An Einstein Ring is a rare astronomical illusion where the light from a faraway galaxy is bent into a circle by the gravitational pull of another massive object, such as a galaxy or black hole, lying directly between the distant light source and the observer on Earth

This phenomenon is a result of gravitational lensing, predicted by Einstein’s general theory of relativity. According to the theory, massive objects bend the space-time around them. When light from a background galaxy travels through this curved space, it gets deflected in such a way that it appears to wrap around the central object, forming a ring.

What is an Einstein Ring? Understanding the science behind space’s strangest optical illusion discovered by JWST

The Milky Way will not exist in its current form some day, a scenario that was expected to unfold in about 5 billion years. However, a new study suggests that this could happen a lot earlier, in about 2 billion years. In fact, the culprit won't be Andromeda, but a dwarf irregular galaxy.&nbsp;Scientists have long theorised that our galaxy will merge with Andromeda, resulting in the creation of a new galaxy called “Milkomeda.”&nbsp;An international team of researchers has found that while the chances of the Milky Way and Andromeda colliding are less as compared to previous estimates, there is another collision that is almost certain to happen in the next two billion years - one of the Milky Way and the Large Magellanic Cloud smashing into each other.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/how-will-earth-die-solar-system-sun-mercury-venus-rogue-star-1748688088180">One planet will trigger the death of everyone in the solar system. A star will aid and abet</a>&nbsp;Researchers from Durham University dug into the probability of a Milky Way and Andromeda merger. After running 100,000 simulations, they found that there is a 50-50 chance of a collision occurring between the Milky Way and Andromeda. There is still no clarity on whether Earth will survive this event, if it is still around till that time.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/venus-pancake-volcanoes-crust-veritas-davinci-missions-1748604215813">Hell planet has strange volcanoes shaped over 'hundreds of thousands of years'</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;This is when they also discovered that our galaxy might face the same fate, but at the hands of another, smaller galaxy. The Large Magellanic Cloud is a galaxy that orbits the Milky Way.&nbsp;&nbsp;<h2>Why will the Milky Way and Andromeda not collide?</h2>&nbsp;Andromeda is about 2.5 million light-years from Earth, and both of them can collide, travelling at a speed of 354,000 kilometres per hour (km/h). The results can be devastating for Earth and the other planets, besides the billions of other stars in the two galaxies.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/deep-space-radio-signals-cosmic-mystery-object-pulsar-magnetar-1748517706567">44 minutes apart, 2 minutes every time: Something from deep space is sending signals to Earth</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;The researchers took data from the Gaia and Hubble telescopes and ran simulations about the movement of our galaxy in the next 10 billion years. They also looked at the other galaxies that sit inside the Local Group, a region where several galaxies reside along with the Milky Way and Andromeda.&nbsp;“We found that uncertainties in the present positions, motions and masses of all galaxies leave room for drastically different outcomes and a probability of close to 50% that there will be no Milky Way–Andromeda merger during the next 10 billion years," the authors wrote.&nbsp;&nbsp;They state that the previous studies failed to account for the gravitational pull of the Triangulum galaxy and the Large Magellanic Cloud, a galaxy that orbits the Milky Way. "The orbit of the Large Magellanic Cloud runs perpendicular to the Milky Way–Andromeda orbit and makes their merger less probable,” they explained.&nbsp;Scientists admit that it isn't possible to be fully sure about how the Milky Way will move in the coming years since space is full of uncertainties. They will continue to look at data taken by Gaia to understand more about it.

The Milky Way was supposed to collide with Andromeda in the next 5 billion years. Turns out, scientists did not see the real culprit all this time which was hiding in plain sight. 

The Milky Way will not exist in its current form some day, a scenario that was expected to unfold in about 5 billion years. However, a new study suggests that this could happen a lot earlier, in about 2 billion years. In fact, the culprit won't be Andromeda, but a dwarf irregular galaxy. Scientists have long theorised that our galaxy will merge with Andromeda, resulting in the creation of a new galaxy called “Milkomeda.” An international team of researchers has found that while the chances of the Milky Way and Andromeda colliding are less as compared to previous estimates, there is another collision that is almost certain to happen in the next two billion years - one of the Milky Way and the Large Magellanic Cloud smashing into each other. Also Read: One planet will trigger the death of everyone in the solar system. A star will aid and abet Researchers from Durham University dug into the probability of a Milky Way and Andromeda merger. After running 100,000 simulations, they found that there is a 50-50 chance of a collision occurring between the Milky Way and Andromeda. There is still no clarity on whether Earth will survive this event, if it is still around till that time. Also Read: Hell planet has strange volcanoes shaped over 'hundreds of thousands of years' This is when they also discovered that our galaxy might face the same fate, but at the hands of another, smaller galaxy. The Large Magellanic Cloud is a galaxy that orbits the Milky Way. Why will the Milky Way and Andromeda not collide? Andromeda is about 2.5 million light-years from Earth, and both of them can collide, travelling at a speed of 354,000 kilometres per hour (km/h). The results can be devastating for Earth and the other planets, besides the billions of other stars in the two galaxies. Also Read: 44 minutes apart, 2 minutes every time: Something from deep space is sending signals to Earth The researchers took data from the Gaia and Hubble telescopes and ran simulations about the movement of our galaxy in the next 10 billion years. They also looked at the other galaxies that sit inside the Local Group, a region where several galaxies reside along with the Milky Way and Andromeda. “We found that uncertainties in the present positions, motions and masses of all galaxies leave room for drastically different outcomes and a probability of close to 50% that there will be no Milky Way–Andromeda merger during the next 10 billion years," the authors wrote. They state that the previous studies failed to account for the gravitational pull of the Triangulum galaxy and the Large Magellanic Cloud, a galaxy that orbits the Milky Way. "The orbit of the Large Magellanic Cloud runs perpendicular to the Milky Way–Andromeda orbit and makes their merger less probable,” they explained. Scientists admit that it isn't possible to be fully sure about how the Milky Way will move in the coming years since space is full of uncertainties. They will continue to look at data taken by Gaia to understand more about it.

The Milky Way was supposed to collide with Andromeda in the next 5 billion years. Turns out, scientists did not see the real culprit all this time, which was hiding in plain sight.&nbsp;

Not Andromeda, but the Milky Way will smash into a dwarf galaxy in 2 billion years

Earth might be in danger of getting smacked by another planet in the future. This might be how we all go, according to a new study. Published in the journal Icarus, it states how the study authors created a simulation to understand what a wayward star can do to Earth and the other planets in the solar system.&nbsp;The study states that Earth, Sun and other planets that orbit our star do not exist in a silo. There are billions more stars teeming in the Milky Way. So if a rogue star were to ever brush past the solar system, it could push out planets from their orbits, creating a chaotic scene where they'll crash into each other.&nbsp;In this scenario, another planet can hit Earth out of the solar system, and even the Milky Way, and fling it into deep space, far away from the Sun. No need to mention, life as we know it, will end on the blue planet.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/space-colony-for-humans-universe-earth-mars-1748686888631">A scientist proposed building space colonies for humans in the 1970s. What went wrong?</a>&nbsp;<h2>One planet can trigger death of every planet in the solar system</h2>&nbsp;They admit that stars often move near the solar system without posing any threat. However, things can go awry because of one planet - Mercury. The closest planet to the Sun is prone to instability, and a thrust by a star can make its orbit highly elliptical. This can lead it to crash into either the Sun or Venus.&nbsp;This could trigger a chain reaction, leading one of the planets to crash into Earth.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/asteroid-comet-fireball-meteor-china-maoming-guangdong-1748660740288">Did an asteroid enter Earth over China? Bright fireball and explosion reported in Guangdong</a>&nbsp;<h2>Mercury and Mars would be lost in a violent encounter</h2>The scientists used NASA’s Horizons System to run 2,000 simulations. It tells the exact position of every object in the solar system. They found that alien stars can make the solar system about 50 per cent less stable in the next 5 billion years. There is a 3.9 per cent chance that Pluto would be ejected from the solar system, and Mercury and Mars would be lost.&nbsp;Even though Earth is stable, its orbit will become unstable if a planet crashes into it. In fact, the chances of this happening were found to be hundreds of times more than prior estimates. A stellar flyby would also be extremely violent as compared to an internal event.&nbsp;

Scientists have painted a scary scenario for the solar system, where one passerby might trigger the death of every planet, crushing some and flinging others into deep space.

