauts spacewalk on International Space Station to boost its solar power

<p>A&nbsp;SpaceX&nbsp;rocket took off Thursday for the International Space Station carrying supplies for scientific experiments, including some surprising passengers -- squids and virtually indestructible microorganisms called tardigrades.</p>

<p>The rocket, leased by NASA, launched from Florida at 1:29 pm local time (1729 GMT). The Dragon capsule detached from the Falcon 9 rocket about 12 minutes after take-off and is scheduled to dock at the ISS on Saturday.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/spacex-names-two-citizen-astronauts-for-first-all-civilian-spaceflight-374511">SpaceX names two citizen astronauts for first all-civilian spaceflight</a></strong></p>

<p>Young specimens of the species Euprymna scolopes, known as bobtail squid, are on board for the trip, so scientists can study the effect of zero gravity on the interactions between bacteria and their host organisms.</p>

<p>Some of the squids will be exposed to bacteria once onboard the ISS, while others will be left alone. After 12 hours, the specimens are preserved until their return to Earth, where they will be studied.</p>

<p>"Animals, including humans, rely on our microbes to maintain a healthy digestive and immune system," said Jamie Foster, the principal investigator in the experiment, in a statement. "We do not fully understand how spaceflight alters these beneficial interactions."</p>

<p><strong>Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/spacex-to-take-4-astronauts-to-international-space-station-on-thursday-378756">SpaceX to take 4 astronauts to International Space Station on Thursday</a></strong></p>

<p>The experiment could help scientists in the future to develop techniques to protect the health of astronauts participating in long-duration missions in space.</p>

<p>Also on board the&nbsp;SpaceX&nbsp;rocket will be tardigrades, also known as "water bears",&nbsp;microscopic organisms that can withstand extreme radiation, sizzling heat, the coldest temperatures of the universe and decades without food.</p>

<p>The grub-like, eight-legged animals can come back from being dried out to a lifeless husk for decades, withstand near-zero pressure in outer space and the crushing depths of the Mariana Trench.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/spacex-announces-first-commercial-astronaut-mission-to-orbit-earth-360776">SpaceX announces first commercial astronaut mission to orbit Earth</a></strong></p>

<p>An Israeli probe that was later revealed to be carrying tardigrades crash-landed on the Moon in 2019, and if they survived the explosion, scientists think they might still be alive today, though no rescue mission is currently planned to bring them home.</p>

<p>"Spaceflight can be a really challenging environment for organisms, including humans, who have evolved to the conditions on Earth," said scientist Thomas Boothby.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/fly-my-pretties-elon-musk-tweets-after-spacex-launches-falcon-9-for-ninth-time-370430">'Fly my pretties': Elon Musk tweets after SpaceX launches Falcon 9 for ninth time</a></strong></p>

<p>"One of the things we are really keen to do is understand how tardigrades are surviving and reproducing in these environments and whether we can learn anything about the tricks that they are using and adapt them to safeguard astronauts."</p>

<p>The rocket will also carry cotton, a portable ultrasound device and a miniaturized human kidney to study the formation of kidney stones that tend to afflict astronauts in microgravity.</p>


A SpaceX rocket took off Thursday for the International Space Station carrying supplies for scientific experiments, including some surprising passengers -- squids and virtually indestructible microorganisms called tardigrades.

A SpaceX rocket took off Thursday for the International Space Station carrying supplies for scientific experiments, including some surprising passengers -- squids and virtually indestructible microorganisms called tardigrades. The rocket, leased by NASA, launched from Florida at 1:29 pm local time (1729 GMT). The Dragon capsule detached from the Falcon 9 rocket about 12 minutes after take-off and is scheduled to dock at the ISS on Saturday. Also Read | SpaceX names two citizen astronauts for first all-civilian spaceflight Young specimens of the species Euprymna scolopes, known as bobtail squid, are on board for the trip, so scientists can study the effect of zero gravity on the interactions between bacteria and their host organisms. Some of the squids will be exposed to bacteria once onboard the ISS, while others will be left alone. After 12 hours, the specimens are preserved until their return to Earth, where they will be studied. "Animals, including humans, rely on our microbes to maintain a healthy digestive and immune system," said Jamie Foster, the principal investigator in the experiment, in a statement. "We do not fully understand how spaceflight alters these beneficial interactions." Also Read | SpaceX to take 4 astronauts to International Space Station on Thursday The experiment could help scientists in the future to develop techniques to protect the health of astronauts participating in long-duration missions in space. Also on board the SpaceX rocket will be tardigrades, also known as "water bears", microscopic organisms that can withstand extreme radiation, sizzling heat, the coldest temperatures of the universe and decades without food. The grub-like, eight-legged animals can come back from being dried out to a lifeless husk for decades, withstand near-zero pressure in outer space and the crushing depths of the Mariana Trench. Also Read | SpaceX announces first commercial astronaut mission to orbit Earth An Israeli probe that was later revealed to be carrying tardigrades crash-landed on the Moon in 2019, and if they survived the explosion, scientists think they might still be alive today, though no rescue mission is currently planned to bring them home. "Spaceflight can be a really challenging environment for organisms, including humans, who have evolved to the conditions on Earth," said scientist Thomas Boothby. Also Read | 'Fly my pretties': Elon Musk tweets after SpaceX launches Falcon 9 for ninth time "One of the things we are really keen to do is understand how tardigrades are surviving and reproducing in these environments and whether we can learn anything about the tricks that they are using and adapt them to safeguard astronauts." The rocket will also carry cotton, a portable ultrasound device and a miniaturized human kidney to study the formation of kidney stones that tend to afflict astronauts in microgravity.

