NASA is planning to send a new zero-gravity toilet to the International Space Station. The toilet, that's worth $23 million- will be sent to the station for testing on a cargo ship. WION's Palki Sharma tells you more.

Gravitas: A new space toilet for International Space Station

NASA chief Jim Bridenstine has said the United States should maintain its presence in Earth's <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/international-space-station-moved-in-orbit-to-avoid-collision-with-space-debris-329583">orbit</a> with the International Space Station(ISS) in order to thwart Chinese activity.

Watch:

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/report-china-carried-out-multiple-attacks-against-indian-satellites-329675/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"I'll tell you one thing that has me very concerned -- and that is that a day is coming when the International Space Station comes to the end of its useful life," Bridenstine told US lawmakers.

"In order to be able to have the United States of America have a presence in low Earth orbit, we have to be prepared for what comes next," Bridenstine added.

Bridenstine's warning comes as China prepares&nbsp;to start its international space station named Tiangong by 2022.&nbsp;

"We want to see a public-private partnership where NASA can deal with commercial space station providers, so that we can keep a permanent uninterrupted human presence in low Earth orbit," he said.

"I don't think it's in the interest of the nation to build another International Space Station -- I do think it's in the interest of the nation to support commercial industry, where NASA is a customer."

"China is rapidly building what they call the 'Chinese International Space Station,' and they're rapidly marketing that space station to all of our international partners," said Bridenstine.

"It would be a tragedy, if, after all of his time, and all of this effort, we were to abandon low Earth orbit and cede that territory," the NASA chief added.

Bridenstine said that it was vital to "ultimately not cede that territory to another country that doesn't have our interests at heart."

NASA chief Jim Bridenstine has said the United States should maintain its presence in Earth's orbit with the International Space Station(ISS) in order to thwart Chinese activity.

NASA chief Jim Bridenstine has said the United States should maintain its presence in Earth's orbit with the International Space Station(ISS) in order to thwart Chinese activity. Watch: "I'll tell you one thing that has me very concerned -- and that is that a day is coming when the International Space Station comes to the end of its useful life," Bridenstine told US lawmakers. "In order to be able to have the United States of America have a presence in low Earth orbit, we have to be prepared for what comes next," Bridenstine added. Bridenstine's warning comes as China prepares to start its international space station named Tiangong by 2022. "We want to see a public-private partnership where NASA can deal with commercial space station providers, so that we can keep a permanent uninterrupted human presence in low Earth orbit," he said. "I don't think it's in the interest of the nation to build another International Space Station -- I do think it's in the interest of the nation to support commercial industry, where NASA is a customer." "China is rapidly building what they call the 'Chinese International Space Station,' and they're rapidly marketing that space station to all of our international partners," said Bridenstine. "It would be a tragedy, if, after all of his time, and all of this effort, we were to abandon low Earth orbit and cede that territory," the NASA chief added. Bridenstine said that it was vital to "ultimately not cede that territory to another country that doesn't have our interests at heart."

China building International Space Station, US should not cede space territory: NASA chief Jim Bridenstine to US lawmakers

International Space Station (ISS) on Tuesday was moved away in orbit on Tuesday in order to avoid collision with space debris. NASA said that the ISS carried out a '150 second reboost' to avoid 'unknown' space debris. As per NASA's calculations, the space debris was to pass by the ISS at a distance of 1.39 km, an extremely short range in space.

Currently, there are 3 astronauts at the ISS. NASA instructed them, 'out of abundance of caution', to move to the Russian section of the ISS closer to Soyuz spacecraft. This would have helped to extract the astronauts safely in case of any emergency.

ISS is currently orbiting the earth at the speed of 27,568km/h (17,130 mph). At this speed, even a small object can create damage to ISS, repair work of which is a costly affair going up to the tune of millions of dollars.

NASA stressed that there was no danger to the astronauts.

The issue with space debris

Space debris is a huge impediment in space exploration. According to Daily Mail, there are 160 million pieces of debris around Earth. These include large objects like defunct, old satellite and also small in dimensions of a few centimeters. But all of them are capable of causing great damage to satellites that are functioning.

Amid global calls for comprehensive action to control space debris, UK announced funding for clean up of the space through its space agency UKSA.

The £1 million funding (around $12,96,880) will be used to clear space debris, even though no concrete way to remove it has been formulated yet. 
&nbsp;

International Space Station (ISS) on Tuesday was moved away in orbit on Tuesday in order to avoid collision with space debris. NASA said that the ISS carried out a '150 second reboost' to avoid 'unknown' space debris.

International Space Station (ISS) on Tuesday was moved away in orbit on Tuesday in order to avoid collision with space debris. NASA said that the ISS carried out a '150 second reboost' to avoid 'unknown' space debris. As per NASA's calculations, the space debris was to pass by the ISS at a distance of 1.39 km, an extremely short range in space. Currently, there are 3 astronauts at the ISS. NASA instructed them, 'out of abundance of caution', to move to the Russian section of the ISS closer to Soyuz spacecraft. This would have helped to extract the astronauts safely in case of any emergency. ISS is currently orbiting the earth at the speed of 27,568km/h (17,130 mph). At this speed, even a small object can create damage to ISS, repair work of which is a costly affair going up to the tune of millions of dollars. NASA stressed that there was no danger to the astronauts. The issue with space debris Space debris is a huge impediment in space exploration. According to Daily Mail, there are 160 million pieces of debris around Earth. These include large objects like defunct, old satellite and also small in dimensions of a few centimeters. But all of them are capable of causing great damage to satellites that are functioning. Amid global calls for comprehensive action to control space debris, UK announced funding for clean up of the space through its space agency UKSA. The £1 million funding (around $12,96,880) will be used to clear space debris, even though no concrete way to remove it has been formulated yet.

International Space Station moved in orbit to avoid collision with space debris

American global aerospace and defense technology company&nbsp;Northrop Grumman has named&nbsp;the next Cygnus spacecraft&nbsp;after Dr Kalpana Chawla, the first woman of Indian descent to go to space.

Northrop Grumman said in a statement that ''Chawla was selected in honor of her prominent place in history as the first woman of Indian descent to go to space.''

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Today, <a href="https://twitter.com/northropgrumman?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NorthropGrumman</a> named the next <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cygnus?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cygnus</a> spacecraft launching to <a href="https://twitter.com/Space_Station?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Space_Station</a> in honor of astronaut Kalpana Chawla, the first woman of Indian descent to go to space: <a href="https://t.co/ncUSaSaESd">https://t.co/ncUSaSaESd</a> 
 
Liftoff is targeted for Sept. 29 from <a href="https://twitter.com/NASA_Wallops?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NASA_Wallops</a>. <a href="https://t.co/Ss6ZoSZDbT">pic.twitter.com/Ss6ZoSZDbT</a>
— NASA (@NASA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NASA/status/1303400717252689921?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 8, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Cygnus spacecraft is the company's&nbsp;next space station resupply ship that will liftoff from&nbsp;NASA's Wallops flight facility in&nbsp;located on the eastern Shore of Virginia to the International Space Station (ISS) on&nbsp;September&nbsp;29.

Upon arrival at the International Space Station, the cargo will be unloaded from Cygnus. Once the spacecraft departs the station, S.S. Kalpana Chawla will host the Spacecraft Fire Experiment -V (Saffire-V) to study the behavior of large-scale fires in microgravity after which it will perform a safe, destructive reentry into Earth's atmosphere over the Pacific Ocean.

Also read:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/inspired-by-kalpana-chawla-kashmiri-youth-becomes-first-from-valley-to-clear-ame-cet-316295">&nbsp;Inspired by Kalpana Chawla, Kashmiri youth becomes first from valley to clear AME CET</a>

Kalpana Chawla, graduated from Tagore School, Karnal, India, in 1976 and received a bachelor`s degree in aeronautical engineering from India`s Punjab Engineering College in 1982.

She moved to the United States to go to graduate school at the University of Texas-Arlington, where she received a master's degree in aerospace engineering in 1984. Then, she moved to Boulder, Colo., to pursue a doctorate in aerospace engineering, which she received in 1988.

Her career with NASA began in 1988 when she went to work for the Ames Research Center in California. Chawla's work at Ames centered on powered-lift computational fluid dynamics, which involves aircraft like the Harrier.After a brief career outside NASA, she returned as an astronaut candidate in December 1994.

Her first flight was STS-87, the fourth U.S Microgravity Payload flight, on Space Shuttle Columbia from November&nbsp;19 to December&nbsp;5, 1997.

She returned to space on January&nbsp;16, 2003, aboard Columbia for a 16-day research flight. The STS-107 crew conducted more than 80 experiments.Chawla and her six STS-107 crewmates perished February&nbsp;1, 2003, over Texas as Columbia was re-entering Earth`s atmosphere.

American global aerospace and defense technology company Northrop Grumman has named the next Cygnus spacecraft after Dr Kalpana Chawla, the first woman of Indian descent to go to space.

American global aerospace and defense technology company Northrop Grumman has named the next Cygnus spacecraft after Dr Kalpana Chawla, the first woman of Indian descent to go to space. Northrop Grumman said in a statement that ''Chawla was selected in honor of her prominent place in history as the first woman of Indian descent to go to space.'' Today, @NorthropGrumman named the next #Cygnus spacecraft launching to @Space_Station in honor of astronaut Kalpana Chawla, the first woman of Indian descent to go to space: https://t.co/ncUSaSaESd Liftoff is targeted for Sept. 29 from @NASA_Wallops. pic.twitter.com/Ss6ZoSZDbT — NASA (@NASA) September 8, 2020 × Cygnus spacecraft is the company's next space station resupply ship that will liftoff from NASA's Wallops flight facility in located on the eastern Shore of Virginia to the International Space Station (ISS) on September 29. Upon arrival at the International Space Station, the cargo will be unloaded from Cygnus. Once the spacecraft departs the station, S.S. Kalpana Chawla will host the Spacecraft Fire Experiment -V (Saffire-V) to study the behavior of large-scale fires in microgravity after which it will perform a safe, destructive reentry into Earth's atmosphere over the Pacific Ocean. Also read: Inspired by Kalpana Chawla, Kashmiri youth becomes first from valley to clear AME CET Kalpana Chawla, graduated from Tagore School, Karnal, India, in 1976 and received a bachelor`s degree in aeronautical engineering from India`s Punjab Engineering College in 1982. She moved to the United States to go to graduate school at the University of Texas-Arlington, where she received a master's degree in aerospace engineering in 1984. Then, she moved to Boulder, Colo., to pursue a doctorate in aerospace engineering, which she received in 1988. Her career with NASA began in 1988 when she went to work for the Ames Research Center in California. Chawla's work at Ames centered on powered-lift computational fluid dynamics, which involves aircraft like the Harrier.After a brief career outside NASA, she returned as an astronaut candidate in December 1994. Her first flight was STS-87, the fourth U.S Microgravity Payload flight, on Space Shuttle Columbia from November 19 to December 5, 1997. She returned to space on January 16, 2003, aboard Columbia for a 16-day research flight. The STS-107 crew conducted more than 80 experiments.Chawla and her six STS-107 crewmates perished February 1, 2003, over Texas as Columbia was re-entering Earth`s atmosphere.

American global aerospace company names spacecraft in honour of Kalpana Chawla

Scientists have found a radiation-resistant bacteria can survive at least three years exposed in orbit, suggesting simple life forms could manage the long journey between between Earth and Mars unprotected.

The Japanese scientists behind the research said Wednesday the finding lends credence to so-called "panspermia theory", which posits that microbes can travel from one planet to another, seeding life on arrival.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/indian-satellite-astrosat-detects-uv-light-from-galaxy-93-billion-light-years-away-from-earth-322936">Also read|&nbsp;Indian satellite AstroSat detects UV light from galaxy 9.3 billion light-years away from Earth</a>

To test the theory, the researchers deposited a bacteria called Deinococcus radiodurans outside the International Space Station at an altitude of 400 kilometres (250 miles) from the Earth.

Despite enduring the harsh environment of outer space and exposure to strong UV and large temperature changes, the bacteria was still alive in parts after three years.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/iss-crew-switch-cabins-to-look-for-source-of-small-cabin-air-leak-322157">Also read|&nbsp;ISS crew switch cabins to look for source of small cabin air leak</a>

"I knew it would survive after carrying out various experiments in the lab, but when it came back alive, I was relieved," Akihiko Yamagishi, study author and emeritus professor at Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, told AFP.

The results show that the bacteria could weather a journey between Mars and Earth, and opens up intriguing possibilities, he said.

"Everyone thinks the origin of life started on Earth, but the new findings indicate that other planets could also be where life began."

Yamagishi and his team hope to carry out similar experiments outside the Van Allen radiation belt, which would expose the bacteria to even more radiation.

Scientists believe that more than three billion years ago Mars was much warmer than today and was covered in rivers and lakes, conditions which could have led to simple microbial life.

The discovery, published Wednesday in the journal Frontiers in Microbiology, comes with Mars back in the headlines as three missions head for the Red Planet.

They include the Hope probe from the United Arab Emirates, the Tianwen-1 from China and Mars 2020 from the United States, all of which are taking advantage of a period when the Earth and Mars are nearer to each other than usual.

Scientists have found a radiation-resistant bacteria can survive at least three years exposed in orbit, suggesting simple life forms could manage the long journey between between Earth and Mars unprotected.

