Nasa’s SpaceX Crew-10 astronauts returned to Earth on Saturday after living on the International Space Station for nearly five months as the mission’s Crew Dragon capsule, named Endurance, splashed down in the Pacific Ocean off the California coast at 8.33 am local time. “From the entire Crew-10, thank you,” radioed Anne McClain, NASA astronaut and Dragon commander, soon after splashdown. “It was truly the ride of a lifetime.”&nbsp;Nasa astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Takuya Onishi and Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov returned to Earth after the crew successfully undocked from the International Space Station (ISS) on Friday evening. McClain commanded Crew-10, Ayers was the pilot, and Onishi and Peskov were mission specialists.&nbsp;

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Crew10?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Crew10</a> Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov, left, <a href="https://twitter.com/NASA_Astronauts?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NASA_Astronauts</a> Nichole Ayers and Anne McClain, and JAXA astronaut Takuya Onishi, right, are seen inside their <a href="https://twitter.com/SpaceX?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SpaceX</a> Dragon spacecraft after splashing down off the coast of California. More photos: <a href="https://t.co/D2LbSnodfL">https://t.co/D2LbSnodfL</a> <a href="https://t.co/OlrJimFwfG">pic.twitter.com/OlrJimFwfG</a>&mdash; NASA HQ PHOTO (@nasahqphoto) <a href="https://twitter.com/nasahqphoto/status/1954227402323947625?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 9, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

&nbsp;&nbsp;Crew-10 was originally slated to leave the orbiting laboratory on Thursday. However, the event was postponed due to inclement weather conditions at the landing site. The journey from ISS to the landing site off the California coast on the gumdrop-shaped Dragon capsule took a total of 17.5 hours.&nbsp;The crew has made significant contributions to advancing scientific knowledge and technology demonstrations during its stay on the ISS and conducted hundreds of experiments spanning biology, material science, and human physiology, key research that supports future long-duration missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.“During their stay in space, the crew studied space-caused mental and physical changes in astronauts, blood flow from the brain to the heart, future lunar navigation techniques and more,” NASA officials wrote in a blog post.The mission underscores the reliability of commercial crew flights, with SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft continuing to play a pivotal role.&nbsp;

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">LIVE: Leaders from NASA and our partners provide updates on Crew-10 after the mission successfully splashed down off the coast of California earlier today. <a href="https://t.co/9D61dt2qXJ">https://t.co/9D61dt2qXJ</a> <a href="https://t.co/rvRQt1lAfZ">pic.twitter.com/rvRQt1lAfZ</a>&mdash; NASA (@NASA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NASA/status/1954226326057157036?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 9, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

The crew had launched to the ISS on March 14 in a routine mission, replacing the Crew-9 team, which included NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams, who remained on the station after arriving via Boeing’s Starliner capsule.

Crew-10 was originally slated to leave the orbiting laboratory on Thursday, but the departure was postponed due to inclement weather at the landing site. Crew-10 made a successful water landing off the California coast on Saturday, splashing down near San Diego in their SpaceX Dragon.

Nasa’s SpaceX Crew-10 astronauts returned to Earth on Saturday after living on the International Space Station for nearly five months as the mission’s Crew Dragon capsule, named Endurance, splashed down in the Pacific Ocean off the California coast at 8.33 am local time. “From the entire Crew-10, thank you,” radioed Anne McClain, NASA astronaut and Dragon commander, soon after splashdown. “It was truly the ride of a lifetime.” Nasa astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Takuya Onishi and Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov returned to Earth after the crew successfully undocked from the International Space Station (ISS) on Friday evening. McClain commanded Crew-10, Ayers was the pilot, and Onishi and Peskov were mission specialists.

Crew-10 was originally slated to leave the orbiting laboratory on Thursday, but the departure was postponed due to inclement weather at the landing site. Crew-10 made a successful water landing off the California coast on Saturday, splashing down near San Diego in their SpaceX Dragon.

Nasa’s SpaceX Crew-10 returns after nearly 5-month stay in space

A scientist wants to send a probe to a black hole, although he knows that his idea cannot be put into force right now since it is based on a technology that doesn't exist. He has come up with a plan to send a spacecraft right into the heart of a black hole to study these mysterious giants hogging our universe. It involves building the tiniest spaceship, no bigger than a paper clip, with lasers pushing it through space almost at the speed of light. Humans have not been able to build anything that can move at such speeds. Although Professor Cosimo Bambi, of Fudan University in Shanghai, is hopeful that this can be done in the future. He told Daily Mail that it is fully possible to develop this technology, all it needs is "time, money, and motivation." His ambitious project would come at a huge cost, as the lasers alone would require more than $1 trillion. He has published his proposal in the journal iScience, in which he argues that sending a spacecraft directly into the heart of a black hole could reveal secrets about the fabric of spacetime.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/baba-vanga-predicted-alien-contact-in-2025-interstellar-spaceship-comet-solar-system-1754538939635">Baba Vanga Predicted Alien Contact In 2025. Is Interstellar 'Mothership' Hurtling Towards Earth Them Reaching Out?</a><h2>Nanocraft can steer right through a black hole</h2>For the experiment, scientists need to identify a black hole located at a distance that can realistically be covered by a man-made spacecraft. For the probe itself, Bambi advocates building a nanocraft. As the name suggests, it would be much smaller than traditional spacecraft that burn fuel and are quite big to reach anywhere near the speed of light. The nanocraft would be nothing but a small chip stuck to a large sail, which would be blasted off from Earth with the help of lasers, with photons that will accelerate the craft to a third of the speed of light. The problems with his plan are plenty, but the biggest one is finding a black hole we can practically visit. He says that such a black hole should exist within 20-25 light-years from the Solar System. Travelling at that speed, the nanocraft will take 70-80 years to reach it, and about 20-25 years for the data to reach Earth.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/two-years-apart-supermassive-black-hole-seen-eating-the-same-unlucky-star-twice-1754133922155">Two years apart, supermassive black hole seen eating the same unlucky star twice</a><h2>Problems with finding a black hole close to Earth</h2>Another problem is the cost of the mission. He admits that, based on the current technology, it would cost one trillion GBP, "so it is definitely beyond the budget of any scientific experiment." However, he cites the trend of the past 20 years and the future economic environment to state that this amount would reduce to around $1 billion in 20-30 years. The total timeline from the launch to getting the data from it is 100 years. Considering that the nano technology needed doesn't even exist today, it cannot even be put into action until it becomes a reality. But everything still boils down to finding a black hole that is near us. "If the distance of the closest black hole exceeds 40-50 light years, I am afraid we have to give up," Bambi says. The closest black hole to Earth is Gaia-BH1, which is 1,560 light-years away.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/universe-biggest-black-hole-is-so-monstrous-that-it-can-fit-36-billion-suns-1754645711409">Universe's biggest black hole is so monstrous that it can fit 36 billion Suns</a>Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/james-webb-discovers-oldest-black-hole-in-the-universe-1754652420362">'A dead ringer': James Webb discovers universe's oldest black hole</a>&nbsp;Black holes are a cosmic mystery. All we know about them is that their gravitational force is the strongest one seen in the entire universe. No one knows what lies inside them. Bambi says if humans succeed in detecting a black hole closer home in the next 5-10 years, then the world should just go for it and send a probe deep inside. It will be the perfect laboratory to test Einstein's theory of general relativity.

A scientist from Shanghai wants to send a spacecraft into a black hole to learn what lies at the heart of it. But there are several hurdles to his plans, but he is still hopeful that humans can send a probe to a black hole in the coming years.  

A scientist wants to send a probe to a black hole, although he knows that his idea cannot be put into force right now since it is based on a technology that doesn't exist. He has come up with a plan to send a spacecraft right into the heart of a black hole to study these mysterious giants hogging our universe. It involves building the tiniest spaceship, no bigger than a paper clip, with lasers pushing it through space almost at the speed of light. Humans have not been able to build anything that can move at such speeds. Although Professor Cosimo Bambi, of Fudan University in Shanghai, is hopeful that this can be done in the future. He told Daily Mail that it is fully possible to develop this technology, all it needs is "time, money, and motivation." His ambitious project would come at a huge cost, as the lasers alone would require more than $1 trillion. He has published his proposal in the journal iScience, in which he argues that sending a spacecraft directly into the heart of a black hole could reveal secrets about the fabric of spacetime. Also Read: Baba Vanga Predicted Alien Contact In 2025. Is Interstellar 'Mothership' Hurtling Towards Earth Them Reaching Out? Nanocraft can steer right through a black hole For the experiment, scientists need to identify a black hole located at a distance that can realistically be covered by a man-made spacecraft. For the probe itself, Bambi advocates building a nanocraft. As the name suggests, it would be much smaller than traditional spacecraft that burn fuel and are quite big to reach anywhere near the speed of light. The nanocraft would be nothing but a small chip stuck to a large sail, which would be blasted off from Earth with the help of lasers, with photons that will accelerate the craft to a third of the speed of light. The problems with his plan are plenty, but the biggest one is finding a black hole we can practically visit. He says that such a black hole should exist within 20-25 light-years from the Solar System. Travelling at that speed, the nanocraft will take 70-80 years to reach it, and about 20-25 years for the data to reach Earth. Also Read: Two years apart, supermassive black hole seen eating the same unlucky star twice Problems with finding a black hole close to Earth Another problem is the cost of the mission. He admits that, based on the current technology, it would cost one trillion GBP, "so it is definitely beyond the budget of any scientific experiment." However, he cites the trend of the past 20 years and the future economic environment to state that this amount would reduce to around $1 billion in 20-30 years. The total timeline from the launch to getting the data from it is 100 years. Considering that the nano technology needed doesn't even exist today, it cannot even be put into action until it becomes a reality. But everything still boils down to finding a black hole that is near us. "If the distance of the closest black hole exceeds 40-50 light years, I am afraid we have to give up," Bambi says. The closest black hole to Earth is Gaia-BH1, which is 1,560 light-years away. Also Read: Universe's biggest black hole is so monstrous that it can fit 36 billion Suns Also Read: 'A dead ringer': James Webb discovers universe's oldest black hole Black holes are a cosmic mystery. All we know about them is that their gravitational force is the strongest one seen in the entire universe. No one knows what lies inside them. Bambi says if humans succeed in detecting a black hole closer home in the next 5-10 years, then the world should just go for it and send a probe deep inside. It will be the perfect laboratory to test Einstein's theory of general relativity.

A scientist from Shanghai wants to send a spacecraft into a black hole to learn what lies at the heart of it. But there are several hurdles to his plans, but he is still hopeful that humans can send a probe to a black hole in the coming years. &nbsp;

Black hole probe needs 100 years, $1 trillion and fictional technology. But there is an even bigger problem

Scientists have found the earliest black hole in the universe that existed just 500 million years after the Big Bang. The discovery was revealed in a new paper published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters. The ancient black hole was spotted by the James Webb Space Telescope in the distant galaxy CAPERS-LRD-z9, shrouded by gas. It is around 13.3 billion years old, when the universe was just three per cent of its current age. CAPERS-LRD-z9 is one of the “little red dot” galaxies that Webb captured in the first year of its launch. They looked very different from the galaxies Hubble was used to seeing. Steven Finkelstein, co-author of the new study and director of the Cosmic Frontier Center at the University of Texas at Austin, said in a statement, “The discovery of Little Red Dots was a major surprise from early JWST data, as they looked nothing like galaxies seen with the Hubble Space Telescope.”Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/two-years-apart-supermassive-black-hole-seen-eating-the-same-unlucky-star-twice-1754133922155">Two years apart, supermassive black hole seen eating the same unlucky star twice</a><h2>Galaxies born right after Big Bang</h2>These galaxies appeared as scarlet pinpricks in Webb's vision and had never been detected by any telescope before it. Their discovery changed the beliefs scientists had about the universe. NASA stated that if these shining objects were galaxies, then it would imply that some of them had grown really big, really fast and did not fit into the current theories. Finkelstein and his team compiled data on these little red dot galaxies and published their findings in January. It included all of them that existed in the first 1.5 billion years after the Big Bang. They wrote that these galaxies likely had supermassive black holes that were still growing. He then collaborated with a team led by Anthony Taylor, a postdoctoral researcher at the Cosmic Frontier Center.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/baba-vanga-predicted-alien-contact-in-2025-interstellar-spaceship-comet-solar-system-1754538939635">Baba Vanga Predicted Alien Contact In 2025. Is Interstellar 'Mothership' Hurtling Towards Earth Them Reaching Out?</a> &nbsp;They checked the spectroscopy data from Webb’s CAPERS (CANDELS-Area Prism Epoch of Reionization Survey) program. They noticed a distinct spectroscopic signature that is produced when black holes interact with gas clouds. As the gas rapidly swirls around and falls into a black hole, light from gas that is moving away from us stretches into redder wavelengths, while the one moving towards us has bluer wavelengths. Taylor says, “There aren’t many other things that create this signature." This one turned out to be the earliest such example.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/would-you-dare-to-take-a-400-year-one-way-trip-to-alpha-centauri-on-this-ship-1754642146307">Would you dare to take a 400‑year one‑way trip to Alpha Centauri on this ship?</a>Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/universe-biggest-black-hole-is-so-monstrous-that-it-can-fit-36-billion-suns-1754645711409">Universe's biggest black hole is so monstrous that it can fit 36 billion Suns</a><h2>Black holes and brightness from galaxies</h2>Their findings further cement the belief that supermassive black holes are the likely source of the brightness emitted by these galaxies. “We’ve seen these clouds in other galaxies,” Taylor said. “When we compared this object to those other sources, it was a dead ringer.” The oldest black hole discovered at the centre of this galaxy is up to 300 million times more massive than the Sun. "Finding a black hole of this size that existed so early on in the universe adds to growing evidence that early black holes grew much faster than we thought possible,” Finkelstein said.

