India is in the grip of the flu season. Several cities are reporting a spurt in swine flu & conjunctivitis cases. What can you do to stay safe?

Conjunctivitis cases on the rise | SpaceX to launch largest private satellite

<p>SpaceX, led by Elon Musk, announced Wednesday (July 26, local time) that they are delaying the&nbsp;launch of the world's largest private satellite, named JUPITER-3, "due to a violation of abort criteria." Now, another launch attempt would be made on Thursday (July 27).</p>

<p>In a tweet, SpaceX wrote, "Standing down from tonight’s Falcon Heavy launch of the&nbsp;@HughesConnects JUPITER 3 mission due to a violation of abort criteria. Teams are resetting for a launch attempt tomorrow, July 27; vehicle and payload are in good health."</p>

<p>This remarkable satellite will be lifted into space by SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket from Launch Complex 39A in Florida, marking the seventh launch for the powerful triple-booster rocket.</p>

<h2><strong>Impressive satellite details</strong></h2>

<p>Developed by Maxar Technologies in California, JUPITER-3 is not only impressive in size but also in its advanced technological features and capabilities, reported India Today.</p>

<p>Once fully deployed, the satellite's dimensions will rival the wingspan of a commercial airliner, measuring between 130-160 feet (40-50 metres). Its innovative architecture has allowed for electronics miniaturisation, including solid-state amplifiers and enhanced antenna efficiency.</p>

<h2><strong>Enhanced communication capabilities</strong></h2>

<p>JUPITER-3 is expected to double the capacity of Maxar's satellite fleet, providing an additional 500 Gbps of connectivity. This boost will enable the company to serve more customers, especially in areas where traditional cable and fibre&nbsp;connectivity are limited or unreliable. The satellite's capabilities encompass in-flight Wi-Fi, maritime connections, enterprise networks, backhaul for Mobile Network Operators (MNOs), and Community Wi-Fi solutions throughout North and South America.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/elon-musk-explains-why-twitter-had-to-rebrand-itself-to-x-and-dump-the-blue-bird-619150">Elon Musk explains why Twitter had to rebrand itself to 'X' and dump the blue bird</a></p>

<h2><strong>Launch details and unconventional booster handling</strong></h2>

<p>The new launch date&nbsp;for JUPITER-3 is July 27 (local time) and July 28 (IST). Unlike previous practices, SpaceX will expend its core booster in the Atlantic Ocean after the first-stage separation instead of attempting a drone-ship landing at sea.</p>

<p><strong>Also watch |&nbsp;Elon Musk's SpaceX rocket punches hole in Ionosphere: Report</strong></p>

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<h2 class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><strong>Preparation and testing</strong></h2>

<p>Prior to its launch, JUPITER-3 underwent rigorous vibration and temperature testing, confirming its ability to withstand the various temperature fluctuations it will encounter in space. The satellite will be pushed into geostationary orbit by the Falcon Heavy rocket.</p>

<p>The upcoming launch of JUPITER-3 aboard SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket is a remarkable milestone in the realm of private satellite technology. Its impressive size and advanced capabilities promise to revolutionise communication services, bringing enhanced connectivity to various regions in North and South America.&nbsp;</p>

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SpaceX, led by Elon Musk, announced Wednesday (July 26, local time) that they are delaying the launch of the world's largest private satellite, named JUPITER-3, "due to a violation of abort criteria.

SpaceX, led by Elon Musk, announced Wednesday (July 26, local time) that they are delaying the launch of the world's largest private satellite, named JUPITER-3, "due to a violation of abort criteria." Now, another launch attempt would be made on Thursday (July 27). In a tweet, SpaceX wrote, "Standing down from tonight’s Falcon Heavy launch of the @HughesConnects JUPITER 3 mission due to a violation of abort criteria. Teams are resetting for a launch attempt tomorrow, July 27; vehicle and payload are in good health." This remarkable satellite will be lifted into space by SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket from Launch Complex 39A in Florida, marking the seventh launch for the powerful triple-booster rocket. Impressive satellite details Developed by Maxar Technologies in California, JUPITER-3 is not only impressive in size but also in its advanced technological features and capabilities, reported India Today. Once fully deployed, the satellite's dimensions will rival the wingspan of a commercial airliner, measuring between 130-160 feet (40-50 metres). Its innovative architecture has allowed for electronics miniaturisation, including solid-state amplifiers and enhanced antenna efficiency. Enhanced communication capabilities JUPITER-3 is expected to double the capacity of Maxar's satellite fleet, providing an additional 500 Gbps of connectivity. This boost will enable the company to serve more customers, especially in areas where traditional cable and fibre connectivity are limited or unreliable. The satellite's capabilities encompass in-flight Wi-Fi, maritime connections, enterprise networks, backhaul for Mobile Network Operators (MNOs), and Community Wi-Fi solutions throughout North and South America. Also read | Elon Musk explains why Twitter had to rebrand itself to 'X' and dump the blue bird Launch details and unconventional booster handling The new launch date for JUPITER-3 is July 27 (local time) and July 28 (IST). Unlike previous practices, SpaceX will expend its core booster in the Atlantic Ocean after the first-stage separation instead of attempting a drone-ship landing at sea. Also watch | Elon Musk's SpaceX rocket punches hole in Ionosphere: Report Preparation and testing Prior to its launch, JUPITER-3 underwent rigorous vibration and temperature testing, confirming its ability to withstand the various temperature fluctuations it will encounter in space. The satellite will be pushed into geostationary orbit by the Falcon Heavy rocket. The upcoming launch of JUPITER-3 aboard SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket is a remarkable milestone in the realm of private satellite technology. Its impressive size and advanced capabilities promise to revolutionise communication services, bringing enhanced connectivity to various regions in North and South America. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

SpaceX postpones launch of world's largest private communications satellite

Elon Musk's SpaceX is in big trouble again. Reportedly, the Falcon 9 rocket launched by SpaceX made a temporary hole in Earth's ionosphere. Falcon 9 is a reusable two-stage rocket designed for the transportation of payloads & people into Earth's orbit. SpaceX claims it to be the world's first orbital-class reusable rocket.

Elon Musk's SpaceX rocket punches hole in Ionosphere: Report

<p>A Falcon 9 rocket launched by Elon Musk's aerospace company SpaceX on July 19, pierced a temporary hole in the ionosphere, a crucial layer of Earth's atmosphere. The rocket took off from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. After the launch, observers in Flagstaff, Arizona, witnessed a faint red glow in the sky, which indicated that the rocket had punctured the ionosphere, media reports said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Boston University's Space physicist Jeff Baumgardner reportedly told spaceweather.com,&nbsp;"This is a well studied phenomenon when rockets are burning their engines 200 to 300 km [around 120 to 190 miles] above Earth's surface."&nbsp;</p>

<p>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/woman-pees-on-floor-of-plane-alleges-airline-of-not-letting-her-use-washroom-618861">Woman pees on floor of plane, alleges airline did not let her use washroom</a></p>

<p>"I reviewed footage from the July 19th launch," says Baumgardner. "It shows the second stage engine burning at 286 km [178 miles] near the F-region peak for that time of day. So, it is quite possible that an ionospheric 'hole' was made," he added.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The ionosphere is a region where space begins, approximately 50 to 400 miles above the Earth's surface. It contains charged particles known as ions and plays a role in creating auroras (also known as the Northern Lights or Southern Lights, are mesmerising natural light displays that illuminate the night skies near the Earth's polar regions) during geomagnetic storms.</p>

<p>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/new-zealand-justice-minister-resigns-after-crashing-car-under-alcohols-influence-618882">New Zealand justice minister resigns after crashing car under alcohol's influence</a></p>

<h2><strong>How do rockets affect Ionosphere?&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>Fast-moving rockets and their exhaust fumes can alter the ionization of the ionosphere.&nbsp;</p>

<p>When rockets release water and carbon dioxide, the local ionization can decrease by up to 70 per cent, particularly in the F-layer of the ionosphere.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Watch | Israelis protest ahead of key parliament vote | Kiri Allan quits cabinet</strong></p>

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<p>The interaction between oxygen ions and rocket exhaust results in the distinctive red colour seen in the ionospheric hole, resembling red auroras.</p>

<h2><strong>Past incidents&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>Notably, in 2017, a rocket launch caused a 560-mile-wide hole that lasted for several hours. These ionospheric disruptions have minor impacts on GPS systems, slightly altering location accuracy.</p>

<p>Charles C.H. Lin of the National Cheng Kung University in Taiwan told Ars Technica news portal in 2018, "Without considering the rocket launch effects, there are errors from the ionosphere, troposphere and other factors that will produce up to 20-meter [65-foot] errors or more."&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Humans are entering an era that rocket launches are becoming usual and frequent due to reduced cost by reusable rockets," Lin said. "Meanwhile, humans are developing more powerful rockets to send cargo to other planets. These two factors will gradually affect the middle and upper atmosphere more, and that is worthwhile to pay some attention to."</p>

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A Falcon 9 rocket launched by Elon Musk's aerospace company SpaceX on July 19, pierced a temporary hole in the ionosphere, a crucial layer of Earth's atmosphere.