Scientists have found a radiation-resistant bacteria can survive at least three years exposed in orbit, suggesting simple life forms could manage the long journey between between Earth and Mars unprotected. The Japanese scientists behind the research said Wednesday the finding lends credence to so-called "panspermia theory", which posits that microbes can travel from one planet to another, seeding life on arrival. Also read| Indian satellite AstroSat detects UV light from galaxy 9.3 billion light-years away from Earth To test the theory, the researchers deposited a bacteria called Deinococcus radiodurans outside the International Space Station at an altitude of 400 kilometres (250 miles) from the Earth. Despite enduring the harsh environment of outer space and exposure to strong UV and large temperature changes, the bacteria was still alive in parts after three years. Also read| ISS crew switch cabins to look for source of small cabin air leak "I knew it would survive after carrying out various experiments in the lab, but when it came back alive, I was relieved," Akihiko Yamagishi, study author and emeritus professor at Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, told AFP. The results show that the bacteria could weather a journey between Mars and Earth, and opens up intriguing possibilities, he said. "Everyone thinks the origin of life started on Earth, but the new findings indicate that other planets could also be where life began." Yamagishi and his team hope to carry out similar experiments outside the Van Allen radiation belt, which would expose the bacteria to even more radiation. Scientists believe that more than three billion years ago Mars was much warmer than today and was covered in rivers and lakes, conditions which could have led to simple microbial life. The discovery, published Wednesday in the journal Frontiers in Microbiology, comes with Mars back in the headlines as three missions head for the Red Planet. They include the Hope probe from the United Arab Emirates, the Tianwen-1 from China and Mars 2020 from the United States, all of which are taking advantage of a period when the Earth and Mars are nearer to each other than usual.

Bacteria can survive cosmic trip: International Space Station study

In one of the rare instances, three crew members onboard the International Space Station (ISS) will be spending the weekend in the Russian area of the vessel.

NASA’s Chris Cassidy and Russia’s Ivan Vagner and Anatoly Ivanishin will be shifting to be able to search for the source of a cabin air leak, NASA and Russian space agency Roscosmos announced.

“In September 2019, NASA and its international partners first saw indications of a slight increase above the standard cabin air leak rate,” NASA said in a statement.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/growing-dent-on-earths-magnetic-field-can-damage-satellites-and-navigation-321602">Also read:&nbsp;Growing dent on Earth’s magnetic field can damage satellites and navigation</a>

According to sources, the leak was identified by a machine used to measure the amount of&nbsp;nitrogen, oxygen and carbon dioxide in the station. The machine is reportedly used by the Russian segment of the vessel.

The process is something that has been taught to the crew members during their training and is considered to be in the&nbsp;on-board documentation.

This decision was taken by&nbsp;Roscosmos and NASA jointly. Both the bodies have assured that there is no danger to the crew or thr space station.

In one of the rare instances, three crew members onboard the International Space Station (ISS) will be spending the weekend in the Russian area of the vessel. NASA’s Chris Cassidy and Russia’s Ivan Vagner and Anatoly Ivanishin will be shifting to be able to search for the source of a cabin air leak, NASA and Russian space agency Roscosmos announced.

In one of the rare instances, three crew members onboard the International Space Station (ISS) will be spending the weekend in the Russian area of the vessel. NASA’s Chris Cassidy and Russia’s Ivan Vagner and Anatoly Ivanishin will be shifting to be able to search for the source of a cabin air leak, NASA and Russian space agency Roscosmos announced. “In September 2019, NASA and its international partners first saw indications of a slight increase above the standard cabin air leak rate,” NASA said in a statement. Also read: Growing dent on Earth’s magnetic field can damage satellites and navigation According to sources, the leak was identified by a machine used to measure the amount of nitrogen, oxygen and carbon dioxide in the station. The machine is reportedly used by the Russian segment of the vessel. The process is something that has been taught to the crew members during their training and is considered to be in the on-board documentation. This decision was taken by Roscosmos and NASA jointly. Both the bodies have assured that there is no danger to the crew or thr space station.

ISS crew switch cabins to look for source of small cabin air leak

Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley, the&nbsp;first US astronauts to reach the International Space Station (ISS) in nearly a decade, have successfully undocked from the ISS on Saturday late night.

The SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft is now en route its way back to the Earth.

SpaceX confirmed on Twitter by tweeting, "Separation confirmed. Dragon performing 4 departure burns to move away from the @Space_Station" along with a video.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Separation confirmed. Dragon performing 4 departure burns to move away from the <a href="https://twitter.com/Space_Station?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Space_Station</a> <a href="https://t.co/ea14fozdO8">pic.twitter.com/ea14fozdO8</a>
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1289706785469677568?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 1, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

The two American astronauts' capsule is set to undock around 2334 GMT (7:30pm). However, the NASA is still observing the&nbsp;Hurricane Isaias — a category one storm that battered the Bahamas on Friday and was churning toward Florida.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hurricane-might-delay-spacex-nasa-return-trip-from-iss-317469">Also read:&nbsp;Hurricane might delay SpaceX-NASA return trip from ISS</a>

"Conditions are 'Go' at the primary targeted site, off the coast (of) Pensacola, and alternate site off the coast of Panama City in the Gulf of Mexico for splashdown and recovery on Sunday, Aug 2," NASA said in a blog post.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
All my bags are packed, I’m ready to go… <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LandAmerica?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LandAmerica</a> <a href="https://t.co/FvyzeA58sb">pic.twitter.com/FvyzeA58sb</a>
— Bob Behnken (@AstroBehnken) <a href="https://twitter.com/AstroBehnken/status/1289576302333145089?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 1, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Bob Behnken, in an ISS ceremony aboard said that earlier "the hardest part was getting us launched. But the most important part is bringing us home."

SpaceX is also running a live webcast of Crew Dragon's return to Earth.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Webcast of Crew Dragon’s return to Earth from the <a href="https://twitter.com/Space_Station?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@space_station</a> with <a href="https://twitter.com/AstroBehnken?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AstroBehnken</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/Astro_Doug?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Astro_Doug</a> → <a href="https://t.co/bJFjLCzWdK">https://t.co/bJFjLCzWdK</a> <a href="https://t.co/xZmI41Zw5S">https://t.co/xZmI41Zw5S</a>
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1289671305835327488?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 1, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

&nbsp;

Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley, the first US astronauts to reach the International Space Station (ISS) in nearly a decade, have successfully undocked from the ISS on Saturday late night.

Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley, the first US astronauts to reach the International Space Station (ISS) in nearly a decade, have successfully undocked from the ISS on Saturday late night. The SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft is now en route its way back to the Earth. SpaceX confirmed on Twitter by tweeting, "Separation confirmed. Dragon performing 4 departure burns to move away from the @Space_Station" along with a video. Separation confirmed. Dragon performing 4 departure burns to move away from the @Space_Station pic.twitter.com/ea14fozdO8 — SpaceX (@SpaceX) August 1, 2020 × The two American astronauts' capsule is set to undock around 2334 GMT (7:30pm). However, the NASA is still observing the Hurricane Isaias — a category one storm that battered the Bahamas on Friday and was churning toward Florida. Also read: Hurricane might delay SpaceX-NASA return trip from ISS "Conditions are 'Go' at the primary targeted site, off the coast (of) Pensacola, and alternate site off the coast of Panama City in the Gulf of Mexico for splashdown and recovery on Sunday, Aug 2," NASA said in a blog post. All my bags are packed, I’m ready to go… #LandAmerica pic.twitter.com/FvyzeA58sb — Bob Behnken (@AstroBehnken) August 1, 2020 × Bob Behnken, in an ISS ceremony aboard said that earlier "the hardest part was getting us launched. But the most important part is bringing us home." SpaceX is also running a live webcast of Crew Dragon's return to Earth. Webcast of Crew Dragon’s return to Earth from the @space_station with @AstroBehnken and @Astro_Doug → https://t.co/bJFjLCzWdK https://t.co/xZmI41Zw5S — SpaceX (@SpaceX) August 1, 2020 ×

'I am ready to come home': SpaceX Crew Dragon undocks from ISS to return to Earth

Astronaut Bob Behnken is back with another mesmerizing glimpse from the space. This time, the astronaut posted a picture of Hurricane Hanna.&nbsp;

The hurricane made its second landfall in Texas on Saturday afternoon, inflicting damage by heavy rain and strong wind.&nbsp;

Behnken captured the Category I storm from the space leaving the netizens in awe.&nbsp;

Bob Behnken took to Twitter and showed a view of Hurricane Hanna taken from the International Space Station (ISS) as it was passing over the Gulf of Mexico on Friday. Behnken clicked the photo that showed ‘observable structure’ of the hurricane.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Snapped this photo of the storm in the Gulf of Mexico on Friday as it was starting to have observable structure from <a href="https://twitter.com/Space_Station?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Space_Station</a>. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HurricaneHanna?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HurricaneHanna</a> <a href="https://t.co/KiamE0lmKk">pic.twitter.com/KiamE0lmKk</a>
— Bob Behnken (@AstroBehnken) <a href="https://twitter.com/AstroBehnken/status/1287443639774466048?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 26, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

“Snapped this photo of the storm in the Gulf of Mexico on Friday as it was starting to have observable structure from @Space_Station. #HurricaneHanna,” reads the caption.

Posted on July 26, the picture has received over 17,000 likes and a variety of comments.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none">
Great Picture. Looks like a crazy hurricane. Must be crazy to be able to view Earth like how you view the land from the plane all the time. Would it be out of order to request pics looking the other way?
— Kamal Aluri (@KamalAluri) <a href="https://twitter.com/KamalAluri/status/1287468564387991552?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 26, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none">
Can I come live with you guys up there. The Majority down here keep repeating the same information every day. I feel like in trapped in a damn rerun that's been playing for 1000s of years. <a href="https://t.co/C0P2cJQkAk">pic.twitter.com/C0P2cJQkAk</a>
— Mitchendo64 (@mitchendo64) <a href="https://twitter.com/mitchendo64/status/1287593537681285122?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 27, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none">
Hey man, how do you get a signal up there 🤔
— Dhiraajsinh Parmar (@Capt_Dhiraaj) <a href="https://twitter.com/Capt_Dhiraaj/status/1287479710717341696?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 26, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none">
Beautiful absolutely beautiful
— Jacob Connor Bailey (@onelifebachelor) <a href="https://twitter.com/onelifebachelor/status/1287477231665774592?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 26, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Earlier, Bob shared a picture of lightening from space, leaving the netizens awe-struck.&nbsp;

Astronaut Bob Behnken is back with another mesmerizing glimpse from the space. This time, the astronaut posted a picture of Hurricane Hanna. The hurricane made its second landfall in Texas on Saturday afternoon, inflicting damage by heavy rain and strong wind.

Astronaut Bob Behnken is back with another mesmerizing glimpse from the space. This time, the astronaut posted a picture of Hurricane Hanna. The hurricane made its second landfall in Texas on Saturday afternoon, inflicting damage by heavy rain and strong wind. Behnken captured the Category I storm from the space leaving the netizens in awe. Bob Behnken took to Twitter and showed a view of Hurricane Hanna taken from the International Space Station (ISS) as it was passing over the Gulf of Mexico on Friday. Behnken clicked the photo that showed ‘observable structure’ of the hurricane. Snapped this photo of the storm in the Gulf of Mexico on Friday as it was starting to have observable structure from @Space_Station. #HurricaneHanna pic.twitter.com/KiamE0lmKk — Bob Behnken (@AstroBehnken) July 26, 2020 × “Snapped this photo of the storm in the Gulf of Mexico on Friday as it was starting to have observable structure from @Space_Station. #HurricaneHanna,” reads the caption. Posted on July 26, the picture has received over 17,000 likes and a variety of comments. Great Picture. Looks like a crazy hurricane. Must be crazy to be able to view Earth like how you view the land from the plane all the time. Would it be out of order to request pics looking the other way? — Kamal Aluri (@KamalAluri) July 26, 2020 × Can I come live with you guys up there. The Majority down here keep repeating the same information every day. I feel like in trapped in a damn rerun that's been playing for 1000s of years. pic.twitter.com/C0P2cJQkAk — Mitchendo64 (@mitchendo64) July 27, 2020 × Hey man, how do you get a signal up there 🤔 — Dhiraajsinh Parmar (@Capt_Dhiraaj) July 26, 2020 × Beautiful absolutely beautiful — Jacob Connor Bailey (@onelifebachelor) July 26, 2020 × Earlier, Bob shared a picture of lightening from space, leaving the netizens awe-struck.

Astronaut shares picture of Hurricane Hanna from space leaving netizens in awe

Permitting the entry of private players in space projects appears to be the new way to ensure efficiency and optimum utilisation of resources

Space X's&nbsp;Falcon 9 is the first privately-built rocket by Elon Musk's Tesla.