Earth might be in danger of getting smacked by another planet in the future. This might be how we all go, according to a new study. Published in the journal Icarus, it states how the study authors created a simulation to understand what a wayward star can do to Earth and the other planets in the solar system. The study states that Earth, Sun and other planets that orbit our star do not exist in a silo. There are billions more stars teeming in the Milky Way. So if a rogue star were to ever brush past the solar system, it could push out planets from their orbits, creating a chaotic scene where they'll crash into each other. In this scenario, another planet can hit Earth out of the solar system, and even the Milky Way, and fling it into deep space, far away from the Sun. No need to mention, life as we know it, will end on the blue planet. Also Read: A scientist proposed building space colonies for humans in the 1970s. What went wrong? One planet can trigger death of every planet in the solar system They admit that stars often move near the solar system without posing any threat. However, things can go awry because of one planet - Mercury. The closest planet to the Sun is prone to instability, and a thrust by a star can make its orbit highly elliptical. This can lead it to crash into either the Sun or Venus. This could trigger a chain reaction, leading one of the planets to crash into Earth. Also Read: Did an asteroid enter Earth over China? Bright fireball and explosion reported in Guangdong Mercury and Mars would be lost in a violent encounter The scientists used NASA’s Horizons System to run 2,000 simulations. It tells the exact position of every object in the solar system. They found that alien stars can make the solar system about 50 per cent less stable in the next 5 billion years. There is a 3.9 per cent chance that Pluto would be ejected from the solar system, and Mercury and Mars would be lost. Even though Earth is stable, its orbit will become unstable if a planet crashes into it. In fact, the chances of this happening were found to be hundreds of times more than prior estimates. A stellar flyby would also be extremely violent as compared to an internal event.

Scientists have painted a scary scenario for the solar system, where one passerby might trigger the death of every planet, crushing some and flinging others into deep space.

One planet will trigger the death of everyone in the solar system. A star will aid and abet

Building a space colony complete with everything humans need seems like a piece of science fiction. Today, we see such concepts only in movies. Elon Musk wants to go to Mars, but nobody is talking about building a place high above Earth for humans where they can live just like they do on the blue planet.&nbsp;However, space colonies came extremely close to becoming a reality in the 1970s. According to a BBC report, a scientist named Dr Gerard Kitchen O’Neill prepared a detailed report of giant orbiting habitats as Earth underwent an environmental crisis. His plans included three kilometre-long colonies where tens of thousands of people could live in green areas.&nbsp;&nbsp;He even presented the report to American senators, prepared almost 50 years ago at NASA’s Ames Research Centre.<h2>How did the idea of space colony originate?</h2>&nbsp;O’Neill got the idea from a computer simulation called World3 and the 1972 book written by a team of analysts at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The researchers stated that Earth cannot sustain a growing population in the long run.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/musk-mars-colony-starship-human-civilisation-world-war-3-1748677966917">'Something crazy, like World War III': Mars will save humans if a catastrophic conflict breaks out, Musk says</a>&nbsp;He proposed the use of recycled products in these colonies, and put all industries and energy-producing units in space to end the problem of pollution on Earth.&nbsp;<h2>Three types of space colonies</h2>&nbsp;O’Neill came up with three types of space colonies. 'Island One' would be a rotating sphere located near the equator, and the colonies would grow with each generation.&nbsp;The second was the "Stanford Torus," similar to the giant wheel-shaped stations we often see in sci-fi movies. It would support about 10,000 people, with flying mirrors reflecting sunlight.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/asteroid-comet-fireball-meteor-china-maoming-guangdong-1748660740288">Did an asteroid enter Earth over China? Bright fireball and explosion reported in Guangdong</a> &nbsp;&nbsp;The third station was the most ambitious one. Called "Island Three", it would comprise two cylinders, each 32km long and 6km in diameter. Both would rotate in the opposite direction to maintain the right orientation to the Sun. A three-land and three-window pattern inside the cylinders would help create day and night. It would rotate 40 times to create gravity like on Earth. People would occupy a large land area, while all the food would be produced in an outer ring.&nbsp;He first wanted to build a colony where humans could live and create a non-polluting power system for Earth. He proposed building giant arrays to harness solar energy and convert it into a microwave beam, which would be further turned into electricity.&nbsp;&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/egypt-pyramids-mysterious-structures-tombs-discovered-underneath-1748592381310">Egypt isn't done! Places for the dead hidden for over 3,000 years now revealed</a> &nbsp;&nbsp;The US Senate Subcommittee on Aerospace Technology and National Needs was presented with the idea in 1976, and the group termed it "feasible".&nbsp;<h2>Space Shuttle problem</h2>&nbsp;However, the problem came down to a launch vehicle. Besides, NASA was not equipped to build a space colony. O’Neill wanted to use the Space Shuttle, which hadn't even taken its first trip. Analyses were conducted to test its feasibility, but nothing materialised, and it later retired.&nbsp;Can humans go back to the drawing board and build space colonies over 50 years after it was first proposed, especially with climate change and global warming becoming a real threat? &nbsp;

Space colonies came extremely close to becoming a reality in the 1970s. However, the plan never reached fruition due to several hurdles.

Building a space colony complete with everything humans need seems like a piece of science fiction. Today, we see such concepts only in movies. Elon Musk wants to go to Mars, but nobody is talking about building a place high above Earth for humans where they can live just like they do on the blue planet. However, space colonies came extremely close to becoming a reality in the 1970s. According to a BBC report, a scientist named Dr Gerard Kitchen O’Neill prepared a detailed report of giant orbiting habitats as Earth underwent an environmental crisis. His plans included three kilometre-long colonies where tens of thousands of people could live in green areas. He even presented the report to American senators, prepared almost 50 years ago at NASA’s Ames Research Centre. How did the idea of space colony originate? O’Neill got the idea from a computer simulation called World3 and the 1972 book written by a team of analysts at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The researchers stated that Earth cannot sustain a growing population in the long run. Also Read: 'Something crazy, like World War III': Mars will save humans if a catastrophic conflict breaks out, Musk says He proposed the use of recycled products in these colonies, and put all industries and energy-producing units in space to end the problem of pollution on Earth. Three types of space colonies O’Neill came up with three types of space colonies. 'Island One' would be a rotating sphere located near the equator, and the colonies would grow with each generation. The second was the "Stanford Torus," similar to the giant wheel-shaped stations we often see in sci-fi movies. It would support about 10,000 people, with flying mirrors reflecting sunlight. Also Read: Did an asteroid enter Earth over China? Bright fireball and explosion reported in Guangdong The third station was the most ambitious one. Called "Island Three", it would comprise two cylinders, each 32km long and 6km in diameter. Both would rotate in the opposite direction to maintain the right orientation to the Sun. A three-land and three-window pattern inside the cylinders would help create day and night. It would rotate 40 times to create gravity like on Earth. People would occupy a large land area, while all the food would be produced in an outer ring. He first wanted to build a colony where humans could live and create a non-polluting power system for Earth. He proposed building giant arrays to harness solar energy and convert it into a microwave beam, which would be further turned into electricity. Also Read: Egypt isn't done! Places for the dead hidden for over 3,000 years now revealed The US Senate Subcommittee on Aerospace Technology and National Needs was presented with the idea in 1976, and the group termed it "feasible". Space Shuttle problem However, the problem came down to a launch vehicle. Besides, NASA was not equipped to build a space colony. O’Neill wanted to use the Space Shuttle, which hadn't even taken its first trip. Analyses were conducted to test its feasibility, but nothing materialised, and it later retired. Can humans go back to the drawing board and build space colonies over 50 years after it was first proposed, especially with climate change and global warming becoming a real threat?

Space colonies came extremely close to becoming a reality in the 1970s. However, the plan never reached fruition due to several hurdles.

A scientist proposed building space colonies for humans in the 1970s. What went wrong?

Space tourism is growing as private companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin offer trips beyond Earth. Pioneered by billionaires like Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk, it’s a costly adventure with both risks and rewards. As tech advances, prices may drop and space travel could expand.

Space tourism is growing as private companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin offer trips beyond Earth. Pioneered by billionaires like Bezos and Musk, it’s a costly adventure with both risks and rewards. As tech advances, prices may drop and space travel could expand.

Why is space tourism becoming a new hobby for billionaires?

