China on Friday sanctioned two US defence companies— Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman—for supplying arms to Taiwan.

In a press conference, China’s foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said that the punitive measures are being taken under the country's Anti-Foreign Sanctions Law.

"We urge the US side to effectively abide by the one-China principle... cease US-Taiwan military liaison and stop arming Taiwan, or else it will be subject to a resolute and forceful retaliation by the Chinese side," she said.

The spokesperson named Lockheed Martin Corp's branch in Missouri as the prime contractor claiming that it sold arms to Taiwan on August 24, and added that Northrop Grumman repeatedly participated in the sale of weapons to Taipei.

"According to the Anti-Foreign Sanctions Law of the PRC, China has decided to impose sanctions on the above two US military companies," she said.&nbsp;

This is not the first time that China has imposed sanctions on US companies for the sale of arms to Taiwan. However, it is unknown how the proposed sanctions would work since neither company sells to China.

<h2>US increases military aid to Taiwan&nbsp;</h2>

The United States Congress allows the supply of weapons to the self-governing nation under the Taiwan Relations Act.

Earlier, the US used to sell arms rather than provide them as an aid, but in August, the administration for the first time approved direct US military aid to Taiwan under an assistance programme aimed at foreign governments.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukraine-zelensky-to-meet-us-prez-biden-as-congress-debates-24-billion-aid-for-kyiv-reports-636198">Zelensky to meet Biden as Congress debates $24bn aid for Ukraine: Reports</a>

Last month, US President Joe Biden approved the transfer of up to $80 million in funds to Taiwan under the Foreign Military Financing programme, according to a notification sent to Congress.

<h2>China military drills</h2>

The announcement of sanctions comes at a time when China has deployed warplanes and navy ships around the democratically governed island, and a Chinese naval formation led by the aircraft carrier Shandong passed within 60 nautical miles (111 km) of Taiwan's southeast.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/vladimir-putin-kim-jong-un-exchange-rifles-russia-also-gifts-special-glove-636206">Vladimir Putin, Kim Jong-un exchange rifles, Russia also gifts special glove</a>

Taiwan has also reported dozens of Chinese fighters, bombers and other aircraft flying into its air defence zone this week.

Beijing views the self-ruled island of Taiwan as a breakaway province that must accept Chinese sovereignty and has never renounced the use of force to achieve that goal.

&nbsp;

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

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China on Friday sanctioned two US defence companies— Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman—for supplying arms to Taiwan. In a press conference, China’s foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said that the punitive measures are being taken under the country's Anti-Foreign Sanctions Law.

China on Friday sanctioned two US defence companies— Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman—for supplying arms to Taiwan. In a press conference, China’s foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said that the punitive measures are being taken under the country's Anti-Foreign Sanctions Law. "We urge the US side to effectively abide by the one-China principle... cease US-Taiwan military liaison and stop arming Taiwan, or else it will be subject to a resolute and forceful retaliation by the Chinese side," she said. The spokesperson named Lockheed Martin Corp's branch in Missouri as the prime contractor claiming that it sold arms to Taiwan on August 24, and added that Northrop Grumman repeatedly participated in the sale of weapons to Taipei. "According to the Anti-Foreign Sanctions Law of the PRC, China has decided to impose sanctions on the above two US military companies," she said. This is not the first time that China has imposed sanctions on US companies for the sale of arms to Taiwan. However, it is unknown how the proposed sanctions would work since neither company sells to China. US increases military aid to Taiwan The United States Congress allows the supply of weapons to the self-governing nation under the Taiwan Relations Act. Earlier, the US used to sell arms rather than provide them as an aid, but in August, the administration for the first time approved direct US military aid to Taiwan under an assistance programme aimed at foreign governments. Also read | Zelensky to meet Biden as Congress debates $24bn aid for Ukraine: Reports Last month, US President Joe Biden approved the transfer of up to $80 million in funds to Taiwan under the Foreign Military Financing programme, according to a notification sent to Congress. China military drills The announcement of sanctions comes at a time when China has deployed warplanes and navy ships around the democratically governed island, and a Chinese naval formation led by the aircraft carrier Shandong passed within 60 nautical miles (111 km) of Taiwan's southeast. Also read | Vladimir Putin, Kim Jong-un exchange rifles, Russia also gifts special glove Taiwan has also reported dozens of Chinese fighters, bombers and other aircraft flying into its air defence zone this week. Beijing views the self-ruled island of Taiwan as a breakaway province that must accept Chinese sovereignty and has never renounced the use of force to achieve that goal. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

China sanctions two US defence firms for supplying arms to Taiwan

NASA awarded hundreds of millions of dollars to three companies to develop commercial space stations that will eventually replace the International Space Station, which is set to retire around the end of this decade.