It's&nbsp;historic launch took two NASA&nbsp;astronauts to the International Space Station from&nbsp;the&nbsp;Complex 39-A at Cape Canaveral in Florida.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" mozallowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" src="http://w3.cdn.anvato.net/player/prod/v3/anvload.html?key=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%2FaXU9LzExNDQwNDY1L1dpb25ld3NfVmlkZW8vV2lvbmV3c19QcmVyb2xsJmRlc2NyaXB0aW9uX3VybD1bcGxhY2Vob2xkZXJdJmVudj12cCZpbXBsPXMmY29ycmVsYXRvcj0mdGZjZD0wJm5wYT0wJmdkZnBfcmVxPTEmb3V0cHV0PXZhc3Qmc3o9NjQweDQ4MCZ1bnZpZXdlZF9wb3NpdGlvbl9zdGFydD0xIn0sImxpYnJhcnlSZXF1ZXN0ZWQiOnRydWV9LCJoZWFsdGhBbmFseXRpY3MiOnt9fSwiaHRtbDUiOnRydWV9" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="640"></iframe></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Also see:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/spacex-astronauts-land-safely-at-international-space-station-for-nasa-302267">SpaceX astronauts land safely at International Space Station for NASA</a>

The launch last month marked a significant shift in space exploration. For the first time ever, NASA&nbsp;allowed a private player a glimpse beyond the Earth's orbit.

Indian Space Research Organisation has taken its first big step in a similar&nbsp;direction. The Indian government has set-up two bodies that will assist ISRO&nbsp;to facilitate private participation.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/private-players-welcome-in-indias-space-journey-but-isro-needs-an-organizational-revamp-to-focus-on-rd-301484">Private players welcome in India’s Space journey, but ISRO needs an organizational revamp to focus on R&amp;D</a>

ISRO's programs are hailed across the world for running on a shoe-string budget. The Mars mission is staggeringly cheap by western standards.

India is already the global launchpad for small and light satellites. Given the low-budget and limited workforce, routine work hampers advanced research into inter-planetary and human space flight missions.This the big frontier that ISRO&nbsp;needs to&nbsp;conquer.

They were involved earlier as well but in a different capacity.

ISRO&nbsp;has tie-ups with around 150 private firms which are&nbsp;exclusive suppliers to India's space programs.

Now, private players can start building and launching satellites as well. This is an extension of India's aim to become self-reliant.

The sphere of space exploration required special attention as ISRO&nbsp;is fully dependent on two launch vehicles in the PSLV&nbsp;and GSLV&nbsp;series which&nbsp;were conceptualised back in the 1970s and 1980s.

In the last 27 years, ISRO&nbsp;has not been able to develop more powerful propulsion engines. India still uses a French engine to launch its own satellites.

For a manned mission, ISRO&nbsp;needs to improve the payload capacity, which needs an engine that will thrust India to greater heights.

Therefore, the government has decided to open up India's space sector and giving it more time to carry out cutting-edge research.

Also see:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/how-chinas-beidou-geo-tracker-satellite-will-take-on-us-owned-gps-307986">How China's Beidou geo-tracker satellite will take on US-owned GPS</a>

Leading space explorers such as US, China and the European space agency are encouraging private participation. But the US&nbsp;took the giant leap when it allowed its space agency NASA to collaborate with Elon Musk's Space X.

From Richard Branson to Jeff Bezos, billionaires are creating their own space companies.

A few days ago, China launched its final Beidou satellite. The deployment of china's global navigation system is complete. A network of 35 satellites&nbsp;will power China's own gps system.

Following the border conflict with China,&nbsp; ISRO's services are&nbsp;required to refine India's satellites for the military.

With this opening of the space sector, routine satellite launches can be left to private players.

Permitting the entry of private players in space projects appears to be the new way to ensure efficiency and optimum utilisation of resources Space X's Falcon 9 is the first privately-built rocket by Elon Musk's Tesla.

Permitting the entry of private players in space projects appears to be the new way to ensure efficiency and optimum utilisation of resources Space X's Falcon 9 is the first privately-built rocket by Elon Musk's Tesla. It's historic launch took two NASA astronauts to the International Space Station from the Complex 39-A at Cape Canaveral in Florida. × Also see: SpaceX astronauts land safely at International Space Station for NASA The launch last month marked a significant shift in space exploration. For the first time ever, NASA allowed a private player a glimpse beyond the Earth's orbit. Indian Space Research Organisation has taken its first big step in a similar direction. The Indian government has set-up two bodies that will assist ISRO to facilitate private participation. Also read: Private players welcome in India’s Space journey, but ISRO needs an organizational revamp to focus on R&D ISRO's programs are hailed across the world for running on a shoe-string budget. The Mars mission is staggeringly cheap by western standards. India is already the global launchpad for small and light satellites. Given the low-budget and limited workforce, routine work hampers advanced research into inter-planetary and human space flight missions.This the big frontier that ISRO needs to conquer. They were involved earlier as well but in a different capacity. ISRO has tie-ups with around 150 private firms which are exclusive suppliers to India's space programs. Now, private players can start building and launching satellites as well. This is an extension of India's aim to become self-reliant. The sphere of space exploration required special attention as ISRO is fully dependent on two launch vehicles in the PSLV and GSLV series which were conceptualised back in the 1970s and 1980s. In the last 27 years, ISRO has not been able to develop more powerful propulsion engines. India still uses a French engine to launch its own satellites. For a manned mission, ISRO needs to improve the payload capacity, which needs an engine that will thrust India to greater heights. Therefore, the government has decided to open up India's space sector and giving it more time to carry out cutting-edge research. Also see: How China's Beidou geo-tracker satellite will take on US-owned GPS Leading space explorers such as US, China and the European space agency are encouraging private participation. But the US took the giant leap when it allowed its space agency NASA to collaborate with Elon Musk's Space X. From Richard Branson to Jeff Bezos, billionaires are creating their own space companies. A few days ago, China launched its final Beidou satellite. The deployment of china's global navigation system is complete. A network of 35 satellites will power China's own gps system. Following the border conflict with China, ISRO's services are required to refine India's satellites for the military. With this opening of the space sector, routine satellite launches can be left to private players.

Permitting entry of private players in space projects is new way to ensure efficiency

NASA is offering $35,000 as a cash reward to people for engineering the best&nbsp;the best 'lunar loo' design.

Interbartolo, is project manager for the Lunar Loo Challenge, a&nbsp;NASA&nbsp;competition in partnership with HeroX launched on Thursday that hopes to attract new and innovative solutions to the problem of capturing and containing human waste in space.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science-tech/nasa-finds-evidence-of-parallel-universe-where-time-runs-backward-299949">NASA finds evidence of parallel universe where time runs backward</a>

Entrants stand to win a share of the $35,000&nbsp;prize money and contribute to toilet technology destined for Artemis, Nasa’s programme to land the first woman and the next man on the moon by 2024.

<img alt="NASA" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="5a2b881b-8837-4fa2-aeba-3009a5514142" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/6720.jpg" />

&nbsp;Nasa’s Orion spacecraft, the first step in its Artemis mission to land the first woman and next man on the moon by 2024. Photograph:AFP

Space&nbsp;toilet technology has come some way from the grim Apollo years, when bags had to be taped to the astronaut’s buttocks in a setup that was not always as secure as might have been hoped. One mission transcript records an exchange between crew members: “Where did that come from?… There’s a turd floating through the air.”

The international space station (ISS) features a large, industrial-looking Russian-made toilet that uses suction technology to overcome the challenge of pooing and peeing in microgravity. NASA, however, is seeking something that would function equally well on the lunar surface, where gravity is about a sixth of that on Earth.

“We definitely don’t want folks to just say we know what the ISS toilet looks like, so we take off a bit of mass and make it more compact,” said Interbartolo. “We’re looking outside the box … We want to tap into those garage thinkers, the maker space community and see what the unknown unknowns out there are.”

Would-be innovators must meet Nasa’s technical specifications. Their designs have to be lighter than 15kg in Earth’s gravity, no larger than 0.12m3&nbsp;and no louder than the average bathroom fan, and the must be able to cater to all the toilet needs of its female and male users safely and securely.

“Additionally, toilet designs must be able to accommodate sick crew members dealing with vomiting and diarrhoea. Bonus points will be awarded to designs that can capture vomit without requiring the crew member to put his/her head in the toilet,” Nasa says. The elegance and design of the entries and their ability to afford some level of privacy in small flight modules will also be considered.

Nasa’s Artemis-3 mission, which has a launch target of 2024, aims to land a man and a woman at the lunar south pole. It would be the first time astronauts have travelled to the lunar surface since 1972. “As we prepare for this extraordinary event, we can’t forget about the ordinary needs of our astronauts,” said Interbartolo.

Submissions can be amde till August 17.

NASA is offering $35,000 as a cash reward to people for engineering the best the best 'lunar loo' design. Interbartolo, is project manager for the Lunar Loo Challenge, a NASA competition in partnership with HeroX launched on Thursday that hopes to attract new and innovative solutions to the problem of capturing and containing human waste in space.

NASA is offering $35,000 as a cash reward to people for engineering the best the best 'lunar loo' design. Interbartolo, is project manager for the Lunar Loo Challenge, a NASA competition in partnership with HeroX launched on Thursday that hopes to attract new and innovative solutions to the problem of capturing and containing human waste in space. Also read: NASA finds evidence of parallel universe where time runs backward Entrants stand to win a share of the $35,000 prize money and contribute to toilet technology destined for Artemis, Nasa’s programme to land the first woman and the next man on the moon by 2024. Nasa’s Orion spacecraft, the first step in its Artemis mission to land the first woman and next man on the moon by 2024. Photograph:AFP Space toilet technology has come some way from the grim Apollo years, when bags had to be taped to the astronaut’s buttocks in a setup that was not always as secure as might have been hoped. One mission transcript records an exchange between crew members: “Where did that come from?… There’s a turd floating through the air.” The international space station (ISS) features a large, industrial-looking Russian-made toilet that uses suction technology to overcome the challenge of pooing and peeing in microgravity. NASA, however, is seeking something that would function equally well on the lunar surface, where gravity is about a sixth of that on Earth. “We definitely don’t want folks to just say we know what the ISS toilet looks like, so we take off a bit of mass and make it more compact,” said Interbartolo. “We’re looking outside the box … We want to tap into those garage thinkers, the maker space community and see what the unknown unknowns out there are.” Would-be innovators must meet Nasa’s technical specifications. Their designs have to be lighter than 15kg in Earth’s gravity, no larger than 0.12m3 and no louder than the average bathroom fan, and the must be able to cater to all the toilet needs of its female and male users safely and securely. “Additionally, toilet designs must be able to accommodate sick crew members dealing with vomiting and diarrhoea. Bonus points will be awarded to designs that can capture vomit without requiring the crew member to put his/her head in the toilet,” Nasa says. The elegance and design of the entries and their ability to afford some level of privacy in small flight modules will also be considered. Nasa’s Artemis-3 mission, which has a launch target of 2024, aims to land a man and a woman at the lunar south pole. It would be the first time astronauts have travelled to the lunar surface since 1972. “As we prepare for this extraordinary event, we can’t forget about the ordinary needs of our astronauts,” said Interbartolo. Submissions can be amde till August 17.

NASA offering $35,000 prize money for best 'lunar loo' design

SpaceX has made history with a manned mission to the International Space station. WION's Palki Sharma gets you a report on the many firsts this American aerospace giant has achieved through its latest mission.

Gravitas: SpaceX Space Station mission | New era in space exploration

United States astronaut Christina Koch, is all set to return to Earth today after a record stay at the International Space Station.

The leader of the first all-female spacewalk in 2019, Koch's mission could provide rich insight into deep-space travel.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/science-trending-nasa-telescope-nasa-bids-farewell-to-iconic-spitzer-space-telescope-277732">NASA bids farewell to iconic Spitzer Space Telescope</a>

Koch spent 328 days in the orbiting laboratory. The 41-year-old boarded a Russian Soyuz capsule and which was set to depart at 0230 GMT today.

If the plan works out well, the capsule will ''parachute to a safe landing on the desert steppe of Dzhezkazgan, Kazakhstan'', Reuters reported. The touchdown is expected at 0912 GMT today with the aircraft carrying Koch, European astronaut Luca Parmitano and Russian cosmonaut Alexander Skvortsov.&nbsp;

<h6><img alt="ppp" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="038a3465-e493-4201-a53f-0083f3032d06" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%2812%29_9.jpg" /> 
This NASA photo released on February 4, 20202 shows NASA astronaut Christina Koch during a spacewalk on January 15, 2020 | AFP</h6>

The record for the longest continuous stay in space by a woman was previously held by NASA's Peggy Whitson.

In October 2019, Koch achieved a gender milestone during a spacewalk, which was undertaken with a fellow NASA astronaut Jessica Meir. This was the first time two women stepped out of the space station at the same time. 
 
In March 2019, NASA attempted an all-female spacewalk which was later called off because one of the astronauts' medium-sized spacesuits was wrongly configured. This inspired gender-heavy rhetoric within the space community. 
 
This year, astronauts on the space station are set to celebrate the 20th anniversary in low-Earth orbit. The Station has held 227 maintenance spacewalks, with almost two dozen female astronauts participating in the process. Koch and Meir conducted two more spacewalks together in January.

<h6><img alt="ppp" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="718f535b-f55a-4bc7-9c01-a98982817b8d" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%2813%29_12.jpg" /> 
This NASA image shows the International Space Station, a search light, and the Moon in this long exposure photograph | AFP 
&nbsp;</h6>

According to NASA, Koch's mission would provide insight into the weightlessness of gravity. Additionally, it could also help the space organisation understand how space radiation affects the female body on long-duration spaceflights.

As NASA plans to build a permanent space station on the moon's surface within the next decade, the data from Koch's mission could prove to be immensely useful.

Scott Kelly, a US astronaut spent 340 days in orbit starting 2015. From Kelly's time in space, NASA learned that spaceflights cause the thickening of the carotid artery and retina, changes in gene expression and slight cognitive impairments for men.