At 100 kilometres above sea level lies the Karman Line, a boundary from where space starts. Everything that crosses this line is, in essence, a spacecraft and not an airplane. Now, a company is offering an aircraft that would qualify to be a spaceplane since it would be able to go beyond the Karman Line. It will be like a regular plane, taking off from a standard runway. But it is expected to be the fastest and highest-flying aircraft ever.&nbsp;It has been put up for sale directly, and has created quite a lot of intrigue. It is called the Aurora, and is being built in New Zealand. The spaceplane has a unique design. It is being built by a company called Dawn Aerospace. It announced in May this year that the Aurora is now available for purchase.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/elon-musk-s-starship-flight-9-explodes-over-indian-ocean-spacex-calls-it-rapid-unscheduled-disassembly-1748423506107">Elon Musk’s Starship Flight 9 explodes over Indian Ocean, SpaceX calls it ‘rapid unscheduled disassembly’</a>&nbsp;<h2>To the edge of space</h2>&nbsp;The plane is attracting attention for its immense power and design, which can take it to the edge of space, or 328,000 feet above sea level. No airplane has ever flown beyond the Karman Line.Since Aurora will ultimately go past this line from where space starts, according to the company, it would not be wrong to call it a spaceplane.&nbsp;&nbsp;The plane would play a crucial role in the defence sector, offering countries a new method to carry out surveillance in order to protect themselves.&nbsp;<h2>Top speed of 2,685 mph (4,321 kmph)</h2>&nbsp;During a test flight in November 2024, the plane reached a speed of Mach 1.12. However, Dawn is working to push it to its limits, and achieve a speed of Mach 3.5 or 2,685 mph (4,321 kmph). Right now, Lockheed-Martin SR-71 Blackbird holds the speed record set in 1976 for piloted aircraft of 2,193 mph.&nbsp;However, it would not be a manned plane, but would act more like a drone. It has a thin fuselage and a small, delta wing. It will take off from a regular runway and will be controlled by a remote.&nbsp;The Karman Line is not a universally recognised or internationally accepted division between space and Earth. However, it unofficially marks the separation between Earth's atmosphere and outer space. The line was named after aerospace pioneer Theodore von Kármán, as he came up with the boundary in the mid-twentieth century.

The aircraft called Aurora is expected to reach a top speed of 4,321 kmph in the future and will cross the Karman Line, a boundary that marks the beginning of space.

At 100 kilometres above sea level lies the Karman Line, a boundary from where space starts. Everything that crosses this line is, in essence, a spacecraft and not an airplane. Now, a company is offering an aircraft that would qualify to be a spaceplane since it would be able to go beyond the Karman Line. It will be like a regular plane, taking off from a standard runway. But it is expected to be the fastest and highest-flying aircraft ever. It has been put up for sale directly, and has created quite a lot of intrigue. It is called the Aurora, and is being built in New Zealand. The spaceplane has a unique design. It is being built by a company called Dawn Aerospace. It announced in May this year that the Aurora is now available for purchase. Also Read: Elon Musk’s Starship Flight 9 explodes over Indian Ocean, SpaceX calls it ‘rapid unscheduled disassembly’ To the edge of space The plane is attracting attention for its immense power and design, which can take it to the edge of space, or 328,000 feet above sea level. No airplane has ever flown beyond the Karman Line. Since Aurora will ultimately go past this line from where space starts, according to the company, it would not be wrong to call it a spaceplane. The plane would play a crucial role in the defence sector, offering countries a new method to carry out surveillance in order to protect themselves. Top speed of 2,685 mph (4,321 kmph) During a test flight in November 2024, the plane reached a speed of Mach 1.12. However, Dawn is working to push it to its limits, and achieve a speed of Mach 3.5 or 2,685 mph (4,321 kmph). Right now, Lockheed-Martin SR-71 Blackbird holds the speed record set in 1976 for piloted aircraft of 2,193 mph. However, it would not be a manned plane, but would act more like a drone. It has a thin fuselage and a small, delta wing. It will take off from a regular runway and will be controlled by a remote. The Karman Line is not a universally recognised or internationally accepted division between space and Earth. However, it unofficially marks the separation between Earth's atmosphere and outer space. The line was named after aerospace pioneer Theodore von Kármán, as he came up with the boundary in the mid-twentieth century.

The aircraft called Aurora is expected to reach a top speed of 4,321 kmph in the future and will cross the Karman Line, a boundary that marks the beginning of space.

Drone with top speed of 4,321 kmph will take off from standard runway and cross the Karman Line

New research shows Jupiter was once twice its current size, holding over 2,000 Earths. Its strong magnetic field shaped the early solar system. Studying its tiny moons helped scientists unlock secrets of planet formation and our cosmic origins.

New research shows Jupiter was once twice its current size, holding over 2,000 Earths. Its strong magnetic field shaped the early solar system. Studying its tiny moons helped scientists unlock secrets of planet formation and our cosmic origins.

'Can fit 2,000 Earths inside’: Scientists discover Jupiter was once even bigger than it is today

According to NASA and European space agencies, the only clearly visible human-made structure from space is not an ancient wonder, rather a modern agricultural complex, which is the greenhouse region near El Ejido, in Almería, southeastern Spain.

According to NASA and European space agencies, the only clearly visible human-made structure from space is not an ancient wonder, rather a modern agricultural complex, which is the greenhouse region near El Ejido, in Almería, southeastern Spain.

These plastic greenhouses are the only man-made structures visible from space! Know more about it

As he and fellow crew members aboard the International Space Station circle the Earth at nearly 28,000 kmph, Indian astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla will be having a video interaction with students from India. "Our astronaut will be directly interacting with the student community... two such events we are planning across the country," Sudeesh Balan, Project Director at ISRO told WION's Sidharth M.P.&nbsp;If all goes per plan, the American Axiom-4 mission piloted by Indian Air Force Test Pilot Group Captain Shukla will liftoff on June 8th from &nbsp;Kennedy Space Centre, Florida. However, the launch date is subject to changes in weather and other technical factors. Axiom-4 will carry a crew of four astronauts to the International Space Station, where they would stay for two weeks and perform 60 experiments. The astronauts would be flying on the SpaceX Falcon9 rocket and the Crew Dragon capsule.&nbsp;Axiom-4 is a unique and exciting opportunity for ISRO in International cooperation and collaboration. The experience and know-how from this mission are significant for us and would feed into Gaganyaan program, which is India's own mission to send our astronauts to space and return them safely. Missions like Axiom-4 would motivate young minds to be passionate about space technology, Balan added.&nbsp;Further, Shukla will also be performing experiments in STEM(Science, Tech, Engineering, Math), and these will be made available as recorded educational videos, as part of the Axiom-4 mission outreach activity.&nbsp; Dana Weigel, Manager, International Space Station Program, NASA, told WION's Sidharth M.P, that NASA and ISRO have a unique joint agreement for working onboard together during this mission. "This is a little different than other missions and we'll be having an ISRO member to do joint research. These are Human research programme experiments with NASA. These experiments will be different from the seven biological experiments that Shukla will be doing for ISRO," she added.&nbsp;<h2>About the Axiom-4 astronaut mission</h2>&nbsp;This mission will facilitate the return to human spaceflight for India, Poland, and Hungary, given that each nation’s first and only government-sponsored spaceflight had taken place more than 40 years ago. The Ax-4 crew members will represent their nations in Low Earth Orbit and perform scientific experiments and demonstrations that are of high national importance. Peggy Whitson, former NASA astronaut and director of human spaceflight at Axiom Space, will command the Axiom-4 mission, while ISRO (Indian Space Research Organization) astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla will serve as pilot. The two mission specialists are ESA (European Space Agency) project astronaut Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski of Poland and Tibor Kapu of Hungary.&nbsp;Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla will be the first Indian to fly to the International Space Station, and the second Indian to fly to space after Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma, who flew on a Soviet Mission in 1984. The Indian Government has paid almost $64mn(Rs.550cr) for Shukla's training and spaceflight as part of Axiom-4.&nbsp;As per the present launch timeline, Shukla will blastoff to space on the SpaceX Falcon9 rocket at 6:41 pm Indian time, Sunday, 8th June. The launch will be carried out from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Centre, Florida. This launch pad was built in the 1960s to accommodate the Saturn V rocket that was used in the Apollo series of missions, including the maiden moon landing by Apollo11. Further, this launchpad has been used for multiple launches of the space shuttle. Since 2019, this site has been leased to SpaceX, which launches its Falcon9 and Falcon Heavy rockets.&nbsp;

Axiom-4 will carry a crew of four astronauts to the International Space Station, where they would stay for two weeks and perform 60 experiments. The astronauts would be flying on the SpaceX Falcon9 rocket and the Crew Dragon capsule.