The oldest black hole in the universe has been discovered in a distant galaxy, CAPERS-LRD-z9, shrouded by gas. It existed only 500 million years after the Big Bang occurred and is  300 million times more massive than the Sun.

Scientists have found the earliest black hole in the universe that existed just 500 million years after the Big Bang. The discovery was revealed in a new paper published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters. The ancient black hole was spotted by the James Webb Space Telescope in the distant galaxy CAPERS-LRD-z9, shrouded by gas. It is around 13.3 billion years old, when the universe was just three per cent of its current age. CAPERS-LRD-z9 is one of the “little red dot” galaxies that Webb captured in the first year of its launch. They looked very different from the galaxies Hubble was used to seeing. Steven Finkelstein, co-author of the new study and director of the Cosmic Frontier Center at the University of Texas at Austin, said in a statement, “The discovery of Little Red Dots was a major surprise from early JWST data, as they looked nothing like galaxies seen with the Hubble Space Telescope.” Also Read: Two years apart, supermassive black hole seen eating the same unlucky star twice Galaxies born right after Big Bang These galaxies appeared as scarlet pinpricks in Webb's vision and had never been detected by any telescope before it. Their discovery changed the beliefs scientists had about the universe. NASA stated that if these shining objects were galaxies, then it would imply that some of them had grown really big, really fast and did not fit into the current theories. Finkelstein and his team compiled data on these little red dot galaxies and published their findings in January. It included all of them that existed in the first 1.5 billion years after the Big Bang. They wrote that these galaxies likely had supermassive black holes that were still growing. He then collaborated with a team led by Anthony Taylor, a postdoctoral researcher at the Cosmic Frontier Center. Also Read: Baba Vanga Predicted Alien Contact In 2025. Is Interstellar 'Mothership' Hurtling Towards Earth Them Reaching Out? They checked the spectroscopy data from Webb’s CAPERS (CANDELS-Area Prism Epoch of Reionization Survey) program. They noticed a distinct spectroscopic signature that is produced when black holes interact with gas clouds. As the gas rapidly swirls around and falls into a black hole, light from gas that is moving away from us stretches into redder wavelengths, while the one moving towards us has bluer wavelengths. Taylor says, “There aren’t many other things that create this signature." This one turned out to be the earliest such example. Also Read: Would you dare to take a 400‑year one‑way trip to Alpha Centauri on this ship? Also Read: Universe's biggest black hole is so monstrous that it can fit 36 billion Suns Black holes and brightness from galaxies Their findings further cement the belief that supermassive black holes are the likely source of the brightness emitted by these galaxies. “We’ve seen these clouds in other galaxies,” Taylor said. “When we compared this object to those other sources, it was a dead ringer.” The oldest black hole discovered at the centre of this galaxy is up to 300 million times more massive than the Sun. "Finding a black hole of this size that existed so early on in the universe adds to growing evidence that early black holes grew much faster than we thought possible,” Finkelstein said.

The oldest black hole in the universe has been discovered in a distant galaxy, CAPERS-LRD-z9, shrouded by gas. It existed only 500 million years after the Big Bang occurred and is &nbsp;300 million times more massive than the Sun.

'A dead ringer': James Webb discovers universe's oldest black hole

While the Trump administration is putting a stop to various space endeavours, one of which it is seriously considering is building a nuclear reactor on the moon. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, who is also the interim NASA administrator, is reportedly set to announce plans for a nuclear reactor in space. According to a report by Politico, Duffy could reveal the details as soon as this week. Plans for a nuclear reactor on the Moon have been in the world for a long time. NASA had earlier funded research into a 40 kilowatt reactor for use on the moon, with the timeline for launch some time in the 2030s. However, Duffy making an official announcement would mean that it is no longer a background mission. In fact, the Trump administration has been serious about sending humans to space, even though it has announced a nearly 50 per cent cut for other science missions. It also means that Duffy is looking to play an active role in NASA, despite having another job, for which he has faced backlash. Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/exclusive-nasa-isro-nisar-satellite-can-survive-hits-from-tiny-space-rocks-1753855760850">Exclusive: NASA-ISRO NISAR satellite can survive hits from tiny space rocks</a><h2>NASA wants to launch its nuclear reactor in 2030</h2>NASA has been told to solicit industry proposals for a 100-kilowatt nuclear reactor that would be launched by 2030. A senior NASA official told the publication, “It is about winning the second space race." This is in reference to the space race that China is also pursuing and trying to reach not only the Moon but also Mars. Notably, China and Russia have joined hands to build an automated nuclear power station on the Moon by 2035. In the race to defeat Beijing and Moscow, the White House has proposed a budget that would increase human spaceflight funds for 2026. The nuclear reactor would fulfil energy needs when humans go to the Moon again. The plans include building a lunar base from which they could further launch towards Mars. Whichever country gets there first could hold the upper hand in all future missions. A directive sent to NASA states that whichever country builds a reactor first could "declare a keep-out zone which would significantly inhibit the United States." Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/insane-simulation-shows-fleet-of-nasa-choppers-dropping-down-on-mars-1753520954592">INSANE simulation shows fleet of NASA choppers dropping down on Mars</a>&nbsp;https://www.wionews.com/videos/nasa-to-lose-more-than-3-000-employees-in-the-backdrop-of-trump-s-federal-workforce-cuts-1753585145205/embed&nbsp;The year 2030 has been chosen for the launch of the nuclear station because China is aiming to land its first human on the Moon in the same year. Replacing the International Space Station (ISS) is another high-priority agenda for Duffy, who has directed officials to move quickly on it. The current space station is expected to retire before 2030. At least two companies will be chosen for it within six months of the proposal, which would be tasked with placing a new space station in orbit by 2030. China is the only other country to have a permanently crewed space station, called Tiangong. &nbsp;

NASA plans on having a nuclear reactor on the Moon in the early part of the next decade. Sean Duffy, who is also the interim NASA administrator, is expected to make an official announcement soon. Russia and China are aiming for the same by 2035. NASA is hoping to beat them. 

While the Trump administration is putting a stop to various space endeavours, one of which it is seriously considering is building a nuclear reactor on the moon. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, who is also the interim NASA administrator, is reportedly set to announce plans for a nuclear reactor in space. According to a report by Politico, Duffy could reveal the details as soon as this week. Plans for a nuclear reactor on the Moon have been in the world for a long time. NASA had earlier funded research into a 40 kilowatt reactor for use on the moon, with the timeline for launch some time in the 2030s. However, Duffy making an official announcement would mean that it is no longer a background mission. In fact, the Trump administration has been serious about sending humans to space, even though it has announced a nearly 50 per cent cut for other science missions. It also means that Duffy is looking to play an active role in NASA, despite having another job, for which he has faced backlash. Also Read: Exclusive: NASA-ISRO NISAR satellite can survive hits from tiny space rocks NASA wants to launch its nuclear reactor in 2030 NASA has been told to solicit industry proposals for a 100-kilowatt nuclear reactor that would be launched by 2030. A senior NASA official told the publication, “It is about winning the second space race." This is in reference to the space race that China is also pursuing and trying to reach not only the Moon but also Mars. Notably, China and Russia have joined hands to build an automated nuclear power station on the Moon by 2035. In the race to defeat Beijing and Moscow, the White House has proposed a budget that would increase human spaceflight funds for 2026. The nuclear reactor would fulfil energy needs when humans go to the Moon again. The plans include building a lunar base from which they could further launch towards Mars. Whichever country gets there first could hold the upper hand in all future missions. A directive sent to NASA states that whichever country builds a reactor first could "declare a keep-out zone which would significantly inhibit the United States." Also Read: INSANE simulation shows fleet of NASA choppers dropping down on Mars https://www.wionews.com/videos/nasa-to-lose-more-than-3-000-employees-in-the-backdrop-of-trump-s-federal-workforce-cuts-1753585145205/embed The year 2030 has been chosen for the launch of the nuclear station because China is aiming to land its first human on the Moon in the same year. Replacing the International Space Station (ISS) is another high-priority agenda for Duffy, who has directed officials to move quickly on it. The current space station is expected to retire before 2030. At least two companies will be chosen for it within six months of the proposal, which would be tasked with placing a new space station in orbit by 2030. China is the only other country to have a permanently crewed space station, called Tiangong.

NASA plans on having a nuclear reactor on the Moon in the early part of the next decade. Sean Duffy, who is also the interim NASA administrator, is expected to make an official announcement soon. Russia and China are aiming for the same by 2035. NASA is hoping to beat them.&nbsp;

Space War begins: NASA officially has a plan for a nuclear reactor on the Moon by the year...

For years and years, solar eclipses have fascinated people across cultures. In ancient times, they were often viewed as omens that shaped myths and legends. Today, they offer rare opportunities for scientific research, such as studying the Sun’s corona and testing astronomical theories. Because total eclipses are visible only along narrow paths and occur infrequently, enthusiasts often travel thousands of miles to witness them.<h2>Viral claim? Here's the truth</h2>A viral claim circulating on social media has caused confusion, claiming that the world will experience “total darkness” on August 2, 2025 due to a rare total solar eclipse. Some posts even falsely claim that such an event will not happen again for a hundred years. NASA and leading astronomers have debunked this claim. There is no total solar eclipse scheduled for that date. Instead, the confusion likely stems from mixing up different eclipse events — in particular, the much-anticipated total eclipse of August 2, 2027, which is already being called the “eclipse of the century.”&nbsp;A total eclipse plunging the entire world into darkness is scientifically impossible. Total eclipses can only be seen from specific locations within a narrow path on Earth’s surface. In 2025, there will be no such event on August 2. However, there will be a partial solar eclipse on September 21, 2025. During a partial eclipse, the Moon covers only part of the Sun, creating a crescent-shaped Sun but never full darkness. This September eclipse will be visible from parts of Africa, Europe, and southern Asia. Most of the world — including North and South America — will not see it at all.&nbsp;The rumour may have been sparked by confusion with the upcoming August 2, 2027 total solar eclipse — one of the most spectacular in modern history. Lasting 6 minutes and 23 seconds, it will be the longest total eclipse visible from land since 1991. For comparison, most total eclipses last only 2–4 minutes.&nbsp;Its path will be about 160 miles wide and stretch for 9,462 miles, passing through 11 countries: Spain, Gibraltar, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Somalia. Observers within this narrow band will witness day turning briefly into night, while those outside it will see only a partial eclipse — or none at all.<h2>What to expect from partial eclipse?</h2>While the September 21, 2025, partial eclipse won’t bring total darkness, it will still be an engaging sight for skywatchers. The Sun will appear as a bright crescent, and light levels may slightly dim. Temperatures could drop a little, adding to the experience.

Six minutes of darkness in the world Heres what NASA said on Solar Eclipse happening tomorrow

For years and years, solar eclipses have fascinated people across cultures. In ancient times, they were often viewed as omens that shaped myths and legends. Today, they offer rare opportunities for scientific research, such as studying the Sun’s corona and testing astronomical theories. Because total eclipses are visible only along narrow paths and occur infrequently, enthusiasts often travel thousands of miles to witness them. Viral claim? Here's the truth A viral claim circulating on social media has caused confusion, claiming that the world will experience “total darkness” on August 2, 2025 due to a rare total solar eclipse. Some posts even falsely claim that such an event will not happen again for a hundred years. NASA and leading astronomers have debunked this claim. There is no total solar eclipse scheduled for that date. Instead, the confusion likely stems from mixing up different eclipse events — in particular, the much-anticipated total eclipse of August 2, 2027, which is already being called the “eclipse of the century.” A total eclipse plunging the entire world into darkness is scientifically impossible. Total eclipses can only be seen from specific locations within a narrow path on Earth’s surface. In 2025, there will be no such event on August 2. However, there will be a partial solar eclipse on September 21, 2025. During a partial eclipse, the Moon covers only part of the Sun, creating a crescent-shaped Sun but never full darkness. This September eclipse will be visible from parts of Africa, Europe, and southern Asia. Most of the world — including North and South America — will not see it at all. The rumour may have been sparked by confusion with the upcoming August 2, 2027 total solar eclipse — one of the most spectacular in modern history. Lasting 6 minutes and 23 seconds, it will be the longest total eclipse visible from land since 1991. For comparison, most total eclipses last only 2–4 minutes. Its path will be about 160 miles wide and stretch for 9,462 miles, passing through 11 countries: Spain, Gibraltar, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Somalia. Observers within this narrow band will witness day turning briefly into night, while those outside it will see only a partial eclipse — or none at all. What to expect from partial eclipse? While the September 21, 2025, partial eclipse won’t bring total darkness, it will still be an engaging sight for skywatchers. The Sun will appear as a bright crescent, and light levels may slightly dim. Temperatures could drop a little, adding to the experience.

In a partial solar eclipse, the Moon only blocks part of the Sun’s disk. This creates a crescent-shaped Sun but does not cause complete darkness.