A Falcon 9 rocket launched by Elon Musk's aerospace company SpaceX on July 19, pierced a temporary hole in the ionosphere, a crucial layer of Earth's atmosphere. The rocket took off from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. After the launch, observers in Flagstaff, Arizona, witnessed a faint red glow in the sky, which indicated that the rocket had punctured the ionosphere, media reports said. Boston University's Space physicist Jeff Baumgardner reportedly told spaceweather.com, "This is a well studied phenomenon when rockets are burning their engines 200 to 300 km [around 120 to 190 miles] above Earth's surface." Also Read | Woman pees on floor of plane, alleges airline did not let her use washroom "I reviewed footage from the July 19th launch," says Baumgardner. "It shows the second stage engine burning at 286 km [178 miles] near the F-region peak for that time of day. So, it is quite possible that an ionospheric 'hole' was made," he added. The ionosphere is a region where space begins, approximately 50 to 400 miles above the Earth's surface. It contains charged particles known as ions and plays a role in creating auroras (also known as the Northern Lights or Southern Lights, are mesmerising natural light displays that illuminate the night skies near the Earth's polar regions) during geomagnetic storms. Also Read | New Zealand justice minister resigns after crashing car under alcohol's influence How do rockets affect Ionosphere? Fast-moving rockets and their exhaust fumes can alter the ionization of the ionosphere. When rockets release water and carbon dioxide, the local ionization can decrease by up to 70 per cent, particularly in the F-layer of the ionosphere. Watch | Israelis protest ahead of key parliament vote | Kiri Allan quits cabinet × The interaction between oxygen ions and rocket exhaust results in the distinctive red colour seen in the ionospheric hole, resembling red auroras. Past incidents Notably, in 2017, a rocket launch caused a 560-mile-wide hole that lasted for several hours. These ionospheric disruptions have minor impacts on GPS systems, slightly altering location accuracy. Charles C.H. Lin of the National Cheng Kung University in Taiwan told Ars Technica news portal in 2018, "Without considering the rocket launch effects, there are errors from the ionosphere, troposphere and other factors that will produce up to 20-meter [65-foot] errors or more." "Humans are entering an era that rocket launches are becoming usual and frequent due to reduced cost by reusable rockets," Lin said. "Meanwhile, humans are developing more powerful rockets to send cargo to other planets. These two factors will gradually affect the middle and upper atmosphere more, and that is worthwhile to pay some attention to." WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. ×

SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket launch creates temporary hole in Earth's Ionosphere

<p>Beating Elon Musk’s SpaceX, a Chinese aerospace company called LandSpace has successfully launched a rocket using methane and liquid oxygen. The rocket, called Zhuque-2, blasted off Wednesday from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in the Gobi desert. It successfully deposited a test payload into the sun-synchronous orbit (SSO). LandSpace has become the first aerospace company to achieve this feat globally.</p>

<p>Wednesday’s launch marked the second lift-off attempt for Zhuque-2 after its first launch failed in December last year.</p>

<h2><strong>Why Methane-powered engines are sought after?</strong></h2>

<p>Methane-powered engines are crucial for the aerospace industry as they offer lucrative business prospects. Such engines are highly sought after because of their high performance and low operational cost. Notably, methane can be produced in space itself by synthesising water and carbon dioxide.</p>

<p>This technology is even more suitable for reusable rockets, making it the front-running design in the new era of rocketry.&nbsp;</p>

<p>This year so far, two launch attempts with the use of methane-powered engines have already ended in failure. Two methane-powered rockets, the Terran 1 from Relativity Space in the US and SpaceX’s Starship, failed to reach space in their maiden attempts.</p>

<h2><strong>Chinese aerospace industry on a roll</strong></h2>

<p>Beijing Tianbing Technology Co, another Chinese aerospace company, made history in April this year by becoming the first private sector company in the world to reach orbit in its first try. It launched its first rocket Tianlong-2 from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the Gobi Desert, and successfully deposited a small remote-sensing satellite into sun-synchronous orbit.</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;India aims for the moon again: ISRO says Chandrayaan 3 good to go</strong></p>

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<p>Now, the remarkable achievement around the methane-powered rocket tech by another Chinese company shows the country’s aerospace sector has really been firing all cylinders.</p>

<h2><strong>Is India also developing methane-powered engines?</strong></h2>

<p>According to a senior official from ISRO, the agency is currently working on two engines known as "LOx methane" engines. These engines utilise liquid oxygen as the oxidiser and methane as the fuel.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/chandrayaan-3-spacecraft-ready-to-be-encapsulated-into-rocket-says-isro-608988"><strong>Also read:&nbsp;Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft ready to be encapsulated into rocket, says ISRO</strong></a></p>

<p>The first project focuses on converting the existing cryogenic engine, which currently uses liquid hydrogen as fuel, into a LOx methane engine.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The second project aims to develop a smaller engine with a thrust capacity of three&nbsp;tonnes, featuring an electric motor. These projects are being carried out at ISRO's Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre located in Trivandrum.</p>

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Beating Elon Musk’s SpaceX, a Chinese aerospace company called LandSpace has successfully launched a rocket using methane and liquid oxygen. The rocket, called Zhuque-2, blasted off Wednesday from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in the Gobi desert.

Beating Elon Musk’s SpaceX, a Chinese aerospace company called LandSpace has successfully launched a rocket using methane and liquid oxygen. The rocket, called Zhuque-2, blasted off Wednesday from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in the Gobi desert. It successfully deposited a test payload into the sun-synchronous orbit (SSO). LandSpace has become the first aerospace company to achieve this feat globally. Wednesday’s launch marked the second lift-off attempt for Zhuque-2 after its first launch failed in December last year. Why Methane-powered engines are sought after? Methane-powered engines are crucial for the aerospace industry as they offer lucrative business prospects. Such engines are highly sought after because of their high performance and low operational cost. Notably, methane can be produced in space itself by synthesising water and carbon dioxide. This technology is even more suitable for reusable rockets, making it the front-running design in the new era of rocketry. This year so far, two launch attempts with the use of methane-powered engines have already ended in failure. Two methane-powered rockets, the Terran 1 from Relativity Space in the US and SpaceX’s Starship, failed to reach space in their maiden attempts. Chinese aerospace industry on a roll Beijing Tianbing Technology Co, another Chinese aerospace company, made history in April this year by becoming the first private sector company in the world to reach orbit in its first try. It launched its first rocket Tianlong-2 from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the Gobi Desert, and successfully deposited a small remote-sensing satellite into sun-synchronous orbit. Watch: India aims for the moon again: ISRO says Chandrayaan 3 good to go × Now, the remarkable achievement around the methane-powered rocket tech by another Chinese company shows the country’s aerospace sector has really been firing all cylinders. Is India also developing methane-powered engines? According to a senior official from ISRO, the agency is currently working on two engines known as "LOx methane" engines. These engines utilise liquid oxygen as the oxidiser and methane as the fuel. Also read: Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft ready to be encapsulated into rocket, says ISRO The first project focuses on converting the existing cryogenic engine, which currently uses liquid hydrogen as fuel, into a LOx methane engine. The second project aims to develop a smaller engine with a thrust capacity of three tonnes, featuring an electric motor. These projects are being carried out at ISRO's Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre located in Trivandrum. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

China defeats SpaceX to successfully launch world’s first methane-powered rocket

Liquid oxygen as the oxidizer is widely considered China's answer to SpaceX's land space. And, hopes to launch this launch will further cement methane as a reliable next-generation rocket fuel.

Methalox rocket beats SpaceX: Uses liquid methane as fuel

<p>Starlink is a satellite internet constellation which is operated by SpaceX and provides satellite internet access coverage to more than 55 nations. The main objective of Starlink is to provide high-speed internet coverage in remote and rural areas, but are they doing more harm than good?&nbsp;</p>

<p>In a study published on July 5 in the journal Astronomy &amp; Astrophysics, researchers claimed that the constellations of satellites revolving around Earth's orbit are apparently leaking radiation that has the potential to disturb radio astronomy observations.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The research claimed that the electronics on board SpaceX's Starlink satellites are leaking low-frequency radio waves, which are separate from their allocated downlink bands.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As quoted by media outlets, engineer Federico Di Vruno of the SKA Observatory and the International Astronomical Union, said: "This study represents the latest effort to better understand satellite constellations' impact on radio astronomy."&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Previous workshops on Dark and Quiet Skies theorized about this radiation, our observations confirm it is measurable," Di Vruno added.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/metas-threads-sweeps-india-with-over-40-million-downloads-on-launch-day-613496">Meta's Threads sweeps India with over 40 million downloads on launch day</a>&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>SpaceX currently has an estimated 4,365 of their small internet satellites in Earth orbit, with thousands more planned.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Elon Musk-owned company has already authorised 84 administrations around the world and has 1.5 million active users of its low-latency broadband services.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Not just SpaceX, OneWeb has over 600 and Amazon plans to launch its first set of satellites in 2024, and with the growing list, the situation becomes even more concerning.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Watch: Indian startup funding struggles: VC investments decrease, caution for growth stage firms</strong></p>

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<p>But scientists thought the satellites might be giving off unintended radio waves outside that band. This is what Di Vruno and his colleagues sought to investigate.</p>

<p>Scientists have used the Low-Frequency Array (LOFAR) telescope to observe the unintended electromagnetic radiation from SpaceX's satellites.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/robots-reassure-no-job-theft-or-rebellion-on-their-agenda-say-humanoid-robots-at-geneva-ai-summit-613453">Robots reassure: No job theft or rebellion on their agenda, say humanoid robots at Geneva AI summit</a>&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>Cees Bassa, who is an astronomer at the Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON) and a co-author of the recent paper said in a statement: "With LOFAR, we detected radiation between 110 and 188 MHz from 47 out of the 68 satellites that were observed."&nbsp;</p>

<p>"This frequency range includes a protected band between 150.05 and 153 MHz specifically allocated to radio astronomy by the International Telecommunications Union," Bassa added.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Researchers said that the radiation appears to be unintentional and they are coming from the electronics of the satellites and they are also not breaking any rules.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The rules applied by the International Electrotechnical Commission over electrical devices to control electromagnetic interference are not applicable in space.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The researchers have also contacted SpaceX, which said that it is working on mitigation efforts to reduce or remove the unintentional leakage.&nbsp;</p>

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Starlink is a satellite internet constellation which is operated by SpaceX and provides satellite internet access coverage to more than 55 nations. The main objective of Starlink is to provide high-speed internet coverage in remote and rural areas, but are they doing more harm than good?