For the development of their orbital outposts, Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin, the aerospace company Nanoracks and Northrop Grumman won contracts worth $130 million, $160 million and $125.6 million, respectively.

An earlier $140 million contract was awarded to a fourth company, Axiom Space.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/all-aboard-these-companies-are-building-spacecraft-to-send-people-to-space-377036">All aboard! These companies are building spacecraft to send people to space</a>&nbsp;

In order to cut costs and focus on its ambitious goals, the US space agency has increasingly turned to private industry to develop hardware it once made itself. NASA's goals include building habitats on the Moon and preparing for a crewed mission to Mars.

"We are partnering with US companies to develop the space destinations where people can visit, live, and work, enabling NASA to continue forging a path in space for the benefit of humanity while fostering commercial activity in space," said NASA chief Bill Nelson in a statement.

"These awards will help ensure the United States has a continuous human presence" in low Earth orbit, said Phil McAlister, NASA's director of commercial spaceflight. "A gap would be bad."

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/want-to-become-a-space-tourist-here-is-all-you-need-to-do-399437">Want to become a space tourist? Here is all you need to do</a>

The companies have not given an estimate of how much the space stations will cost to develop, but they have unveiled their plans.

However, McCalister said NASA would not contribute more than 40 per cent of the funding to the projects.

"The sum invested today by NASA to launch this program is small compared to the money that will be required," said Brent Sherwood, Blue Origin's senior vice president of advanced development programs.

As part of a collaboration with Sierra Space, Blue Origin is creating Orbital Reef, which will eventually house 10 people. Microgravity research and manufacturing will be carried out in the "mixed-use business park in space".

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/jeff-bezos-firm-blue-origin-unveils-plan-to-build-commercial-space-station-424048">Jeff Bezos firm Blue Origin unveils plan to build commercial space station</a>

Developed with Voyager Space and Lockheed Martin, Nanoracks' space station will be called "Starlab."

Nanoracks aims to be operational in 2027 and will include a biology lab, plant habitation lab, a physical science and materials research lab, and an open workbench area.

Northrop Grumman, which developed a cargo delivery system called Cygnus, currently supports the International Space Station by making deliveries. It plans to build its own station module by module. This will ensure that science, tourism, and industrial experimentation will all be included.

Watch |&nbsp;Blue Origin unveils plans for Orbital Reef, a 'business park' in outer space

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Twenty-one years have passed since the first long-term residents were welcomed to the space station. It has become a symbol of international cooperation, particularly between the US and Russia.

As of now, the International Space Station is rated safe until 2028, and new administrator Nelson has stated that he hopes it will last until 2030, by which time NASA wants the commercial sector to take the lead and replace it.

NASA awarded hundreds of millions of dollars to three companies to develop commercial space stations that will eventually replace the International Space Station, which is set to retire around the end of this decade.