As he and fellow crew members aboard the International Space Station circle the Earth at nearly 28,000 kmph, Indian astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla will be having a video interaction with students from India. "Our astronaut will be directly interacting with the student community... two such events we are planning across the country," Sudeesh Balan, Project Director at ISRO told WION's Sidharth M.P. If all goes per plan, the American Axiom-4 mission piloted by Indian Air Force Test Pilot Group Captain Shukla will liftoff on June 8th from Kennedy Space Centre, Florida. However, the launch date is subject to changes in weather and other technical factors. Axiom-4 will carry a crew of four astronauts to the International Space Station, where they would stay for two weeks and perform 60 experiments. The astronauts would be flying on the SpaceX Falcon9 rocket and the Crew Dragon capsule. Axiom-4 is a unique and exciting opportunity for ISRO in International cooperation and collaboration. The experience and know-how from this mission are significant for us and would feed into Gaganyaan program, which is India's own mission to send our astronauts to space and return them safely. Missions like Axiom-4 would motivate young minds to be passionate about space technology, Balan added. Further, Shukla will also be performing experiments in STEM(Science, Tech, Engineering, Math), and these will be made available as recorded educational videos, as part of the Axiom-4 mission outreach activity. Dana Weigel, Manager, International Space Station Program, NASA, told WION's Sidharth M.P, that NASA and ISRO have a unique joint agreement for working onboard together during this mission. "This is a little different than other missions and we'll be having an ISRO member to do joint research. These are Human research programme experiments with NASA. These experiments will be different from the seven biological experiments that Shukla will be doing for ISRO," she added. About the Axiom-4 astronaut mission This mission will facilitate the return to human spaceflight for India, Poland, and Hungary, given that each nation’s first and only government-sponsored spaceflight had taken place more than 40 years ago. The Ax-4 crew members will represent their nations in Low Earth Orbit and perform scientific experiments and demonstrations that are of high national importance. Peggy Whitson, former NASA astronaut and director of human spaceflight at Axiom Space, will command the Axiom-4 mission, while ISRO (Indian Space Research Organization) astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla will serve as pilot. The two mission specialists are ESA (European Space Agency) project astronaut Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski of Poland and Tibor Kapu of Hungary. Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla will be the first Indian to fly to the International Space Station, and the second Indian to fly to space after Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma, who flew on a Soviet Mission in 1984. The Indian Government has paid almost $64mn(Rs.550cr) for Shukla's training and spaceflight as part of Axiom-4. As per the present launch timeline, Shukla will blastoff to space on the SpaceX Falcon9 rocket at 6:41 pm Indian time, Sunday, 8th June. The launch will be carried out from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Centre, Florida. This launch pad was built in the 1960s to accommodate the Saturn V rocket that was used in the Apollo series of missions, including the maiden moon landing by Apollo11. Further, this launchpad has been used for multiple launches of the space shuttle. Since 2019, this site has been leased to SpaceX, which launches its Falcon9 and Falcon Heavy rockets.

Axiom-4 will carry a crew of four astronauts to the International Space Station, where they would stay for two weeks and perform 60 experiments. The astronauts would be flying on the SpaceX Falcon9 rocket and the Crew Dragon capsule.

An out of the world video call: From space, Astronaut Shukla to address Indian students

Here are 9 Hubble Telescope images that truly go Beyond Imagination.

Here are 9 Hubble Telescope images that truly go Beyond Imagination.

Hidden Marvels: 9 Breathtaking Images from the Hubble Telescope You Must See

The Indian space agency ISRO is taking gradual steps towards demonstrating vertical landing, and re-use of rocket stages... Known as project ADMIRE, this is a step towards making India's future rockets cost-effective and enabling rapid turnaround time... For more on this, WION's Sidharth.M.P spoke to Dr. Unnikrishnan Nair, the Director of ISRO's Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, which builds India's space transportation systems...

WION EXCLUSIVE | ISRO Is Working On Vertical Landing Rockets

Indian scientists have discovered a whole range of bacteria that can survive in space. These novel organisms were found to be residing inside cleanrooms associated with NASA space missions. The discovery is extremely significant, considering space agencies across the world are trying to send humans to the Moon and even Mars.&nbsp;
Scientists in India, along with those at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory and institutes in Saudi Arabia, found 26 such species of bacteria with genetic traits that help them become resilient to the harsh environments of space.
The discovery of these novel bacteria and their importance in space missions have been detailed in a study published in the journal Microbiome.
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<h2>Spacecraft cleanrooms contaminated with bacteria&nbsp;</h2>
The researchers noted that the cleanrooms where spacecraft are assembled aren't immune to all kinds of organisms. While they are built to keep out dust and microorganisms and have tightly regulated airflow, temperature, and humidity that inhibit microbial survival, there are some bacteria that still manage to thrive here.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science-tech/sun-will-one-day-kill-all-life-on-earth-year-everything-will-end-predicted-9044300" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">1,000,002,021: Scientists think THIS is the year all life will vanish from Earth</a>
They found that certain microorganisms, known as extremophiles, thrive in such environments. There is a risk that these extremophiles can spill into space and manage to survive in the extreme, radiation-filled environment.
"Our study aimed to understand the risk of extremophiles being transferred in space missions and to identify which microorganisms might survive the harsh conditions of space," lead author Professor Alexandre Rosado of King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) explained.
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He asserts that the finding will help "monitor the risk of microbial contamination and safeguarding against unintentional colonization of exploring planets."
<h2>Some bacteria could repair themselves</h2>
The scientists analysed the microorganisms found growing in the NASA cleanrooms. Most of the species possessed genes that made them resilient to decontamination and radiation. Another shocking aspect about them was their ability to repair and detoxify, further increasing their chances of survival.
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"Some of the discovered genes were associated with DNA repair, the detoxification of harmful molecules, and improved metabolism," the study stated.
Scientists fear that human exploration of other planets and the Moon can inadvertently cause bacteria and other organisms to spread there, contaminating the cosmic bodies that can spiral into a whole new problem.
However, the pro of these bacteria is that NASA can use them to understand the type of organisms humans might encounter during their space travel.&nbsp;

Bacteria that can survive in space have been found on Earth. Scientists will use the discovery to learn about the implications for space travel. Science & Tech Trending

Indian scientists have discovered a whole range of bacteria that can survive in space. These novel organisms were found to be residing inside cleanrooms associated with NASA space missions. The discovery is extremely significant, considering space agencies across the world are trying to send humans to the Moon and even Mars. Scientists in India, along with those at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory and institutes in Saudi Arabia, found 26 such species of bacteria with genetic traits that help them become resilient to the harsh environments of space. The discovery of these novel bacteria and their importance in space missions have been detailed in a study published in the journal Microbiome. Also Read: When will the universe die? In about 1 QUINVIGINTILLION years Spacecraft cleanrooms contaminated with bacteria The researchers noted that the cleanrooms where spacecraft are assembled aren't immune to all kinds of organisms. While they are built to keep out dust and microorganisms and have tightly regulated airflow, temperature, and humidity that inhibit microbial survival, there are some bacteria that still manage to thrive here. Also Read: 1,000,002,021: Scientists think THIS is the year all life will vanish from Earth They found that certain microorganisms, known as extremophiles, thrive in such environments. There is a risk that these extremophiles can spill into space and manage to survive in the extreme, radiation-filled environment. "Our study aimed to understand the risk of extremophiles being transferred in space missions and to identify which microorganisms might survive the harsh conditions of space," lead author Professor Alexandre Rosado of King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) explained. Also Read: Scientists identify a flaw that can kill the universe at a moment's notice He asserts that the finding will help "monitor the risk of microbial contamination and safeguarding against unintentional colonization of exploring planets." Some bacteria could repair themselves The scientists analysed the microorganisms found growing in the NASA cleanrooms. Most of the species possessed genes that made them resilient to decontamination and radiation. Another shocking aspect about them was their ability to repair and detoxify, further increasing their chances of survival. Also Read: Snail seen laying egg from its neck for first time ever "Some of the discovered genes were associated with DNA repair, the detoxification of harmful molecules, and improved metabolism," the study stated. Scientists fear that human exploration of other planets and the Moon can inadvertently cause bacteria and other organisms to spread there, contaminating the cosmic bodies that can spiral into a whole new problem. However, the pro of these bacteria is that NASA can use them to understand the type of organisms humans might encounter during their space travel.

Bacteria found invading cleanroom can heal itself and survive space radiation

Space capability plays a major role in contemporary warfare. The recent conflict between India and Pakistan is yet another reminder of how India's space program supports the military's warfighting capabilities. Be it air, land, or the sea, all theaters of warfare were influenced and enhanced by space capabilities at all times.