'Six minutes of darkness in the world'? Here's what NASA said on Solar Eclipse happening tomorrow

A hidden exoplanet named Kepler-139f was discovered by the NASA scientists in the Kepler-139 star system. The uncovered exoplanet is a massive “super-Earth,” roughly twice the mass of Neptune and significantly larger than Earth. These exoplanets existed for millions of years but were discovered by the NASA scientists in 2025 despite being enormous and having a strong gravitational pull.&nbsp;Kepler-139f is roughly twice as heavy as Neptune and is estimated to be 36 times the mass of Earth. This exoplanet takes around 355 Earth days to complete one orbit around a ‘G-type star,’ which is a parent star similar to our Sun, according to a report by Space.comAlso read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/isro-and-nasa-s-nisar-mission-will-lift-off-on-july-30-from-this-launchpad-1753543141381">ISRO and NASA’s NISAR mission will lift-off on July 30 from this launchpad!</a>&nbsp;Meanwhile, Kepler-139 f, also known as ‘Super-Earth,’ remained unnoticed for so long despite having a strong gravitational pull because of its orbital alignment. It was discovered by NASA’s Kepler Space Telescope using the transit method, which detects tiny dips in a star’s brightness as planets pass in front of it.&nbsp;However, the view of the Kepler was limited to a narrow field of vision, as planets revolving outside this “line of sight” are not visible until they are affected by nearby bodies in measurable ways.<h3>How are exoplanets discovered?</h3>The primary identification of a world by Kepler was frequently witnessed by observations from the ground. Using radial velocity (RV), astronomers could measure how much a planet tugged on its star, which allows them to determine the mass of the planet. Surprisingly, these measurements could also reveal new worlds, as they helped in the discovery of the outermost gas giant known as Kepler-139e.&nbsp;Meanwhile, every planet in the universe is attracted to other planets in the system, along with the star, regardless of whether it can be seen from Earth. These pulls might affect a planet's transits, which creates "transit timing variations" (TTVs), which can reveal worlds that don't cross the star.&nbsp;"When you observe TTVs that cannot be attributed to the known planets, you can be fairly confident that there is an unseen body in the system," Caleb Lammers, a researcher from Princeton University and co-author of the study, explained.&nbsp;Lammers and his colleague Joshua Winn, a participating scientist on the Kepler team and co-author of the study, looked for gaps in known systems. Later, the Kepler team used both RV and TTV measurements to search for a missing world and revisited existing TTVs based on the 2023 discovery of Kepler-139e.

Kepler-139 f is a Neptune-like exoplanet that orbits a G-type star. The mass of this planet is 36 times that of Earth, which takes 355 days to complete one orbit of its star. It was discovered by NASA scientists in 2025.

A hidden exoplanet named Kepler-139f was discovered by the NASA scientists in the Kepler-139 star system. The uncovered exoplanet is a massive “super-Earth,” roughly twice the mass of Neptune and significantly larger than Earth. These exoplanets existed for millions of years but were discovered by the NASA scientists in 2025 despite being enormous and having a strong gravitational pull. Kepler-139f is roughly twice as heavy as Neptune and is estimated to be 36 times the mass of Earth. This exoplanet takes around 355 Earth days to complete one orbit around a ‘G-type star,’ which is a parent star similar to our Sun, according to a report by Space.com Also read: ISRO and NASA’s NISAR mission will lift-off on July 30 from this launchpad! Meanwhile, Kepler-139 f, also known as ‘Super-Earth,’ remained unnoticed for so long despite having a strong gravitational pull because of its orbital alignment. It was discovered by NASA’s Kepler Space Telescope using the transit method, which detects tiny dips in a star’s brightness as planets pass in front of it. However, the view of the Kepler was limited to a narrow field of vision, as planets revolving outside this “line of sight” are not visible until they are affected by nearby bodies in measurable ways. How are exoplanets discovered? The primary identification of a world by Kepler was frequently witnessed by observations from the ground. Using radial velocity (RV), astronomers could measure how much a planet tugged on its star, which allows them to determine the mass of the planet. Surprisingly, these measurements could also reveal new worlds, as they helped in the discovery of the outermost gas giant known as Kepler-139e. Meanwhile, every planet in the universe is attracted to other planets in the system, along with the star, regardless of whether it can be seen from Earth. These pulls might affect a planet's transits, which creates "transit timing variations" (TTVs), which can reveal worlds that don't cross the star. "When you observe TTVs that cannot be attributed to the known planets, you can be fairly confident that there is an unseen body in the system," Caleb Lammers, a researcher from Princeton University and co-author of the study, explained. Lammers and his colleague Joshua Winn, a participating scientist on the Kepler team and co-author of the study, looked for gaps in known systems. Later, the Kepler team used both RV and TTV measurements to search for a missing world and revisited existing TTVs based on the 2023 discovery of Kepler-139e.

Kepler-139 f is a Neptune-like exoplanet that orbits a G-type star. The mass of this planet is 36 times that of Earth, which takes 355 days to complete one orbit of its star. It was discovered by NASA scientists in 2025.

Alien world found? Massive 'Super-Earth', 36 times earth's size discovered beyond our solar system—All you need to know

Nearly one in five NASA employees have applied to leave the premier space research agency in a development that is sending ripples through the organisation's structure. About 3,870 employees, more than 20 per cent, have applied to leave NASA through the Trump administration's deferred resignation programme. At the centre of this is the sweeping reform initiated by Elon Musk's brainchild, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).These resignations will shrink the workforce of NASA from 18000 to nearly 14,000, including the 500 left by normal attrition.&nbsp;<h2>DOGE’s Role: Central &amp; Controversial</h2>The deferred resignation programme was a buyout programme launched by the White House's Department of Government Efficiency. Established in January 2025 under the oversight of a billionaire and a close confidant of the US President Donald Trump to slash federal waste, modernise bureaucracy, and eliminate redundancies.In mid-February, DOGE audited NASA, its contracts and budgeting system. As a result, about 900 employees left the organisation in the first round, and 3000 more followed second round under the deferred resignation programme. A budget proposal issued in May by the White House saw NASA's funding cut by 25 per cent from $24 billion to $18 billion for the FY 25-26.&nbsp;Notably among the departing are 2,000 senior-level employees, including scientists, engineers, and managers, many essential to the ongoing missions. One Caltech research scientist, Dr. Jessie Christiansen, warned about “deep knowledge and expertise holes across all NASA centres,”“Safety remains a top priority for our agency as we balance the need to become a more streamlined and more efficient organisation and work to ensure we remain fully capable of pursuing a Golden Era of exploration and innovation, including to the Moon and Mars,” said NASA spokesperson Cheryl Warner.There is a crisis with NASA's top leadership; earlier, it was supposed to be the billionaire private astronaut Jared Isaacman, a friend of Elon Musk. But his nomination was cancelled just ahead of the Senate confirmation, and public fallout followed between Elon Musk and Trump. Now, Sean Duffy, the Transportation Secretary, is temporarily leading the premier research agency.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Nearly 3870 employees, including scientists, engineers, and managers, decided to leave the premier space research agency under the deferred resignation programme as part of the reform initiated by Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

Nearly one in five NASA employees have applied to leave the premier space research agency in a development that is sending ripples through the organisation's structure. About 3,870 employees, more than 20 per cent, have applied to leave NASA through the Trump administration's deferred resignation programme. At the centre of this is the sweeping reform initiated by Elon Musk's brainchild, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). These resignations will shrink the workforce of NASA from 18000 to nearly 14,000, including the 500 left by normal attrition. DOGE’s Role: Central & Controversial The deferred resignation programme was a buyout programme launched by the White House's Department of Government Efficiency. Established in January 2025 under the oversight of a billionaire and a close confidant of the US President Donald Trump to slash federal waste, modernise bureaucracy, and eliminate redundancies. In mid-February, DOGE audited NASA, its contracts and budgeting system. As a result, about 900 employees left the organisation in the first round, and 3000 more followed second round under the deferred resignation programme. A budget proposal issued in May by the White House saw NASA's funding cut by 25 per cent from $24 billion to $18 billion for the FY 25-26. Notably among the departing are 2,000 senior-level employees, including scientists, engineers, and managers, many essential to the ongoing missions. One Caltech research scientist, Dr. Jessie Christiansen, warned about “deep knowledge and expertise holes across all NASA centres,” “Safety remains a top priority for our agency as we balance the need to become a more streamlined and more efficient organisation and work to ensure we remain fully capable of pursuing a Golden Era of exploration and innovation, including to the Moon and Mars,” said NASA spokesperson Cheryl Warner. There is a crisis with NASA's top leadership; earlier, it was supposed to be the billionaire private astronaut Jared Isaacman, a friend of Elon Musk. But his nomination was cancelled just ahead of the Senate confirmation, and public fallout followed between Elon Musk and Trump. Now, Sean Duffy, the Transportation Secretary, is temporarily leading the premier research agency.

Nearly 3870 employees, including scientists, engineers, and managers, decided to leave the premier space research agency under the deferred resignation programme as part of the reform initiated by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

Devastating legacy of Musk led DOGE: More than 20% NASA employees quit

The NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) satellite, jointly built by the American and Indian space agencies, will be capturing an unprecedented amount of Earth-imaging data as it circles 747 kms above the Earth’s surface. “NISAR would be capturing 4.37 Terabytes (over 4,300 GB) of data per day,” Dr. Sanghamitra Dutta, NISAR Program Executive, NASA Headquarters, told WION’s Sidharth M.P. For context, an average consumer laptop comes with 512 GB of storage space. Therefore, NISAR would capture enough imagery to fill up at least eight laptops in a single day.&nbsp;&nbsp;Weighing nearly 2,400 kg, NISAR is meant to carry out high-resolution Earth imaging for at least three years. NISAR would generate a whopping 1569 Terabytes (over 1.5 million GB) of imaging data, considering its minimal operational life of three years. Over this period of three years, NISAR would generate enough data to fill up at least 2,900 laptops. The first-ever satellite to be built jointly by space agencies of India and the US, NISAR is meant to monitor Earth’s vital signs and help understand the impact of climate change and natural disasters, among others.&nbsp;If everything goes according to plan, the GLSV-F16 rocket carrying the NISAR satellite will lift off from the Indian Spaceport Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, at around 5:40 pm Indian time, on 30th July, Wednesday. ISRO has officially announced the launch date and time for the mission.&nbsp;<h2>24/7 Earth-monitoring for several years</h2>&nbsp;Typically, an Earth-imaging satellite would have to only capture images when passing over its area of interest or region of study. When not flying over the area of interest, the imaging equipment can be turned off and put to rest. That’s where NISAR stands out—its job is to capture earth imaging data round-the-clock over its operational life of more than three years. NASA says NISAR will be capable of mapping the Earth’s land and ice-covered surface twice in a period of twelve days. While NISAR is expected to have a minimum mission life of three years, it is likely to perform its duties for five years or longer. Satellite life depends on how much fuel it carries on board, the design life of its electronic components, and other technical parameters.&nbsp;NISAR is the first satellite mission to collect radar data in two microwave bandwidth regions, called the L-band and the S-band, to measure changes of our planet’s surface, including movements as small as a centimetre. This allows the mission to observe a wide range of Earth processes, from the flow rates of glaciers and ice sheets to the dynamics of earthquakes and volcanoes. NISAR will map the entire globe in 12 days.&nbsp;&nbsp;<h2>How scientists would manage such vast amount of data from NISAR</h2>&nbsp;Given how NISAR would generate over 4,300 GB of data daily, scientists face a major challenge in managing this vast trove of Earth-imaging information. Like all our gadgets, the Solid State Data recorder on the NISAR satellite has a limited capacity, which is why NASA and ISRO are working on quick methods to downlink the data (send the data from the satellite to Earth) as frequently as possible. Think of it like rapidly downloading all photos and videos from a camera’s memory card before deleting them to free up space for the next use.&nbsp;NASA’s Dr. Dutta says that NISAR could generate the highest-ever amount of data from a single-satellite mission. “There has never been so much data coming from a mission on a daily basis, and we have prepared the downlink stations (Earth-based stations that receive data from satellites) for such high data rates. This would also help NASA in getting ready for future missions, when there would be a much higher volume of data transfers.” Notably, all of NISAR’s data would be archived and shared with the science community.&nbsp;<h2>How a radar-imaging satellite works</h2>&nbsp;Conventional Earth-imaging satellites click detailed colour photos of Earth, very similar to what a high-end camera does. In comparison, a radar-imaging satellite works in a totally different manner. Instead of giving an optics-based picture (like a photograph), radar satellites constantly beam radar waves onto the Earth. The features on Earth’s surface (buildings, trees, mountains, water bodies, roads, and glaciers) reflect these radar waves back to the satellite. By collecting and processing the reflected radar waves, radar-imaging satellites deliver imagery during day and night, during all weather conditions.&nbsp;Typically, conventional satellites’ ability to deliver images is obstructed by clouds and weather-related phenomena. While conventional optical satellite images are in colour, radar satellite images are inherently black-and-white. However, these black-and-white radar satellite images can be processed to deliver false-colour images for analysis.&nbsp;<h2>Is NISAR a spy satellite?&nbsp;</h2>&nbsp;Synthetic Aperture Radar technology is widely used for military and strategic purposes, as it can delivery imagery during day and night conditions, even amid weather conditions that hinder traditional camera-based satellite imaging. During his time at the helm of ISRO, when asked if NISAR was a spy satellite, Dr. S. Somanath categorically stated, “NISAR is not a spy satellite.” He elaborated that the data generated by NISAR would be shared in a free and open manner with the entire scientific community. He said that it was purely a science mission and aimed at studying the Earth in high detail, which would help draw better conclusions on various phenomena that are affecting our planet.&nbsp;Dr. Datta from NASA highlighted that the first civilian SAR satellite in history, called SEASAT, was launched by NASA in 1978. SEASAT led to a series of NASA space shuttle-based radar missions and inspired the development of spaceborne SAR systems worldwide. She added that Japan and Europe also have SAR satellites for Earth-imaging purposes.&nbsp;&nbsp;All NISAR science data, L-band and S-band, will be freely available and open to the public, consistent with the long-standing NASA Earth Science open data policy. NASA has chosen the Alaska Satellite Facility Distributed Active Archive Center (DAAC) to host the mission’s data and products, said the American space agency.