NASA awarded hundreds of millions of dollars to three companies to develop commercial space stations that will eventually replace the International Space Station, which is set to retire around the end of this decade. For the development of their orbital outposts, Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin, the aerospace company Nanoracks and Northrop Grumman won contracts worth $130 million, $160 million and $125.6 million, respectively. An earlier $140 million contract was awarded to a fourth company, Axiom Space. Also read | All aboard! These companies are building spacecraft to send people to space In order to cut costs and focus on its ambitious goals, the US space agency has increasingly turned to private industry to develop hardware it once made itself. NASA's goals include building habitats on the Moon and preparing for a crewed mission to Mars. "We are partnering with US companies to develop the space destinations where people can visit, live, and work, enabling NASA to continue forging a path in space for the benefit of humanity while fostering commercial activity in space," said NASA chief Bill Nelson in a statement. "These awards will help ensure the United States has a continuous human presence" in low Earth orbit, said Phil McAlister, NASA's director of commercial spaceflight. "A gap would be bad." Also read | Want to become a space tourist? Here is all you need to do The companies have not given an estimate of how much the space stations will cost to develop, but they have unveiled their plans. However, McCalister said NASA would not contribute more than 40 per cent of the funding to the projects. "The sum invested today by NASA to launch this program is small compared to the money that will be required," said Brent Sherwood, Blue Origin's senior vice president of advanced development programs. As part of a collaboration with Sierra Space, Blue Origin is creating Orbital Reef, which will eventually house 10 people. Microgravity research and manufacturing will be carried out in the "mixed-use business park in space". Also read | Jeff Bezos firm Blue Origin unveils plan to build commercial space station Developed with Voyager Space and Lockheed Martin, Nanoracks' space station will be called "Starlab." Nanoracks aims to be operational in 2027 and will include a biology lab, plant habitation lab, a physical science and materials research lab, and an open workbench area. Northrop Grumman, which developed a cargo delivery system called Cygnus, currently supports the International Space Station by making deliveries. It plans to build its own station module by module. This will ensure that science, tourism, and industrial experimentation will all be included. Watch | Blue Origin unveils plans for Orbital Reef, a 'business park' in outer space Twenty-one years have passed since the first long-term residents were welcomed to the space station. It has become a symbol of international cooperation, particularly between the US and Russia. As of now, the International Space Station is rated safe until 2028, and new administrator Nelson has stated that he hopes it will last until 2030, by which time NASA wants the commercial sector to take the lead and replace it.

Want to space travel? NASA awards $415.6 million for new space hubs where people can visit, live, work

How the B-21 Raider stealth bomber will define conventional and nuclear missions for the US Air Force

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

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

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

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

NASA's golden-mirrored James Webb Space Telescope has passed a key review this week, a&nbsp;key&nbsp;milestone before the $10 billion observatory is launched later this year.

The telescope, which has been peering into the universe for more than 30 years, had&nbsp;been down for a&nbsp;few days last month.

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NASA said initial evidence pointed to a degrading computer memory module as the source of the computer problem.&nbsp;

The technology for the payload computer dates back to the 1980s, and it was replaced during maintenance work in 2009.

The James&nbsp;Webb&nbsp;Space&nbsp;Telescope's 21 feet 4 inches (6.5 meters) mirror was commanded to fully expand and lock itself into place,&nbsp;NASA&nbsp;said, a final&nbsp;test&nbsp;to ensure it will survive its million-mile (1.6 million kilometers) journey and is ready to discover the origins of the Universe.

Scott Willoughby, the&nbsp;lead contractor Northrop Grumman, had defined building it as a ''Swiss watch at 40-feet-tall... and getting it ready for this journey that we take into the vacuum at minus 400 degrees Fahrenheit (-240 Celsius), four times further than the Moon."

He was speaking at the company's spaceport in Redondo Beach, California, from where the&nbsp;telescope&nbsp;will be shipped to French Guiana to be launched on an Ariane 5 rocket, with&nbsp;NASA&nbsp;targeting October 31 for liftoff.

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NASA continues to work to resolve an issue with the payload computer on the Hubble Space Telescope, which halted on June 13. 
 
Launched in 1990, Hubble has contributed greatly to our understanding of the universe over the past 30 years. <a href="https://t.co/qEmIUQCtuX">https://t.co/qEmIUQCtuX</a>
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Webb's primary mirror is made of 18 hexagonal segments coated with an ultra-thin layer of gold to improve its reflection of infrared light.

It will fly to&nbsp;space&nbsp;folded like a piece of origami artwork, which allows it to fit inside a 16-foot (5-meter) rocket fairing, and will then use 132 individual actuators and motors to bend each mirror into a specific position.

Together, the mirrors will function as one massive reflector, to enable the&nbsp;telescope&nbsp;to peer deeper into the cosmos than ever before.