One small step for cephalopods: SpaceX carrying research squids to International Space Station

<p>Space debris is becoming a pervasive problem for all scientific paraphernalia in space. Over decades, debris from satellites, rockets, and other space machinery has been locked in Earth’s orbit. Some of this junk remains benign and incapable of causing harm&nbsp;but many objects are large enough to cause significant damage to functioning satellites and even the International Space Station.</p>

<p>Repairs in space can be extremely challenging, which is why scientists track pieces of debris to steer clear of any collisions that may cause damage. After years of contemplating the true danger posed by space junk, the inevitable happened when a piece hit the International Space Station.</p>

<p>The damaged part of the ISS is called the “Canadarm2” - a robotic arm which has suffered a puncture in its thermal blanket and damage to its boom. Fortunately, the damage wasn’t significant enough to cause long-term issues and the arm still remains operational.</p>

<p><strong>The dangers of space junk</strong></p>

<p>Scientists are wary of space junk. In fact, space agencies from around the world are tracking 23,000 pieces of space junk in Earth’s low orbit to avoid any potential collisions. Most of these pieces are smaller than a ball, but still pose damage owing to the speed an object attains in orbit.</p>

<p>There are objects smaller than ball-sized junk orbiting the Earth as well&nbsp;but these are difficult to track.&nbsp; Canadarm2, officially called the Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) was designed by the Canadian Space Agency. It has been on the ISS for two decades.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="http://13.235.153.162/science/what-if-space-junk-and-climate-change-become-the-same-problem-386124" hreflang="en">What if space junk and climate change become the same problem?</a></p>

<p>The primary goal of this titanium robotic arm is to move objects outside the station and to assist in maintenance of the station. The damage was first noticed on May 12 during an inspection. NASA and CSA worked together to assess the damage. In a blog post, the CSA ruled that the arm’s performance remains unaffected.</p>

<p>But the danger posed by space junk still persists. Just last year, the ISS had to perform three emergency manoeuvres to avoid collision with space debris.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="http://13.235.153.162/technology/european-space-agency-has-the-perfect-fix-for-space-junk-a-claw-346460" hreflang="en">European Space Agency has the perfect fix for space junk - a claw!</a></p>


Space debris is becoming a pervasive problem for all scientific paraphernalia in space. Over decades, debris from satellites, rockets, and other space machinery has been locked in Earth’s orbit.

Space debris is becoming a pervasive problem for all scientific paraphernalia in space. Over decades, debris from satellites, rockets, and other space machinery has been locked in Earth’s orbit. Some of this junk remains benign and incapable of causing harm but many objects are large enough to cause significant damage to functioning satellites and even the International Space Station. Repairs in space can be extremely challenging, which is why scientists track pieces of debris to steer clear of any collisions that may cause damage. After years of contemplating the true danger posed by space junk, the inevitable happened when a piece hit the International Space Station. The damaged part of the ISS is called the “Canadarm2” - a robotic arm which has suffered a puncture in its thermal blanket and damage to its boom. Fortunately, the damage wasn’t significant enough to cause long-term issues and the arm still remains operational. The dangers of space junk Scientists are wary of space junk. In fact, space agencies from around the world are tracking 23,000 pieces of space junk in Earth’s low orbit to avoid any potential collisions. Most of these pieces are smaller than a ball, but still pose damage owing to the speed an object attains in orbit. There are objects smaller than ball-sized junk orbiting the Earth as well but these are difficult to track. Canadarm2, officially called the Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) was designed by the Canadian Space Agency. It has been on the ISS for two decades. Also read: What if space junk and climate change become the same problem? The primary goal of this titanium robotic arm is to move objects outside the station and to assist in maintenance of the station. The damage was first noticed on May 12 during an inspection. NASA and CSA worked together to assess the damage. In a blog post, the CSA ruled that the arm’s performance remains unaffected. But the danger posed by space junk still persists. Just last year, the ISS had to perform three emergency manoeuvres to avoid collision with space debris. Also read: European Space Agency has the perfect fix for space junk - a claw!

A piece of space debris recently damaged the International Space Station

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