Starlink is a satellite internet constellation which is operated by SpaceX and provides satellite internet access coverage to more than 55 nations. The main objective of Starlink is to provide high-speed internet coverage in remote and rural areas, but are they doing more harm than good? In a study published on July 5 in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics, researchers claimed that the constellations of satellites revolving around Earth's orbit are apparently leaking radiation that has the potential to disturb radio astronomy observations. The research claimed that the electronics on board SpaceX's Starlink satellites are leaking low-frequency radio waves, which are separate from their allocated downlink bands. As quoted by media outlets, engineer Federico Di Vruno of the SKA Observatory and the International Astronomical Union, said: "This study represents the latest effort to better understand satellite constellations' impact on radio astronomy." "Previous workshops on Dark and Quiet Skies theorized about this radiation, our observations confirm it is measurable," Di Vruno added. Also read: Meta's Threads sweeps India with over 40 million downloads on launch day SpaceX currently has an estimated 4,365 of their small internet satellites in Earth orbit, with thousands more planned. The Elon Musk-owned company has already authorised 84 administrations around the world and has 1.5 million active users of its low-latency broadband services. Not just SpaceX, OneWeb has over 600 and Amazon plans to launch its first set of satellites in 2024, and with the growing list, the situation becomes even more concerning. Watch: Indian startup funding struggles: VC investments decrease, caution for growth stage firms × But scientists thought the satellites might be giving off unintended radio waves outside that band. This is what Di Vruno and his colleagues sought to investigate. Scientists have used the Low-Frequency Array (LOFAR) telescope to observe the unintended electromagnetic radiation from SpaceX's satellites. Also read: Robots reassure: No job theft or rebellion on their agenda, say humanoid robots at Geneva AI summit Cees Bassa, who is an astronomer at the Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON) and a co-author of the recent paper said in a statement: "With LOFAR, we detected radiation between 110 and 188 MHz from 47 out of the 68 satellites that were observed." "This frequency range includes a protected band between 150.05 and 153 MHz specifically allocated to radio astronomy by the International Telecommunications Union," Bassa added. Researchers said that the radiation appears to be unintentional and they are coming from the electronics of the satellites and they are also not breaking any rules. The rules applied by the International Electrotechnical Commission over electrical devices to control electromagnetic interference are not applicable in space. The researchers have also contacted SpaceX, which said that it is working on mitigation efforts to reduce or remove the unintentional leakage. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

SpaceX's Starlink internet satellites leaking radiation, scientists claim

Hong Kong's leader said the city must guard against "destructive forces engaging in soft resistance" as it marked the 26th anniversary of its handover from British to Chinese rule on Saturday (Jul 1).

Hong Kong leader warns of 'resistance' on handover

A European-built orbital satellite designed to research the mysterious cosmic phenomena known as dark energy and dark matter, was launched into space on Saturday from Florida. According to scientists dark energy and dark matter account for 95% of the known universe.

Europe's Euclid space telescope launched on mission to explore 'dark universe'

<p>Euclid, a groundbreaking space telescope named after the Greek mathematician Euclid, has embarked on an extraordinary million-mile journey from Florida as it sets out to unravel the mysteries of the universe. This two-tonne probe, part of a $1 billion European Space Agency mission, was launched into space aboard Elon Musk's SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral at (11:11 AM local time) or 8:41 PM IST.</p>

<p>The telescope will be dispatched to an observing position 1.5 million kilometres away from Earth.</p>

<h2><strong>What's the objective of the mission?</strong></h2>

<p>The primary objective of Euclid is to observe and study the large-scale structure of the Universe. Equipped with advanced instruments such as the Visible instrument (VIS) and the Near Infrared Spectrometer and Photometer (NISP), it will provide us with invaluable insights through visible imagery, near-infrared spectroscopy, and photometry.</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;Elon Musk's SpaceX Starship rocket explodes mid-flight</strong></p>

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<p>By mapping the vast structure of the universe, including the distribution of galaxies and other matter on a grand scale, Euclid aims to enhance our understanding of the evolution of the cosmos. Additionally, it seeks to shed light on the role of dark energy and dark matter in the expansion of the universe.</p>

<p>One of the key tasks of Euclid is to measure the redshifts of galaxies. Redshift is the phenomenon where the light emitted by galaxies is stretched as the universe expands. By analysing the redshifts, scientists can determine the distances to galaxies and accurately map the distribution of matter throughout the universe.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/meet-14-year-old-kairan-quazi-youngest-employee-at-elon-musks-spacex-603151"><strong>Also read:&nbsp;Meet 14-year-old Kairan Quazi, youngest employee at Elon Musk’s SpaceX</strong></a></p>

<p>The month-long journey of Euclid marks an important milestone in the quest to explore the vastness of space. Its scientific endeavours will not only deepen the knowledge of the universe's structure but also provide crucial insights into the fundamental forces that shape its existence.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Launch impacted by Russia-Ukraine conflict</strong></h2>

<p>It must be noted that the Euclid telescope was&nbsp;originally scheduled to launch on a Russian Soyuz rocket from the European spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. However, the plan was modified after Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine, putting the project in a tight spot.&nbsp;Giuseppe Racca, Euclid’s mission manager at ESA in Noordwijk, the Netherlands, said, "We were faced with possibility of putting the spacecraft in storage and launching in three to four years.”<br />
<br />
As per Racca, the team of scientists felt relieved when SpaceX was roped in as Falcon 9 was found to be compatible with the Euclid launch.</p>

<p>The first results from Euclid will arrive on Earth by 2025, although the full information map will only be published by 2030.</p>

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Euclid, a groundbreaking space telescope named after the Greek mathematician Euclid, has embarked on an extraordinary million-mile journey from Florida as it sets out to unravel the mysteries of the universe.

Euclid, a groundbreaking space telescope named after the Greek mathematician Euclid, has embarked on an extraordinary million-mile journey from Florida as it sets out to unravel the mysteries of the universe. This two-tonne probe, part of a $1 billion European Space Agency mission, was launched into space aboard Elon Musk's SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral at (11:11 AM local time) or 8:41 PM IST. The telescope will be dispatched to an observing position 1.5 million kilometres away from Earth. What's the objective of the mission? The primary objective of Euclid is to observe and study the large-scale structure of the Universe. Equipped with advanced instruments such as the Visible instrument (VIS) and the Near Infrared Spectrometer and Photometer (NISP), it will provide us with invaluable insights through visible imagery, near-infrared spectroscopy, and photometry. Watch: Elon Musk's SpaceX Starship rocket explodes mid-flight × By mapping the vast structure of the universe, including the distribution of galaxies and other matter on a grand scale, Euclid aims to enhance our understanding of the evolution of the cosmos. Additionally, it seeks to shed light on the role of dark energy and dark matter in the expansion of the universe. One of the key tasks of Euclid is to measure the redshifts of galaxies. Redshift is the phenomenon where the light emitted by galaxies is stretched as the universe expands. By analysing the redshifts, scientists can determine the distances to galaxies and accurately map the distribution of matter throughout the universe. Also read: Meet 14-year-old Kairan Quazi, youngest employee at Elon Musk’s SpaceX The month-long journey of Euclid marks an important milestone in the quest to explore the vastness of space. Its scientific endeavours will not only deepen the knowledge of the universe's structure but also provide crucial insights into the fundamental forces that shape its existence. Launch impacted by Russia-Ukraine conflict It must be noted that the Euclid telescope was originally scheduled to launch on a Russian Soyuz rocket from the European spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. However, the plan was modified after Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine, putting the project in a tight spot. Giuseppe Racca, Euclid’s mission manager at ESA in Noordwijk, the Netherlands, said, "We were faced with possibility of putting the spacecraft in storage and launching in three to four years.” As per Racca, the team of scientists felt relieved when SpaceX was roped in as Falcon 9 was found to be compatible with the Euclid launch. The first results from Euclid will arrive on Earth by 2025, although the full information map will only be published by 2030. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Euclid space telescope successfully launched by SpaceX, will explore dark universe

<p>In a recent interview, on Twitter Spaces, Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s biographer, Walter Isaacson spoke about how the billionaire sometimes goes into “demon mode” which makes him highly productive and a tough leader but also “dark”. This comes as the biographer spoke about Musk’s complex life and the upcoming biography about the billionaire on Thursday.</p>

<h2><strong>Musk’s ‘demon mode’</strong></h2>

<p>During the interview, Isaacson said that one of the difficulties while dealing with smart and innovative people is that they have quite a “dark streak”. Notably, he has previously written biographies on several innovators, like Steve Jobs, Albert Einstein and Leonardo da Vinci.</p>

<p>Similarly, in Musk’s case, the biographer said that his so-called dark streak comes from a very brutal, violent childhood. “A childhood in which he had very strong psychological difficulties with his father,” said Isaacson.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Notably, the term “demon mode” is said to have been coined by Grimes, Musk’s former girlfriend, who told the biographer how it could be “unpleasant” being around the Twitter CEO when he is in that mode but “gets shit done.”&nbsp;</p>

<p>Speaking broadly about the dark streak, the biographer said that many brilliant and successful people, including Musk and Jobs, are not burdened by empathy which allows them to accomplish a larger mission and can make them much tougher leaders.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In the Tesla CEO&nbsp;case, Isaacson said that he has a “maniacal sense of urgency” which would often scare some of his workers. “He’d go dark and I’d know that he was just going to rip that person apart,” said Isaacson about Musk, when someone would not match his sense of urgency. This became common when Musk had just taken over Twitter, said the biographer.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Isaacson, who followed Musk’s day-to-day life for nearly two years, said that these moments of rage would make him “uncomfortable” and it was hard to watch. “He is just brutal,” said the biographer, as per Insider.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He added, “The thing that I noticed is that once he finishes doing it – and it was never physical and it was almost done in a flat monotone – but he would just really attack people and then a few days later if they absorbed the lesson, he’d forget about it.”&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Tesla CEO’s addiction to risk</strong></h2>

<p>One of the things that surprised Isaacson, he said, was Musk’s childhood and his relationship with his father Errol Musk. According to the biographer, the Tesla CEO’s father shaped his personality and affected his understanding of risk.</p>

<p>Additionally, the biographer has also attributed Musk’s risk-taking behaviour and “dark streak” to his relationship with his father as well as the bullying he endured in his youth.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Musk is almost addicted to risk, said Isaacson. He added, “It’s an important thing because America has lost the ability to take risks and do great manufacturing, and there’s a dark quality to his desire to take risks”.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>The upcoming book</strong></h2>

<p>Isaacson said that his book, which is due to release in September, is aimed to show the complexity of Musk and the balance between his “dark streak” and his groundbreaking work with Tesla and SpaceX.&nbsp;</p>

<p>During the interview, the biographer also said that Musk is like someone who doesn’t care about anything aside from getting something done, adding that “there are light strands and brilliant strands with Musk, but also dark strands.”&nbsp;</p>

<p>“If you pluck out that strand, you lose the whole claw and that’s what this biography is about,” said Isaacson, as per media reports.&nbsp;<br />
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In a recent interview, on Twitter Spaces, Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s biographer, Walter Isaacson spoke about how the billionaire sometimes goes into “demon mode” which makes him highly productive and a tough leader but also “dark”.