Time machine

Scientists want to use the&nbsp;telescope&nbsp;to look back in time over 13.5 billion years ago and see for the first time the first stars and galaxies that formed, a few hundred million years after the Big Bang.

To do this, they need to detect infrared. The current premier&nbsp;space&nbsp;telescope, Hubble, only has limited infrared capacity.

This is&nbsp;key&nbsp;because, by the time the light from the first objects reaches our telescopes, it has been shifted towards the red end of the electromagnetic spectrum as a result of the Universe extending the&nbsp;space&nbsp;between objects as it expands.

Another&nbsp;key&nbsp;area will be the discovery of alien worlds. The first planets to orbit other stars were detected in the 1990s and there are now more than 4,000 exoplanets that have been confirmed.

Webb&nbsp;"has instrumentation that will propel this new and exciting field into its next epic of discovery," said Eric Smith, James&nbsp;Webb&nbsp;telescope&nbsp;program scientist.

Scientists from 44 countries will be able to make use of the&nbsp;telescope, with proposals including using the infrared capabilities to penetrate the supermassive black holes at the centre of galaxies, including our own.

"The discovery capability of&nbsp;Webb&nbsp;is limited only by our own imaginations, and scientists around the world will soon be using this general-purpose observatory to take us places we haven't dreamed of going before," said Smith.

(With inputs from agencies)

NASA's golden-mirrored James Webb Space Telescope has passed a key review this week, a key milestone before the $10 billion observatory is launched later this year.

NASA's golden-mirrored James Webb Space Telescope has passed a key review this week, a key milestone before the $10 billion observatory is launched later this year. The telescope, which has been peering into the universe for more than 30 years, had been down for a few days last month. NASA said initial evidence pointed to a degrading computer memory module as the source of the computer problem. The technology for the payload computer dates back to the 1980s, and it was replaced during maintenance work in 2009. The James Webb Space Telescope's 21 feet 4 inches (6.5 meters) mirror was commanded to fully expand and lock itself into place, NASA said, a final test to ensure it will survive its million-mile (1.6 million kilometers) journey and is ready to discover the origins of the Universe. Scott Willoughby, the lead contractor Northrop Grumman, had defined building it as a ''Swiss watch at 40-feet-tall... and getting it ready for this journey that we take into the vacuum at minus 400 degrees Fahrenheit (-240 Celsius), four times further than the Moon." He was speaking at the company's spaceport in Redondo Beach, California, from where the telescope will be shipped to French Guiana to be launched on an Ariane 5 rocket, with NASA targeting October 31 for liftoff. NASA continues to work to resolve an issue with the payload computer on the Hubble Space Telescope, which halted on June 13. Launched in 1990, Hubble has contributed greatly to our understanding of the universe over the past 30 years. https://t.co/qEmIUQCtuX — Hubble (@NASAHubble) June 18, 2021 × Webb's primary mirror is made of 18 hexagonal segments coated with an ultra-thin layer of gold to improve its reflection of infrared light. It will fly to space folded like a piece of origami artwork, which allows it to fit inside a 16-foot (5-meter) rocket fairing, and will then use 132 individual actuators and motors to bend each mirror into a specific position. Together, the mirrors will function as one massive reflector, to enable the telescope to peer deeper into the cosmos than ever before. Time machine Scientists want to use the telescope to look back in time over 13.5 billion years ago and see for the first time the first stars and galaxies that formed, a few hundred million years after the Big Bang. To do this, they need to detect infrared. The current premier space telescope, Hubble, only has limited infrared capacity. This is key because, by the time the light from the first objects reaches our telescopes, it has been shifted towards the red end of the electromagnetic spectrum as a result of the Universe extending the space between objects as it expands. Another key area will be the discovery of alien worlds. The first planets to orbit other stars were detected in the 1990s and there are now more than 4,000 exoplanets that have been confirmed. Webb "has instrumentation that will propel this new and exciting field into its next epic of discovery," said Eric Smith, James Webb telescope program scientist. Scientists from 44 countries will be able to make use of the telescope, with proposals including using the infrared capabilities to penetrate the supermassive black holes at the centre of galaxies, including our own. "The discovery capability of Webb is limited only by our own imaginations, and scientists around the world will soon be using this general-purpose observatory to take us places we haven't dreamed of going before," said Smith. (With inputs from agencies)

James Webb Space Telescope passes key review ahead of fall launch

A space station supply ship named after the Black NASA mathematician featured in the movie 'Hidden Figures'&nbsp;rocketed into orbit Sunday, the 59th anniversary of John Glenn's historic launch.