The first-ever satellite to be built jointly by space agencies of India and the US, NISAR is meant to monitor Earth’s vital signs and help understand the impact of climate change and natural disasters, among others.

The NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) satellite, jointly built by the American and Indian space agencies, will be capturing an unprecedented amount of Earth-imaging data as it circles 747 kms above the Earth’s surface. “NISAR would be capturing 4.37 Terabytes (over 4,300 GB) of data per day,” Dr. Sanghamitra Dutta, NISAR Program Executive, NASA Headquarters, told WION’s Sidharth M.P. For context, an average consumer laptop comes with 512 GB of storage space. Therefore, NISAR would capture enough imagery to fill up at least eight laptops in a single day. Weighing nearly 2,400 kg, NISAR is meant to carry out high-resolution Earth imaging for at least three years. NISAR would generate a whopping 1569 Terabytes (over 1.5 million GB) of imaging data, considering its minimal operational life of three years. Over this period of three years, NISAR would generate enough data to fill up at least 2,900 laptops. The first-ever satellite to be built jointly by space agencies of India and the US, NISAR is meant to monitor Earth’s vital signs and help understand the impact of climate change and natural disasters, among others. If everything goes according to plan, the GLSV-F16 rocket carrying the NISAR satellite will lift off from the Indian Spaceport Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, at around 5:40 pm Indian time, on 30th July, Wednesday. ISRO has officially announced the launch date and time for the mission. 24/7 Earth-monitoring for several years Typically, an Earth-imaging satellite would have to only capture images when passing over its area of interest or region of study. When not flying over the area of interest, the imaging equipment can be turned off and put to rest. That’s where NISAR stands out—its job is to capture earth imaging data round-the-clock over its operational life of more than three years. NASA says NISAR will be capable of mapping the Earth’s land and ice-covered surface twice in a period of twelve days. While NISAR is expected to have a minimum mission life of three years, it is likely to perform its duties for five years or longer. Satellite life depends on how much fuel it carries on board, the design life of its electronic components, and other technical parameters. NISAR is the first satellite mission to collect radar data in two microwave bandwidth regions, called the L-band and the S-band, to measure changes of our planet’s surface, including movements as small as a centimetre. This allows the mission to observe a wide range of Earth processes, from the flow rates of glaciers and ice sheets to the dynamics of earthquakes and volcanoes. NISAR will map the entire globe in 12 days. How scientists would manage such vast amount of data from NISAR Given how NISAR would generate over 4,300 GB of data daily, scientists face a major challenge in managing this vast trove of Earth-imaging information. Like all our gadgets, the Solid State Data recorder on the NISAR satellite has a limited capacity, which is why NASA and ISRO are working on quick methods to downlink the data (send the data from the satellite to Earth) as frequently as possible. Think of it like rapidly downloading all photos and videos from a camera’s memory card before deleting them to free up space for the next use. NASA’s Dr. Dutta says that NISAR could generate the highest-ever amount of data from a single-satellite mission. “There has never been so much data coming from a mission on a daily basis, and we have prepared the downlink stations (Earth-based stations that receive data from satellites) for such high data rates. This would also help NASA in getting ready for future missions, when there would be a much higher volume of data transfers.” Notably, all of NISAR’s data would be archived and shared with the science community. How a radar-imaging satellite works Conventional Earth-imaging satellites click detailed colour photos of Earth, very similar to what a high-end camera does. In comparison, a radar-imaging satellite works in a totally different manner. Instead of giving an optics-based picture (like a photograph), radar satellites constantly beam radar waves onto the Earth. The features on Earth’s surface (buildings, trees, mountains, water bodies, roads, and glaciers) reflect these radar waves back to the satellite. By collecting and processing the reflected radar waves, radar-imaging satellites deliver imagery during day and night, during all weather conditions. Typically, conventional satellites’ ability to deliver images is obstructed by clouds and weather-related phenomena. While conventional optical satellite images are in colour, radar satellite images are inherently black-and-white. However, these black-and-white radar satellite images can be processed to deliver false-colour images for analysis. Is NISAR a spy satellite? Synthetic Aperture Radar technology is widely used for military and strategic purposes, as it can delivery imagery during day and night conditions, even amid weather conditions that hinder traditional camera-based satellite imaging. During his time at the helm of ISRO, when asked if NISAR was a spy satellite, Dr. S. Somanath categorically stated, “NISAR is not a spy satellite.” He elaborated that the data generated by NISAR would be shared in a free and open manner with the entire scientific community. He said that it was purely a science mission and aimed at studying the Earth in high detail, which would help draw better conclusions on various phenomena that are affecting our planet. Dr. Datta from NASA highlighted that the first civilian SAR satellite in history, called SEASAT, was launched by NASA in 1978. SEASAT led to a series of NASA space shuttle-based radar missions and inspired the development of spaceborne SAR systems worldwide. She added that Japan and Europe also have SAR satellites for Earth-imaging purposes. All NISAR science data, L-band and S-band, will be freely available and open to the public, consistent with the long-standing NASA Earth Science open data policy. NASA has chosen the Alaska Satellite Facility Distributed Active Archive Center (DAAC) to host the mission’s data and products, said the American space agency.

The first-ever satellite to be built jointly by space agencies of India and the US, NISAR is meant to monitor Earth’s vital signs and help understand the impact of climate change and natural disasters, among others.

Exclusive: NASA-ISRO satellite to capture 4,300 GB of Earth imagery daily

NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab is having a "going out of business sale" for its satellites, according to NASA Watch, a blog run by former NASA astrobiologist Keith Cowing. This comes amid the Trump administration's plans to cut funding to the space agency, thus hitting several projects related not only to other cosmic bodies, but also Earth. On sale are several Earth-monitoring satellites that studied the effects of climate change, the environment and predicted hurricanes. There are also some that are yet to be launched, such as the Geostationary Littoral Imaging and Monitoring Radiometer (GLIMR) instrument, The Byte reported. The sale, according to NASA Watch, is a way to raise funds for other projects. Cowing wrote that the Trump administration's 2026 budget request had asked for the satellites to be "shut down". Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/apollo-11-anniversary-conspiracy-theories-about-moon-landing-being-faked-swirl-once-again-1752748307052">Apollo 11 anniversary: Conspiracy theories about moon landing being faked swirl once again</a>&nbsp;<h2>NASA budget cuts</h2>NASA budget cuts angered several experts, who called it "an extinction-level event for space science and exploration". The Trump administration is planning to cut down NASA's science directorate budget by more than half. However, Cowing said that NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab isn't really hopeful of things changing and is going ahead with the shutdown of the satellites. He wrote that the lab is looking to offload the satellites to "government and private sector buyers", which would help it raise funds. The Byte asked Cowing for more details, to which he responded that he "posts what he knows", and things are still evolving. Meanwhile, his story drew unhappy reactions from the scientific community.&nbsp;Meanwhile, there were some who found humour in the post, especially Cowing's words - "going out of business sale". JPL senior engineer Luis Amaro wrote in a LinkedIn post, "We got to keep a sense of humor these days at JPL." Yusef Johnson, mission integration lead of NASA's Artemis IV mission, one of the major projects to take a hit from budget cuts, called out the people who voted for Trump, adding, "Snake oil still sells." Notably, these satellites provide crucial data about the environment and weather patterns, alerting about major changes and the corresponding events like hurricanes. Trump has often denied that climate change is real, and experts say that this non-serious attitude is responsible for shutting down several operations at NASA. &nbsp;

NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab is selling off some satellites as part of the ‘going out of business sale’, NASA Watch reported. The space agency's budget for the year 2026 is reportedly going to be cut down massively. This sale is apparently to raise funds.

NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab is having a "going out of business sale" for its satellites, according to NASA Watch, a blog run by former NASA astrobiologist Keith Cowing. This comes amid the Trump administration's plans to cut funding to the space agency, thus hitting several projects related not only to other cosmic bodies, but also Earth. On sale are several Earth-monitoring satellites that studied the effects of climate change, the environment and predicted hurricanes. There are also some that are yet to be launched, such as the Geostationary Littoral Imaging and Monitoring Radiometer (GLIMR) instrument, The Byte reported. The sale, according to NASA Watch, is a way to raise funds for other projects. Cowing wrote that the Trump administration's 2026 budget request had asked for the satellites to be "shut down". Also Read: Apollo 11 anniversary: Conspiracy theories about moon landing being faked swirl once again NASA budget cuts NASA budget cuts angered several experts, who called it "an extinction-level event for space science and exploration". The Trump administration is planning to cut down NASA's science directorate budget by more than half. However, Cowing said that NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab isn't really hopeful of things changing and is going ahead with the shutdown of the satellites. He wrote that the lab is looking to offload the satellites to "government and private sector buyers", which would help it raise funds. The Byte asked Cowing for more details, to which he responded that he "posts what he knows", and things are still evolving. Meanwhile, his story drew unhappy reactions from the scientific community. Meanwhile, there were some who found humour in the post, especially Cowing's words - "going out of business sale". JPL senior engineer Luis Amaro wrote in a LinkedIn post, "We got to keep a sense of humor these days at JPL." Yusef Johnson, mission integration lead of NASA's Artemis IV mission, one of the major projects to take a hit from budget cuts, called out the people who voted for Trump, adding, "Snake oil still sells." Notably, these satellites provide crucial data about the environment and weather patterns, alerting about major changes and the corresponding events like hurricanes. Trump has often denied that climate change is real, and experts say that this non-serious attitude is responsible for shutting down several operations at NASA.

NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab is selling off some satellites as part of the ‘going out of business sale’, NASA Watch reported. The space agency's budget for the year 2026 is reportedly going to be cut down massively. This sale is apprently to raise funds.

Satellites for sale: NASA JPL is looking to get rid of some satellites already in space

Apollo 11 took off for the Moon on July 16, 1969, and landed on July 20. Neil Armstrong became the first man to put a foot on the Moon. The world watched as NASA achieved the historic feat. However, ever since then, conspiracy theories have swirled that the landing was faked by the space agency. People point to the fact that humans have not been able to return to the Moon since the Apollo missions ended. If NASA has the technology to reach the Moon in five days with people on board, why hasn't it been able to do it again? As the 56th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission approaches, social media is once again abuzz with chatter that Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins never actually went to the Moon. People have dug up old interviews of Aldrin, where he seemingly admits that America never went to the Moon.&nbsp;The first interview was on the Conan O'Brien Show in 2000. The host talks about watching the astronauts land on the Moon as a young boy. Aldrin interjects, "No, you didn't. There wasn't any television, and there wasn't anyone taking a picture. You watched an animation." People have often raised doubts about the photos and videos of the Moon showing Armstrong and Aldrin walking on the lunar surface. The two spent two and a quarter hours on the lunar surface exploring Tranquillity Base, the site where they landed. They also brought back samples of lunar soil and spent a total of 21 hours, 36 minutes on the Moon.&nbsp;<h2>Animations of Apollo moon landing</h2>"You watched animation so you associated what you saw with… you heard me talking about, you know, how many feet we're going to the left and right and then I said contact light, engine stopped, a few other things and then Neil said 'Houston, tranquillity base," Aldrin told O'Brien. However, what Aldrin was really referring to here was the TV animations that television channels used while covering the story. NASA has maintained that the Apollo missions were real. It points to telemetry data, lunar rock samples, and the testimonies of thousands of engineers, scientists, and astronauts as proof of the mission’s authenticity.&nbsp;In another interview from 2015, a little girl asks Aldrin why no one has returned to the Moon. He responds, "Because we didn't go there, and that's the way it happened." However, this is also an edited clip and is cut off before Aldrin clarifies what he meant. The astronaut clarified that the reason why it didn't happen again was because government priorities had changed and there was lack of funding. The 1970s in the US witnessed political turmoil because of the Watergate scandal and the Pentagon Papers. There was growing mistrust among the public, and it spilt over to the Apollo mission as well.&nbsp; &nbsp;

Apollo 11 anniversary: Buzz Aldrin, the second man to land on the Moon, said some things which are now being used on social media to state that the landing was faked. People started raising doubts about the mission in the 70s.  

Apollo 11 took off for the Moon on July 16, 1969, and landed on July 20. Neil Armstrong became the first man to put a foot on the Moon. The world watched as NASA achieved the historic feat. However, ever since then, conspiracy theories have swirled that the landing was faked by the space agency. People point to the fact that humans have not been able to return to the Moon since the Apollo missions ended. If NASA has the technology to reach the Moon in five days with people on board, why hasn't it been able to do it again? As the 56th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission approaches, social media is once again abuzz with chatter that Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins never actually went to the Moon. People have dug up old interviews of Aldrin, where he seemingly admits that America never went to the Moon. The first interview was on the Conan O'Brien Show in 2000. The host talks about watching the astronauts land on the Moon as a young boy. Aldrin interjects, "No, you didn't. There wasn't any television, and there wasn't anyone taking a picture. You watched an animation." People have often raised doubts about the photos and videos of the Moon showing Armstrong and Aldrin walking on the lunar surface. The two spent two and a quarter hours on the lunar surface exploring Tranquillity Base, the site where they landed. They also brought back samples of lunar soil and spent a total of 21 hours, 36 minutes on the Moon. Animations of Apollo moon landing "You watched animation so you associated what you saw with… you heard me talking about, you know, how many feet we're going to the left and right and then I said contact light, engine stopped, a few other things and then Neil said 'Houston, tranquillity base," Aldrin told O'Brien. However, what Aldrin was really referring to here was the TV animations that television channels used while covering the story. NASA has maintained that the Apollo missions were real. It points to telemetry data, lunar rock samples, and the testimonies of thousands of engineers, scientists, and astronauts as proof of the mission’s authenticity. In another interview from 2015, a little girl asks Aldrin why no one has returned to the Moon. He responds, "Because we didn't go there, and that's the way it happened." However, this is also an edited clip and is cut off before Aldrin clarifies what he meant. The astronaut clarified that the reason why it didn't happen again was because government priorities had changed and there was lack of funding. The 1970s in the US witnessed political turmoil because of the Watergate scandal and the Pentagon Papers. There was growing mistrust among the public, and it spilt over to the Apollo mission as well.