In a recent interview, on Twitter Spaces, Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s biographer, Walter Isaacson spoke about how the billionaire sometimes goes into “demon mode” which makes him highly productive and a tough leader but also “dark”. This comes as the biographer spoke about Musk’s complex life and the upcoming biography about the billionaire on Thursday. Musk’s ‘demon mode’ During the interview, Isaacson said that one of the difficulties while dealing with smart and innovative people is that they have quite a “dark streak”. Notably, he has previously written biographies on several innovators, like Steve Jobs, Albert Einstein and Leonardo da Vinci. Similarly, in Musk’s case, the biographer said that his so-called dark streak comes from a very brutal, violent childhood. “A childhood in which he had very strong psychological difficulties with his father,” said Isaacson. Notably, the term “demon mode” is said to have been coined by Grimes, Musk’s former girlfriend, who told the biographer how it could be “unpleasant” being around the Twitter CEO when he is in that mode but “gets shit done.” Speaking broadly about the dark streak, the biographer said that many brilliant and successful people, including Musk and Jobs, are not burdened by empathy which allows them to accomplish a larger mission and can make them much tougher leaders. In the Tesla CEO case, Isaacson said that he has a “maniacal sense of urgency” which would often scare some of his workers. “He’d go dark and I’d know that he was just going to rip that person apart,” said Isaacson about Musk, when someone would not match his sense of urgency. This became common when Musk had just taken over Twitter, said the biographer. Isaacson, who followed Musk’s day-to-day life for nearly two years, said that these moments of rage would make him “uncomfortable” and it was hard to watch. “He is just brutal,” said the biographer, as per Insider. He added, “The thing that I noticed is that once he finishes doing it – and it was never physical and it was almost done in a flat monotone – but he would just really attack people and then a few days later if they absorbed the lesson, he’d forget about it.” Tesla CEO’s addiction to risk One of the things that surprised Isaacson, he said, was Musk’s childhood and his relationship with his father Errol Musk. According to the biographer, the Tesla CEO’s father shaped his personality and affected his understanding of risk. Additionally, the biographer has also attributed Musk’s risk-taking behaviour and “dark streak” to his relationship with his father as well as the bullying he endured in his youth. Musk is almost addicted to risk, said Isaacson. He added, “It’s an important thing because America has lost the ability to take risks and do great manufacturing, and there’s a dark quality to his desire to take risks”. The upcoming book Isaacson said that his book, which is due to release in September, is aimed to show the complexity of Musk and the balance between his “dark streak” and his groundbreaking work with Tesla and SpaceX. During the interview, the biographer also said that Musk is like someone who doesn’t care about anything aside from getting something done, adding that “there are light strands and brilliant strands with Musk, but also dark strands.” “If you pluck out that strand, you lose the whole claw and that’s what this biography is about,” said Isaacson, as per media reports. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Elon Musk's biographer talks about billionaire's 'demon mode,' 'dark streak' in upcoming book

SpaceX, the pioneering private space company led by Elon Musk, is making headlines. Reports have emerged that SpaceX is offering insider shares, propelling its valuation to an impressive $150 billion. This surge in valuation marks a significant leap from their previous worth of $137 billion, a mere six months ago.

SpaceX's insider shares propel valuation to $150 bn

<p>Months after Elon Musk’s SpaceX sent off world's first privately funded crewed space mission to the International Space Station with four members aboard, Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic announced plans to launch its first commercial passenger space mission Galactic 01.</p>

<p>The launch of Galactic 01 has been announced nearly two years after Richard Branson's personal space journey in July 2021.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/richard-branson-realises-his-lifelong-dream-with-virgin-galactic-spaceflight-397593">Richard Branson realises his lifelong dream with Virgin Galactic spaceflight</a></strong></p>

<p>The development takes place weeks after Virgin Galactic SpaceShipTwo rocket launched the Unity 25 mission in what was deemed as a test launch before the final one. The test flight named Unity 25 successfully transported six company employees to the edge of space and back on May 25, 2023.&nbsp;</p>

<p>This mission served as the final evaluation of the entire spaceflight system and astronaut experience before commencing commercial flights.</p>

<p>The final launch of Galactic 01 is poised to take place potentially as early as June 27.</p>

<p><strong>Also watch |&nbsp;Richard Branson and Virgin Galactic's successful space flight</strong></p>

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<p>This milestone flight will include researchers from the Italian Air Force and the National Research Council of Italy and will signify the commencement of Virgin Galactic's commercial operations after facing numerous delays.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The mission will finally fulfill the long-awaited dreams of the space tourists who had purchased expensive tickets to fly aboard the company's spacecraft.</p>

<h2><strong>Galactic 02 to take off right after Galactic 01</strong></h2>

<p>Following the completion of Galactic 01, Virgin Galactic intends to proceed with Galactic 02, its second commercial flight, slated for early August.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The crew for Galactic 02 has not been disclosed but the company hinted that this flight might finally accommodate the tourists who placed initial deposits on their seats several years ago.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>800 people from 66 countries booked tickets to space</strong></h2>

<p>CEO Michael Colglazier expressed enthusiasm, stating that this commercial debut would grant access to approximately 800 individuals from 66 countries who have already reserved their seats.</p>

<p>Each ticket has reportedly cost&nbsp;the prospective space travelers $450,000 or&nbsp;₹36.54 million.</p>

<p>Virgin Galactic recently resumed spaceflight activities after a hiatus of nearly two years.&nbsp;</p>

<p>While Virgin Galactic had initially planned to begin commercial operations after Richard Branson's personal space journey in July 2021, the start date had been repeatedly postponed due to ongoing enhancements to their spacecraft.&nbsp;<br />
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Months after Elon Musk’s SpaceX sent off world's first privately funded crewed space mission to the International Space Station with four members aboard, Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic announced plans to launch its first commercial passenger space mission Galactic 01.

Months after Elon Musk’s SpaceX sent off world's first privately funded crewed space mission to the International Space Station with four members aboard, Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic announced plans to launch its first commercial passenger space mission Galactic 01. The launch of Galactic 01 has been announced nearly two years after Richard Branson's personal space journey in July 2021. Also read | Richard Branson realises his lifelong dream with Virgin Galactic spaceflight The development takes place weeks after Virgin Galactic SpaceShipTwo rocket launched the Unity 25 mission in what was deemed as a test launch before the final one. The test flight named Unity 25 successfully transported six company employees to the edge of space and back on May 25, 2023. This mission served as the final evaluation of the entire spaceflight system and astronaut experience before commencing commercial flights. The final launch of Galactic 01 is poised to take place potentially as early as June 27. Also watch | Richard Branson and Virgin Galactic's successful space flight × This milestone flight will include researchers from the Italian Air Force and the National Research Council of Italy and will signify the commencement of Virgin Galactic's commercial operations after facing numerous delays. The mission will finally fulfill the long-awaited dreams of the space tourists who had purchased expensive tickets to fly aboard the company's spacecraft. Galactic 02 to take off right after Galactic 01 Following the completion of Galactic 01, Virgin Galactic intends to proceed with Galactic 02, its second commercial flight, slated for early August. The crew for Galactic 02 has not been disclosed but the company hinted that this flight might finally accommodate the tourists who placed initial deposits on their seats several years ago. 800 people from 66 countries booked tickets to space CEO Michael Colglazier expressed enthusiasm, stating that this commercial debut would grant access to approximately 800 individuals from 66 countries who have already reserved their seats. Each ticket has reportedly cost the prospective space travelers $450,000 or ₹36.54 million. Virgin Galactic recently resumed spaceflight activities after a hiatus of nearly two years. While Virgin Galactic had initially planned to begin commercial operations after Richard Branson's personal space journey in July 2021, the start date had been repeatedly postponed due to ongoing enhancements to their spacecraft. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Musk-Branson space race heats up as Virgin Galactic announces commercial space mission

<p>During the wee hours of Tuesday, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket flying a mission 'Transporter-8', hurled an 80-kg imaging satellite into orbit above the earth. This moment marked a significant milestone for Indo-German firm Azista BST Aerospace, a joint venture between India's Azista Industries Pvt Ltd and Germany's Berlin Space Technologies GmbH. After the space sector reforms were rolled out in India, many private firms have launched small satellites, but this 80-kg imaging satellite from Azista is the heaviest yet from an Indian private firm.</p>

<p>"Azista started off by manufacturing satellite components and electronics for ISRO's Space Applications Centre(SAC) in Ahmedabad and then we decided to venture into building an entire satellite," Srinivas Reddy, Managing Director, Azista BST, told WION. He added that the Azista team combined their technical expertise in building sub-components, developing electronics, design, printed circuit boards etc. with the expertise of their German partner in developing onboard computers, and technology for satellite bus (shell), in order to execute this mission.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/meet-14-year-old-kairan-quazi-youngest-employee-at-elon-musks-spacex-603151">Meet 14-year-old Kairan Quazi, youngest employee at Elon Musk’s SpaceX</a></p>

<p>Named 'AFR' (ABA First Runner), their maiden satellite is meant to be a technology demonstrator and will provide imaging services. "It hosts a wide-swath optical remote sensing payload with both panchromatic and multispectral imaging capabilities," the firm said. In a single image, the satellite will be capable of imaging a stretch of 70kms and that image will be of a 4.6m resolution, which means that it will have the capability to distinguish the objects that are 4.6m apart.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Queried about the users of the satellite data and the customers they serve, Srinavas Reddy told WION that their customers included those in the agriculture sector, banking (land survey, insurance) and even ocean monitoring. He added that their business model was to build and launch their own satellites and offer the data to customers from across sectors and they would even build satellites for customers and integrate customer payloads, as per the orders.&nbsp;According to the firm, they are already in the process of building their next set of satellites to demonstrate their versatile capability. Several of these satellites will be launched within the next 12-14 months, the firm added.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;SpaceX rockets spark controversy</strong></p>

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<p>"The satellite launched today will enable a variety of critical applications for civilian and defence purposes. This is also a big milestone for the Indian Space startup ecosystem as it takes our private industry into the next leap of International collaborations. This accomplishment marks a significant landmark for the Indian space industry in terms of streamlined production of satellites, great precision on supply chain management and timelines," Lt.Gen AK Bhatt (Retd), Director General, Indian Space Association(ISpa) said. ISpa is an industry body representing the private sector players in the Indian space ecosystem.&nbsp;</p>

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During the wee hours of Tuesday, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket flying a mission 'Transporter-8', hurled an 80-kg imaging satellite into orbit above the earth. This moment marked a significant milestone for Indo-German firm Azista BST Aerospace, a joint venture between India's Azista Industries Pvt Ltd and Germany's Berlin Space Technologies GmbH.