Northrop Grumman's Cygnus capsule&nbsp;dubbed the ''S.S. Katherine Johnson''&nbsp;should reach the International Space Station on Monday following its launch from Virginia's eastern shore.

Johnson died almost exactly a year ago at age 101.

''Mrs. Johnson was selected for her hand-written calculations that helped launch the first Americans into space, as well as her accomplishments in breaking glass ceiling after glass ceiling as a Black woman,''&nbsp;Frank DeMauro, a Northrop Grumman vice president, said on the eve of liftoff.

''A homework assignment for all of you is to go watch that movie after the Cygnus launch.''

Johnson's numbers contributed to the February&nbsp;20, 1962, flight in which Glenn became the first American to orbit the world. The film, released in late 2016, depicted the effort put forth by Johnson and other Black women at NASA's Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, during the early days of space exploration. Langley is 100 miles (160 kilometers) from the launch site at Wallops Island.

Northrop Grumman launched the 4-ton shipment for NASA in the early afternoon from Wallops, where temperatures were just above freezing. The Antares rocket was visible from the Carolinas to Connecticut, at least where skies were clear.

This will be the space station's second delivery in less than a week. A Russian capsule pulled up Wednesday with apples and oranges, among other things.

''Oh, we love fresh food!!!''&nbsp;tweeted Japanese astronaut Soichi Noguchi. He noted that the space station flew over Virginia just 10 minutes ahead of Sunday's launch.

Noguchi and his six US&nbsp;And Russian crewmates can expect more apples once the Cygnus arrives, along with tomatoes, nuts, smoked salmon, Parmesan and cheddar cheeses, caramels, and coconut strips.

The capsule also holds 120,000 tiny roundworms for a muscle experiment, as well as off-the-shelf computer equipment to increase data processing speed at the space station. Also flying: radiation detectors intended for NASA's astronaut moon-landing program, and a new system to convert more of the astronauts' urine into drinking water.

It is Northrop Grumman's 15th station supply run for NASA. SpaceX is NASA's other shipper.

A space station supply ship named after the Black NASA mathematician featured in the movie 'Hidden Figures' rocketed into orbit Sunday, the 59th anniversary of John Glenn's historic launch.

A space station supply ship named after the Black NASA mathematician featured in the movie 'Hidden Figures' rocketed into orbit Sunday, the 59th anniversary of John Glenn's historic launch. Northrop Grumman's Cygnus capsule dubbed the ''S.S. Katherine Johnson'' should reach the International Space Station on Monday following its launch from Virginia's eastern shore. Johnson died almost exactly a year ago at age 101. ''Mrs. Johnson was selected for her hand-written calculations that helped launch the first Americans into space, as well as her accomplishments in breaking glass ceiling after glass ceiling as a Black woman,'' Frank DeMauro, a Northrop Grumman vice president, said on the eve of liftoff. ''A homework assignment for all of you is to go watch that movie after the Cygnus launch.'' Johnson's numbers contributed to the February 20, 1962, flight in which Glenn became the first American to orbit the world. The film, released in late 2016, depicted the effort put forth by Johnson and other Black women at NASA's Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, during the early days of space exploration. Langley is 100 miles (160 kilometers) from the launch site at Wallops Island. Northrop Grumman launched the 4-ton shipment for NASA in the early afternoon from Wallops, where temperatures were just above freezing. The Antares rocket was visible from the Carolinas to Connecticut, at least where skies were clear. This will be the space station's second delivery in less than a week. A Russian capsule pulled up Wednesday with apples and oranges, among other things. ''Oh, we love fresh food!!!'' tweeted Japanese astronaut Soichi Noguchi. He noted that the space station flew over Virginia just 10 minutes ahead of Sunday's launch. Noguchi and his six US And Russian crewmates can expect more apples once the Cygnus arrives, along with tomatoes, nuts, smoked salmon, Parmesan and cheddar cheeses, caramels, and coconut strips. The capsule also holds 120,000 tiny roundworms for a muscle experiment, as well as off-the-shelf computer equipment to increase data processing speed at the space station. Also flying: radiation detectors intended for NASA's astronaut moon-landing program, and a new system to convert more of the astronauts' urine into drinking water. It is Northrop Grumman's 15th station supply run for NASA. SpaceX is NASA's other shipper.