Apollo 11 anniversary: Buzz Aldrin, the second man to land on the Moon, said some things which are now being used on social media to state that the landing was faked. People started raising doubts about the mission in the 70s. &nbsp;

Apollo 11 anniversary: Conspiracy theories about moon landing being faked swirl once again

This method mirrors the recent return of Sunita Williams aboard Boeing’s Starliner just weeks ago, although 41 years earlier, India’s first astronaut, Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma, had touched down on solid ground rather than at sea.

This method mirrors the recent return of Sunita Williams aboard Boeing’s Starliner just weeks ago, although 41 years earlier, India’s first astronaut, Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma, had touched down on solid ground rather than at sea.

Why astronauts trust the ocean? The science behind Shubhanshu Shukla’s splashdown

NASA have made several intriguing discoveries, including the presence of organic molecules on Mars and possible water ice on the Moon, but some discoveries are so bizarre, they have baffled many scientists. Here are some of the strange findings made by NASA.

NASA have made several intriguing discoveries, including the presence of organic molecules on Mars and possible water ice on the Moon, but some discoveries are so bizarre, they have baffled many scientists. Here are some of the strange findings made by NASA.

Unexplained doorways, mysterious faces: Strange things found by NASA on Mars that will blow your mind

Ever since the Soviet Union successfully launched an artificial satellite, Sputnik 1, into space on 4 October 1957, it has fascinated the other most powerful nations on Earth too. It has promoted financing expensive missions costing billions of dollars to unearth life beyond earth.

Ever since the Soviet Union successfully launched an artificial satellite, Sputnik 1, into space on 4 October 1957, it has fascinated the other most powerful nations on Earth too, resulting in financing expensive missions costing billions of dollars to unearth life beyond Earth.

From NASA to ISRO: Look at the 6 most expensive space missions ever

India's astronaut, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, and the Axiom-4 crew aboard the Dragon spacecraft splashed down in the Pacific Ocean on Tuesday, after an 18-day stay on the International Space Station (ISS). Shukla is the only Indian to have visited the space station. India's space agency, ISRO, said today that he performed several scientific experiments on the gigantic space facility. The body also revealed how much it spent to send the astronaut to space. Nilesh M Desai, Director, Space Applications Centre, ISRO, said that the mission will help India in executing its Gaganyaan programme.&nbsp;"This has been an unforgettable experience for him (Subhanshu Shukla). He carried out multiple experiments aboard the Space Shuttle and the International Space Station. After experiencing space and microgravity, he conducted several scientific tests. This mission has been a major learning opportunity for us. ISRO took up this mission to gather experience that will help us in our Gaganyaan programme," said Desai.&nbsp;He said that before sending an Indian astronaut aboard the Gaganyaan spacecraft, the space agency will send three unmanned flights.&nbsp;"As part of our programme, we will launch an unmanned mission this year, followed by two more unmanned flights. After that, an Indian astronaut will be sent into space onboard the Gaganyaan spacecraft. The astronaut will stay in space for two to seven days and return to Earth. The experience gained by Shubanshu Shukla during his time on the ISS will be extremely valuable for the Gaganyaan programme planned over the next two years," he said.&nbsp;Desai said Rs 600 crore was spent by India on the Axiom mission.&nbsp;"Around Rs 600 crore were spent on this mission, covering training for two astronauts and other space journey preparations. The insights gained after 15 days in space will help us enhance the success of the Gaganyaan mission," Desai mentioned.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/shubhanshu-shukla-axiom-4-return-how-does-space-impact-astronauts-health-1752550718263">Also read: Shubhanshu Shukla, Axiom-4 return: How does space impact astronauts' health?</a>&nbsp;He also emphasised the importance of India-US space cooperation and the pact signed between ISRO and NASA during Prime Minister Modi's US visit.&nbsp;"With the new information we have gathered, we can plan the Gaganyaan mission more effectively. This mission was done in collaboration with NASA and SpaceX. During the Indian Prime Minister's recent visit to the US, an agreement was signed between ISRO and NASA allowing one Indian astronaut to travel to the ISS under a US mission," he added.&nbsp;He said two astronauts were chosen and trained for several months. However, in the end, Shubhanshu Shukla got the chance to go to the space station.&nbsp;“Shubhanshu Shukla was accompanied by another astronaut, Prashant Nair, who was fully prepared to step in if needed. However, there was no requirement for that. Shukla was launched aboard the Dragonfly spacecraft using the Falcon launch vehicle from SpaceX on June 25. It docked with the International Space Station on June 26. Over 15 days, he conducted various scientific experiments, and today the spacecraft was undocked,” he added.

India's astronaut, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, and the Axiom-4 crew aboard the Dragon spacecraft splashed down in the Pacific Ocean on Tuesday, after an 18-day stay on the International Space Station (ISS). Shukla is the only Indian to have visited the space station.

India's astronaut, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, and the Axiom-4 crew aboard the Dragon spacecraft splashed down in the Pacific Ocean on Tuesday, after an 18-day stay on the International Space Station (ISS). Shukla is the only Indian to have visited the space station. India's space agency, ISRO, said today that he performed several scientific experiments on the gigantic space facility. The body also revealed how much it spent to send the astronaut to space. Nilesh M Desai, Director, Space Applications Centre, ISRO, said that the mission will help India in executing its Gaganyaan programme. "This has been an unforgettable experience for him (Subhanshu Shukla). He carried out multiple experiments aboard the Space Shuttle and the International Space Station. After experiencing space and microgravity, he conducted several scientific tests. This mission has been a major learning opportunity for us. ISRO took up this mission to gather experience that will help us in our Gaganyaan programme," said Desai. He said that before sending an Indian astronaut aboard the Gaganyaan spacecraft, the space agency will send three unmanned flights. "As part of our programme, we will launch an unmanned mission this year, followed by two more unmanned flights. After that, an Indian astronaut will be sent into space onboard the Gaganyaan spacecraft. The astronaut will stay in space for two to seven days and return to Earth. The experience gained by Shubanshu Shukla during his time on the ISS will be extremely valuable for the Gaganyaan programme planned over the next two years," he said. Desai said Rs 600 crore was spent by India on the Axiom mission. "Around Rs 600 crore were spent on this mission, covering training for two astronauts and other space journey preparations. The insights gained after 15 days in space will help us enhance the success of the Gaganyaan mission," Desai mentioned. Also read: Shubhanshu Shukla, Axiom-4 return: How does space impact astronauts' health? He also emphasised the importance of India-US space cooperation and the pact signed between ISRO and NASA during Prime Minister Modi's US visit. "With the new information we have gathered, we can plan the Gaganyaan mission more effectively. This mission was done in collaboration with NASA and SpaceX. During the Indian Prime Minister's recent visit to the US, an agreement was signed between ISRO and NASA allowing one Indian astronaut to travel to the ISS under a US mission," he added. He said two astronauts were chosen and trained for several months. However, in the end, Shubhanshu Shukla got the chance to go to the space station. “Shubhanshu Shukla was accompanied by another astronaut, Prashant Nair, who was fully prepared to step in if needed. However, there was no requirement for that. Shukla was launched aboard the Dragonfly spacecraft using the Falcon launch vehicle from SpaceX on June 25. It docked with the International Space Station on June 26. Over 15 days, he conducted various scientific experiments, and today the spacecraft was undocked,” he added.

Shubhanshu Shukla returns: ISRO said that the mission will help India in executing its Gaganyaan mission.&nbsp;

Shubhanshu Shukla returns: ISRO reveals its Axiom mission cost, Chandrayaan plan

After NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore's 8 days space journey turned into a 286-day ordeal following their spacecraft suffering propulsion failures, forcing National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to keep them aboard the International Space Station (ISS) until a safe return in 2025, everyone would be considering their journey as the longest time in space on a single mission of the all time. But, there are several astronauts whose number of days in space on a single mission is more than Sunita's.From record-holder Valeri Polyakov to Andrew Morgan, there are several astronauts who resisted gravity for a number of months. So, here is the list of the top 10 astronauts who spent the longest time in space on a single mission.Watch: Shubhanshu Shukla and Axiom crew to return to Earth<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/shubhanshu-shukla-and-axiom-crew-to-return-to-earth-1752484467578/embed">https://www.wionews.com/videos/shubhanshu-shukla-and-axiom-crew-to-return-to-earth-1752484467578/embed</a>&nbsp;<h3>1. Valeri Polyakov (437 days)</h3>The Russian cosmonaut secured the top post for spending the longest time in space, and holding the record for the longest single spaceflight. Polyakov remained 437 days aboard the Mir space station from January 8, 1994, to March 22, 1995. According to a report by the New Mexico Museum of Space History, he conducted 25 experiments on the effects of long-duration space travel, orbiting the Earth over 7,000 times before returning.<h3>2. Sergei Avdeyev (379 days)</h3>Sergei spent an impressive 379 days in space aboard the Mir space station between August 13, 1998, and August 28, 1999, during the Mir EO-17 and EO-18 missions. His stay was extended unexpectedly due to adjustments in another crew member’s schedule.<h3>3. Frank Rubio (371 days)</h3>NASA astronaut Frank Rubio set a new US spaceflight record by spending 371 consecutive days aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Originally planned as a six-month mission, but the duration was extended after a coolant leak on the Soyuz MS-22 spacecraft, which launched on September 21, 2022 and returned on September 27, 2023.<h3>4. Vladimir Titov and Musa Manarov (365 days)</h3>Musa Manarov and Vladimir Titov became the first humans to completely orbit around the sun while in space by spending 365 days, 22 hours, and 38 minutes in orbit from December 1987 to December 1988.<h3>5. Mark Vande Hei (355 days)</h3>He spent 355 days aboard the ISS, whose mission began on April 9, 2021, with Oleg Novitskiy and Pyotr Dubrov, and landed on Earth on March 30, 2022. He orbited Earth 5,680 times and travelled over 150 million miles during his mission. Amid the space mission, he also researched muscle loss and space farming, including growing chile peppers in microgravity.<h3>6. Scott Kelly and Mikhail Kornienko (340 days)</h3>Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko and NASA astronaut Scott Kelly completed a historic 340-day mission aboard the ISS in 2016. The “One-Year Mission” was launched on March 27, 2015, via Soyuz TMA-16M, focusing on human adaptation to space, conducting over 400 experiments on radiation, weightlessness, and isolation. Their findings in the 340 days of the space mission helped shape the plans of the NASA for Mars exploration.<h3>7. Christina Koch (328 days)</h3>Christina Koch, the NASA astronaut, spent her 328 days in space, began her space journey aboard Soyuz MS-12 on March 14, 2019, and completed on February 6, 2020, via Soyuz MS-13. She worked on cutting-edge research, including biological 3D printing and pharmaceutical studies, and finished six spacewalks, including the first all-female spacewalks, totalling 42 hours and 15 minutes.<h3>8. Peggy Whitson (289 days)</h3>Whitson spent 289 days aboard the ISS from November 17, 2016, to September 3, 2017, achieving the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman at the time. She also holds the record for the most cumulative days in space, with a total of 675 days across multiple missions.<h3>9. Sunita Williams and Barry “Butch” Wilmore (286 days)</h3>NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry Butch Wilmore completed an unplanned nine-month stay aboard the International Space Station (ISS), returning safely to Earth on Wednesday, March 19, 2025. Initially scheduled for a brief mission in June 2024, their trip was extended due to propulsion issues with their Boeing Starliner spacecraft. They ultimately made their return via the Crew-9 Dragon capsule, landing off the coast of Florida.<h3>10. Andrew Morgan (272 days)</h3>NASA astronaut Andrew Morgan spent a total of 272 days aboard the ISS, completing 4,352 orbits of Earth and travelling approximately 115 million miles. His mission involved significant scientific work across biology, Earth observation, and technological innovation. Morgan also carried out seven spacewalks, including crucial repairs on the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer, an instrument vital to dark matter studies.&nbsp;

This article highlights a list of the top 10 astronauts with their groundbreaking missions in space who have contributed significantly to our understanding of the universe, extraterrestrial activities, and have also paved the way for future deep-space exploration.
 

After NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore's 8 days space journey turned into a 286-day ordeal following their spacecraft suffering propulsion failures, forcing National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to keep them aboard the International Space Station (ISS) until a safe return in 2025, everyone would be considering their journey as the longest time in space on a single mission of the all time. But, there are several astronauts whose number of days in space on a single mission is more than Sunita's. From record-holder Valeri Polyakov to Andrew Morgan, there are several astronauts who resisted gravity for a number of months. So, here is the list of the top 10 astronauts who spent the longest time in space on a single mission. Watch: Shubhanshu Shukla and Axiom crew to return to Earth https://www.wionews.com/videos/shubhanshu-shukla-and-axiom-crew-to-return-to-earth-1752484467578/embed 1. Valeri Polyakov (437 days) The Russian cosmonaut secured the top post for spending the longest time in space, and holding the record for the longest single spaceflight. Polyakov remained 437 days aboard the Mir space station from January 8, 1994, to March 22, 1995. According to a report by the New Mexico Museum of Space History, he conducted 25 experiments on the effects of long-duration space travel, orbiting the Earth over 7,000 times before returning. 2. Sergei Avdeyev (379 days) Sergei spent an impressive 379 days in space aboard the Mir space station between August 13, 1998, and August 28, 1999, during the Mir EO-17 and EO-18 missions. His stay was extended unexpectedly due to adjustments in another crew member’s schedule. 3. Frank Rubio (371 days) NASA astronaut Frank Rubio set a new US spaceflight record by spending 371 consecutive days aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Originally planned as a six-month mission, but the duration was extended after a coolant leak on the Soyuz MS-22 spacecraft, which launched on September 21, 2022 and returned on September 27, 2023. 4. Vladimir Titov and Musa Manarov (365 days) Musa Manarov and Vladimir Titov became the first humans to completely orbit around the sun while in space by spending 365 days, 22 hours, and 38 minutes in orbit from December 1987 to December 1988. 5. Mark Vande Hei (355 days) He spent 355 days aboard the ISS, whose mission began on April 9, 2021, with Oleg Novitskiy and Pyotr Dubrov, and landed on Earth on March 30, 2022. He orbited Earth 5,680 times and travelled over 150 million miles during his mission. Amid the space mission, he also researched muscle loss and space farming, including growing chile peppers in microgravity. 6. Scott Kelly and Mikhail Kornienko (340 days) Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko and NASA astronaut Scott Kelly completed a historic 340-day mission aboard the ISS in 2016. The “One-Year Mission” was launched on March 27, 2015, via Soyuz TMA-16M, focusing on human adaptation to space, conducting over 400 experiments on radiation, weightlessness, and isolation. Their findings in the 340 days of the space mission helped shape the plans of the NASA for Mars exploration. 7. Christina Koch (328 days) Christina Koch, the NASA astronaut, spent her 328 days in space, began her space journey aboard Soyuz MS-12 on March 14, 2019, and completed on February 6, 2020, via Soyuz MS-13. She worked on cutting-edge research, including biological 3D printing and pharmaceutical studies, and finished six spacewalks, including the first all-female spacewalks, totalling 42 hours and 15 minutes. 8. Peggy Whitson (289 days) Whitson spent 289 days aboard the ISS from November 17, 2016, to September 3, 2017, achieving the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman at the time. She also holds the record for the most cumulative days in space, with a total of 675 days across multiple missions. 9. Sunita Williams and Barry “Butch” Wilmore (286 days) NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry Butch Wilmore completed an unplanned nine-month stay aboard the International Space Station (ISS), returning safely to Earth on Wednesday, March 19, 2025. Initially scheduled for a brief mission in June 2024, their trip was extended due to propulsion issues with their Boeing Starliner spacecraft. They ultimately made their return via the Crew-9 Dragon capsule, landing off the coast of Florida. 10. Andrew Morgan (272 days) NASA astronaut Andrew Morgan spent a total of 272 days aboard the ISS, completing 4,352 orbits of Earth and travelling approximately 115 million miles. His mission involved significant scientific work across biology, Earth observation, and technological innovation. Morgan also carried out seven spacewalks, including crucial repairs on the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer, an instrument vital to dark matter studies.

This article highlights a list of the top 10 astronauts with their groundbreaking missions in space who have contributed significantly to our understanding of the universe, extraterrestrial activities, and have also paved the way for future deep-space exploration. &nbsp;

Do you know who holds the real record for 'longest' space mission? Here's a list of top 10—Check details

NASA’s Parker Solar Probe has taken the closest images ever from the Sun, capturing eerie waves just 3.8 million miles from the solar surface. These photos show the Sun in a new light and can help scientists better understand the Sun’s influence across the solar system. The new images will also offer insights into events that affect Earth. The shots show solar wind flowing through our star's atmosphere. “Parker Solar Probe has once again transported us into the dynamic atmosphere of our closest star,” Nicky Fox, associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington, said. “We are witnessing where space weather threats to Earth begin, with our eyes, not just with models." He added that the latest data can help "improve our space weather predictions to ensure the safety of our astronauts and the protection of our technology here on Earth and throughout the solar system." Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/earth-is-unknowingly-sending-signals-to-alien-civilisations-200-light-years-away-1752059769260">Earth is unknowingly sending signals into space revealing our location to aliens</a> &nbsp;<h2>Watch the Parker Solar Probe video here</h2>

These photos were taken late last year when the Parker probe made its closest approach to the Sun on December 24, 2024. The probe brushed past the Sun’s outer atmosphere, called the corona. In doing so, it collected data with an array of scientific instruments, including the Wide-Field Imager for Solar Probe, or WISPR. Solar winds can be clearly seen in the photos, which are nothing but a constant stream of electrically charged particles released by the Sun that whip the entire solar system. The material and magnetic currents ejected by the Sun hit Earth and other planets. Here, they not only produce beautiful auroras, but a strong wave can affect power grids and disrupt communications. Scientists have been working to learn more about the solar winds, and looking directly at the point where the solar wind originates can offer a peek into how this happens in the Sun. Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/is-a-rogue-planet-roaming-in-the-solar-system-dwarf-planet-sedna-2076-1752223198472">Is a rogue exoplanet roaming in the solar system? The answer cannot be revealed before 2076</a>&nbsp;“In these images, we’re seeing the Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) basically piling up on top of one another,” said Angelos Vourlidas, the WISPR instrument scientist at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory. Vourlidas and his team are behind the design, construction and operation of the spacecraft. “We’re using this to figure out how the CMEs merge together, which can be important for space weather.” Coronal Mass Ejections can prove dangerous to several systems on Earth. Not only this, but they can also impact the astronauts in space. As NASA prepares to send humans to the Moon and beyond, it is important to know the hazards of CMEs and how to safeguard the astronauts. They can also speed up charged particles and mix magnetic fields, which can prove dangerous to astronauts and satellites. The telescopes in orbit and on Earth can also be impacted.&nbsp;

NASA has shared a video and photo of solar winds flowing through the Sun's corona from an extremely close distance. Coronal Mass Ejections impact Earth and other planets, and can prove dangerous to astronauts. Parker probe findings can heko understand Sun’s influence across the solar system.

NASA’s Parker Solar Probe has taken the closest images ever from the Sun, capturing eerie waves just 3.8 million miles from the solar surface. These photos show the Sun in a new light and can help scientists better understand the Sun’s influence across the solar system. The new images will also offer insights into events that affect Earth. The shots show solar wind flowing through our star's atmosphere. “Parker Solar Probe has once again transported us into the dynamic atmosphere of our closest star,” Nicky Fox, associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington, said. “We are witnessing where space weather threats to Earth begin, with our eyes, not just with models." He added that the latest data can help "improve our space weather predictions to ensure the safety of our astronauts and the protection of our technology here on Earth and throughout the solar system." Also Read: Earth is unknowingly sending signals into space revealing our location to aliens Watch the Parker Solar Probe video here

NASA has shared a video and photo of solar winds flowing through the Sun's corona from an extremely close distance. Coronal Mass Ejections impact Earth and other planets, and can prove dangerous to astronauts. Parker probe findings can heko understand Sun’s influence across the solar system.

NASA Parker probe captures solar winds flowing through Sun's corona in eerie video. Watch

Donald Trump's cost-cutting spree continues as his administration is preparing to let go of over 2,000 NASA staff members. According to reports, the layoffs include several senior members whose invaluable experience was a boon for the space agency. A total of 2,145 employees will reportedly be asked to go. This includes those in senior-level government ranks. The method of cutting them out would include early retirement, buyouts, and deferred resignations. Of the total number, 1,818 of these NASA staff members work in core mission areas like science and human space flight. All the others in the list are in support roles, such as information technology (IT). This has left several people questioning the Trump administration and how it would affect NASA in view of the upcoming space missions. Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/sound-of-the-big-bang-suggests-earth-is-inside-a-2-billion-light-year-wide-void-1752058450698">2-billion-light-year-wide cosmic void cocoons Earth and even the Milky Way</a>&nbsp;The Trump administration has already announced proposed budget cuts for 2026 for NASA, hitting dozens of science programs and missions. The one most likely to suffer would be the Artemis mission that plans to land humans on the Moon again after over 50 years. Earlier reports suggest that Trump plans on cutting a whopping 50 per cent of NASA's science budget. The Planetary Society feared at the time that this would mean massive layoffs, a fear that could soon come true. To avert a potential disaster, the group had supporters sign a letter which was sent to the White House, asking them not to go ahead with budget cuts. Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/earth-is-unknowingly-sending-signals-to-alien-civilisations-200-light-years-away-1752059769260">Earth is unknowingly sending signals into space revealing our location to aliens</a>&nbsp;<h2>‘Extinction-level event for NASA’</h2>It also turned to social media to save the day for NASA. The society wrote on X, "This would be nothing short of an extinction-level event for NASA's science and exploration, losing that much money, that fast, would force NASA to make so many terrible decisions." The video pointed out that if NASA's budget is cut, it would mean the cancellation of several missions to space. "You like missions to Venus? Too bad, they're gone. What about missions to Mars? Deep space? The sun? Earth? Anywhere? Active missions that are producing science right now? Too bad. Those are probably gone too."&nbsp;Former chiefs of NASA's science Mission Directorate warned last week that is NASA's budgets are cut, it could put China in the pole position in space missions. Seven of them also signed a joint letter calling out the White House's proposed 47 per cent budget cuts. The letter states, "The economics of these proposed cuts ignore a fundamental truth: investments in NASA science have been and are a powerful driver of the U.S. economy and technological leadership."

NASA could be forced to lay off over 2,000 people because of the budget cuts in 2026. Donald Trump isn't interested in funding the space agency and has already announced a massive pullback in terms of money for NASA, affecting several space missions.

Donald Trump's cost-cutting spree continues as his administration is preparing to let go of over 2,000 NASA staff members. According to reports, the layoffs include several senior members whose invaluable experience was a boon for the space agency. A total of 2,145 employees will reportedly be asked to go. This includes those in senior-level government ranks. The method of cutting them out would include early retirement, buyouts, and deferred resignations. Of the total number, 1,818 of these NASA staff members work in core mission areas like science and human space flight. All the others in the list are in support roles, such as information technology (IT). This has left several people questioning the Trump administration and how it would affect NASA in view of the upcoming space missions. Also Read: 2-billion-light-year-wide cosmic void cocoons Earth and even the Milky Way The Trump administration has already announced proposed budget cuts for 2026 for NASA, hitting dozens of science programs and missions. The one most likely to suffer would be the Artemis mission that plans to land humans on the Moon again after over 50 years. Earlier reports suggest that Trump plans on cutting a whopping 50 per cent of NASA's science budget. The Planetary Society feared at the time that this would mean massive layoffs, a fear that could soon come true. To avert a potential disaster, the group had supporters sign a letter which was sent to the White House, asking them not to go ahead with budget cuts. Also Read: Earth is unknowingly sending signals into space revealing our location to aliens ‘Extinction-level event for NASA’ It also turned to social media to save the day for NASA. The society wrote on X, "This would be nothing short of an extinction-level event for NASA's science and exploration, losing that much money, that fast, would force NASA to make so many terrible decisions." The video pointed out that if NASA's budget is cut, it would mean the cancellation of several missions to space. "You like missions to Venus? Too bad, they're gone. What about missions to Mars? Deep space? The sun? Earth? Anywhere? Active missions that are producing science right now? Too bad. Those are probably gone too." Former chiefs of NASA's science Mission Directorate warned last week that is NASA's budgets are cut, it could put China in the pole position in space missions. Seven of them also signed a joint letter calling out the White House's proposed 47 per cent budget cuts. The letter states, "The economics of these proposed cuts ignore a fundamental truth: investments in NASA science have been and are a powerful driver of the U.S. economy and technological leadership."

NASA could be forced to lay off over 2,000 people because of the budget cuts in 2026. Donald Trump isn't interested in funding the space agency and has already announced a massive pullback in terms of money for NASA, affecting several space missions.

NASA prepares for a crisis as over 2,000 employees could be let go of soon: Report

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday appointed Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy as the interim administrator of NASA. The announcement was made by Trump on his Truth Social platform, calling him "a fantastic leader of the ever more important Space Agency, even if only for a short period." This role has remained vacant since Trump withdrew the nomination of tech billionaire Jared Isaacman.The nomination of Jared Isaacman was withdrawn by Trump in May 2025, citing a review of his “prior associations.” Now, Sean Duffy, will take over the post that has been in the limelight following Trump's feud with billionaire Elon Musk, who backed Isaacman.<h3>Who is Sean Duffy?</h3>A former Republican congressman from Hayward, Wisconsin, Sean Duffy's background also includes being a lumberjack, athlete, reality TV star, prosecutor, and Fox News host. He holds a degree in marketing from St. Mary’s University and a J.D. degree from William Mitchell College of Law, according to a report on the website of the US Department of Transportation.His journey in television started when he was in his twenties with the MTV reality TV show, “The Real World”. He was also cast on the show: “Road Rules All Stars,” where he met his better half, 'Rachel Campos-Duffy'. They have been married for 25 years and are currently America’s first and longest-married reality TV couple with nine children together.Duffy was the District Attorney of Ashland County, Wisconsin, for ten years before serving in Congress. He won the election from the tea party wave in 2010. During his first candidacy for Congress, Duffy was considered an underdog. However, he managed to grab the attention of the entire state with his campaign ads. During the campaign, he told voters that he came from a “long line of lumberjacks” and would bring his axe to Washington.Duffy spent nearly nine years in the House of Representatives, where he served on the Financial Services Committee and chaired its subcommittee on insurance and housing. After stepping down from Congress in 2019, he joined Fox News as a contributor and became one of Donald Trump's most prominent supporters on cable TV, co-hosting the Fox Business show The Bottom Line with Dagen and Duffy.He is among several Fox figures tapped by Trump for key roles in his Cabinet, including Pete Hegseth, now serving as defence secretary. Duffy is a father of nine, with his youngest child born with a heart condition.This comes amid reports that the administration is preparing to reduce NASA’s senior workforce by over 2,100 through early retirements, buyouts, and postponed resignations, in line with Trump’s recent announcement. &nbsp;

After stepping down from Congress in 2019, he joined Fox News as a contributor and became one of Donald Trump's most prominent supporters on cable TV, co-hosting the Fox Business show The Bottom Line with Dagen and Duffy.