During the wee hours of Tuesday, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket flying a mission 'Transporter-8', hurled an 80-kg imaging satellite into orbit above the earth. This moment marked a significant milestone for Indo-German firm Azista BST Aerospace, a joint venture between India's Azista Industries Pvt Ltd and Germany's Berlin Space Technologies GmbH. After the space sector reforms were rolled out in India, many private firms have launched small satellites, but this 80-kg imaging satellite from Azista is the heaviest yet from an Indian private firm. "Azista started off by manufacturing satellite components and electronics for ISRO's Space Applications Centre(SAC) in Ahmedabad and then we decided to venture into building an entire satellite," Srinivas Reddy, Managing Director, Azista BST, told WION. He added that the Azista team combined their technical expertise in building sub-components, developing electronics, design, printed circuit boards etc. with the expertise of their German partner in developing onboard computers, and technology for satellite bus (shell), in order to execute this mission. ALSO READ | Meet 14-year-old Kairan Quazi, youngest employee at Elon Musk’s SpaceX Named 'AFR' (ABA First Runner), their maiden satellite is meant to be a technology demonstrator and will provide imaging services. "It hosts a wide-swath optical remote sensing payload with both panchromatic and multispectral imaging capabilities," the firm said. In a single image, the satellite will be capable of imaging a stretch of 70kms and that image will be of a 4.6m resolution, which means that it will have the capability to distinguish the objects that are 4.6m apart. Queried about the users of the satellite data and the customers they serve, Srinavas Reddy told WION that their customers included those in the agriculture sector, banking (land survey, insurance) and even ocean monitoring. He added that their business model was to build and launch their own satellites and offer the data to customers from across sectors and they would even build satellites for customers and integrate customer payloads, as per the orders. According to the firm, they are already in the process of building their next set of satellites to demonstrate their versatile capability. Several of these satellites will be launched within the next 12-14 months, the firm added. WATCH | SpaceX rockets spark controversy "The satellite launched today will enable a variety of critical applications for civilian and defence purposes. This is also a big milestone for the Indian Space startup ecosystem as it takes our private industry into the next leap of International collaborations. This accomplishment marks a significant landmark for the Indian space industry in terms of streamlined production of satellites, great precision on supply chain management and timelines," Lt.Gen AK Bhatt (Retd), Director General, Indian Space Association(ISpa) said. ISpa is an industry body representing the private sector players in the Indian space ecosystem. You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Imaging satellite built by Indo-German firm placed in orbit by SpaceX Falcon9

<p>Elon Musk’s SpaceX has recently hired the youngest employee in their spacecraft company — Kairan Quazi — a 14-year-old software engineer, who was able to successfully clear their ‘technically challenging, fun’ interview process.<br />
<br />
Announcing his new journey with SpaceX, Quazi shared his job update on the LinkedIn platform.<br />
<br />
Quazi said that he will be joining the Starlink engineering team which he called the “coolest company on the planet”. The 14-year-old genius called SpaceX one of those “rare” companies that did not consider his age as an “arbitrary and outdated” benchmark for determining ability and maturity. Starlink is the satellite internet service of SpaceX.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/spacex-sends-first-saudi-woman-astronaut-to-space-will-reach-iss-soon-595032">SpaceX sends first Saudi woman astronaut to space, will reach ISS soon</a></p>

<p>In his LinkedIn post, Quazi said, "I will be joining the coolest company on the planet as a software engineer on the Starlink engineering team. One of the rare companies that did not use my age as an arbitrary and outdated proxy for maturity and ability."</p>

<h2><strong>The child prodigy's journey so far</strong></h2>

<p>His latest LinkedIn bio of Quazi stated that he dreams of having a career that deals with ‘challenging issues and encourages radical innovation in service of the common good’.<br />
<br />
The achievement was shared by the 14-year-old boy just before his graduation is about to completed from Santa Clara University's School of Engineering. In the university, Quazi will again create history as the college's youngest graduate.<br />
<br />
The remarkable journey of Quazi started at the age of two when he started speaking in complete sentences, reported the LA Times.<br />
<br />
In the third grade, when he was just nine-year-old, Quazi found the schoolwork not challenging enough for his advanced knowledge. A few months later, Quazi got an internship as an AI research co-op fellow at Intel Labsa, after which he enrolled in the computer science and engineering course at the age of 11.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;Elon Musk’s SpaceX Starship rocket explodes mid-flight after launch</strong></p>

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<p>According to reports, the child prodigy is planning to shift with his mother from Pleasanton, California to Redmond, Washington, so that he can start work at SpaceX.<br />
<br />
In 2022, the child prodigy worked for four months as a machine learning intern at cyber intelligence firm Blackbird.AI. and helped the team in designing an "anomaly detection statistical learning pipeline" to flag social media content manipulation, as per LinkedIn.<br />
<br />
In his leisure time, Quazi loves playing games like the Assassin's Creed series, reading science fiction stories by Philip K Dick and the works of journalist Michael Lewis, who has been&nbsp;specialising in financial crises.<br />
<br />
Earlier this year, the 14-year-old took to Instagram to share his preps for a ‘major’ job interview. After a few weeks, he posted a screenshot of the job acceptance letter which he received from SpaceX.<br />
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Elon Musk’s SpaceX has recently hired the youngest employee in their spacecraft company — Kairan Quazi — a 14-year-old software engineer, who was able to successfully clear their ‘technically challenging, fun’ interview process.

Elon Musk’s SpaceX has recently hired the youngest employee in their spacecraft company — Kairan Quazi — a 14-year-old software engineer, who was able to successfully clear their ‘technically challenging, fun’ interview process. Announcing his new journey with SpaceX, Quazi shared his job update on the LinkedIn platform. Quazi said that he will be joining the Starlink engineering team which he called the “coolest company on the planet”. The 14-year-old genius called SpaceX one of those “rare” companies that did not consider his age as an “arbitrary and outdated” benchmark for determining ability and maturity. Starlink is the satellite internet service of SpaceX. ALSO READ | SpaceX sends first Saudi woman astronaut to space, will reach ISS soon In his LinkedIn post, Quazi said, "I will be joining the coolest company on the planet as a software engineer on the Starlink engineering team. One of the rare companies that did not use my age as an arbitrary and outdated proxy for maturity and ability." The child prodigy's journey so far His latest LinkedIn bio of Quazi stated that he dreams of having a career that deals with ‘challenging issues and encourages radical innovation in service of the common good’. The achievement was shared by the 14-year-old boy just before his graduation is about to completed from Santa Clara University's School of Engineering. In the university, Quazi will again create history as the college's youngest graduate. The remarkable journey of Quazi started at the age of two when he started speaking in complete sentences, reported the LA Times. In the third grade, when he was just nine-year-old, Quazi found the schoolwork not challenging enough for his advanced knowledge. A few months later, Quazi got an internship as an AI research co-op fellow at Intel Labsa, after which he enrolled in the computer science and engineering course at the age of 11. WATCH | Elon Musk’s SpaceX Starship rocket explodes mid-flight after launch According to reports, the child prodigy is planning to shift with his mother from Pleasanton, California to Redmond, Washington, so that he can start work at SpaceX. In 2022, the child prodigy worked for four months as a machine learning intern at cyber intelligence firm Blackbird.AI. and helped the team in designing an "anomaly detection statistical learning pipeline" to flag social media content manipulation, as per LinkedIn. In his leisure time, Quazi loves playing games like the Assassin's Creed series, reading science fiction stories by Philip K Dick and the works of journalist Michael Lewis, who has been specialising in financial crises. Earlier this year, the 14-year-old took to Instagram to share his preps for a ‘major’ job interview. After a few weeks, he posted a screenshot of the job acceptance letter which he received from SpaceX. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Meet 14-year-old Kairan Quazi, youngest employee at Elon Musk’s SpaceX

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<p>A SpaceX capsule on Monday (May 22) carrying the first Saudi Arabian female astronaut, alongside three others, docked with the International Space Station (ISS) as part of an Axiom Space-chartered private mission.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Dragon capsule, atop a Falcon rocket, took off from the Kennedy Space Station in Cape Canaveral, Florida on Sunday. It delivered the crew members of Axiom Mission 2 (AX-2) for a weeklong stay at the ISS.</p>

<p>Former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson pilots the AX-2 mission, which also includes paying customers pilot John Shoffner and mission specialists Ali Alqarni and Rayyanah Barnawi from Saudi Arabia.</p>

<h2>Rayyanah Barnawi:&nbsp;<strong>Saudi Arabia's first female astronaut arrives at ISS</strong>&nbsp;</h2>

<p>Barnawi,&nbsp;who&nbsp;is a cancer stem-cell researcher, is Saudi Arabia's first female astronaut, heading to the ISS to advance breast cancer research. Later, the crew will open the hatch to the orbiting space station, where they will conduct research and scientific experiments.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Barnawi said, "Greetings from outer space, I'm here not only representing myself but representing the hopes and dreams of everyone back home, everyone in the region."&nbsp;</p>

<p>"It was a great launch, a great ride, we had a lot of fun on the way up and we're really excited to get a lot of work done up here," he added.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Peggy Whitson, who is a former NASA astronaut who made the voyage three times in the past added said: "We really are excited to be here."&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>"It was a great launch, a great ride, we had a lot of fun on the way up and we're really excited to get a lot of work done up here."&nbsp;</p>

<p>On Sunday, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said, "Congratulations to Axiom, SpaceX, and the Axiom Mission 2 crew on a successful launch! During their time aboard the International Space Station, the Ax-2 astronauts will carry out more than 20 scientific experiments, helping us better understand space radiation, weather in low-gravity conditions, and more."&nbsp;</p>