Space station launch honours Black NASA mathematician in 'Hidden Figures' film

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

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

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

American global aerospace company names spacecraft in honour of Kalpana Chawla

Wall&nbsp;Street's major indexes fell from record highs on Friday after a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-impeachment-row-us-senate-in-stalemate-over-how-to-proceed-272003">US&nbsp;airstrike</a> in Iraq ratcheted up&nbsp;tensions&nbsp;in the&nbsp;Middle&nbsp;East&nbsp;and a bigger-than-expected contraction in the US&nbsp;manufacturing sector raised concerns of slowing economic growth.

Friday's decline put the benchmark <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/indian-shares-slip-as-oil-jumps-after-us-air-strikes-in-middle-east-271832">S&amp;P&nbsp;500</a>&nbsp;in the red for the week, snapping a five-week&nbsp;winning&nbsp;streak&nbsp;for the index.

Demand for <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/global-markets-oil-gold-safe-haven-assets-gains-as-us-strike-kills-iranian-commander-271901">safe-haven assets</a> soared as Iran vowed revenge for the killing of Qassem Soleimani, head of its elite Quds Force, in an airstrike authorized by US&nbsp;President Donald Trump.

In a further blow to US&nbsp;market sentiment, data from the Institute for Supply Management showed that US&nbsp;factory activity contracted in December by the most in more than a decade.

"There was a reinforcement of weak manufacturing activity and then you had the geopolitical spark," said Michael Antonelli, market strategist at Robert W. Baird in Milwaukee. "That's on top of the sentiment that the market has been overbought."

S&amp;P&nbsp;500&nbsp;bank stocks dropped 1.6 per cent&nbsp;as the news sent benchmark US&nbsp;bond yields&nbsp;to their lowest since December&nbsp;12.

Shares of airlines also tumbled as oil prices jumped about 3 per cent. American Airlines Group Inc&nbsp;shares dropped 5.0 per cent, while shares of United Airlines Holdings Inc fell 2.1 per cent.

Among the S&amp;P&nbsp;500's 11 major sectors, only real estate and utilities both considered defensive plays, ended higher.

In a sign of investor jitters, US&nbsp;stocks extended their fall following a false report of an attack on a US&nbsp;military base in Iraq.

Shares of US&nbsp;defence companies jumped on news of the airstrike that killed <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/soleimani-contributed-to-plotting-terror-attacks-in-new-delhi-london-trump-272027">Soleimani</a>. Northrop Grumman Corp&nbsp;shares climbed 5.4 per cent&nbsp;and Lockheed Martin Corp&nbsp;shares rose 3.6 per cent. The two provided the biggest boosts to the S&amp;P&nbsp;500.

The market disturbance following the strike could be fleeting, said Wayne Wicker, a chief investment officer of Vantagepoint Investment Advisers in Washington.

"We've looked at many types of conflicts over the last 20 years, and they've had much more of a short-term impact," Wicker said.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 233.92 points, or 0.81 per cent, to 28,634.88. The S&amp;P&nbsp;500 lost 23 points, or 0.71 per cent, to 3,234.85. The Nasdaq Composite&nbsp;dropped 71.42 points, or 0.79 per cent, to 9,020.77.

For the week, the Dow dipped 0.04 per cent, the S&amp;P&nbsp;500&nbsp;fell 0.17 per cent, and the Nasdaq rose 0.16 per cent.

Among advancers, Tesla Inc&nbsp;shares hit a record high and ended up 3.0 per cent&nbsp;after the automaker beat estimates for vehicle deliveries in the fourth quarter.