Koch's mission began in March last year and was extended up to April, stretching the duration from six months to almost a year.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-space-force-unveils-camouflage-uniform-gets-trolled-on-twitter-275237">US Space Force unveils camouflage uniform, gets trolled on Twitter</a>

(With inputs from Reuters)

United States astronaut Christina Koch, is all set to return to Earth today after a record stay at the International Space Station. The leader of the first all-female spacewalk in 2019, Koch's mission could provide rich insight into deep-space travel.

United States astronaut Christina Koch, is all set to return to Earth today after a record stay at the International Space Station. The leader of the first all-female spacewalk in 2019, Koch's mission could provide rich insight into deep-space travel. Also read: NASA bids farewell to iconic Spitzer Space Telescope Koch spent 328 days in the orbiting laboratory. The 41-year-old boarded a Russian Soyuz capsule and which was set to depart at 0230 GMT today. If the plan works out well, the capsule will ''parachute to a safe landing on the desert steppe of Dzhezkazgan, Kazakhstan'', Reuters reported. The touchdown is expected at 0912 GMT today with the aircraft carrying Koch, European astronaut Luca Parmitano and Russian cosmonaut Alexander Skvortsov. This NASA photo released on February 4, 20202 shows NASA astronaut Christina Koch during a spacewalk on January 15, 2020 | AFP The record for the longest continuous stay in space by a woman was previously held by NASA's Peggy Whitson. In October 2019, Koch achieved a gender milestone during a spacewalk, which was undertaken with a fellow NASA astronaut Jessica Meir. This was the first time two women stepped out of the space station at the same time. In March 2019, NASA attempted an all-female spacewalk which was later called off because one of the astronauts' medium-sized spacesuits was wrongly configured. This inspired gender-heavy rhetoric within the space community. This year, astronauts on the space station are set to celebrate the 20th anniversary in low-Earth orbit. The Station has held 227 maintenance spacewalks, with almost two dozen female astronauts participating in the process. Koch and Meir conducted two more spacewalks together in January. This NASA image shows the International Space Station, a search light, and the Moon in this long exposure photograph | AFP According to NASA, Koch's mission would provide insight into the weightlessness of gravity. Additionally, it could also help the space organisation understand how space radiation affects the female body on long-duration spaceflights. As NASA plans to build a permanent space station on the moon's surface within the next decade, the data from Koch's mission could prove to be immensely useful. Scott Kelly, a US astronaut spent 340 days in orbit starting 2015. From Kelly's time in space, NASA learned that spaceflights cause the thickening of the carotid artery and retina, changes in gene expression and slight cognitive impairments for men. Koch's mission began in March last year and was extended up to April, stretching the duration from six months to almost a year. Also read: US Space Force unveils camouflage uniform, gets trolled on Twitter (With inputs from Reuters)

Christina Koch, NASA astronaut to return to Earth today after record 328 days in space

Glimpse of NASA's private 'space home' unveiled

Here's good news for all the space travellers who are also cookie lovers as they are successfully baked in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nasa-spacex-hope-for-manned-mission-to-international-space-station-in-early-2020-255078">international space station</a>.&nbsp;The cookies took two hours to bake, which is approximately 10 times more than the time taken to prepare them on the Earth.&nbsp;

NASA&nbsp;astronaut&nbsp;Christina Koch shared the news on Twitter.&nbsp;“We made space cookies and milk for Santa this year,” Koch tweeted.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
We made space cookies and milk for Santa this year. Happy holidays from the <a href="https://twitter.com/Space_Station?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Space_Station</a>! <a href="https://t.co/sZS4KdPmhj">pic.twitter.com/sZS4KdPmhj</a>
— Christina H Koch (@Astro_Christina) <a href="https://twitter.com/Astro_Christina/status/1210221515104563201?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 26, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Interestingly, the bakers expected a different time in space but it was not that much different.&nbsp;

“There’s still a lot to look into to figure out really what’s driving that difference, but a cool result,” Mary Murphy, a manager for US-based Nanoracks, said this week. “Overall, I think it’s a pretty awesome first experiment.”

No one knows how the cookies&nbsp;taste, as they are still sealed in individual baking pouches and packed in their spaceflight container.&nbsp;They remain frozen in a Houston area lab. The cookies are said to be the first baked item in space from raw materials.&nbsp;

Nanoracks, located near <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-india-have-helped-in-greening-of-earth-nasa-report-196837">Nasa</a>'s Johnson Space Center designed and built a small electric oven that was launched in the space station in November last year. There are already five frozen cookies in the space.&nbsp;

An Italian astronaut Luca Parmtano, the mater baker in December noted down all the descriptions of how he baked the cookies one by one on the prototype Zero-G oven.

The first cookie was baked for 25 minutes at 300F, ended up under baked. The baker doubled the time of baking for the next two cookies, the result came out to be okayish but not great, according to Parmtano.&nbsp;

The fourth cookie was baked for 2 hours and was a 'success'. “So this time, I do see some browning,“ Parmitano radioed. “I can’t tell you whether it’s cooked all the way or not, but it certainly doesn’t look like cookie dough anymore.”

Parmtano baked the fifth cookie at 325F for 130 minutes and it was another success. No one can still tell how they taste but the baker said he can smell the fourth and the fifth one.&nbsp;

Mike Massimino, a former NASA astronaut mentioned that is was the only beauty of baking in space. Massimino is a teacher at Columbia University and is a paid spokesman for DoubleTree by Hilton. The hotel chain that provided the dough for the cookies. And was the same they offer to their guests.

“The remainder of the home, the connection with home, I think, can’t be overstated,” Massimino said. “From my personal experience ... food is pretty important for not just nutrition but also for morale in keeping people connected to their home and their Earth.”

One of the space-baked cookies has been offered to the Smithsonian Institution’s National Air and Space Museum for display.

Nanoracks and Zero-G Kitchen, New York City startup who collaborated with the experiment, are looking forward to more experiments for the orbiting oven and more space appliances.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
Baked cookies added the advantage of having fresh food in the space and astronauts can enjoy delicious items and avoid packaged food for a while.&nbsp;

Here's good news for all the space travellers who are also cookie lovers as they are successfully baked in the international space station. The cookies took two hours to bake, which is approximately 10 times more than the time taken to prepare them on the Earth.

Here's good news for all the space travellers who are also cookie lovers as they are successfully baked in the international space station. The cookies took two hours to bake, which is approximately 10 times more than the time taken to prepare them on the Earth. NASA astronaut Christina Koch shared the news on Twitter. “We made space cookies and milk for Santa this year,” Koch tweeted. We made space cookies and milk for Santa this year. Happy holidays from the @Space_Station! pic.twitter.com/sZS4KdPmhj — Christina H Koch (@Astro_Christina) December 26, 2019 × Interestingly, the bakers expected a different time in space but it was not that much different. “There’s still a lot to look into to figure out really what’s driving that difference, but a cool result,” Mary Murphy, a manager for US-based Nanoracks, said this week. “Overall, I think it’s a pretty awesome first experiment.” No one knows how the cookies taste, as they are still sealed in individual baking pouches and packed in their spaceflight container. They remain frozen in a Houston area lab. The cookies are said to be the first baked item in space from raw materials. Nanoracks, located near Nasa's Johnson Space Center designed and built a small electric oven that was launched in the space station in November last year. There are already five frozen cookies in the space. An Italian astronaut Luca Parmtano, the mater baker in December noted down all the descriptions of how he baked the cookies one by one on the prototype Zero-G oven. The first cookie was baked for 25 minutes at 300F, ended up under baked. The baker doubled the time of baking for the next two cookies, the result came out to be okayish but not great, according to Parmtano. The fourth cookie was baked for 2 hours and was a 'success'. “So this time, I do see some browning,“ Parmitano radioed. “I can’t tell you whether it’s cooked all the way or not, but it certainly doesn’t look like cookie dough anymore.” Parmtano baked the fifth cookie at 325F for 130 minutes and it was another success. No one can still tell how they taste but the baker said he can smell the fourth and the fifth one. Mike Massimino, a former NASA astronaut mentioned that is was the only beauty of baking in space. Massimino is a teacher at Columbia University and is a paid spokesman for DoubleTree by Hilton. The hotel chain that provided the dough for the cookies. And was the same they offer to their guests. “The remainder of the home, the connection with home, I think, can’t be overstated,” Massimino said. “From my personal experience ... food is pretty important for not just nutrition but also for morale in keeping people connected to their home and their Earth.” One of the space-baked cookies has been offered to the Smithsonian Institution’s National Air and Space Museum for display. Nanoracks and Zero-G Kitchen, New York City startup who collaborated with the experiment, are looking forward to more experiments for the orbiting oven and more space appliances. Baked cookies added the advantage of having fresh food in the space and astronauts can enjoy delicious items and avoid packaged food for a while.

Space-baked cookies are up for grabs after testing astronauts patience

NASA on Friday celebrated its latest class of graduating astronauts at a public ceremony in Houston, honouring a diverse and gender-balanced group now qualified for spaceflight missions including America's return to the Moon and eventual journey to Mars.

After completing more than two years of basic training, the six women and seven men were chosen from a record-breaking 18,000 applicants and represent a wide variety of backgrounds and specialities, from pilots to scientists, engineers and doctors.

The group included two candidates from the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), which has participated in a joint training program with the United States since 1983.

"They are the best of the best: They are highly qualified and very diverse, and they represent all of America," said NASA Administrator <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/boeing-starliner-returning-to-earth-early-after-mission-failure-269557">Jim Bridenstine</a>.&nbsp;

The class included five people of colour, including the first Iranian-American astronaut, Jasmin Moghbeli, who flew helicopter combat missions in Afghanistan and holds an engineering degree from MIT, and geologist Jessica Watkins, who joins only a handful of black women to complete the program.

The group, known as the "Turtles," wore blue flight jumpsuits and took turns approaching the podium to receive their silver astronaut pins, as their fellow classmates paid tribute to their character in the first-ever public graduation ceremony.

The tradition of handing out pins dates back to the Mercury 7 astronauts who were selected in 1959, with participants receiving their gold pins once they complete their first spaceflights.

After being selected in 2017, the class completed training in spacewalking at NASA's underwater Neutral Buoyancy Lab, robotics, the systems of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/spacex-launches-third-batch-of-mini-satellites-into-orbit-272623">International Space Station</a> and piloting the T-38 training jet, plus Russian language lessons.

They are the first to graduate since NASA announced the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nasa-plans-to-send-water-hunting-robot-to-moon-surface-in-2022-258216">Artemis program</a> to return to the Moon by 2024, this time on its south pole, as the United States plans to place the next man and first woman on lunar soil and set up an orbital space station.

Part of the group's training, therefore, included studying the building blocks of that program, which are still being developed: the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/glitch-delays-european-cheops-satellite-launch-268717">Space Launch System</a> rocket, the Orion crew capsule and the gateway space station.

But NASA has already said that the crew of the first return Moon mission, Artemis 3, will be selected from previous graduates.

Astronauts play an active role in the development of spacecraft, and the current group will eventually join the ranks of the approximately 500 people in history who have ventured into space.

The 11 US astronauts bring the total number of NASA's corps up to 48.

Their diversity stands in contrast to the early years of space exploration, long dominated by white men (including all 12 people who have walked on the Moon) until Sally Ride became the first American woman in space in 1983 and Guion Bluford the first black astronaut the same year.

It also includes Indian-American Raja Chari, an Air Force colonel and aeronautical engineer;&nbsp;Frank Rubio, a medical doctor and Blackhawk pilot; and Jonny Kim, a decorated Navy SEAL and emergency physician, who holds both a doctorate in medicine from Harvard and a mathematics degree.

"When I heard about possibly being a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/world-to-witness-2020s-first-lunar-eclipse-today-273350">NASA</a> astronaut I thought that was a platform like no other where I could leave a huge impact on the next generation and also contribute to our nation's space exploration," Kim told reporters.

Watkins praised what she called NASA's emphasis on diversity.

"I think cultural and social change can be slow, even when it's trending in the right direction," she said.

The CSA's newest astronauts are Joshua Kutryk,&nbsp;a Royal Canadian Air Force lieutenant colonel, and Jennifer Sidey-Gibbons who holds a doctorate in engineering from the University of Cambridge where she was working as an assistant professor in combustion in the Department of Engineering.

Asked about the difficulties she faced in her career, Moghbeli said some had questioned her choices when she decided to join the military after graduating from MIT.

"In a post-September 11 world, did my parents think I was crazy? Yes, I'm pretty sure they did," she said but added that her family then gave her their full support.

"It's because of that that I'm here today, and I think everyone feels similarly, but -- that being said -- there will always be people out there that doubt.

"When I was a sixth-grader and said I was going to become an astronaut, do you think everyone was like, 'Yep, she's going to become an astronaut'? Probably not."&nbsp;

NASA on Friday celebrated its latest class of graduating astronauts at a public ceremony in Houston, honouring a diverse and gender-balanced group now qualified for spaceflight missions including America's return to the Moon and eventual journey to Mars.