How India's space power supported Operation Sindoor

Elon Musk has finally revealed his reasons for pouring in excessive resources into his Mars mission. Musk is not satiated with visuals of flags being placed or footprints being marked on Mars. He plans to colonize Mars, offering a backup planet after Earth is destroyed.

Musk eyes Mars as back-up planet to Earth

The United States that has reportedly started sharing sensitive space intelligence with the UK and other Five Eyes nations, and this includes classified information on Chinese and Russian space activity.

US warns of China’s growing space surveillance programmes

On 29th May 2025, Indian Air Force fighter pilot-turned-astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla will launch to space from the American Spaceport in Florida. Shukla will be flying as part of the American commercial mission Axiom-4. Shukla will also be the first Indian astronaut to fly to the International Space Station, an orbiting lab that is 425 km above the earth. WION&rsquo;s Sidharth M.P. had exclusively reported about this May-month spaceflight, back in January 2025.
Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/exclusive-indian-astronaut-shuks-to-fly-to-space-in-may-2025-8676223">Exclusive: Indian astronaut &lsquo;Shuks&rsquo; to fly to space in May 2025</a>
Axiom-4 will carry a crew of four astronauts to the International Space Station, where they would stay for two weeks and perform 60 experiments. The astronauts would be flying on the SpaceX Falcon9 rocket and the Crew Dragon capsule. This mission will facilitate the return to human spaceflight for India, Poland, and Hungary, given that each nation&rsquo;s first and only government-sponsored spaceflight had taken place more than 40 years ago. The Ax-4 crewmembers will represent their nations in Low Earth Orbit and perform scientific experiments and demonstrations that are of high national importance.
This Axiom-4 mission is a result of deepening Indo-US Space cooperation, which came to the fore during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi&rsquo;s State visit to the United States in June 2023. Back then, President Biden had announced Indo-US collaboration on human spaceflight and the mission to send an Indian astronaut to the International Space Station, marking the highest point in India-US space ties.
Peggy Whitson, former NASA astronaut and director of human spaceflight at Axiom Space, will command the Axiom-4 mission, while ISRO (Indian Space Research Organization) astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla will serve as pilot. The two mission specialists are ESA (European Space Agency) project astronaut Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski of Poland and Tibor Kapu of Hungary.
<h2>How will Axiom-4 help India&rsquo;s Gaganyaan Human Spaceflight programme?</h2>
Gaganyaan is India&rsquo;s attempt at launching its astronauts to space and returning them safely, using an indigenously developed rocket, spacecraft, and supporting technologies. Gaganyaan was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2018, and it is the first step in a series of sustained human spaceflight missions that the Indian Space agency ISRO wants to carry out in a phased manner. By the end of this decade, India hopes to put an uncrewed space station in Earth orbit. By 2035, it would be used as a crewed Indian outpost that&rsquo;s circling the earth. By 2040, India is targeting a crewed moon landing, a feat that only America has accomplished back in 1969, and China hopes to accomplish by the end of this decade.
Gaganyaan would be carried out by the Indian Space Agency ISRO, with test pilots of the Indian Air Force, serving as the crew members. The four candidates&mdash;Group Captains Prashant Balakrishnan Nair, Shubhanshu Shukla, Ajit Krishnan, and Angad Pratap&mdash;had completed their training at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center, Moscow, in 2021. Since then, they have also undergone several theoretical and practical sessions at ISRO&rsquo;s Human Spaceflight Centre and the Indian Air Force&rsquo;s Institute of Aerospace Medicine. They have also been visiting various ISRO centres, such as ISRO&rsquo;s Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Thiruvananthapuram and Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota.&nbsp; WION had exclusively reported that Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla and Group Captain Prashant Balakrishnan Nair have been training at facilities in the US, Europe, and Japan, in preparation for Axiom-4. For Axiom-4, the primary Indian candidate is Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla and Group Captain Ajit Krishnan is the backup candidate.&nbsp;
Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/exclusive-indian-astronauts-shukla-nair-trained-in-us-eu-japan-8927101">Exclusive: Indian astronauts Shukla, Nair trained in US, EU, Japan</a>
The Axiom-4 mission is meant to serve as a precursor to India&rsquo;s Gaganyaan, as Shukla&rsquo;s spaceflight would help India gain contemporary spaceflight experience, valuable technological and experiential insights. While serving as ISRO Chief, Dr. S. Somanath had explained to WION that human spaceflight is a highly challenging endeavour and that India only had the limited experience of Rakesh Sharma's flight in 1984. He had added that the Indian astronaut (Shukla) flying to the International space station would immensely benefit the Gaganyaan programme. Notably, the maiden spaceflight by an Indian was on a Soviet-era Soyuz T-11 spacecraft, and since then the technologies have changed drastically. Presently, in America, SpaceX is the lone entity that has a track record of reliably ferrying astronauts to the space station on their Crew Dragon craft, while Boeing faces technical trouble with their Starliner craft.

India News: Axiom-4 will carry a crew of four astronauts to the International Space Station, where they would stay for two weeks and perform 60 experiments. The astronauts would be flying on the SpaceX Falcon9 rocket and the Crew Dragon capsule.

On 29th May 2025, Indian Air Force fighter pilot-turned-astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla will launch to space from the American Spaceport in Florida. Shukla will be flying as part of the American commercial mission Axiom-4. Shukla will also be the first Indian astronaut to fly to the International Space Station, an orbiting lab that is 425 km above the earth. WION’s Sidharth M.P. had exclusively reported about this May-month spaceflight, back in January 2025. Also Read | Exclusive: Indian astronaut ‘Shuks’ to fly to space in May 2025 Axiom-4 will carry a crew of four astronauts to the International Space Station, where they would stay for two weeks and perform 60 experiments. The astronauts would be flying on the SpaceX Falcon9 rocket and the Crew Dragon capsule. This mission will facilitate the return to human spaceflight for India, Poland, and Hungary, given that each nation’s first and only government-sponsored spaceflight had taken place more than 40 years ago. The Ax-4 crewmembers will represent their nations in Low Earth Orbit and perform scientific experiments and demonstrations that are of high national importance. This Axiom-4 mission is a result of deepening Indo-US Space cooperation, which came to the fore during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s State visit to the United States in June 2023. Back then, President Biden had announced Indo-US collaboration on human spaceflight and the mission to send an Indian astronaut to the International Space Station, marking the highest point in India-US space ties. Peggy Whitson, former NASA astronaut and director of human spaceflight at Axiom Space, will command the Axiom-4 mission, while ISRO (Indian Space Research Organization) astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla will serve as pilot. The two mission specialists are ESA (European Space Agency) project astronaut Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski of Poland and Tibor Kapu of Hungary. How will Axiom-4 help India’s Gaganyaan Human Spaceflight programme? Gaganyaan is India’s attempt at launching its astronauts to space and returning them safely, using an indigenously developed rocket, spacecraft, and supporting technologies. Gaganyaan was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2018, and it is the first step in a series of sustained human spaceflight missions that the Indian Space agency ISRO wants to carry out in a phased manner. By the end of this decade, India hopes to put an uncrewed space station in Earth orbit. By 2035, it would be used as a crewed Indian outpost that’s circling the earth. By 2040, India is targeting a crewed moon landing, a feat that only America has accomplished back in 1969, and China hopes to accomplish by the end of this decade. Gaganyaan would be carried out by the Indian Space Agency ISRO, with test pilots of the Indian Air Force, serving as the crew members. The four candidates—Group Captains Prashant Balakrishnan Nair, Shubhanshu Shukla, Ajit Krishnan, and Angad Pratap—had completed their training at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center, Moscow, in 2021. Since then, they have also undergone several theoretical and practical sessions at ISRO’s Human Spaceflight Centre and the Indian Air Force’s Institute of Aerospace Medicine. They have also been visiting various ISRO centres, such as ISRO’s Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Thiruvananthapuram and Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota. WION had exclusively reported that Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla and Group Captain Prashant Balakrishnan Nair have been training at facilities in the US, Europe, and Japan, in preparation for Axiom-4. For Axiom-4, the primary Indian candidate is Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla and Group Captain Ajit Krishnan is the backup candidate. Also Read | Exclusive: Indian astronauts Shukla, Nair trained in US, EU, Japan The Axiom-4 mission is meant to serve as a precursor to India’s Gaganyaan, as Shukla’s spaceflight would help India gain contemporary spaceflight experience, valuable technological and experiential insights. While serving as ISRO Chief, Dr. S. Somanath had explained to WION that human spaceflight is a highly challenging endeavour and that India only had the limited experience of Rakesh Sharma's flight in 1984. He had added that the Indian astronaut (Shukla) flying to the International space station would immensely benefit the Gaganyaan programme. Notably, the maiden spaceflight by an Indian was on a Soviet-era Soyuz T-11 spacecraft, and since then the technologies have changed drastically. Presently, in America, SpaceX is the lone entity that has a track record of reliably ferrying astronauts to the space station on their Crew Dragon craft, while Boeing faces technical trouble with their Starliner craft.