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday appointed Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy as the interim administrator of NASA. The announcement was made by Trump on his Truth Social platform, calling him "a fantastic leader of the ever more important Space Agency, even if only for a short period." This role has remained vacant since Trump withdrew the nomination of tech billionaire Jared Isaacman. The nomination of Jared Isaacman was withdrawn by Trump in May 2025, citing a review of his “prior associations.” Now, Sean Duffy, will take over the post that has been in the limelight following Trump's feud with billionaire Elon Musk, who backed Isaacman. Who is Sean Duffy? A former Republican congressman from Hayward, Wisconsin, Sean Duffy's background also includes being a lumberjack, athlete, reality TV star, prosecutor, and Fox News host. He holds a degree in marketing from St. Mary’s University and a J.D. degree from William Mitchell College of Law, according to a report on the website of the US Department of Transportation. His journey in television started when he was in his twenties with the MTV reality TV show, “The Real World”. He was also cast on the show: “Road Rules All Stars,” where he met his better half, 'Rachel Campos-Duffy'. They have been married for 25 years and are currently America’s first and longest-married reality TV couple with nine children together. Duffy was the District Attorney of Ashland County, Wisconsin, for ten years before serving in Congress. He won the election from the tea party wave in 2010. During his first candidacy for Congress, Duffy was considered an underdog. However, he managed to grab the attention of the entire state with his campaign ads. During the campaign, he told voters that he came from a “long line of lumberjacks” and would bring his axe to Washington. Duffy spent nearly nine years in the House of Representatives, where he served on the Financial Services Committee and chaired its subcommittee on insurance and housing. After stepping down from Congress in 2019, he joined Fox News as a contributor and became one of Donald Trump's most prominent supporters on cable TV, co-hosting the Fox Business show The Bottom Line with Dagen and Duffy. He is among several Fox figures tapped by Trump for key roles in his Cabinet, including Pete Hegseth, now serving as defence secretary. Duffy is a father of nine, with his youngest child born with a heart condition. This comes amid reports that the administration is preparing to reduce NASA’s senior workforce by over 2,100 through early retirements, buyouts, and postponed resignations, in line with Trump’s recent announcement.

After stepping down from Congress in 2019, he joined Fox News as a contributor and became one of Donald Trump's most prominent supporters on cable TV, co-hosting the Fox Business show The Bottom Line with Dagen and Duffy.

From reality TV to rocket science: Sean Duffy appointed as interim NASA administrator. Who is he?

Between the 1940s and 1960s, several animals made pioneering spaceflights, laying the groundwork for human exploration. 

Between the 1940s and 1960s, several animals made pioneering spaceflights, laying the groundwork for human exploration.&nbsp;

7 animals that went to space before humans, what did they teach us?

Scientists have discovered a "super-Earth" that can potentially support life. The exoplanet, if it can support life, can accommodate Earth's population and more, as it is nearly twice as big and is four times more massive than our blue planet. This super-Earth has been designated as TOI-1846 b and is estimated to be around 7.2 billion years old. It is located about 154 light-years away from our planet and has been discovered by a team of astronomers using NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS).<h2>All we know about super-earth TOI-1846 b</h2>The team of astronomers that discovered TOI-1846 b was led by Abderahmane Soubkiou of the Oukaimeden Observatory in Morocco. They have published their research on the arXiv preprint server. "We have validated TOI-1846 b using TESS and multicolour ground-based photometric data, high-resolution imaging, and spectroscopic observations," the researchers wrote in their paper.According to their findings, the exoplanet boasts a radius of around 1.792 Earth radii and is about 4.4 times more massive than our planet Earth. When compared to the Sun, this planet is only 40 per cent the size, while its mass is approximately 0.42 the solar mass. Just like Earth revolves around the Sun, this newly discovered super-Earth also orbits a host. However, its orbit is completed in 3.93 Earth days.<h2>Is TOI-1846 b habitable?</h2>According to the study, the planet's equilibrium temperature is around 568.1 K (or around 294.95). This is almost double the Earth's equilibrium temperature of 255 K, which means that the temperature may not be conducive to life. However, the planet, as per the research, is likely water-rich, which is a plus point for it being suitable for life. However, to accurately rule it as a habitable or non-habitable planet, scientists will first have to conduct radial velocity (RV) observations of TOI-1846 b to unveil the planet's composition. "These findings make TOI-1846 b well-suited for mass determination via RV observations. This could be possible with the MAROON-X instrument. (...) We find a TSM [transmission spectroscopy metric] of 47 for TOI-1846 b, which is below the 90 benchmark for small sub-Neptunes," wrote the paper's authors. &nbsp;

TOI-1846 b is estimated to be around 7.2 billion years old and is located about 154 light-years away from our planet and has been discovered by a team of astronomers using NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS).

Scientists have discovered a "super-Earth" that can potentially support life. The exoplanet, if it can support life, can accommodate Earth's population and more, as it is nearly twice as big and is four times more massive than our blue planet. This super-Earth has been designated as TOI-1846 b and is estimated to be around 7.2 billion years old. It is located about 154 light-years away from our planet and has been discovered by a team of astronomers using NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS). All we know about super-earth TOI-1846 b The team of astronomers that discovered TOI-1846 b was led by Abderahmane Soubkiou of the Oukaimeden Observatory in Morocco. They have published their research on the arXiv preprint server. "We have validated TOI-1846 b using TESS and multicolour ground-based photometric data, high-resolution imaging, and spectroscopic observations," the researchers wrote in their paper. According to their findings, the exoplanet boasts a radius of around 1.792 Earth radii and is about 4.4 times more massive than our planet Earth. When compared to the Sun, this planet is only 40 per cent the size, while its mass is approximately 0.42 the solar mass. Just like Earth revolves around the Sun, this newly discovered super-Earth also orbits a host. However, its orbit is completed in 3.93 Earth days. Is TOI-1846 b habitable? According to the study, the planet's equilibrium temperature is around 568.1 K (or around 294.95). This is almost double the Earth's equilibrium temperature of 255 K, which means that the temperature may not be conducive to life. However, the planet, as per the research, is likely water-rich, which is a plus point for it being suitable for life. However, to accurately rule it as a habitable or non-habitable planet, scientists will first have to conduct radial velocity (RV) observations of TOI-1846 b to unveil the planet's composition. "These findings make TOI-1846 b well-suited for mass determination via RV observations. This could be possible with the MAROON-X instrument. (...) We find a TSM [transmission spectroscopy metric] of 47 for TOI-1846 b, which is below the 90 benchmark for small sub-Neptunes," wrote the paper's authors.

TOI-1846 b is estimated to be around 7.2 billion years old and is located about 154 light-years away from our planet and has been discovered by a team of astronomers using NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS).

Scientists use NASA's TESS to discover ‘super-earth’ that could host billions—Is TOI-1846 b humanity's next home?

 To date, 636 people have travelled to space, with women comprising just over 11 per cent of that total. 

&nbsp;To date, 636 people have travelled to space, with women comprising just over 11 per cent of that total.&nbsp;

From NASA's Neil Armstrong to Rakesh Sharma: 7 legendary astronauts who redefined space exploration

How exactly do astronauts actually eat and defecate in microgravity? Here's a factual look at how these essential routines are managed hundreds of kilometres above Earth.

How exactly do astronauts actually eat and defecate in microgravity? Here's a factual look at how these essential routines are managed hundreds of kilometres above Earth.

How do astronauts eat and defecate in space? The science behind daily life on the ISS

With no access to resupply missions during extended stays, how astronauts access and recycle water has become a triumph of modern engineering, and a crucial step for future deep space missions.

With no access to resupply missions during extended stays, how astronauts access and recycle water has become a triumph of modern engineering, and a crucial step for future deep space missions.

Cleaner than bottled water? The science behind astronauts sipping purified urine in space

The planet, roughly the same size as Jupiter, lies extremely close to its host star, creating intense gravitational and magnetic interactions. It is living fast and may die young. 

The planet, roughly the same size as Jupiter, lies extremely close to its host star, creating intense gravitational and magnetic interactions. It is living fast and may die young.&nbsp;

Newly discovered planet completes one year in seven Earth days — and scientists say it’s on a death spiral

There are around 12,952 satellites currently orbiting Earth, according to the reports. These satellites are placed in different types of orbits such as Low Earth Orbit, Medium Earth Orbit and Geostationary Orbit. Here's a look at top ten countries with highest number of satellites in space.

There are around 12,952 satellites currently orbiting Earth, according to the reports. These satellites are placed in different types of orbits such as Low Earth Orbit, Medium Earth Orbit and Geostationary Orbit. Here's a look at top ten countries with highest number of satellites in space.

Top 10 countries with highest number of satellites in space (2025)

From Earth observation, lunar landers, to Mars missions, the world's leading space research agencies, NASA, ISRO, ESA, and private companies are gearing up for an ambitious and action-packed space exploration. Here are the top 10 space projects to expect in 2025 and beyond.

From Earth observation, lunar landers, to Mars missions, the world's leading space research agencies, NASA, ISRO, ESA, and private companies are gearing up for an ambitious and action-packed space exploration. Here are the top 10 space projects to expect in 2025 and beyond.&nbsp;

From NASA to ISRO: Who’s exploring what? Here are the top 10 space missions of 2025 and beyond

NASA has officially assigned astronaut Dr Anil Menon to his inaugural spaceflight mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Menon will serve as a flight engineer and a core member of Expedition 75. He is scheduled to launch in June 2026 on the Roscosmos Soyuz MS-29 spacecraft, accompanied by Russian cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov and Anna Kikina. Menon will be the first Indian‑American NASA astronaut to follow directly after Sunita Williams since her last flight. The mission will lift off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, with the crew expected to live and work on the station for approximately eight months.&nbsp;During the expedition, Menon will contribute to a broad range of scientific investigations and technology demonstrations. These activities are designed to advance human understanding of spaceflight, improve life on Earth, and support NASA’s ambitions for long-duration missions to the Moon and Mars. Menon was selected as a NASA astronaut in 2021 and completed his training as part of NASA’s 23rd astronaut class in 2024. Following his graduation, he began preparations for his first spaceflight assignment, including technical briefings, mission simulations, and physical conditioning for long-duration space travel.<h3>Who Is Anil Menon?</h3>Dr Anil Menon is a physician, mechanical engineer, and colonel in the United States Space Force. He was born and raised in Minneapolis, Minnesota, to Indian and Ukrainian immigrant parents. Menon holds a unique combination of academic, medical, and aerospace experience that distinguishes him within the NASA astronaut corps.He earned a bachelor’s degree in neurobiology from Harvard University, followed by a master’s degree in mechanical engineering and a Doctor of Medicine (MD) from Stanford University. He went on to complete residencies in both emergency medicine and aerospace medicine at Stanford University and the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston.&nbsp;Before becoming an astronaut, Menon made significant contributions to both the medical and aerospace communities. He served as SpaceX’s first flight surgeon, where he helped oversee the historic NASA-SpaceX Demo-2 mission — the first crewed flight of the Dragon spacecraft. He played a central role in establishing SpaceX’s human spaceflight medical program and supported NASA and SpaceX missions as a crew flight surgeon. Despite his demanding schedule, Menon continues to practice emergency medicine at Memorial Hermann’s Texas Medical Center and teaches residents in the University of Texas medical residency program, further demonstrating his commitment to both medicine and mentorship.&nbsp;Menon’s assignment to Expedition 75 underscores NASA’s continued investment in international collaboration and the development of the next generation of explorers. His journey to the ISS will support crucial research that underpins future missions under NASA’s Artemis campaign and its long-term goal of human exploration of Mars. As the International Space Station marks nearly a quarter-century of continuous human presence in space, Menon’s upcoming mission reflects both the enduring legacy of space exploration and its promising future.

Anil Menon, an Indian-American astronaut with NASA, has been assigned to his first space mission and will serve as a flight engineer on Expedition 75 aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The mission is scheduled to launch in June 2026 on Russia’s Soyuz MS-29 spacecraft.

NASA has officially assigned astronaut Dr Anil Menon to his inaugural spaceflight mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Menon will serve as a flight engineer and a core member of Expedition 75. He is scheduled to launch in June 2026 on the Roscosmos Soyuz MS-29 spacecraft, accompanied by Russian cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov and Anna Kikina. Menon will be the first Indian‑American NASA astronaut to follow directly after Sunita Williams since her last flight. The mission will lift off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, with the crew expected to live and work on the station for approximately eight months. During the expedition, Menon will contribute to a broad range of scientific investigations and technology demonstrations. These activities are designed to advance human understanding of spaceflight, improve life on Earth, and support NASA’s ambitions for long-duration missions to the Moon and Mars. Menon was selected as a NASA astronaut in 2021 and completed his training as part of NASA’s 23rd astronaut class in 2024. Following his graduation, he began preparations for his first spaceflight assignment, including technical briefings, mission simulations, and physical conditioning for long-duration space travel. Who Is Anil Menon? Dr Anil Menon is a physician, mechanical engineer, and colonel in the United States Space Force. He was born and raised in Minneapolis, Minnesota, to Indian and Ukrainian immigrant parents. Menon holds a unique combination of academic, medical, and aerospace experience that distinguishes him within the NASA astronaut corps.He earned a bachelor’s degree in neurobiology from Harvard University, followed by a master’s degree in mechanical engineering and a Doctor of Medicine (MD) from Stanford University. He went on to complete residencies in both emergency medicine and aerospace medicine at Stanford University and the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston. Before becoming an astronaut, Menon made significant contributions to both the medical and aerospace communities. He served as SpaceX’s first flight surgeon, where he helped oversee the historic NASA-SpaceX Demo-2 mission — the first crewed flight of the Dragon spacecraft. He played a central role in establishing SpaceX’s human spaceflight medical program and supported NASA and SpaceX missions as a crew flight surgeon. Despite his demanding schedule, Menon continues to practice emergency medicine at Memorial Hermann’s Texas Medical Center and teaches residents in the University of Texas medical residency program, further demonstrating his commitment to both medicine and mentorship. Menon’s assignment to Expedition 75 underscores NASA’s continued investment in international collaboration and the development of the next generation of explorers. His journey to the ISS will support crucial research that underpins future missions under NASA’s Artemis campaign and its long-term goal of human exploration of Mars. As the International Space Station marks nearly a quarter-century of continuous human presence in space, Menon’s upcoming mission reflects both the enduring legacy of space exploration and its promising future.