<p>Nelson added, "This mission is more proof of NASA’s commitment to help our industry partners develop the next generation of space technology and support a growing commercial space economy."&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Welcome aboard the station <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Ax2?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Ax2</a>! The four <a href="https://twitter.com/Axiom_Space?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Axiom_Space</a> private astronauts entered the orbital outpost after opening the <a href="https://twitter.com/SpaceX?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SpaceX</a> Dragon crew ship hatch at 11am ET today. <a href="https://t.co/RlZjpuzKHI">https://t.co/RlZjpuzKHI</a></p>
— International Space Station (@Space_Station) <a href="https://twitter.com/Space_Station/status/1660677129699495937?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 22, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Ax2?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Ax2</a> has arrived! The <a href="https://twitter.com/SpaceX?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SpaceX</a> Dragon crew ship with four private astronauts from <a href="https://twitter.com/Axiom_Space?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Axiom_Space</a> docked to the station at 9:12am ET today. They will enter the orbital outpost soon live on <a href="https://twitter.com/NASA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NASA</a> TV. <a href="https://t.co/sakzLf25b7">https://t.co/sakzLf25b7</a></p>
— International Space Station (@Space_Station) <a href="https://twitter.com/Space_Station/status/1660636747129327616?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 22, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>Last April, SpaceX sent the first all-private astronaut team to the ISS, a journey heralded by industry executives and NASA as a watershed moment in the commercialisation of low-earth orbit.&nbsp;</p>

<p>This is the second wholly private mission to visit the space station, following the first in April 2022. Ax-2 members will stay for roughly 10 days and conduct approximately 20 experiments.</p>

<p>NASA is trying to seed a commercial space economy in the region of space known as "Low Earth Orbit," allowing it to focus its own energies on missions deeper into the solar system and beyond.</p>

<p>The SpaceX rocket took off from Florida on Sunday, and the journey to the International Space Station, which orbits roughly 250 miles (400 kilometres) above the earth, took about 16 hours.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;</em></p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

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A SpaceX capsule on Monday (May 22) carrying the first Saudi Arabian female astronaut, alongside three others, docked with the International Space Station (ISS) as part of an Axiom Space-chartered private mission.

A SpaceX capsule on Monday (May 22) carrying the first Saudi Arabian female astronaut, alongside three others, docked with the International Space Station (ISS) as part of an Axiom Space-chartered private mission. The Dragon capsule, atop a Falcon rocket, took off from the Kennedy Space Station in Cape Canaveral, Florida on Sunday. It delivered the crew members of Axiom Mission 2 (AX-2) for a weeklong stay at the ISS. Former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson pilots the AX-2 mission, which also includes paying customers pilot John Shoffner and mission specialists Ali Alqarni and Rayyanah Barnawi from Saudi Arabia. Rayyanah Barnawi: Saudi Arabia's first female astronaut arrives at ISS Barnawi, who is a cancer stem-cell researcher, is Saudi Arabia's first female astronaut, heading to the ISS to advance breast cancer research. Later, the crew will open the hatch to the orbiting space station, where they will conduct research and scientific experiments. Barnawi said, "Greetings from outer space, I'm here not only representing myself but representing the hopes and dreams of everyone back home, everyone in the region." "It was a great launch, a great ride, we had a lot of fun on the way up and we're really excited to get a lot of work done up here," he added. Peggy Whitson, who is a former NASA astronaut who made the voyage three times in the past added said: "We really are excited to be here." "It was a great launch, a great ride, we had a lot of fun on the way up and we're really excited to get a lot of work done up here." On Sunday, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said, "Congratulations to Axiom, SpaceX, and the Axiom Mission 2 crew on a successful launch! During their time aboard the International Space Station, the Ax-2 astronauts will carry out more than 20 scientific experiments, helping us better understand space radiation, weather in low-gravity conditions, and more." Nelson added, "This mission is more proof of NASA’s commitment to help our industry partners develop the next generation of space technology and support a growing commercial space economy." Welcome aboard the station #Ax2! The four @Axiom_Space private astronauts entered the orbital outpost after opening the @SpaceX Dragon crew ship hatch at 11am ET today. https://t.co/RlZjpuzKHI — International Space Station (@Space_Station) May 22, 2023 × #Ax2 has arrived! The @SpaceX Dragon crew ship with four private astronauts from @Axiom_Space docked to the station at 9:12am ET today. They will enter the orbital outpost soon live on @NASA TV. https://t.co/sakzLf25b7 — International Space Station (@Space_Station) May 22, 2023 × Last April, SpaceX sent the first all-private astronaut team to the ISS, a journey heralded by industry executives and NASA as a watershed moment in the commercialisation of low-earth orbit. This is the second wholly private mission to visit the space station, following the first in April 2022. Ax-2 members will stay for roughly 10 days and conduct approximately 20 experiments. NASA is trying to seed a commercial space economy in the region of space known as "Low Earth Orbit," allowing it to focus its own energies on missions deeper into the solar system and beyond. The SpaceX rocket took off from Florida on Sunday, and the journey to the International Space Station, which orbits roughly 250 miles (400 kilometres) above the earth, took about 16 hours. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

First Saudi Arabian female astronaut reaches International Space Station

First Arab female reaches the International Space Station

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<p>Elon Musk-owned SpaceX launched four astronauts, including the first Saudi Arabian woman into space from the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral in the southern United States on Monday. The launch was textbook as the Falcon-9 rocket zooted off the surface with full thrust carrying the Dragon spacecraft.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Rayyanah Barnawi and Ali Aqarni from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Commander Peggy Whitson and Pilot John Shoffner from the USA formed the quarter aboard the spacecraft which has been dubbed Freedom. It separated from the rocket nearly 12 minutes after the launch.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“Hello from outer space! It feels amazing to be viewing Earth from this capsule,” Barnawi said after settling into orbit.</p>

<p>Prior to the liftoff,&nbsp;Barnawi said her inclusion in the trip represented the dreams of the Saudi women, “I am honoured and happy to represent all the dreams and all the hopes of the people in Saudia Arabia. And also the hopes and dreams of all the women in the region.”</p>

<p>The crew in their dragon capsule would reach the International Space Station (ISS) by Monday evening and spend over a week before making the sojourn back home with a splashdown planned off the Florida coast.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Saudi pair is the first to ride a rocket to space since a Saudi prince ravelled on board the space shuttle Discovery in 1985. In what comes as a coincidence, the duo will be greeted by an astronaut from the UAE upon their arrival at the ISS.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/saudi-arabia-scripts-history-as-first-arab-woman-astronaut-to-go-on-space-mission-594669"><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;Saudi Arabia's first woman astronaut set to blast off into space on a private mission</strong></a></p>

<h2><strong>Saudi Arabia sponsored the trip</strong></h2>

<p>The mission has been sponsored by the Saudi government. The kingdom last year signed a deal with Houston's Axiom Space, which arranges and manages private missions to space on US spacecraft for researchers and tourists.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Although Axiom has not revealed how much the kingdom is paying for the 10-day trip, the previous packages have hovered around the $55 million mark for individual passengers. NASA's current price list shows per-person, per-day charges of $2,000 for food and up to 1,500 for sleeping bags and other gear.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/saudis-first-woman-astronaut-en-route-to-intl-space-station-594978" target="_blank"><strong>WATCH | Saudi's first woman astronaut en route to int'l space station</strong></a></p>

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<p>According to Saudi Press Agency (SPA), the astronauts will carry out 14 ground-breaking scientific experiments in microgravity that will aid in the development of new methods for creating circumstances that would allow people to explore space more effectively.</p>

<p>Saudi Arabia's&nbsp;astronaut programme, which started in September 2022, is part of its Vision 2030 ambition&nbsp;to develop space research. Usually regarded as a conservative country, Saudi sending a woman astronaut aboard the Dragon capsule is expected to send a strong message to the liberal world.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;</strong></p>

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Elon Musk-owned SpaceX launched four astronauts, including the first Saudi Arabian woman into space from the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral in the southern United States on Monday.

Elon Musk-owned SpaceX launched four astronauts, including the first Saudi Arabian woman into space from the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral in the southern United States on Monday. The launch was textbook as the Falcon-9 rocket zooted off the surface with full thrust carrying the Dragon spacecraft. Rayyanah Barnawi and Ali Aqarni from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Commander Peggy Whitson and Pilot John Shoffner from the USA formed the quarter aboard the spacecraft which has been dubbed Freedom. It separated from the rocket nearly 12 minutes after the launch. “Hello from outer space! It feels amazing to be viewing Earth from this capsule,” Barnawi said after settling into orbit. Prior to the liftoff, Barnawi said her inclusion in the trip represented the dreams of the Saudi women, “I am honoured and happy to represent all the dreams and all the hopes of the people in Saudia Arabia. And also the hopes and dreams of all the women in the region.” The crew in their dragon capsule would reach the International Space Station (ISS) by Monday evening and spend over a week before making the sojourn back home with a splashdown planned off the Florida coast. The Saudi pair is the first to ride a rocket to space since a Saudi prince ravelled on board the space shuttle Discovery in 1985. In what comes as a coincidence, the duo will be greeted by an astronaut from the UAE upon their arrival at the ISS. ALSO READ | Saudi Arabia's first woman astronaut set to blast off into space on a private mission Saudi Arabia sponsored the trip The mission has been sponsored by the Saudi government. The kingdom last year signed a deal with Houston's Axiom Space, which arranges and manages private missions to space on US spacecraft for researchers and tourists. Although Axiom has not revealed how much the kingdom is paying for the 10-day trip, the previous packages have hovered around the $55 million mark for individual passengers. NASA's current price list shows per-person, per-day charges of $2,000 for food and up to 1,500 for sleeping bags and other gear. WATCH | Saudi's first woman astronaut en route to int'l space station × According to Saudi Press Agency (SPA), the astronauts will carry out 14 ground-breaking scientific experiments in microgravity that will aid in the development of new methods for creating circumstances that would allow people to explore space more effectively. Saudi Arabia's astronaut programme, which started in September 2022, is part of its Vision 2030 ambition to develop space research. Usually regarded as a conservative country, Saudi sending a woman astronaut aboard the Dragon capsule is expected to send a strong message to the liberal world. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

SpaceX sends first Saudi woman astronaut to space, will reach ISS soon

<p>Days after appointing new Twitter CEO, Elon Musk in an interview said the move will allow him to devote more time to Tesla but he will continue to be his original and unfiltered self on the platform, even if it comes at the cost of his business.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Musk was quizzed if he thought his controversial tweets potentially hurt Tesla shares or made it harder for him to sell ads on Twitter.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"I don't care," said Musk during a CNBC interview, adding,&nbsp;"I'll say what I want to say and if the consequence of that is losing money, so be it."</p>