Indian astronaut Gp Capt Shukla to fly to space on 29th May

First it was trade, then it was tech, and then came the Indo-Pacific standoff and cyber snooping. The US-China-Russia rivalry that has been evolving from a contest of influence to a global turf war is now going beyond the planet. Watch in for more details!

Russia & China join hands to build lunar research station by 2035

NASA&rsquo;s oldest astronaut, Don Pettit, celebrated his 70th birthday while hurtling towards Earth in a spacecraft as he returned the Earth following a seven-month mission onboard the International Space Station (ISS).
American astronaut Pettit, along with two Russian cosmonauts, landed in a Soyuz capsule in Kazakhstan on Sunday (Apr 20).
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&ldquo;Today at 0420 Moscow time (0120 GMT), the Soyuz MS-26 landing craft with Alexei Ovchinin, Ivan Vagner and Donald (Don) Pettit aboard landed near the Kazakh town of Zhezkazgan,&rdquo; Russia&rsquo;s space agency Roscosmos said.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science-tech/nasa-unearths-massive-328-foot-wide-hole-on-mars-says-could-contain-alien-life-8976688">NASA unearths massive 328-foot-wide hole on Mars, says could 'contain alien life'</a>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-m9pxdo6p-q186wpxk-u6l14w54">
Happy birthday, <a href="https://twitter.com/astro_Pettit?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@astro_Pettit</a>! Many happy returns (including this one) 🥳 The MS-26 Soyuz spacecraft touched down in Kazakhstan at 9:20pm ET&mdash;or, in local time, 6:20am April 20, Pettit's 70th birthday. <a href="https://t.co/qFM5fAxnA0">pic.twitter.com/qFM5fAxnA0</a>
&mdash; NASA (@NASA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NASA/status/1913765879612858433?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 20, 2025</a></blockquote>
<h2>&lsquo;Doing well&rsquo;</h2>
Pettit, Ovchinin and Vagner completed a journey of 93.3 million miles and orbited the Earth 3,520 times during their 220-day mission in space.
This was the fourth space flight for Pettit, who has spent more than 18 months in space during his career of 29 years.&nbsp;
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/was-blue-origins-all-female-flight-hoax-netizens-point-katy-perrys-hair-gayle-kings-hand-as-conspiracy-theories-float-8977106">Was Blue Origin&rsquo;s all-female flight hoax? Netizens point Katy Perry&rsquo;s hair, Gayle King&rsquo;s hand as conspiracy theories float</a>
The astronauts touched down in a remote region south-east of Zhezkazgan in Kazakhstan after undocking from the space station around three hours earlier. The images shared by NASA showed the small capsule parachuting down to Earth as the sun rises. The astronauts gave thumbs up as they were carried out of the spacecraft by rescuers.
In a statement, NASA said that Pettit was &ldquo;doing well and in the range of what is expected for him following return to Earth.&rdquo;
Watch | Historic Blue Origin flight: Women astronauts experience panoramic views of Earth
<iframe width="600" height="auto" style="width: 100%; aspect-ratio: 4/3;" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" class="external-video publive-iframes-block" src="https://cdn.thepublive.com/wion/static/kaltura_player/wion_video_player_iframe.html?thumbnail=wion/media/post_attachments/screenshot/1404_ARJUN_KATY_10PM/00000002.jpg&amp;videourl=https://vodakm.zeenews.com/vod/WION/1404_ARJUN_KATY_10PM.mp4/index.m3u8&amp;duration=272&amp;tags=Blue Origin, Earth, World News, WION" title="Historic Blue Origin flight: Women astronauts experience panoramic views of Earth" id="PL_iframe_block-m9pugsui-xqnhwtv6-q60uutnq"></iframe>
After flying to the Kazakh city of Karaganda, the NASA astronaut boarded a plane to the agency&rsquo;s Johnson Space Center in Texas.
Aboard the International Space Station, the astronauts spent their time researching various areas like water sanitisation technology, plant growth under various conditions and fire behaviour in microgravity, NASA said.

The astronauts touched down in a remote region south-east of Zhezkazgan in Kazakhstan after undocking from the space station around three hours earlier. Trending | SCIENCE & TECH | World

NASA’s oldest astronaut, Don Pettit, celebrated his 70th birthday while hurtling towards Earth in a spacecraft as he returned the Earth following a seven-month mission onboard the International Space Station (ISS). American astronaut Pettit, along with two Russian cosmonauts, landed in a Soyuz capsule in Kazakhstan on Sunday (Apr 20). Also read | NASA discovery points to the exact date Jesus Christ was likely crucified “Today at 0420 Moscow time (0120 GMT), the Soyuz MS-26 landing craft with Alexei Ovchinin, Ivan Vagner and Donald (Don) Pettit aboard landed near the Kazakh town of Zhezkazgan,” Russia’s space agency Roscosmos said. Also read | NASA unearths massive 328-foot-wide hole on Mars, says could 'contain alien life' Happy birthday, @astro_Pettit! Many happy returns (including this one) 🥳 The MS-26 Soyuz spacecraft touched down in Kazakhstan at 9:20pm ET—or, in local time, 6:20am April 20, Pettit's 70th birthday. pic.twitter.com/qFM5fAxnA0 — NASA (@NASA) April 20, 2025 ‘Doing well’ Pettit, Ovchinin and Vagner completed a journey of 93.3 million miles and orbited the Earth 3,520 times during their 220-day mission in space. This was the fourth space flight for Pettit, who has spent more than 18 months in space during his career of 29 years. Also read | Was Blue Origin’s all-female flight hoax? Netizens point Katy Perry’s hair, Gayle King’s hand as conspiracy theories float The astronauts touched down in a remote region south-east of Zhezkazgan in Kazakhstan after undocking from the space station around three hours earlier. The images shared by NASA showed the small capsule parachuting down to Earth as the sun rises. The astronauts gave thumbs up as they were carried out of the spacecraft by rescuers. In a statement, NASA said that Pettit was “doing well and in the range of what is expected for him following return to Earth.” Watch | Historic Blue Origin flight: Women astronauts experience panoramic views of Earth After flying to the Kazakh city of Karaganda, the NASA astronaut boarded a plane to the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Texas. Aboard the International Space Station, the astronauts spent their time researching various areas like water sanitisation technology, plant growth under various conditions and fire behaviour in microgravity, NASA said.

WATCH | NASA's oldest astronaut Don Pettit braves dangerous cosmic journey on 70th birthday

In a symbolic ceremony aboard the International Space Station, Russian cosmonaut Alexey Ovchinin handed over command to Japanese astronaut Takuya Onishi. The two astronauts, who first met as rookies aboard the ISS in 2016, shared an emotional moment during the change-of-command event held on April 18. Onishi wished his colleague a safe return to Earth as he assumed leadership of the space station.

Emotional farewell as Ovchinin hands ISS command to Japan’s Takuya Onishi

Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla is set to make history as the second Indian to travel to space. As part of the Axiom-4 mission, he will fly to the International Space Station in May, marking India’s return to space after 41 years. Shukla, an Indian Air Force fighter pilot, is ready to represent India on this historic mission.

Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla to fly to ISS in May

The government in the Southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu approved its Space Industrial Policy, positioning the state as a hub for space innovation, high-value manufacturing and tech-driven job creation.

India: Tamil Nadu unveils Space Industrial Policy 2025, eyes ₹10,000 crore investment and jobs

A mysterious bright object lit up the night sky over Mexico City, sparking awe and wild speculation online. While some suspected a UFO or meteorite, experts later identified it as a “bolide” — a type of extremely bright meteor.