Lamb Weston Holdings Inc shares surged 11.3 per cent, the biggest percentage gain on the S&amp;P&nbsp;500, after the frozen foods supplier's quarterly results surpassed estimates.

Shares of retailer L Brands Inc&nbsp;rose 7.8 per cent&nbsp;after Bank of America upgraded its rating on the company's stock.

Declining issues outnumbered advancing ones on the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/world-stocks-hit-all-time-high-after-trump-tweets-close-to-china-deal-267973">NYSE</a> by a 1.14-to-1 ratio. On Nasdaq, a 1.71-to-1 ratio favoured decliners.

The S&amp;P&nbsp;500&nbsp;posted 22 new 52-week highs and one new low. The Nasdaq Composite recorded 60 new highs and 15 new lows.

Volume on US&nbsp;exchanges was 7.47 billion shares, compared to the 6.87 billion average for the full session over the last 20 trading days.

Wall Street's major indexes fell from record highs on Friday after a US airstrike in Iraq ratcheted up tensions in the Middle East and a bigger-than-expected contraction in the US manufacturing sector raised concerns of slowing economic growth.

Wall Street's major indexes fell from record highs on Friday after a US airstrike in Iraq ratcheted up tensions in the Middle East and a bigger-than-expected contraction in the US manufacturing sector raised concerns of slowing economic growth. Friday's decline put the benchmark S&P 500 in the red for the week, snapping a five-week winning streak for the index. Demand for safe-haven assets soared as Iran vowed revenge for the killing of Qassem Soleimani, head of its elite Quds Force, in an airstrike authorized by US President Donald Trump. In a further blow to US market sentiment, data from the Institute for Supply Management showed that US factory activity contracted in December by the most in more than a decade. "There was a reinforcement of weak manufacturing activity and then you had the geopolitical spark," said Michael Antonelli, market strategist at Robert W. Baird in Milwaukee. "That's on top of the sentiment that the market has been overbought." S&P 500 bank stocks dropped 1.6 per cent as the news sent benchmark US bond yields to their lowest since December 12. Shares of airlines also tumbled as oil prices jumped about 3 per cent. American Airlines Group Inc shares dropped 5.0 per cent, while shares of United Airlines Holdings Inc fell 2.1 per cent. Among the S&P 500's 11 major sectors, only real estate and utilities both considered defensive plays, ended higher. In a sign of investor jitters, US stocks extended their fall following a false report of an attack on a US military base in Iraq. Shares of US defence companies jumped on news of the airstrike that killed Soleimani. Northrop Grumman Corp shares climbed 5.4 per cent and Lockheed Martin Corp shares rose 3.6 per cent. The two provided the biggest boosts to the S&P 500. The market disturbance following the strike could be fleeting, said Wayne Wicker, a chief investment officer of Vantagepoint Investment Advisers in Washington. "We've looked at many types of conflicts over the last 20 years, and they've had much more of a short-term impact," Wicker said. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 233.92 points, or 0.81 per cent, to 28,634.88. The S&P 500 lost 23 points, or 0.71 per cent, to 3,234.85. The Nasdaq Composite dropped 71.42 points, or 0.79 per cent, to 9,020.77. For the week, the Dow dipped 0.04 per cent, the S&P 500 fell 0.17 per cent, and the Nasdaq rose 0.16 per cent. Among advancers, Tesla Inc shares hit a record high and ended up 3.0 per cent after the automaker beat estimates for vehicle deliveries in the fourth quarter. Lamb Weston Holdings Inc shares surged 11.3 per cent, the biggest percentage gain on the S&P 500, after the frozen foods supplier's quarterly results surpassed estimates. Shares of retailer L Brands Inc rose 7.8 per cent after Bank of America upgraded its rating on the company's stock. Declining issues outnumbered advancing ones on the NYSE by a 1.14-to-1 ratio. On Nasdaq, a 1.71-to-1 ratio favoured decliners. The S&P 500 posted 22 new 52-week highs and one new low. The Nasdaq Composite recorded 60 new highs and 15 new lows. Volume on US exchanges was 7.47 billion shares, compared to the 6.87 billion average for the full session over the last 20 trading days.

S&P 500 snaps win streak as Middle East tensions push down Wall Street