Anil Menon, an Indian-American astronaut with NASA, has been assigned to his first space mission and will serve as a flight engineer on Expedition 75 aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The mission is scheduled to launch in June 2026 on Russia’s Soyuz MS-29 spacecraft.

Meet Anil Menon - Indian-Origin NASA astronaut assigned to first International Space Station mission: WHEN will the journey begin?

In the next seven years, Earth will have a close shave with two asteroids - Apophis and Asteroid YR4 2024. In 2029, 99942 Apophis will fly by at an eerily close distance and will be visible even to the naked eye. In 2032, YR4 2024 will also come near our planet, although it is estimated to hit our Moon. This event will generate so much debris that meteorites will come shooting towards Earth, possibly damaging satellites and even the space station. Both asteroids posed a massive scare right after being observed. When scientists discovered them, they were both on a trajectory that could have led them to crash into Earth. However, the latest calculations suggest that this might not happen after all.&nbsp;<h2>Dinosaur killer asteroids visit every 10 million to 100 million years</h2>&nbsp;However, even though Earth is predicted to have a close shave with the asteroids, is there a probability that a major disaster might still occur? An asteroid killed the dinosaurs 65 million years ago. Could the next strike be around the corner? According to Chris Lintott, a professor of astrophysics at the University of Oxford, "there’s one of these every 10 million to 100 million years".&nbsp;&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/the-world-s-largest-space-telescope-finds-2-100-new-asteroids-know-what-else-it-can-do-1751037636501">The world’s largest space telescope finds 2,100 new asteroids. Know what else it can do</a>&nbsp;He told the Guardian that it might just be about "being in the wrong place at the wrong time." He said, “Most asteroids in the solar system exist in the asteroid belt, which is between Mars and Jupiter, but they become disrupted, usually by encounters with either of those planets, and they can move into orbits that cross the Earth.”&nbsp;<h2>Four known asteroids same as dino-killer&nbsp;</h2>&nbsp;Coming to an asteroid similar to the one that killed the dinosaurs, Colin Snodgrass, a professor of planetary astronomy at the University of Edinburgh, says, that it happens “not very often, but it is something that happens." However, he is hopeful that humans could potentially do something about them. He adds that there are four asteroids that fit into the category of "dino-killer space rock", but they are not anywhere near Earth.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/what-are-asteroids-really-made-of-rocks-metals-or-something-more-1751275110472">What are asteroids really made of: Rocks, metals or something more?</a>&nbsp;However, the smaller ones could be equally dangerous. For example, in Chelyabinsk, Russia, an asteroid the size of a house, around 20 metres across, exploded with the force of nearly 30 Hiroshima bombs. It caused extensive damage and injured hundreds of people. In the past 20 years, at least 556 asteroids and meteors have crashed into Earth. Recently, a meteor was seen over the southeastern United States and reportedly crashed into a house, breaking its roof and smashing the floor.&nbsp;<h2>Asteroid impact with Moon can shoot meteorites towards Earth</h2>&nbsp;Asteroid YR4 2024 had a 3.1 per cent chance of hitting Earth in 2032 after it was discovered earlier this year. Dubbed the "city-killer", the asteroid is not expected to hit Earth. However, it will crash into the Moon, as the probability of that happening has been increased to 4.3 per cent. If this happens, then a 174ft-220ft asteroid impact will generate 100,000,000 kilograms of debris that can come hurtling towards Earth. The meteorites can damage satellites, the International Space Station and endanger astronauts.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/venus-asteroids-earth-nuclear-bomb-nasa-warning-1748417986834">Evil twin? Venus sheltering 'invisible' asteroids that can wipe off humanity with a minuscule change in course</a>&nbsp;So, there is a need to be prepared to tackle such a scenario. Besides, Apophis's close flyby also needs to be monitored. Scientists are watching for these asteroids regularly. A study revealed that Venus could be hiding several such rocks that we still cannot see. The recently unveiled Vera C Rubin Observatory in Chile found seven asteroids humans had not seen before that will come dangerously close to Earth. NASA and the European Space Agency have missions in the pipeline that will detect "asteroids and comets that may be potential hazards to Earth."&nbsp;Meanwhile, the 2022 DART mission showed humans are capable of breaking apart an asteroid right from Earth. A small spacecraft crashed into Dimorphos, an asteroid that orbits a larger rock called Didymos. It was a success as the space rock broke apart, changing its shape and releasing so much debris that we might soon have a Didymos meteor shower.&nbsp;

Can an asteroid, or two asteroids, crash into Earth in the next seven years? Scientists are observing these space rocks to learn more about them. One of them could send tonnes of meteorites towards Earth, damaging the ISS, satellites and threatening astronauts. 

In the next seven years, Earth will have a close shave with two asteroids - Apophis and Asteroid YR4 2024. In 2029, 99942 Apophis will fly by at an eerily close distance and will be visible even to the naked eye. In 2032, YR4 2024 will also come near our planet, although it is estimated to hit our Moon. This event will generate so much debris that meteorites will come shooting towards Earth, possibly damaging satellites and even the space station. Both asteroids posed a massive scare right after being observed. When scientists discovered them, they were both on a trajectory that could have led them to crash into Earth. However, the latest calculations suggest that this might not happen after all. Dinosaur killer asteroids visit every 10 million to 100 million years However, even though Earth is predicted to have a close shave with the asteroids, is there a probability that a major disaster might still occur? An asteroid killed the dinosaurs 65 million years ago. Could the next strike be around the corner? According to Chris Lintott, a professor of astrophysics at the University of Oxford, "there’s one of these every 10 million to 100 million years". Also Read: The world’s largest space telescope finds 2,100 new asteroids. Know what else it can do He told the Guardian that it might just be about "being in the wrong place at the wrong time." He said, “Most asteroids in the solar system exist in the asteroid belt, which is between Mars and Jupiter, but they become disrupted, usually by encounters with either of those planets, and they can move into orbits that cross the Earth.” Four known asteroids same as dino-killer Coming to an asteroid similar to the one that killed the dinosaurs, Colin Snodgrass, a professor of planetary astronomy at the University of Edinburgh, says, that it happens “not very often, but it is something that happens." However, he is hopeful that humans could potentially do something about them. He adds that there are four asteroids that fit into the category of "dino-killer space rock", but they are not anywhere near Earth. Also Read: What are asteroids really made of: Rocks, metals or something more? However, the smaller ones could be equally dangerous. For example, in Chelyabinsk, Russia, an asteroid the size of a house, around 20 metres across, exploded with the force of nearly 30 Hiroshima bombs. It caused extensive damage and injured hundreds of people. In the past 20 years, at least 556 asteroids and meteors have crashed into Earth. Recently, a meteor was seen over the southeastern United States and reportedly crashed into a house, breaking its roof and smashing the floor. Asteroid impact with Moon can shoot meteorites towards Earth Asteroid YR4 2024 had a 3.1 per cent chance of hitting Earth in 2032 after it was discovered earlier this year. Dubbed the "city-killer", the asteroid is not expected to hit Earth. However, it will crash into the Moon, as the probability of that happening has been increased to 4.3 per cent. If this happens, then a 174ft-220ft asteroid impact will generate 100,000,000 kilograms of debris that can come hurtling towards Earth. The meteorites can damage satellites, the International Space Station and endanger astronauts. Also Read: Evil twin? Venus sheltering 'invisible' asteroids that can wipe off humanity with a minuscule change in course So, there is a need to be prepared to tackle such a scenario. Besides, Apophis's close flyby also needs to be monitored. Scientists are watching for these asteroids regularly. A study revealed that Venus could be hiding several such rocks that we still cannot see. The recently unveiled Vera C Rubin Observatory in Chile found seven asteroids humans had not seen before that will come dangerously close to Earth. NASA and the European Space Agency have missions in the pipeline that will detect "asteroids and comets that may be potential hazards to Earth." Meanwhile, the 2022 DART mission showed humans are capable of breaking apart an asteroid right from Earth. A small spacecraft crashed into Dimorphos, an asteroid that orbits a larger rock called Didymos. It was a success as the space rock broke apart, changing its shape and releasing so much debris that we might soon have a Didymos meteor shower.

Can an asteroid, or two asteroids, crash into Earth in the next seven years? Scientists are observing these space rocks to learn more about them. One of them could send tonnes of meteorites towards Earth, damaging the ISS, satellites and threatening astronauts.&nbsp;

City killer asteroid can shoot meteorites like bullets at Earth in 2032. Who is at risk?

Despite meticulous engineering and rigorous protocols, several missions have ended in tragedy. This list examines seven of the most serious accidents and disasters in the history of space exploration.

Despite meticulous engineering and rigorous protocols, several missions have ended in tragedy. This list examines seven of the most serious accidents and disasters in the history of space exploration.

Apollo, Columbia, Challenger: The 7 deadliest spaceflight accidents that changed history

A series of upcoming missions will further strengthen international collaboration, scientific ambition, and commercial capabilities in the space sector.

A series of upcoming missions will further strengthen international collaboration, scientific ambition, and commercial capabilities in the space sector.

After Axiom-4: 7 defining space missions set to take place in 2025 and beyond

Asteroids are small rocky bodies that travel around the Sun. They are much smaller than planets. They are very important because they can give us clues about the early composition of the Solar System. Unlike planets and moons which have changed a lot due to volcanic activity, erosion or earthquakes many asteroids have stayed the same for billions of years. By examining them scientists can learn about the original materials that formed planets, including Earth and how our Solar System has changed over time.&nbsp;Some asteroids like Ceres, are so large that they are classified as dwarf planets. Asteroids are usually grouped into three main types based on what they are made of: C-type, S-type and M-type.&nbsp;C-type Asteroids (Carbon-rich)C-type asteroids are the most common asteriods and are dark in color and contain clay, silicate rocks and organic carbon while some also have water ice. These asteroids are mostly found in the outer part of the asteroid belt. A well-known C-type asteroid is Bennu, which was studied by NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission.&nbsp;S-type Asteroids (Stony)S-type asteroids are the second most common type. They are made mostly of rock and metals like nickel and iron. These materials are similar to what is found in the crust and mantle of Earth and other rocky planets. Most S-types are found in the inner part of the asteroid belt. A famous example is Eros, one of the largest asteroid near earth.&nbsp;M-type Asteroids (Metal-rich)M-type asteroids are mostly made of iron and nickel. Some may be pieces of larger bodies that were broken apart in early space collisions. Others may have formed closer to the Sun where high heat caused metal to melt and settle in the center. These asteroids are believed to be the source of metallic meteorites. One important M-type asteroid is Psyche, which NASA is currently exploring with a space mission to learn more about its origin.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Asteroids are usually grouped into three main types based on what they are made of: C-type, S-type and M-type.

Asteroids are small rocky bodies that travel around the Sun. They are much smaller than planets. They are very important because they can give us clues about the early composition of the Solar System. Unlike planets and moons which have changed a lot due to volcanic activity, erosion or earthquakes many asteroids have stayed the same for billions of years. By examining them scientists can learn about the original materials that formed planets, including Earth and how our Solar System has changed over time. Some asteroids like Ceres, are so large that they are classified as dwarf planets. Asteroids are usually grouped into three main types based on what they are made of: C-type, S-type and M-type. C-type Asteroids (Carbon-rich) C-type asteroids are the most common asteriods and are dark in color and contain clay, silicate rocks and organic carbon while some also have water ice. These asteroids are mostly found in the outer part of the asteroid belt. A well-known C-type asteroid is Bennu, which was studied by NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission. S-type Asteroids (Stony) S-type asteroids are the second most common type. They are made mostly of rock and metals like nickel and iron. These materials are similar to what is found in the crust and mantle of Earth and other rocky planets. Most S-types are found in the inner part of the asteroid belt. A famous example is Eros, one of the largest asteroid near earth. M-type Asteroids (Metal-rich) M-type asteroids are mostly made of iron and nickel. Some may be pieces of larger bodies that were broken apart in early space collisions. Others may have formed closer to the Sun where high heat caused metal to melt and settle in the center. These asteroids are believed to be the source of metallic meteorites. One important M-type asteroid is Psyche, which NASA is currently exploring with a space mission to learn more about its origin.

Asteroids are usually grouped into three main types based on what they are made of: C-type, S-type and M-type.

What are asteroids really made of: Rocks, metals or something more?

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Nasa’s SpaceX Crew-10 returns after nearly 5-month stay in space

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How do astronauts eat and defecate in space? The science of daily life on ISS

The science behind astronauts sipping purified urine in space

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From NASA to ISRO: Here are the top 10 space missions of 2025 and beyond