Mystery fireball streaks over Mexico city, identified as Bolide

NATO Chief Mark Rutte has warned that Russia is considering the deployment of nuclear weapons in space, and that it will be a threat to the thousands of satellites orbiting the Earth that are crucial for defence, communications, and the daily lives of people. In an interview with the German newspaper Welt am Sonntag, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte warned that the Russian nuclear weapons in space would not target Earth but may target satellites and would be a violation of the 1967 Outer Space Treaty.
&ldquo;We are aware of reports that Russia is examining the possibility of placing nuclear weapons in space,&rdquo; Rutte told Welt am Sonntag in an interview published on Saturday. Welt is a sister publication of POLITICO in the Axel Springer Group.
Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/post/8955829" rel="dofollow">Indian pharma warehouse in Ukraine hit by Russian missile: Ukrainian embassy</a>
&ldquo;Moscow&rsquo;s capabilities in space are outdated in comparison with the West. Therefore, the development of nuclear weapons in space is a way for Russia to improve its capabilities. This is very worrying,&rdquo; he added.
The weapons would not target Earth, but shooting down satellites could have serious ramifications, as several systems and services we are accustomed to using rely on satellites, including navigation and communication systems, as well as environmental monitoring. &ldquo;Space is also very important for our deterrence and defence&mdash;just as important as land, sea, air, and cyberspace,&rdquo; Rutte said.&nbsp; Rutte added that such a move by Russia would violate the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, signed by the United States and the Soviet Union at the time. The international agreement signed by 114 countries to prevent an arms race is still the framework of international space law and prohibits the deployment of weapons of mass destruction in space.
Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-state-of-georgia-introduces-bill-to-recognise-hinduphobia-and-anti-hindu-prejudice-8952805" target="_blank" rel="noopener">US' State of Georgia introduces bill to recognise Hinduphobia and anti-Hindu prejudice</a> Critics, however, point out that the treaty does not completely rule out military activities in space and may not address the dangers that emanate from modern satellite systems. &ldquo;NATO allies are adapting to the challenges in space, including sharing intelligence and establishing national space command centres, but also developing smaller satellites that are more manoeuvrable and better protected,&rdquo; he added.
Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-78-to-undergo-checkup-says-never-felt-better-will-his-reports-be-made-public-8951391" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Trump, 78, to undergo checkup, says &lsquo;never felt better&rsquo;; will his reports be made public?</a> &ldquo;In recent years, space has become increasingly crowded, dangerous, and unpredictable. We know that competition in space is fierce and becoming increasingly bitter. And not just in commercial terms. This affects our entire security,&rdquo; he said. With about 7,000 satellites currently orbiting Earth, &ldquo;space-based systems directly affect our way of life,&rdquo; said Rutte, a former Dutch prime minister. &ldquo;They ensure, for example, that mobile phones, banking services, and weather forecasts work.&rdquo;

World: “Space is also very important for our deterrence and defence—just as important as land, sea, air, and cyberspace,” NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said.

NATO Chief Mark Rutte has warned that Russia is considering the deployment of nuclear weapons in space, and that it will be a threat to the thousands of satellites orbiting the Earth that are crucial for defence, communications, and the daily lives of people. In an interview with the German newspaper Welt am Sonntag, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte warned that the Russian nuclear weapons in space would not target Earth but may target satellites and would be a violation of the 1967 Outer Space Treaty. “We are aware of reports that Russia is examining the possibility of placing nuclear weapons in space,” Rutte told Welt am Sonntag in an interview published on Saturday. Welt is a sister publication of POLITICO in the Axel Springer Group. Also Read | Indian pharma warehouse in Ukraine hit by Russian missile: Ukrainian embassy “Moscow’s capabilities in space are outdated in comparison with the West. Therefore, the development of nuclear weapons in space is a way for Russia to improve its capabilities. This is very worrying,” he added. The weapons would not target Earth, but shooting down satellites could have serious ramifications, as several systems and services we are accustomed to using rely on satellites, including navigation and communication systems, as well as environmental monitoring. “Space is also very important for our deterrence and defence—just as important as land, sea, air, and cyberspace,” Rutte said. Rutte added that such a move by Russia would violate the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, signed by the United States and the Soviet Union at the time. The international agreement signed by 114 countries to prevent an arms race is still the framework of international space law and prohibits the deployment of weapons of mass destruction in space. Also Read | US' State of Georgia introduces bill to recognise Hinduphobia and anti-Hindu prejudice Critics, however, point out that the treaty does not completely rule out military activities in space and may not address the dangers that emanate from modern satellite systems. “NATO allies are adapting to the challenges in space, including sharing intelligence and establishing national space command centres, but also developing smaller satellites that are more manoeuvrable and better protected,” he added. Also Read | Trump, 78, to undergo checkup, says ‘never felt better’; will his reports be made public? “In recent years, space has become increasingly crowded, dangerous, and unpredictable. We know that competition in space is fierce and becoming increasingly bitter. And not just in commercial terms. This affects our entire security,” he said. With about 7,000 satellites currently orbiting Earth, “space-based systems directly affect our way of life,” said Rutte, a former Dutch prime minister. “They ensure, for example, that mobile phones, banking services, and weather forecasts work.”

Russia seeking to deploy nuclear weapons in space, warns NATO chief

Turkiye is aiming to reach the moon. Ankara has planned over 60 lunar missions in the next decade. We tell you more about turkiye's space ambitions.

Turkiye's 60 Lunar Missions

Apparently, something strange is happening to our Earth. Its magnetic field is weakening, and NASA scientists say this mysterious dent in the Earth's magnetic field is growing. Our next story explains how this could be a cause for concern for all of us.

Earth's magnetic mystery: scientists race for answers, should you be worried

#Gravitas A top U.S. General in his testimony said that China has mastered the use of directed energy, radio frequency, and other such advanced weapon systems that he claims threaten U.S. activities in space.

China, America gear up for first war in space

Blue Origin is set to make history with its next spaceflight, featuring an all-woman crew for the first time since 1963. Celebrities like Katy Perry, Lauren Sánchez, and Gayle King will be aboard the New Shepard spacecraft as it launches from West Texas this spring.

The crew will blast off to space on Blue Origin rocket

Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla to pilot Axiom-4 space mission

Scientists, with the help of NASA's Perseverance Mars rover, found a strange object on the Red Planet. The object looks like a cluster of hundreds of spider eggs. The team is now working hard to understand their origin and the mystery behind it. Watch this report for more details!

NASA scientists spot strange rocks on Mars

Have you ever seen someone playing baseball in space? A Japanese astronaut shared a video playing baseball while floating in the space station.&nbsp;
American billionaire Elon Musk shared a rare instance of space entertainment, posting a video of Japanese astronaut Koichi Wakata playing baseball while floating in the International Space Station (ISS). &nbsp;
Netizens were delighted to see the video as he was seen playing baseball solo in the space.&nbsp;
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/californians-spot-strange-light-in-the-sky-it-was-not-a-meteorite-8891037">Strange 'fireball' seen in California. It came from space but was not a meteorite</a>
Wakata celebrated the MLB season opener in Japan, showcasing his unique ability to pitch, hit, and catch the ball in microgravity.&nbsp;
&ldquo;It's baseball season - the @MLB season opener is kicking off in Japan. During Expedition 68, I played a solo game of baseball. In microgravity, you don&rsquo;t need a whole team; you can play all of the positions!&rdquo; he said in a post on X.&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
It's baseball season - the <a href="https://twitter.com/MLB?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MLB</a> season opener is kicking off in Japan. During Expedition 68 I played a solo game of baseball. In microgravity you don't need a whole team, you can play all of the positions! <a href="https://t.co/m1d19mbzfE">pic.twitter.com/m1d19mbzfE</a>
&mdash; Koichi Wakata 若田光一 (@Astro_Wakata) <a href="https://twitter.com/Astro_Wakata/status/1901995442113499480?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 18, 2025</a></blockquote>
Musk reshared his video as he was astonished by the astronauts' baseball skills. It further gained even more attraction from the netizens.&nbsp;
The video, which was captured within the ISS's JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) module, has captured the attention of social media users ever since.
Moreover, Colonel Chris Hadfield, the first Canadian to command the International Space Station (ISS) and a global icon in space exploration, also reshared the video on X, saying, "That's friend &nbsp;Koichi Wakata inside the JAXA module of the International Space Station - Japan plays great baseball!"
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<h2>Netizens react</h2>
Some Internet users called the video "cool", while some appreciated the skills of the astronaut, as he plays baseball in the absence of gravity.&nbsp;
The video has garnered more than 94.8 million views. A social media user said, "Zero gravity baseball? I&rsquo;d still somehow strike out.&rdquo;&nbsp;
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"Seems fun! Is there such a game that could be called spaceball? If humanity were to migrate to space at one point what kinda sports would ppl bring/create w (do we have a good amount of data to just begin to imagine idk) just a random thought," wrote one user.&nbsp;
"Very impressive sir! &nbsp;Great reflexes!" commented another. "Baseball game just got funnier. Keep up Astro Koichi," wrote another user.&nbsp;
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/will-us-president-donald-trump-pay-out-of-his-pocket-to-nasa-astronauts-sunita-williams-and-butch-wilmore-for-staying-overtime-in-space-heres-what-he-said-8879824">Will Trump pay out of his pocket to Sunita Williams for staying overtime in space? Here's what he said</a>
(With inputs from agencies)
&nbsp;

World: Elon Musk reshared his video as he was astonished by the astronauts' baseball skills. It further gained even more attraction from the netizens.