<p>Musk is known for making controversial statements on Twitter that have serious ramifications for his multi-billion-dollar companies.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/elon-musk-merges-twitter-with-x-corp-581535"><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;Elon Musk merges Twitter with X Corp</strong></a></p>

<p><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/elon-musk-merges-twitter-with-x-corp-581535/embed" width="560"></iframe></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Musk and the $420 controversy</strong></h2>

<p>In 2018, Musk said&nbsp;he was mulling a buyout of Tesla for $420 per share which eventually led to a class-action lawsuit against him.&nbsp;Shareholders who traded the company’s stock after the tweet, sued the executive for billions of dollars in damages.</p>

<p>However,&nbsp;during a court testimony later, Musk clarified that his price offer wasn't meant to be a marijuana reference.</p>

<p>“420 was not chosen because of a joke; it was chosen because there was a 20 per cent premium over the stock price," said Musk, adding, "There is some, I think, karma around 420. I should question whether that is good or bad karma at this point."</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/elon-musks-420-strategy-twitter-relaxes-cannabis-advertising-rules-to-attract-more-companies-587080"><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;Elon Musk's 420 strategy: Twitter relaxes cannabis advertising rules to attract more companies</strong></a></p>

<h2><strong>Musk appoints new CEO</strong></h2>

<p>Ever since purchasing Twitter for $44 billion last year, Musk had been the only prominent face steering the ship. However, with other commitments such as Tesla and SpaceX demanding his time, Musk appointed Linda Yaccarino as the new CEO last week.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"I am excited to welcome Linda Yaccarino as the new CEO of Twitter! @LindaYacc will focus primarily on business operations, while I focus on product design &amp; new technology. Looking forward to working with Linda to transform this platform into X, the everything app," tweeted Musk, welcoming her.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Yaccarino is the top advertising sales executive at NBCUniversal. A month prior to her elevation as the top Twitter boss, she had interviewed Musk at an advertising conference in Miami.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"I've long been inspired by [Musk's] vision to create a brighter future. I'm excited to help bring this vision to Twitter and transform this business together!" she said after the formal announcement.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/who-is-linda-yaccarino-someone-foolish-enough-who-may-become-new-twitter-ceo-replacing-elon-musk-591494"><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;Who is Linda Yaccarino? The woman who has become new CEO of Twitter</strong></a></p>

<p>Before NBCUniversal, Yaccarino worked as an executive vice president/COO of advertising sales, marketing and acquisitions at Turner. She joined NBCU in 2011, after 15 years at Turner Entertainment.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em><br />
<br />
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<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;</strong></p>

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Days after appointing new Twitter CEO, Elon Musk in an interview said the move will allow him to devote more time to Tesla but he will continue to be his original and unfiltered self on the platform, even if it comes at the cost of his business.

Days after appointing new Twitter CEO, Elon Musk in an interview said the move will allow him to devote more time to Tesla but he will continue to be his original and unfiltered self on the platform, even if it comes at the cost of his business. Musk was quizzed if he thought his controversial tweets potentially hurt Tesla shares or made it harder for him to sell ads on Twitter. "I don't care," said Musk during a CNBC interview, adding, "I'll say what I want to say and if the consequence of that is losing money, so be it." Musk is known for making controversial statements on Twitter that have serious ramifications for his multi-billion-dollar companies. WATCH | Elon Musk merges Twitter with X Corp Musk and the $420 controversy In 2018, Musk said he was mulling a buyout of Tesla for $420 per share which eventually led to a class-action lawsuit against him. Shareholders who traded the company’s stock after the tweet, sued the executive for billions of dollars in damages. However, during a court testimony later, Musk clarified that his price offer wasn't meant to be a marijuana reference. “420 was not chosen because of a joke; it was chosen because there was a 20 per cent premium over the stock price," said Musk, adding, "There is some, I think, karma around 420. I should question whether that is good or bad karma at this point." ALSO READ | Elon Musk's 420 strategy: Twitter relaxes cannabis advertising rules to attract more companies Musk appoints new CEO Ever since purchasing Twitter for $44 billion last year, Musk had been the only prominent face steering the ship. However, with other commitments such as Tesla and SpaceX demanding his time, Musk appointed Linda Yaccarino as the new CEO last week. "I am excited to welcome Linda Yaccarino as the new CEO of Twitter! @LindaYacc will focus primarily on business operations, while I focus on product design & new technology. Looking forward to working with Linda to transform this platform into X, the everything app," tweeted Musk, welcoming her. Yaccarino is the top advertising sales executive at NBCUniversal. A month prior to her elevation as the top Twitter boss, she had interviewed Musk at an advertising conference in Miami. "I've long been inspired by [Musk's] vision to create a brighter future. I'm excited to help bring this vision to Twitter and transform this business together!" she said after the formal announcement. ALSO READ | Who is Linda Yaccarino? The woman who has become new CEO of Twitter Before NBCUniversal, Yaccarino worked as an executive vice president/COO of advertising sales, marketing and acquisitions at Turner. She joined NBCU in 2011, after 15 years at Turner Entertainment. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

'I don't care': Musk says he will continue to speak his mind even if it means losing money

<p>Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), a transportation agency of the US government that regulates all aspects of civil aviation, was sued by environmental and cultural heritage organisations for allowing SpaceX to launch a rocket without a comprehensive environmental review.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Elon Musk-owned SpaceX launched the world's most powerful rocket, but it exploded on its first integrated test flight. The blast occurred just four minutes after launching from Boca Chica, Texas on April 20.&nbsp;</p>

<p>SpaceX shared a video of the moment its Starship Super Heavy exploded and the residents in Port Isabel, Texas, shared their experiences and aftereffects on social media as sand and dust coated the city.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Videos were shared showing debris being blasted as far as the Gulf of Mexico, over 1,400 feet (425 metres) away, while a cloud of dust floated over a small town several miles (kilometres) away.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/esas-jupiter-bound-spacecraft-juice-experiences-glitch-with-antenna-in-deep-space-587366">ESA's Jupiter-bound spacecraft JUICE experiences glitch with antenna in deep space</a>&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>The court filings obtained by CNBC showed that the lawsuit against the FAA was filed in a district court in Washington DC on Monday.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The plaintiffs included: The Center for Biological Diversity, the American Bird Conservancy, SurfRider Foundation, Save Rio Grande Valley (Save RGV) and a cultural heritage organization, the Carrizo-Comecrudo Nation of Texas.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The US-based news outlet wrote, "The FAA failed to take the requisite hard look at the proposed project and has concluded that significant adverse effects will not occur due to purported mitigation measures."&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Watch this report:&nbsp;</strong></p>

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<p>The SpaceX Starship explosion had spread particulate matter for miles as researchers were rushed to assess environmental and health impacts.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) has said that the site from where the rocket was launched is also closer to vital habitat for protected species, including Kemp's ridley sea turtle and the piping plover bird. CBD is among the groups that filed the lawsuit.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Concerns have been raised as the FAA awarded SpaceX a license to launch 20 Starships a year for five years. Musk's company is required to carry out monitoring of vegetation and wildlife by a qualified biologist, including conducting a pre- and post-launch survey.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>These groups have said that these measures are not enough and there's an urgent need for a full environmental review.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Jared Margolis, a senior attorney at the CBD said in a statement, "It's vital that we protect life on Earth even as we look to the stars in this modern era of spaceflight." &nbsp;</p>

<p>"Federal officials should defend vulnerable wildlife and frontline communities, not give a pass to corporate interests that want to use treasured coastal landscapes as a dumping ground for space waste," Margolis added.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;</em></p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

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Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), a transportation agency of the US government that regulates all aspects of civil aviation, was sued by environmental and cultural heritage organisations for allowing SpaceX to launch a rocket without a comprehensive environmental review.

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), a transportation agency of the US government that regulates all aspects of civil aviation, was sued by environmental and cultural heritage organisations for allowing SpaceX to launch a rocket without a comprehensive environmental review. Elon Musk-owned SpaceX launched the world's most powerful rocket, but it exploded on its first integrated test flight. The blast occurred just four minutes after launching from Boca Chica, Texas on April 20. SpaceX shared a video of the moment its Starship Super Heavy exploded and the residents in Port Isabel, Texas, shared their experiences and aftereffects on social media as sand and dust coated the city. Videos were shared showing debris being blasted as far as the Gulf of Mexico, over 1,400 feet (425 metres) away, while a cloud of dust floated over a small town several miles (kilometres) away. ALSO READ | ESA's Jupiter-bound spacecraft JUICE experiences glitch with antenna in deep space The court filings obtained by CNBC showed that the lawsuit against the FAA was filed in a district court in Washington DC on Monday. The plaintiffs included: The Center for Biological Diversity, the American Bird Conservancy, SurfRider Foundation, Save Rio Grande Valley (Save RGV) and a cultural heritage organization, the Carrizo-Comecrudo Nation of Texas. The US-based news outlet wrote, "The FAA failed to take the requisite hard look at the proposed project and has concluded that significant adverse effects will not occur due to purported mitigation measures." Watch this report: × The SpaceX Starship explosion had spread particulate matter for miles as researchers were rushed to assess environmental and health impacts. The Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) has said that the site from where the rocket was launched is also closer to vital habitat for protected species, including Kemp's ridley sea turtle and the piping plover bird. CBD is among the groups that filed the lawsuit. Concerns have been raised as the FAA awarded SpaceX a license to launch 20 Starships a year for five years. Musk's company is required to carry out monitoring of vegetation and wildlife by a qualified biologist, including conducting a pre- and post-launch survey. These groups have said that these measures are not enough and there's an urgent need for a full environmental review. Jared Margolis, a senior attorney at the CBD said in a statement, "It's vital that we protect life on Earth even as we look to the stars in this modern era of spaceflight." "Federal officials should defend vulnerable wildlife and frontline communities, not give a pass to corporate interests that want to use treasured coastal landscapes as a dumping ground for space waste," Margolis added. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Environmental groups in US sue FAA over SpaceX Starship explosion

Nonprofits sue Federal Aviation Administration over agency's environmental clearance to SpaceX. Eric Njoka brings you the report.

US Aviation regulator sued over SpaceX starship explosion

A new lawsuit filed by environmental groups claims that SpaceX operations in Texas are hurting federally protected wildlife and critical habitats.