NASA on Friday celebrated its latest class of graduating astronauts at a public ceremony in Houston, honouring a diverse and gender-balanced group now qualified for spaceflight missions including America's return to the Moon and eventual journey to Mars. After completing more than two years of basic training, the six women and seven men were chosen from a record-breaking 18,000 applicants and represent a wide variety of backgrounds and specialities, from pilots to scientists, engineers and doctors. The group included two candidates from the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), which has participated in a joint training program with the United States since 1983. "They are the best of the best: They are highly qualified and very diverse, and they represent all of America," said NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine. The class included five people of colour, including the first Iranian-American astronaut, Jasmin Moghbeli, who flew helicopter combat missions in Afghanistan and holds an engineering degree from MIT, and geologist Jessica Watkins, who joins only a handful of black women to complete the program. The group, known as the "Turtles," wore blue flight jumpsuits and took turns approaching the podium to receive their silver astronaut pins, as their fellow classmates paid tribute to their character in the first-ever public graduation ceremony. The tradition of handing out pins dates back to the Mercury 7 astronauts who were selected in 1959, with participants receiving their gold pins once they complete their first spaceflights. After being selected in 2017, the class completed training in spacewalking at NASA's underwater Neutral Buoyancy Lab, robotics, the systems of the International Space Station and piloting the T-38 training jet, plus Russian language lessons. They are the first to graduate since NASA announced the Artemis program to return to the Moon by 2024, this time on its south pole, as the United States plans to place the next man and first woman on lunar soil and set up an orbital space station. Part of the group's training, therefore, included studying the building blocks of that program, which are still being developed: the Space Launch System rocket, the Orion crew capsule and the gateway space station. But NASA has already said that the crew of the first return Moon mission, Artemis 3, will be selected from previous graduates. Astronauts play an active role in the development of spacecraft, and the current group will eventually join the ranks of the approximately 500 people in history who have ventured into space. The 11 US astronauts bring the total number of NASA's corps up to 48. Their diversity stands in contrast to the early years of space exploration, long dominated by white men (including all 12 people who have walked on the Moon) until Sally Ride became the first American woman in space in 1983 and Guion Bluford the first black astronaut the same year. It also includes Indian-American Raja Chari, an Air Force colonel and aeronautical engineer; Frank Rubio, a medical doctor and Blackhawk pilot; and Jonny Kim, a decorated Navy SEAL and emergency physician, who holds both a doctorate in medicine from Harvard and a mathematics degree. "When I heard about possibly being a NASA astronaut I thought that was a platform like no other where I could leave a huge impact on the next generation and also contribute to our nation's space exploration," Kim told reporters. Watkins praised what she called NASA's emphasis on diversity. "I think cultural and social change can be slow, even when it's trending in the right direction," she said. The CSA's newest astronauts are Joshua Kutryk, a Royal Canadian Air Force lieutenant colonel, and Jennifer Sidey-Gibbons who holds a doctorate in engineering from the University of Cambridge where she was working as an assistant professor in combustion in the Department of Engineering. Asked about the difficulties she faced in her career, Moghbeli said some had questioned her choices when she decided to join the military after graduating from MIT. "In a post-September 11 world, did my parents think I was crazy? Yes, I'm pretty sure they did," she said but added that her family then gave her their full support. "It's because of that that I'm here today, and I think everyone feels similarly, but -- that being said -- there will always be people out there that doubt. "When I was a sixth-grader and said I was going to become an astronaut, do you think everyone was like, 'Yep, she's going to become an astronaut'? Probably not."

Eyeing Moon, NASA hosts first public astronaut graduation ceremony

Boeing said Monday it carried out a successful test of its Starliner crew capsule that is supposed to take US astronauts to the International Space Station, even though one of three main parachutes designed to ease it back to earth failed to deploy.

The test took place in the New Mexico desert at the White Sands Missile Range and lasted around 95 seconds.

The Starliner was set on a small launch pad with four engines to simulate an emergency in which the capsule, attached to the top of a rocket,&nbsp;would need to quickly separate to bring the astronauts safely back to Earth.

Its four engines ignited and blasted the Starliner at full speed to the sky. After 20 seconds, only two of its three main parachutes deployed. The spacecraft gently drifted to the ground, landing on the desert floor cushioned by large airbags.

NASA said in a statement that two out of three parachutes "is acceptable for the test parameters and crew safety."

Boeing put out a statement saying there had been a "deployment anomaly, not a parachute failure." In the aerospace industry, an anomaly is the euphemism of choice for an incident, even if there has been a serious accident.

"It's too early to determine why all three main parachutes did not deploy," Boeing said.

In his first assessment, Starliner program manager John Mulholland said that "the test team and spacecraft performed flawlessly."

"Emergency scenario testing is very complex, and today our team validated that the spacecraft will keep our crew safe in the unlikely event of an abort."

Boeing is one of the companies, along with SpaceX, that NASA has chosen to build spacecraft to shuttle astronauts to the ISS.

Since the end of the US Space Shuttle program in 2011, only the Russians with their Soyuz system have had the capacity to travel from the Earth to the ISS.

Boeing is planning to launch an unmanned Starliner capsule on December 17 to the ISS, as SpaceX did with its Crew Dragon capsule in March.

The first missions carrying humans should take place in 2020, according to NASA, but this schedule depends on the success of several upcoming tests.

SpaceX, for example, has yet to finalize parachute tests of its capsule.

"We hope we never need to use this system, but in case we ever have any trouble aboard the beautiful Atlas V on the launchpad, we know, after today's test, that we'll be able to get off safely and then come back and try again a different day," said former NASA astronaut and Boeing test astronaut Mike Fincke.

"It's been a long time since we've launched out of the United States," added Fincke, speaking after the White Sands test.

"We really appreciate our friends in Russia for having the launch vehicle and the Soyuz. I flew on it twice. It's a great launch vehicle, great spacecraft, but it's time to have more options," he said.

Boeing said Monday it carried out a successful test of its Starliner crew capsule that is supposed to take US astronauts to the International Space Station, even though one of three main parachutes designed to ease it back to earth failed to deploy.

Boeing said Monday it carried out a successful test of its Starliner crew capsule that is supposed to take US astronauts to the International Space Station, even though one of three main parachutes designed to ease it back to earth failed to deploy. The test took place in the New Mexico desert at the White Sands Missile Range and lasted around 95 seconds. The Starliner was set on a small launch pad with four engines to simulate an emergency in which the capsule, attached to the top of a rocket, would need to quickly separate to bring the astronauts safely back to Earth. Its four engines ignited and blasted the Starliner at full speed to the sky. After 20 seconds, only two of its three main parachutes deployed. The spacecraft gently drifted to the ground, landing on the desert floor cushioned by large airbags. NASA said in a statement that two out of three parachutes "is acceptable for the test parameters and crew safety." Boeing put out a statement saying there had been a "deployment anomaly, not a parachute failure." In the aerospace industry, an anomaly is the euphemism of choice for an incident, even if there has been a serious accident. "It's too early to determine why all three main parachutes did not deploy," Boeing said. In his first assessment, Starliner program manager John Mulholland said that "the test team and spacecraft performed flawlessly." "Emergency scenario testing is very complex, and today our team validated that the spacecraft will keep our crew safe in the unlikely event of an abort." Boeing is one of the companies, along with SpaceX, that NASA has chosen to build spacecraft to shuttle astronauts to the ISS. Since the end of the US Space Shuttle program in 2011, only the Russians with their Soyuz system have had the capacity to travel from the Earth to the ISS. Boeing is planning to launch an unmanned Starliner capsule on December 17 to the ISS, as SpaceX did with its Crew Dragon capsule in March. The first missions carrying humans should take place in 2020, according to NASA, but this schedule depends on the success of several upcoming tests. SpaceX, for example, has yet to finalize parachute tests of its capsule. "We hope we never need to use this system, but in case we ever have any trouble aboard the beautiful Atlas V on the launchpad, we know, after today's test, that we'll be able to get off safely and then come back and try again a different day," said former NASA astronaut and Boeing test astronaut Mike Fincke. "It's been a long time since we've launched out of the United States," added Fincke, speaking after the White Sands test. "We really appreciate our friends in Russia for having the launch vehicle and the Soyuz. I flew on it twice. It's a great launch vehicle, great spacecraft, but it's time to have more options," he said.

Boeing tests space crew capsule, reports problem with parachute

US&nbsp;astronauts Christina Koch and Jessica Meir will make history on Friday when they conduct the first-ever all-female spacewalk to replace the power source on the International Space Station (ISS).

The pair will exit the ISS at 7:50 a.m. EDT (11:50 GMT) to fix the station’s faulty battery charge/discharge unit (BCDU) over a period of more than five hours.

An all-woman spacewalk was cancelled in March due to one woman's ill-fitting suit, leading to her replacement by a male colleague.

“Our achievements provide inspiration to students around the world, proving that hard work can lead you to great heights, and all students should be able to see themselves in those achievements,” a NASA spokeswoman said in an emailed statement.

The spacewalk will be broadcast in its entirety from 6:30 a.m. EDT (10:30 GMT) on National Aeronautics and Space Association (NASA) Television and on the agency's website.

Koch and Meir are replacing the BCDUs after they failed to provide increased power to the ISS, though this has not significantly impacted the crew or its mission.

According to NASA, BCDUs regulate the charge for batteries that draw energy from the station's solar collectors to provide power as the station orbits at night.

Koch, who is also set to complete the longest single spaceflight by a woman as she remains in orbit until February 2020, said gender milestones like the spacewalk were especially significant.

"There are a lot of people who derive motivation from inspiring stories from people who look like them, and I think that it’s an important aspect of the story to tell," she told a NASA briefing in Houston this month.

"What we’re doing now shows all the work in the decades prior from all the women that worked to get us where we are today,” Meir added.

Koch, who was slated for the earlier spacewalk, will be making her fourth walk and will become the 14th woman ever to walk in space. Friday will mark Meir's first spacewalk. The ISS has seen more than 200 spacewalks since 1998.

The March spacewalk was called off because astronaut Ann McClain needed a medium spacesuit but only a large was available. Due to safety issues with the fit, she did not participate.

"We must never accept a risk that can instead be mitigated," she said on Twitter after the event. "Safety of the crew and execution of the mission come first.”

At the time the cancellation drew widespread criticism, including from former US&nbsp;First Lady Hillary Clinton and global activism group March for Science.

Woman spacewalks date to July 1984 when Russian cosmonaut Svetlana Savitskaya became the first to do so. Russian cosmonaut Alexei Leonov conducted history's first spacewalk in 1965.

While Friday's event is a long time coming, NASA said it was not purposefully planned.

"It is something that was bound to happen eventually, and the increase in female astronauts in space for the past year is providing another window of opportunity,” its spokeswoman said.

US astronauts Christina Koch and Jessica Meir will make history on Friday when they conduct the first-ever all-female spacewalk to replace the power source on the International Space Station (ISS).

US astronauts Christina Koch and Jessica Meir will make history on Friday when they conduct the first-ever all-female spacewalk to replace the power source on the International Space Station (ISS). The pair will exit the ISS at 7:50 a.m. EDT (11:50 GMT) to fix the station’s faulty battery charge/discharge unit (BCDU) over a period of more than five hours. An all-woman spacewalk was cancelled in March due to one woman's ill-fitting suit, leading to her replacement by a male colleague. “Our achievements provide inspiration to students around the world, proving that hard work can lead you to great heights, and all students should be able to see themselves in those achievements,” a NASA spokeswoman said in an emailed statement. The spacewalk will be broadcast in its entirety from 6:30 a.m. EDT (10:30 GMT) on National Aeronautics and Space Association (NASA) Television and on the agency's website. Koch and Meir are replacing the BCDUs after they failed to provide increased power to the ISS, though this has not significantly impacted the crew or its mission. According to NASA, BCDUs regulate the charge for batteries that draw energy from the station's solar collectors to provide power as the station orbits at night. Koch, who is also set to complete the longest single spaceflight by a woman as she remains in orbit until February 2020, said gender milestones like the spacewalk were especially significant. "There are a lot of people who derive motivation from inspiring stories from people who look like them, and I think that it’s an important aspect of the story to tell," she told a NASA briefing in Houston this month. "What we’re doing now shows all the work in the decades prior from all the women that worked to get us where we are today,” Meir added. Koch, who was slated for the earlier spacewalk, will be making her fourth walk and will become the 14th woman ever to walk in space. Friday will mark Meir's first spacewalk. The ISS has seen more than 200 spacewalks since 1998. The March spacewalk was called off because astronaut Ann McClain needed a medium spacesuit but only a large was available. Due to safety issues with the fit, she did not participate. "We must never accept a risk that can instead be mitigated," she said on Twitter after the event. "Safety of the crew and execution of the mission come first.” At the time the cancellation drew widespread criticism, including from former US First Lady Hillary Clinton and global activism group March for Science. Woman spacewalks date to July 1984 when Russian cosmonaut Svetlana Savitskaya became the first to do so. Russian cosmonaut Alexei Leonov conducted history's first spacewalk in 1965. While Friday's event is a long time coming, NASA said it was not purposefully planned. "It is something that was bound to happen eventually, and the increase in female astronauts in space for the past year is providing another window of opportunity,” its spokeswoman said.

Historic all-female spacewalk set for Friday at International Space Station

SpaceX could launch US astronauts to the International Space Station as early as next year if tests on the company's long-delayed Crew Dragon capsule prove conclusive, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nasa-in-megadeal-with-lockheed-for-moon-missions-251628">NASA</a> Administrator Jim Bridenstine said Thursday.