Have you ever seen someone playing baseball in space? A Japanese astronaut shared a video playing baseball while floating in the space station. American billionaire Elon Musk shared a rare instance of space entertainment, posting a video of Japanese astronaut Koichi Wakata playing baseball while floating in the International Space Station (ISS). Netizens were delighted to see the video as he was seen playing baseball solo in the space. Also read: Strange 'fireball' seen in California. It came from space but was not a meteorite Wakata celebrated the MLB season opener in Japan, showcasing his unique ability to pitch, hit, and catch the ball in microgravity. “It's baseball season - the @MLB season opener is kicking off in Japan. During Expedition 68, I played a solo game of baseball. In microgravity, you don’t need a whole team; you can play all of the positions!” he said in a post on X. It's baseball season - the @MLB season opener is kicking off in Japan. During Expedition 68 I played a solo game of baseball. In microgravity you don't need a whole team, you can play all of the positions! pic.twitter.com/m1d19mbzfE — Koichi Wakata 若田光一 (@Astro_Wakata) March 18, 2025 Musk reshared his video as he was astonished by the astronauts' baseball skills. It further gained even more attraction from the netizens. The video, which was captured within the ISS's JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) module, has captured the attention of social media users ever since. Moreover, Colonel Chris Hadfield, the first Canadian to command the International Space Station (ISS) and a global icon in space exploration, also reshared the video on X, saying, "That's friend Koichi Wakata inside the JAXA module of the International Space Station - Japan plays great baseball!" Also read: India's largest floating solar farms: This marvel can be seen from space Netizens react Some Internet users called the video "cool", while some appreciated the skills of the astronaut, as he plays baseball in the absence of gravity. The video has garnered more than 94.8 million views. A social media user said, "Zero gravity baseball? I’d still somehow strike out.” Also read: Intern salaries at SpaceX can rival what an average American earns. 'Just $2,000 less than...' "Seems fun! Is there such a game that could be called spaceball? If humanity were to migrate to space at one point what kinda sports would ppl bring/create w (do we have a good amount of data to just begin to imagine idk) just a random thought," wrote one user. "Very impressive sir! Great reflexes!" commented another. "Baseball game just got funnier. Keep up Astro Koichi," wrote another user. Also read: Will Trump pay out of his pocket to Sunita Williams for staying overtime in space? Here's what he said (With inputs from agencies)

'Pitch, hit, and catch': Musk shares video of astronaut playing UNBELIEVABLE baseball in zero gravity | WATCH

When a mysterious meteorite fell in Algeria in 2023, scientists didn't know that it was a special rock. Earth is battered by several meteorites every year. Most of them are remnants of a celestial body that exists in space right now in a different form, such as the Moon, Mars and other worlds. However, this meteorite came from a planet that died millions, or probably billions of years ago.
According to a new analysis of the meteorite, it contains materials that do not match the ones scientists know about. The Northwest Africa (NWA) 15915 meteorite weighs 2.84 kilogrammes and supposedly belongs to a Mercury-like planet that has been dead for a long time. A team made the discovery of scientists led by Jennifer Mitchell of the University of Minnesota, New Scientist reported.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science-tech/is-moon-all-earth-scientists-say-nothing-from-theia-exists-in-the-moon-8878555" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">When Theia smashed into Earth: The common DNA Moon and our planet share</a>
The planets and other bodies that exist in the solar system today were born from a proto-planetary disk that surrounded our Sun 4.6 billion years ago. At the time, the solar system was littered with nearly 50 to 100 protoplanets, mostly about the size of the Moon or Mars. Most of them came together to form the eight solar systems we know about today. Earth suffered a violent collision with Theia, a Mars-like planet, and is said to be living inside the mantle even today.&nbsp;
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Then there were dwarf planets like Ceres, Pallas, and Vesta that escaped unscathed.
<h2>An 'outlier' meteorite</h2>
The meteorite in Algeria was studied by the team, which found that NWA 15915 did not come from a living body in space but fit the description of an "outlier" meteorite. New Scientist reported that only 0.2 per cent of meteorites belong to this rare group.
Mitchell and her team presented the findings at the Lunar and Planetary Sciences Conference in Texas and submitted a brief with preliminary findings.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science-tech/asteroid-killed-dinosaurs-and-dying-stars-triggered-mass-extinction-on-earth-8875610" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Cosmic explosions killed all life on Earth 445mn yrs ago and then again 73mn years later: Report</a>
Using an electron microscope and spectroscopic instruments, the scientists studied its composition and found that the meteorite was different from Mercury but formed in a similarly low-oxygen environment. &ldquo;The magnetic properties of NWA 15915 show evidence of Fe-metal, daubr&eacute;elite, and troilite. At present, our work supports the view of a large differentiated body in the inner Solar System," the team said.
<h2>Such meteorites are rare but possible</h2>
The combination of magnetic metal-rich minerals suggested that the meteorite came from a long-dead world. Scientists say that finding such rocks is still possible despite the fact that the original world no longer exists.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science-tech/astronomers-detect-oxygen-in-the-most-distant-galaxy-ever-found-i-was-astonished-8874868" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Astronomers detect oxygen in the most distant galaxy ever found: 'I was astonished'</a>
However, they admit that it is extremely rare. Several planets, the Main asteroid belt and the Kuiper Belt still harbour the remains of such worlds.
Scientists are thrilled by the results as they offer a window into the early solar system and how it worked when things were a huge mess.

The solar system was packed with 50 to 100 protoplanets billions of years ago. Not all of them lived to tell the tale of the chaotic time. Science & Tech Trending

When a mysterious meteorite fell in Algeria in 2023, scientists didn't know that it was a special rock. Earth is battered by several meteorites every year. Most of them are remnants of a celestial body that exists in space right now in a different form, such as the Moon, Mars and other worlds. However, this meteorite came from a planet that died millions, or probably billions of years ago. According to a new analysis of the meteorite, it contains materials that do not match the ones scientists know about. The Northwest Africa (NWA) 15915 meteorite weighs 2.84 kilogrammes and supposedly belongs to a Mercury-like planet that has been dead for a long time. A team made the discovery of scientists led by Jennifer Mitchell of the University of Minnesota, New Scientist reported. Also Read: When Theia smashed into Earth: The common DNA Moon and our planet share The planets and other bodies that exist in the solar system today were born from a proto-planetary disk that surrounded our Sun 4.6 billion years ago. At the time, the solar system was littered with nearly 50 to 100 protoplanets, mostly about the size of the Moon or Mars. Most of them came together to form the eight solar systems we know about today. Earth suffered a violent collision with Theia, a Mars-like planet, and is said to be living inside the mantle even today. Also Read: Saturn’s rings will ‘disappear’ this weekend – won’t happen again until 2038 Then there were dwarf planets like Ceres, Pallas, and Vesta that escaped unscathed. An 'outlier' meteorite The meteorite in Algeria was studied by the team, which found that NWA 15915 did not come from a living body in space but fit the description of an "outlier" meteorite. New Scientist reported that only 0.2 per cent of meteorites belong to this rare group. Mitchell and her team presented the findings at the Lunar and Planetary Sciences Conference in Texas and submitted a brief with preliminary findings. Also Read: Cosmic explosions killed all life on Earth 445mn yrs ago and then again 73mn years later: Report Using an electron microscope and spectroscopic instruments, the scientists studied its composition and found that the meteorite was different from Mercury but formed in a similarly low-oxygen environment. “The magnetic properties of NWA 15915 show evidence of Fe-metal, daubréelite, and troilite. At present, our work supports the view of a large differentiated body in the inner Solar System," the team said. Such meteorites are rare but possible The combination of magnetic metal-rich minerals suggested that the meteorite came from a long-dead world. Scientists say that finding such rocks is still possible despite the fact that the original world no longer exists. Also Read: Astronomers detect oxygen in the most distant galaxy ever found: 'I was astonished' However, they admit that it is extremely rare. Several planets, the Main asteroid belt and the Kuiper Belt still harbour the remains of such worlds. Scientists are thrilled by the results as they offer a window into the early solar system and how it worked when things were a huge mess.

Earth hit by meteorite that originated from a non-existent planet

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