Bridenstine made the announcement as he toured the California headquarters of billionaire <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/spacexs-mars-rocket-prototype-rattles-nerves-of-nearby-residents-in-texas-flight-test-246144">Elon Musk's SpaceX</a>, a major contractor for NASA.

The visit came as Bridenstine and Musk have been engaged in a public spat over the much-delayed building of the Crew Dragon spacecraft.

The capsule would provide the transportation for astronauts to the space station for the first time since America's space shuttle program ended in 2011.

Musk, who appeared at a news conference alongside Bridenstine and the two astronauts who are set to fly onboard the spacecraft, said he hoped to have the capsule delivered to NASA by the end of the year.

He stressed, however, that safety was paramount and the launch would be delayed without hesitation if any problems arise.

"If everything goes according to plan, it would be in the first quarter of next year," Bridenstine said of the launch. "But remember -- and this is the important thing that we have to get right on messaging -- there are still things that we can learn or could learn that could be challenging that we have to resolve.

"I'm not saying that's going to happen, I don't know. That's why we test."

Some of the technical challenges SpaceX is working on include concerns about the parachutes and the propulsion system.

"It's a pretty arduous engineering job to get the parachutes right," Musk said.

"Parachutes, they look easy but they are definitely not easy," he added. "We want to get at least something on the order of 10 successful tests in a row before launching astronauts."

Since retiring its space shuttle program, NASA has had to rely on Russia to ferry astronauts to and from the space station at a cost of $85 million a seat. It is now counting on SpaceX and Boeing to carry out that task.

SpaceX was founded in 2002 by Musk to help reduce space transportation costs -- and with an ultimate goal of helping colonize Mars. &nbsp;

The first manned flight to the space station was due to take place last year but SpaceX suffered a major setback in April when its Crew Dragon spacecraft exploded during testing, prompting delays and renewed tests.

"You know, honestly, if there's a test program and nothing happens in that test program, I would say that test program is insufficiently rigorous," Musk said Thursday.&nbsp;

"Space is hard," he added.

SpaceX could launch US astronauts to the International Space Station as early as next year if tests on the company's long-delayed Crew Dragon capsule prove conclusive, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said Thursday.

SpaceX could launch US astronauts to the International Space Station as early as next year if tests on the company's long-delayed Crew Dragon capsule prove conclusive, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said Thursday. Bridenstine made the announcement as he toured the California headquarters of billionaire Elon Musk's SpaceX, a major contractor for NASA. The visit came as Bridenstine and Musk have been engaged in a public spat over the much-delayed building of the Crew Dragon spacecraft. The capsule would provide the transportation for astronauts to the space station for the first time since America's space shuttle program ended in 2011. Musk, who appeared at a news conference alongside Bridenstine and the two astronauts who are set to fly onboard the spacecraft, said he hoped to have the capsule delivered to NASA by the end of the year. He stressed, however, that safety was paramount and the launch would be delayed without hesitation if any problems arise. "If everything goes according to plan, it would be in the first quarter of next year," Bridenstine said of the launch. "But remember -- and this is the important thing that we have to get right on messaging -- there are still things that we can learn or could learn that could be challenging that we have to resolve. "I'm not saying that's going to happen, I don't know. That's why we test." Some of the technical challenges SpaceX is working on include concerns about the parachutes and the propulsion system. "It's a pretty arduous engineering job to get the parachutes right," Musk said. "Parachutes, they look easy but they are definitely not easy," he added. "We want to get at least something on the order of 10 successful tests in a row before launching astronauts." Since retiring its space shuttle program, NASA has had to rely on Russia to ferry astronauts to and from the space station at a cost of $85 million a seat. It is now counting on SpaceX and Boeing to carry out that task. SpaceX was founded in 2002 by Musk to help reduce space transportation costs -- and with an ultimate goal of helping colonize Mars. The first manned flight to the space station was due to take place last year but SpaceX suffered a major setback in April when its Crew Dragon spacecraft exploded during testing, prompting delays and renewed tests. "You know, honestly, if there's a test program and nothing happens in that test program, I would say that test program is insufficiently rigorous," Musk said Thursday. "Space is hard," he added.

NASA, SpaceX hope for manned mission to International Space Station in early 2020

Brad Pitt traded laughs on Monday in a call to the International Space Station with a NASA astronaut, who somersaulted during the zero-gravity interview ahead of this week's release of the actor's new film, the space thriller "Ad Astra."

Brad Pitt to ISS astronaut: "Who is more believable Clooney or Pitt?"

An unmanned spacecraft carrying <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/russia-launches-humanoid-robot-fedor-to-assist-astronauts-on-international-space-station-245141">Russia's first humanoid robot</a> to be sent into orbit successfully docked at the International Space Station on Tuesday, following a failed attempt over the weekend.

"Contact confirmed, capture confirmed," a commentator on NASA TV said.

The lifesize robot named Fedor -- short for Final Experimental Demonstration Object Research -- copies human movements, a key skill that allows it to help carry out tasks remotely.

It blasted off Thursday in a Soyuz MS-14 spacecraft from a Russian spaceport in southern Kazakhstan and is due to stay on the ISS until September 7, learning to assist astronauts in the space station.

An aborted docking on Saturday had increased uncertainty over the future of Russia's space programme, which has suffered a number of recent setbacks.

NASA said Saturday the craft had been "unable to lock onto its target at the station," and had "backed a safe distance away from the orbital complex while the Russian flight controllers assess the next steps".

Russian flight controllers had told the ISS crew it appeared the problem that prevented automated docking was in the station and not the spacecraft, NASA added.

Soyuz ships are normally manned on such trips, but this time no humans were travelling in order to test a new emergency rescue system.

Fedor is not the first robot to go into space. In 2011, NASA sent up Robonaut 2, a humanoid developed with General Motors that had a similar aim of working in high-risk environments.

It was flown back to Earth in 2018 after experiencing technical problems.

In 2013, Japan sent up a small robot called Kirobo along with the ISS's first Japanese space commander. Developed with Toyota, it was able to hold conversations -- albeit only in Japanese.

The International Space Station has been orbiting Earth at about 28,000 kilometres per hour&nbsp;since 1998.

Last October, a Soyuz rocket carrying an American and a Russian had to make an emergency landing shortly after lift-off -- the first failure in the history of manned Russian flights.

An unmanned spacecraft carrying Russia's first humanoid robot to be sent into orbit successfully docked at the International Space Station on Tuesday, following a failed attempt over the weekend.

An unmanned spacecraft carrying Russia's first humanoid robot to be sent into orbit successfully docked at the International Space Station on Tuesday, following a failed attempt over the weekend. "Contact confirmed, capture confirmed," a commentator on NASA TV said. The lifesize robot named Fedor -- short for Final Experimental Demonstration Object Research -- copies human movements, a key skill that allows it to help carry out tasks remotely. It blasted off Thursday in a Soyuz MS-14 spacecraft from a Russian spaceport in southern Kazakhstan and is due to stay on the ISS until September 7, learning to assist astronauts in the space station. An aborted docking on Saturday had increased uncertainty over the future of Russia's space programme, which has suffered a number of recent setbacks. NASA said Saturday the craft had been "unable to lock onto its target at the station," and had "backed a safe distance away from the orbital complex while the Russian flight controllers assess the next steps". Russian flight controllers had told the ISS crew it appeared the problem that prevented automated docking was in the station and not the spacecraft, NASA added. Soyuz ships are normally manned on such trips, but this time no humans were travelling in order to test a new emergency rescue system. Fedor is not the first robot to go into space. In 2011, NASA sent up Robonaut 2, a humanoid developed with General Motors that had a similar aim of working in high-risk environments. It was flown back to Earth in 2018 after experiencing technical problems. In 2013, Japan sent up a small robot called Kirobo along with the ISS's first Japanese space commander. Developed with Toyota, it was able to hold conversations -- albeit only in Japanese. The International Space Station has been orbiting Earth at about 28,000 kilometres per hour since 1998. Last October, a Soyuz rocket carrying an American and a Russian had to make an emergency landing shortly after lift-off -- the first failure in the history of manned Russian flights.

Spacecraft carrying Russian humanoid robot docks at International Space Station

US space agency NASA is investigating what may be the first crime committed in outer space, The New York Times reported Saturday.

Astronaut Anne McClain is accused of identity theft and improperly accessing her estranged wife's private financial records while on a sixth-month mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS), the Times said.

The astronaut's spouse Summer Worden filed a complaint earlier this year with the Federal Trade Commission after learning McClain had accessed her bank account without permission, while Worden's family filed another with NASA's Office of Inspector General, according to the newspaper.

McClain's lawyer said the astronaut had done nothing wrong and accessed the bank records while aboard the ISS in order to monitor the couple's combined finances -- something she had done over the course of their relationship, the Times reported.

NASA investigators have contacted both women, according to the newspaper.

McClain, who returned to Earth in June, gained fame for being one of two women picked for a historic all-female spacewalk, but NASA scrapped the planned walk in March due to a lack of well-fitting spacesuits, sparking accusations of sexism.

Worden said the FTC has not responded to the identity theft report, but that an investigator specializing in criminal cases with NASA's Office of Inspector General has been looking into the accusation, according to the Times. 
&nbsp;

US space agency NASA is investigating what may be the first crime committed in outer space, The New York Times reported Saturday. Astronaut Anne McClain is accused of identity theft and improperly accessing her estranged wife's private financial records while on a sixth-month mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS), the Times said.

US space agency NASA is investigating what may be the first crime committed in outer space, The New York Times reported Saturday. Astronaut Anne McClain is accused of identity theft and improperly accessing her estranged wife's private financial records while on a sixth-month mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS), the Times said. The astronaut's spouse Summer Worden filed a complaint earlier this year with the Federal Trade Commission after learning McClain had accessed her bank account without permission, while Worden's family filed another with NASA's Office of Inspector General, according to the newspaper. McClain's lawyer said the astronaut had done nothing wrong and accessed the bank records while aboard the ISS in order to monitor the couple's combined finances -- something she had done over the course of their relationship, the Times reported. NASA investigators have contacted both women, according to the newspaper. McClain, who returned to Earth in June, gained fame for being one of two women picked for a historic all-female spacewalk, but NASA scrapped the planned walk in March due to a lack of well-fitting spacesuits, sparking accusations of sexism. Worden said the FTC has not responded to the identity theft report, but that an investigator specializing in criminal cases with NASA's Office of Inspector General has been looking into the accusation, according to the Times.

NASA investigating first crime committed in space: Report

Russia launches humanoid robot Fedor to assist astronauts on International Space Station

A SpaceX rocket successfully launched on Thursday (July 25) en route to the International Space Station with the company's Dragon spacecraft. According to NASA, it was a "great launch" with clear weather. The Dragon will dock at the International Space Station to deliver supplies. The docking is expected on Saturday (July 27). The supplies include scientific equipment and a new docking adapter.

Successful launch for SpaceX rocket en route to International Space Station for resupply mission

Two teams of astronauts met up on the International Space Station on Saturday. Three astronauts who've been there since March were joined by three others who took off from a Russian launch site earlier in the day.

Soyuz hatch opening, welcome at ISS

US, Italian and Russian astronauts blasted into space Saturday, headed for the International Space Station, in a launch coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon landing.

Alexander Skvortsov of the Russian space agency Roscosmos, NASA's Andrew Morgan and Luca Parmitano of the European Space Agency set off on a six-hour journey to the orbiting science lab from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 1628 GMT.

A NASA TV commentator hailed a "textbook launch" minutes after blastoff in "sweltering" weather in Baikonur, where daytime temperatures reached 43 degrees Celsius on Saturday.&nbsp;

The blast coincides with the date that NASA's Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed on the Moon in 1969, marking a defining moment in the so-called "space race" with the Soviet Union.&nbsp;

Of the trio launching from the Kazakh steppe, only 53-year-old Skvortsov had been born at the time of the Moon landing.

A veteran of two ISS missions, Skvortsov is the flight commander for the six-hour journey from Baikonur to the ISS.

Morgan, 43, is flying for the first time.&nbsp;

"The absolute hardest part: saying good-bye and watching them walk away," wrote the father-of-four in a Saturday tweet featuring a picture of his wife and children.

Parmitano's only previous stint at the ISS lasted 166 days and saw him become the first Italian to carry out a spacewalk.&nbsp;

"L-2 h 30 min: One more look at my planet… it’s time to climb aboard our rocket. Next stop @Space_Station," the Italian tweeted.&nbsp;

Skvortsov, Morgan and Parmitano all come from military backgrounds and posed together in uniform in the build up to the launch.&nbsp;

Speaking during a pre-launch press-conference on Friday Skvortsov joked that "two colonels will be taking orders from a colonel" when Parmitano becomes commander of the space station mid-way through his mission -- a reference to the military rank the three share.

The International Space Station -- a rare example of cooperation between Russia and the West -- has been orbiting Earth at about 28,000 kilometres per hour (17,000 miles per hour) since 1998.

US, Italian and Russian astronauts blasted into space Saturday, headed for the International Space Station, in a launch coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon landing.

US, Italian and Russian astronauts blasted into space Saturday, headed for the International Space Station, in a launch coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon landing. Alexander Skvortsov of the Russian space agency Roscosmos, NASA's Andrew Morgan and Luca Parmitano of the European Space Agency set off on a six-hour journey to the orbiting science lab from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 1628 GMT. A NASA TV commentator hailed a "textbook launch" minutes after blastoff in "sweltering" weather in Baikonur, where daytime temperatures reached 43 degrees Celsius on Saturday. The blast coincides with the date that NASA's Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed on the Moon in 1969, marking a defining moment in the so-called "space race" with the Soviet Union. Of the trio launching from the Kazakh steppe, only 53-year-old Skvortsov had been born at the time of the Moon landing. A veteran of two ISS missions, Skvortsov is the flight commander for the six-hour journey from Baikonur to the ISS. Morgan, 43, is flying for the first time. "The absolute hardest part: saying good-bye and watching them walk away," wrote the father-of-four in a Saturday tweet featuring a picture of his wife and children. Parmitano's only previous stint at the ISS lasted 166 days and saw him become the first Italian to carry out a spacewalk. "L-2 h 30 min: One more look at my planet… it’s time to climb aboard our rocket. Next stop @Space_Station," the Italian tweeted. Skvortsov, Morgan and Parmitano all come from military backgrounds and posed together in uniform in the build up to the launch. Speaking during a pre-launch press-conference on Friday Skvortsov joked that "two colonels will be taking orders from a colonel" when Parmitano becomes commander of the space station mid-way through his mission -- a reference to the military rank the three share. The International Space Station -- a rare example of cooperation between Russia and the West -- has been orbiting Earth at about 28,000 kilometres per hour (17,000 miles per hour) since 1998.

American, Italian, Russian blast off for International Space Station

&nbsp;

Russia has promised assistance to India for its ambitious Human Space Flight Programme 'Gaganyaan' aimed at sending Indian astronauts to space by 2022.

An official statement by New Delhi on Friday cited a meeting held between National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Director General of Russia's ROSCOSMOS and former Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin in Hyderabad House here on Thursday, where all aspects of space cooperation between the two countries were discussed.

"Senior representatives of ROSCOSMOS, GLAVCOSMOS, Energia, and Energomash were present from the Russian side, whereas Secretary, Space, Dr Sivan and the Director of the Human Space Flight Programme were present from the Indian side, besides other senior officials," the statement read.

The two sides discussed cooperation in futuristic technologies including new space systems, rocket engines, propellants and propulsion systems, spacecraft and launch vehicle technology.

In addition, the Russian side stated that they would like to see India participate in the International Space Station, and offered its full support for this purpose.

In consideration to New Delhi's priorities to the Make in India programme, the possibilities for the production of space systems in India were also discussed.

"Cooperation in space has emerged as a key area of cooperation in the high technology sector between India and Russia," the statement read.

"Today, there is a new respect for India's rapidly growing capabilities in outer space, and Russia sees India as a key partner for promoting peaceful uses of outer space."

&nbsp;

Russia has promised assistance to India for its ambitious Human Space Flight Programme 'Gaganyaan' aimed at sending Indian astronauts to space by 2022. An official statement by New Delhi on Friday cited a meeting held between National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Director General of Russia's ROSCOSMOS and former Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin in Hyderabad House here on Thursday, where all aspects of space cooperation between the two countries were discussed.

Russia has promised assistance to India for its ambitious Human Space Flight Programme 'Gaganyaan' aimed at sending Indian astronauts to space by 2022. An official statement by New Delhi on Friday cited a meeting held between National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Director General of Russia's ROSCOSMOS and former Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin in Hyderabad House here on Thursday, where all aspects of space cooperation between the two countries were discussed. "Senior representatives of ROSCOSMOS, GLAVCOSMOS, Energia, and Energomash were present from the Russian side, whereas Secretary, Space, Dr Sivan and the Director of the Human Space Flight Programme were present from the Indian side, besides other senior officials," the statement read. The two sides discussed cooperation in futuristic technologies including new space systems, rocket engines, propellants and propulsion systems, spacecraft and launch vehicle technology. In addition, the Russian side stated that they would like to see India participate in the International Space Station, and offered its full support for this purpose. In consideration to New Delhi's priorities to the Make in India programme, the possibilities for the production of space systems in India were also discussed. "Cooperation in space has emerged as a key area of cooperation in the high technology sector between India and Russia," the statement read. "Today, there is a new respect for India's rapidly growing capabilities in outer space, and Russia sees India as a key partner for promoting peaceful uses of outer space."

Russia promises assistance to India for its 'Gaganyaan' mission

Three crew members safely returned to Earth on Tuesday after spending more than six months aboard the International Space Station.

Behind the wheel, a year on: Saudi women savour new freedom

Three crew members safely returned to Earth on Tuesday after spending more than six months aboard the International Space Station. The Soyuz capsule with astronauts from Canada, United States, and a cosmonaut from Russia landed in the steppes of Kazakhstan at 8:47 a.m. (0247GMT), less than a minute ahead of the scheduled time, on Tuesday after a 3 ½ hour flight from the orbiting lab.

Three ISS crew members return safely to Earth

NASA said Friday it will open up the International Space Station to business ventures including space tourism -- with stays priced at $35,000 a night -- as it seeks to financially disengage from the orbiting research lab.

"NASA is opening the International Space Station to commercial opportunities and marketing these opportunities as we've never done before," NASA chief financial officer Jeff DeWit said in New York.

There will be up to two short private astronaut missions per year, said Robyn Gatens, deputy director of the ISS.

The missions will be for stays of up to 30 days. As many as a dozen private astronauts could visit the ISS per year, NASA said.

These travellers would be ferried to the orbiter exclusively by the two companies currently developing transport vehicles for NASA: SpaceX, with its Crew Dragon capsule, and Boeing, which is building one called Starliner.

These companies would choose the clients and bill for the trip to the ISS, which will be the most expensive part of the adventure: around $58 million for a round trip ticket.

That is the average rate the companies will bill NASA for taking the space adventurers up to the ISS.

But the tourists will also pay NASA for their stay in space, for food, water and use of the life support system on the orbiter.

That will run about $35,000 per night per astronaut, said DeWit.

The space station does not belong to NASA. It was built along with Russia starting in 1998, and other countries participate in the mission and send up astronauts.

But the US has paid for and controls most of the modules that make up the orbiter.

The new space tourists to the ISS will not be the first: US businessman Dennis Tito had that honour in 2001. He paid Russia around $20 million for the trip. 
 
&nbsp;

NASA said Friday it will open up the International Space Station to business ventures including space tourism -- with stays priced at $35,000 a night -- as it seeks to financially disengage from the orbiting research lab.

NASA said Friday it will open up the International Space Station to business ventures including space tourism -- with stays priced at $35,000 a night -- as it seeks to financially disengage from the orbiting research lab. "NASA is opening the International Space Station to commercial opportunities and marketing these opportunities as we've never done before," NASA chief financial officer Jeff DeWit said in New York. There will be up to two short private astronaut missions per year, said Robyn Gatens, deputy director of the ISS. The missions will be for stays of up to 30 days. As many as a dozen private astronauts could visit the ISS per year, NASA said. These travellers would be ferried to the orbiter exclusively by the two companies currently developing transport vehicles for NASA: SpaceX, with its Crew Dragon capsule, and Boeing, which is building one called Starliner. These companies would choose the clients and bill for the trip to the ISS, which will be the most expensive part of the adventure: around $58 million for a round trip ticket. That is the average rate the companies will bill NASA for taking the space adventurers up to the ISS. But the tourists will also pay NASA for their stay in space, for food, water and use of the life support system on the orbiter. That will run about $35,000 per night per astronaut, said DeWit. The space station does not belong to NASA. It was built along with Russia starting in 1998, and other countries participate in the mission and send up astronauts. But the US has paid for and controls most of the modules that make up the orbiter. The new space tourists to the ISS will not be the first: US businessman Dennis Tito had that honour in 2001. He paid Russia around $20 million for the trip.

NASA to open International Space Station to tourists from 2020

A NASA study of a US astronaut who spent a year in space while his twin brother remained on Earth is providing valuable insights into the effects of extended spaceflight on the human body, a key to planning a future manned mission to Mars, researchers said Thursday.

US astronaut Scott Kelly spent a year on the International Space Station while his identical twin Mark Kelly, also a former NASA astronaut, stayed on the ground.

The researchers who carried out the "NASA Twins Study" found that most of the changes to Scott's body during his time in space returned to normal within months of his return to Earth -- although not all of them.
<img alt="Former astronaut Scott Kelly (R) along with his twin brother, former astronaut Mark Kelly (L)." data-caption="Former astronaut Scott Kelly (R) along with his twin brother, former astronaut Mark Kelly (L). (Image courtesy: Reuters)" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a8035904-046a-4ac3-ab68-02b4604489cb" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%2843%29.jpg" />
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;[Former astronaut Scott Kelly (R) along with his twin brother, former astronaut Mark Kelly (L). (Image courtesy: Reuters)]

The findings, published in the journal Science, were encouraging to scientists and engineers envisioning interplanetary travel such as an eventual trip to Mars, a mission that could last two to three years.

"The Twins Study is the most comprehensive review of the response of the human body to spaceflight ever conducted," said Dr Susan Bailey of Colorado State University.

Dr Steven Platts, the deputy chief scientist of NASA's Human Research Program, said it will "guide future biomedical space research and allow us to have a safer journey to and from Mars."

Using Mark as a baseline, 84 researchers at 12 universities documented the molecular, cognitive and physiological effects of Scott's year in space.

Scott, a 50-year-old veteran of two US Space Shuttle missions, spent 340 consecutive days on the ISS -- from March 27, 2015 to March 1, 2016.

He was monitored pre-flight and post-flight and during his time on the ISS. Blood, urine and stool samples were sent back to Earth on resupply vessels.

At the same time, scientists monitored Mark -- a veteran himself of four Space Shuttle missions -- on Earth as what they called a "genetically matched ground control."

'Nauseous, dizzy'

Bailey said the uniqueness of using twins was because the scientists could "attribute any kind of differences that we saw in spaceflight to spaceflight.

"It wasn't because of any genetic differences," she said.

Dr Michael Snyder of Stanford University said there are "thousands of gene and molecular changes that occur as someone goes in space."

"Virtually all of those returned to normal (in Scott) by six months," Snyder said. "It's reassuring to know that when you come back things will largely be back to the same."

Scott Kelly said he was extremely fatigued after coming back from the ISS and attributed it mostly to the adaptation to gravity.

"I felt like I had the flu," he said.

"I was nauseous. I was dizzy," he said and suffered from joint and muscle pain and rashes.

Dr Stuart Lee of NASA's Johnson Space Center said measurements were taken of the thickness in both Scott and Mark of the carotid artery wall, which can be a predictor of cardiovascular disease or stroke risk.

"Our main findings in Scott were that the carotid artery wall became thicker early in the flight and remained so throughout the mission," Lee said.

Mark did not have any such thickening.

Thickening of the carotid artery wall has been observed in astronauts previously.

So has weight loss due to poorer nutrition in space and a lack of exercise.

Scott lost seven per cent of his body mass during his time on the ISS while Mark gained about four per cent during the course of the study.

In one test, both Scott and Mark were administered a flu vaccination. It delivered a similar immune response.

The twins also performed a battery of cognitive tests before, during and after the flight and found that Scott's cognitive performance declined post-flight in terms of speed and accuracy.

Telomere length

Chris Mason, a geneticist at Weill Cornell Medicine, looked at how the unique environment of space impacts genes.

"We catalogued basically what is the landscape of all these genes that have gone up and gone down at different stages during the mission," Mason said.

"We saw that the vast majority, over 90 per cent of all these changes, all returned back to baseline coming back to Earth," Mason said.

Some of the most interesting research was done by Bailey's team at Colorado State University which looked at telomeres, the ends of chromosomes that typically shorten as people get older.

Telomeres are considered a biomarker of ageing or health risks from cardiovascular disease or cancer.

Bailey's team evaluated Scott and Mark's telomere lengths before the flight and found that they were very similar.

What surprised her team was that Scott experienced a "specific elongation of telomeres" during his time on the ISS.

Bailey cautioned that the finding "can't really be viewed as the fountain of youth and that people might expect to live longer because they're in space."

She said there was a "very rapid decrease" in telomere length upon Scott's return to Earth and he also experienced some unexplained telomere loss.

Bailey said her team has not come up with a reason for the telomere lengthening but was looking at whether the higher radiation exposure in space, inflammation or stress may be responsible.

A NASA study of a US astronaut who spent a year in space while his twin brother remained on Earth is providing valuable insights into the effects of extended spaceflight on the human body, a key to planning a future manned mission to Mars, researchers said Thursday.

A NASA study of a US astronaut who spent a year in space while his twin brother remained on Earth is providing valuable insights into the effects of extended spaceflight on the human body, a key to planning a future manned mission to Mars, researchers said Thursday. US astronaut Scott Kelly spent a year on the International Space Station while his identical twin Mark Kelly, also a former NASA astronaut, stayed on the ground. The researchers who carried out the "NASA Twins Study" found that most of the changes to Scott's body during his time in space returned to normal within months of his return to Earth -- although not all of them. [Former astronaut Scott Kelly (R) along with his twin brother, former astronaut Mark Kelly (L). (Image courtesy: Reuters)] The findings, published in the journal Science, were encouraging to scientists and engineers envisioning interplanetary travel such as an eventual trip to Mars, a mission that could last two to three years. "The Twins Study is the most comprehensive review of the response of the human body to spaceflight ever conducted," said Dr Susan Bailey of Colorado State University. Dr Steven Platts, the deputy chief scientist of NASA's Human Research Program, said it will "guide future biomedical space research and allow us to have a safer journey to and from Mars." Using Mark as a baseline, 84 researchers at 12 universities documented the molecular, cognitive and physiological effects of Scott's year in space. Scott, a 50-year-old veteran of two US Space Shuttle missions, spent 340 consecutive days on the ISS -- from March 27, 2015 to March 1, 2016. He was monitored pre-flight and post-flight and during his time on the ISS. Blood, urine and stool samples were sent back to Earth on resupply vessels. At the same time, scientists monitored Mark -- a veteran himself of four Space Shuttle missions -- on Earth as what they called a "genetically matched ground control." 'Nauseous, dizzy' Bailey said the uniqueness of using twins was because the scientists could "attribute any kind of differences that we saw in spaceflight to spaceflight. "It wasn't because of any genetic differences," she said. Dr Michael Snyder of Stanford University said there are "thousands of gene and molecular changes that occur as someone goes in space." "Virtually all of those returned to normal (in Scott) by six months," Snyder said. "It's reassuring to know that when you come back things will largely be back to the same." Scott Kelly said he was extremely fatigued after coming back from the ISS and attributed it mostly to the adaptation to gravity. "I felt like I had the flu," he said. "I was nauseous. I was dizzy," he said and suffered from joint and muscle pain and rashes. Dr Stuart Lee of NASA's Johnson Space Center said measurements were taken of the thickness in both Scott and Mark of the carotid artery wall, which can be a predictor of cardiovascular disease or stroke risk. "Our main findings in Scott were that the carotid artery wall became thicker early in the flight and remained so throughout the mission," Lee said. Mark did not have any such thickening. Thickening of the carotid artery wall has been observed in astronauts previously. So has weight loss due to poorer nutrition in space and a lack of exercise. Scott lost seven per cent of his body mass during his time on the ISS while Mark gained about four per cent during the course of the study. In one test, both Scott and Mark were administered a flu vaccination. It delivered a similar immune response. The twins also performed a battery of cognitive tests before, during and after the flight and found that Scott's cognitive performance declined post-flight in terms of speed and accuracy. Telomere length Chris Mason, a geneticist at Weill Cornell Medicine, looked at how the unique environment of space impacts genes. "We catalogued basically what is the landscape of all these genes that have gone up and gone down at different stages during the mission," Mason said. "We saw that the vast majority, over 90 per cent of all these changes, all returned back to baseline coming back to Earth," Mason said. Some of the most interesting research was done by Bailey's team at Colorado State University which looked at telomeres, the ends of chromosomes that typically shorten as people get older. Telomeres are considered a biomarker of ageing or health risks from cardiovascular disease or cancer. Bailey's team evaluated Scott and Mark's telomere lengths before the flight and found that they were very similar. What surprised her team was that Scott experienced a "specific elongation of telomeres" during his time on the ISS. Bailey cautioned that the finding "can't really be viewed as the fountain of youth and that people might expect to live longer because they're in space." She said there was a "very rapid decrease" in telomere length upon Scott's return to Earth and he also experienced some unexplained telomere loss. Bailey said her team has not come up with a reason for the telomere lengthening but was looking at whether the higher radiation exposure in space, inflammation or stress may be responsible.

NASA's Twins Study, landmark research for an eventual Mars mission

A NASA study of a US astronaut who spent a year in space while his twin brother remained on Earth is providing valuable insights into the effects of extended spaceflight on the human body, a key to planning a future manned mission to Mars, researchers said Thursday.

US astronaut Scott Kelly spent a year on the International Space Station while his identical twin Mark Kelly, also a former NASA astronaut, stayed on the ground.

The researchers who carried out the "NASA Twins Study" found that most of the changes to Scott's body during his time in space returned to normal within months of his return to Earth -- although not all of them.
<img alt="Former astronaut Scott Kelly (R) along with his twin brother, former astronaut Mark Kelly (L)." data-caption="Former astronaut Scott Kelly (R) along with his twin brother, former astronaut Mark Kelly (L). (Image courtesy: Reuters)" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a8035904-046a-4ac3-ab68-02b4604489cb" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%2843%29.jpg" />
The findings, published in the journal Science, were encouraging to scientists and engineers envisioning interplanetary travel such as an eventual trip to Mars, a mission that could last two to three years.

"The Twins Study is the most comprehensive review of the response of the human body to spaceflight ever conducted," said Dr Susan Bailey of Colorado State University.

Dr Steven Platts, the deputy chief scientist of NASA's Human Research Program, said it will "guide future biomedical space research and allow us to have a safer journey to and from Mars."

Using Mark as a baseline, 84 researchers at 12 universities documented the molecular, cognitive and physiological effects of Scott's year in space.

Scott, a 50-year-old veteran of two US Space Shuttle missions, spent 340 consecutive days on the ISS -- from March 27, 2015 to March 1, 2016.

He was monitored pre-flight and post-flight and during his time on the ISS. Blood, urine and stool samples were sent back to Earth on resupply vessels.

At the same time, scientists monitored Mark -- a veteran himself of four Space Shuttle missions -- on Earth as what they called a "genetically matched ground control."

'Nauseous, dizzy'

Bailey said the uniqueness of using twins was because the scientists could "attribute any kind of differences that we saw in spaceflight to spaceflight.

"It wasn't because of any genetic differences," she said.

Dr Michael Snyder of Stanford University said there are "thousands of gene and molecular changes that occur as someone goes in space."

"Virtually all of those returned to normal (in Scott) by six months," Snyder said. "It's reassuring to know that when you come back things will largely be back to the same."

Scott Kelly said he was extremely fatigued after coming back from the ISS and attributed it mostly to the adaptation to gravity.

"I felt like I had the flu," he said.

"I was nauseous. I was dizzy," he said and suffered from joint and muscle pain and rashes.

Dr Stuart Lee of NASA's Johnson Space Center said measurements were taken of the thickness in both Scott and Mark of the carotid artery wall, which can be a predictor of cardiovascular disease or stroke risk.

"Our main findings in Scott were that the carotid artery wall became thicker early in the flight and remained so throughout the mission," Lee said.

Mark did not have any such thickening.

Thickening of the carotid artery wall has been observed in astronauts previously.

So has weight loss due to poorer nutrition in space and a lack of exercise.

Scott lost seven per cent of his body mass during his time on the ISS while Mark gained about four per cent during the course of the study.

In one test, both Scott and Mark were administered a flu vaccination. It delivered a similar immune response.

The twins also performed a battery of cognitive tests before, during and after the flight and found that Scott's cognitive performance declined post-flight in terms of speed and accuracy.

Telomere length

Chris Mason, a geneticist at Weill Cornell Medicine, looked at how the unique environment of space impacts genes.

"We catalogued basically what is the landscape of all these genes that have gone up and gone down at different stages during the mission," Mason said.

"We saw that the vast majority, over 90 per cent of all these changes, all returned back to baseline coming back to Earth," Mason said.

Some of the most interesting research was done by Bailey's team at Colorado State University which looked at telomeres, the ends of chromosomes that typically shorten as people get older.

Telomeres are considered a biomarker of ageing or health risks from cardiovascular disease or cancer.

Bailey's team evaluated Scott and Mark's telomere lengths before the flight and found that they were very similar.

What surprised her team was that Scott experienced a "specific elongation of telomeres" during his time on the ISS.

Bailey cautioned that the finding "can't really be viewed as the fountain of youth and that people might expect to live longer because they're in space."

She said there was a "very rapid decrease" in telomere length upon Scott's return to Earth and he also experienced some unexplained telomere loss.

Bailey said her team has not come up with a reason for the telomere lengthening but was looking at whether the higher radiation exposure in space, inflammation or stress may be responsible.

A NASA study of a US astronaut who spent a year in space while his twin brother remained on Earth is providing valuable insights into the effects of extended spaceflight on the human body, a key to planning a future manned mission to Mars, researchers said Thursday. US astronaut Scott Kelly spent a year on the International Space Station while his identical twin Mark Kelly, also a former NASA astronaut, stayed on the ground. The researchers who carried out the "NASA Twins Study" found that most of the changes to Scott's body during his time in space returned to normal within months of his return to Earth -- although not all of them. The findings, published in the journal Science, were encouraging to scientists and engineers envisioning interplanetary travel such as an eventual trip to Mars, a mission that could last two to three years. "The Twins Study is the most comprehensive review of the response of the human body to spaceflight ever conducted," said Dr Susan Bailey of Colorado State University. Dr Steven Platts, the deputy chief scientist of NASA's Human Research Program, said it will "guide future biomedical space research and allow us to have a safer journey to and from Mars." Using Mark as a baseline, 84 researchers at 12 universities documented the molecular, cognitive and physiological effects of Scott's year in space. Scott, a 50-year-old veteran of two US Space Shuttle missions, spent 340 consecutive days on the ISS -- from March 27, 2015 to March 1, 2016. He was monitored pre-flight and post-flight and during his time on the ISS. Blood, urine and stool samples were sent back to Earth on resupply vessels. At the same time, scientists monitored Mark -- a veteran himself of four Space Shuttle missions -- on Earth as what they called a "genetically matched ground control." 'Nauseous, dizzy' Bailey said the uniqueness of using twins was because the scientists could "attribute any kind of differences that we saw in spaceflight to spaceflight. "It wasn't because of any genetic differences," she said. Dr Michael Snyder of Stanford University said there are "thousands of gene and molecular changes that occur as someone goes in space." "Virtually all of those returned to normal (in Scott) by six months," Snyder said. "It's reassuring to know that when you come back things will largely be back to the same." Scott Kelly said he was extremely fatigued after coming back from the ISS and attributed it mostly to the adaptation to gravity. "I felt like I had the flu," he said. "I was nauseous. I was dizzy," he said and suffered from joint and muscle pain and rashes. Dr Stuart Lee of NASA's Johnson Space Center said measurements were taken of the thickness in both Scott and Mark of the carotid artery wall, which can be a predictor of cardiovascular disease or stroke risk. "Our main findings in Scott were that the carotid artery wall became thicker early in the flight and remained so throughout the mission," Lee said. Mark did not have any such thickening. Thickening of the carotid artery wall has been observed in astronauts previously. So has weight loss due to poorer nutrition in space and a lack of exercise. Scott lost seven per cent of his body mass during his time on the ISS while Mark gained about four per cent during the course of the study. In one test, both Scott and Mark were administered a flu vaccination. It delivered a similar immune response. The twins also performed a battery of cognitive tests before, during and after the flight and found that Scott's cognitive performance declined post-flight in terms of speed and accuracy. Telomere length Chris Mason, a geneticist at Weill Cornell Medicine, looked at how the unique environment of space impacts genes. "We catalogued basically what is the landscape of all these genes that have gone up and gone down at different stages during the mission," Mason said. "We saw that the vast majority, over 90 per cent of all these changes, all returned back to baseline coming back to Earth," Mason said. Some of the most interesting research was done by Bailey's team at Colorado State University which looked at telomeres, the ends of chromosomes that typically shorten as people get older. Telomeres are considered a biomarker of ageing or health risks from cardiovascular disease or cancer. Bailey's team evaluated Scott and Mark's telomere lengths before the flight and found that they were very similar. What surprised her team was that Scott experienced a "specific elongation of telomeres" during his time on the ISS. Bailey cautioned that the finding "can't really be viewed as the fountain of youth and that people might expect to live longer because they're in space." She said there was a "very rapid decrease" in telomere length upon Scott's return to Earth and he also experienced some unexplained telomere loss. Bailey said her team has not come up with a reason for the telomere lengthening but was looking at whether the higher radiation exposure in space, inflammation or stress may be responsible.

NASA's 'Twins Study,' landmark research for an eventual Mars mission

international-space-station

International Space Station, News on International Space Station, stories on International Space Station, articles on International Space Station, International Space Station stories at Wion, International Space Station news, International Space Station latest news

international space-station

Gravitas: A new space toilet for International Space Station

China building International Space Station, US should not cede space territory: NASA chief Jim Bridenstine to US lawmakers

International Space Station moved in orbit to avoid collision with space debris

American global aerospace company names spacecraft in honour of Kalpana Chawla

Bacteria can survive cosmic trip: International Space Station study

ISS crew switch cabins to look for source of small cabin air leak

'I am ready to come home': SpaceX Crew Dragon undocks from ISS to return to Earth

Astronaut shares picture of Hurricane Hanna from space leaving netizens in awe

Permitting entry of private players in space projects is new way to ensure efficiency

NASA offering $35,000 prize money for best 'lunar loo' design

Gravitas: SpaceX Space Station mission | New era in space exploration

Christina Koch, NASA astronaut to return to Earth today after record 328 days in space

Glimpse of NASA's private 'space home' unveiled

Glimpse of NASA's private 'space home' unveiled

Space-baked cookies are up for grabs after testing astronauts patience

Eyeing Moon, NASA hosts first public astronaut graduation ceremony

Boeing tests space crew capsule, reports problem with parachute

Historic all-female spacewalk set for Friday at International Space Station

NASA, SpaceX hope for manned mission to International Space Station in early 2020

Brad Pitt to ISS astronaut: "Who is more believable Clooney or Pitt?"

Spacecraft carrying Russian humanoid robot docks at International Space Station

NASA investigating first crime committed in space: Report

Russia launches humanoid robot Fedor to assist astronauts on International Space Station

Successful launch for SpaceX rocket en route to International Space Station for resupply mission