SpaceX rockets spark controversy

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<p>Elon Musk owned-SpaceX will be launching its powerful Spaceship spacecraft in the coming six to eight weeks, the billionaire informed during a Twitter Spaces chat on Saturday. The April 20 liftoff of Starship, which can take astronauts to the Moon and back, did not end in the way desired as it exploded minutes after liftoff in a test flight.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Musk, during the Twitter chat, said 30 out of 33 engines of Starship worked perfectly and reached 'full thrust', which was perhaps the reason the concrete launchpad was destroyed. Musk added that the pad damage was "quite small"&nbsp;and that it would take "six to eight weeks" to get the infrastructure prepared for another launch.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“The outcome was roughly in (line) with what I expected and, maybe slightly exceeded my expectations,” said the SpaceX CEO.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"The vehicle structural margins appear to be better than we expected. As we can tell the vehicle is actually doing somersaults towards the end and still staying intact."</p>

<h2><strong>FAA approval required</strong></h2>

<p>However, SpaceX is not allowed a relaunch opportunity until the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) completes its review that “will determine the root cause of the event and identify corrective actions the operator must implement to avoid a recurrence".&nbsp;</p>

<p>“We aren’t going to speculate on timelines. Safety will dictate the<strong>&nbsp;</strong>timeline," stated the FAA.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/spacexs-starship-rocket-lifts-off-for-inaugural-test-flight-584528"><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;SpaceX's Starship rocket lifts off for inaugural test flight</strong></a></p>

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<p>After the explosion, SpaceX stated, “Vehicle experienced multiple engines out during the flight test, lost altitude, and began to tumble."</p>

<p>Meanwhile, Musk&nbsp;congratulated employees and said he’s optimistic about the programme’s progress. Many called it Musk's way of turning setbacks into 'successful failures.'&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>SpaceX asks people to contact about debris</strong></h2>

<p>After the launch, the debris from the rocket has been washing up on the shores surrounding the Starbase launch facility in Boca Chica, Texas.&nbsp;</p>

<p>SpaceX has asked people not to handle or retrieve the debris of the Starship, and contact the company on its hotline at 1-866-623-0234 or email the information to recovery@spacex.com.</p>

<p>"Teams are actively monitoring both message boxes and will ensure the notification is handled appropriately. We are unable to respond to every message received, but our teams will reach out as appropriate," SpaceX officials wrote. "If you have concerns about an immediate hazard, please contact your local law enforcement agency."</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/found-a-piece-of-starship-spacex-would-like-to-have-it-back-585357"><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;Found a piece of Starship? SpaceX would like to have it back</strong></a></p>

<p>SpaceX is the biggest rocket ever to have been built. According to Musk, Starship has the capability of being reused which could bring down the costs and help humanity set civilisation on alien planets, such as Mars.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;</strong></p>

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Elon Musk owned-SpaceX will be launching its powerful Spaceship spacecraft in the coming six to eight weeks, the billionaire informed during a Twitter Spaces chat on Saturday.

Elon Musk owned-SpaceX will be launching its powerful Spaceship spacecraft in the coming six to eight weeks, the billionaire informed during a Twitter Spaces chat on Saturday. The April 20 liftoff of Starship, which can take astronauts to the Moon and back, did not end in the way desired as it exploded minutes after liftoff in a test flight. Musk, during the Twitter chat, said 30 out of 33 engines of Starship worked perfectly and reached 'full thrust', which was perhaps the reason the concrete launchpad was destroyed. Musk added that the pad damage was "quite small" and that it would take "six to eight weeks" to get the infrastructure prepared for another launch. “The outcome was roughly in (line) with what I expected and, maybe slightly exceeded my expectations,” said the SpaceX CEO. "The vehicle structural margins appear to be better than we expected. As we can tell the vehicle is actually doing somersaults towards the end and still staying intact." FAA approval required However, SpaceX is not allowed a relaunch opportunity until the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) completes its review that “will determine the root cause of the event and identify corrective actions the operator must implement to avoid a recurrence". “We aren’t going to speculate on timelines. Safety will dictate the timeline," stated the FAA. WATCH | SpaceX's Starship rocket lifts off for inaugural test flight × After the explosion, SpaceX stated, “Vehicle experienced multiple engines out during the flight test, lost altitude, and began to tumble." Meanwhile, Musk congratulated employees and said he’s optimistic about the programme’s progress. Many called it Musk's way of turning setbacks into 'successful failures.' SpaceX asks people to contact about debris After the launch, the debris from the rocket has been washing up on the shores surrounding the Starbase launch facility in Boca Chica, Texas. SpaceX has asked people not to handle or retrieve the debris of the Starship, and contact the company on its hotline at 1-866-623-0234 or email the information to recovery@spacex.com. "Teams are actively monitoring both message boxes and will ensure the notification is handled appropriately. We are unable to respond to every message received, but our teams will reach out as appropriate," SpaceX officials wrote. "If you have concerns about an immediate hazard, please contact your local law enforcement agency." ALSO READ | Found a piece of Starship? SpaceX would like to have it back SpaceX is the biggest rocket ever to have been built. According to Musk, Starship has the capability of being reused which could bring down the costs and help humanity set civilisation on alien planets, such as Mars. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Starship could be relaunched in 'six to eight' weeks, says SpaceX CEO Elon Musk

<p>Japanese firm ispace's attempt to become the first private entity in the world to put a lander on the moon has ended in failure, the company said Wednesday.</p>

<p>Soon after the company lost contact with its lander, the employees of "ispace" bowed their heads&nbsp;in respect of the&nbsp;HAKUTO-R lunar exploration program.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/first-private-moon-landing-japanese-company-aims-to-achieve-historic-feat-today-586077">First private moon landing: Japanese firm ispace loses communication with lander</a></strong></p>

<p>"We do not expect to complete the lunar landing at this time," CEO and founder Takeshi Hakamada said in a statement, with the company saying the Hakuto-R Mission 1 lander was believed to have made a "hard landing" on the moon's surface.</p>

<p>The Japanese firm "determined that there is a high probability that the lander eventually made a hard landing."</p>

<p>The 7-foot lander (2.3-meter) lander carried a mini lunar rover for the United Arab Emirates and a robot from&nbsp;Japan&nbsp;designed to roll around in the moon dust.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO WATCH |&nbsp;All you need to know about Hakuto-R Moon landing mission</strong></p>

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<p>There were also items from private customers on board.</p>

<p>Named Hakuto, Japanese for white rabbit, the spacecraft had targeted Atlas crater in the northeastern section of the moon’s near side, more than 50 miles (87 km) across and just over 1 mile (2 km) deep.</p>

<p>Founded in 2010, ispace hopes to start turning a profit as a one-way taxi service to the moon for other businesses and organisations. The company has already raised $300 million to cover the first three missions, according to reports in Japanese media.</p>

<p>"We will keep going, never quit lunar quest,"&nbsp;he said.</p>

<p>The moon is suddenly hot again, with numerous countries and private companies clamouring to get on the lunar bandwagon.&nbsp;China has successfully landed three spacecraft&nbsp;on the moon since 2013, and U.S., China, India and South Korea have satellites currently circling the moon.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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Japanese firm ispace's attempt to become the first private entity in the world to put a lander on the moon has ended in failure, the company said Wednesday. Soon after the company lost contact with its lander, the employees of "ispace" bowed their heads in respect of the HAKUTO-R lunar exploration program.

Japanese firm ispace's attempt to become the first private entity in the world to put a lander on the moon has ended in failure, the company said Wednesday. Soon after the company lost contact with its lander, the employees of "ispace" bowed their heads in respect of the HAKUTO-R lunar exploration program. ALSO READ | First private moon landing: Japanese firm ispace loses communication with lander "We do not expect to complete the lunar landing at this time," CEO and founder Takeshi Hakamada said in a statement, with the company saying the Hakuto-R Mission 1 lander was believed to have made a "hard landing" on the moon's surface. The Japanese firm "determined that there is a high probability that the lander eventually made a hard landing." The 7-foot lander (2.3-meter) lander carried a mini lunar rover for the United Arab Emirates and a robot from Japan designed to roll around in the moon dust. ALSO WATCH | All you need to know about Hakuto-R Moon landing mission × There were also items from private customers on board. Named Hakuto, Japanese for white rabbit, the spacecraft had targeted Atlas crater in the northeastern section of the moon’s near side, more than 50 miles (87 km) across and just over 1 mile (2 km) deep. Founded in 2010, ispace hopes to start turning a profit as a one-way taxi service to the moon for other businesses and organisations. The company has already raised $300 million to cover the first three missions, according to reports in Japanese media. "We will keep going, never quit lunar quest," he said. The moon is suddenly hot again, with numerous countries and private companies clamouring to get on the lunar bandwagon. China has successfully landed three spacecraft on the moon since 2013, and U.S., China, India and South Korea have satellites currently circling the moon. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Japan's privately-owned lunar lander that went up in a SpaceX rocket, likely crashed on moon: Company

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<p><meta name="uuid" content="uuidhKRjZ3iDvFY2" /><meta charset="utf-8" />Space X's Starship, the world's biggest rocket,<strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/spacexs-starship-worlds-biggest-rocket-successfully-lifts-off-on-first-test-flight-584489"> exploded during its first test flight on Thursday</a></strong> (April 20). The rocket exploded just minutes after launching from the Gulf Coast Starbase facility in south Texas. According to a report by the news agency Reuters, webcast viewers were awaiting the expected upper-stage Starship's separation from the lower-stage Super Heavy rocket when the combined vehicle began flipping end over end. The explosion followed moments later, leaving a trail of smoke and falling debris.</p>

<p>Reuters tweeted a video of the explosion. The rocket reached a peak altitude of nearly 32 kilometres before the explosion.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The fiery disintegration of the rocket was also captured on a live event on Facebook.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/elon-musk-loses-billions-in-net-worth-after-starship-explosion-teslas-underperformance-584620">Elon Musk loses billions in net worth after Starship explosion, Tesla's underperformance</a></strong></p>

<p>Despite the failure of the test flight, SpaceX declared it a success with Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Elon Musk congratulating his team on an "exciting" test of the next-generation spacecraft designed to send astronauts to the Moon, Mars and beyond.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">The first test of SpaceX's Starship, the most powerful launch system ever built, ends in a fiery explosion <a href="https://t.co/nprwQOTMRW">https://t.co/nprwQOTMRW</a> <a href="https://t.co/kxX6ho0Bqs">pic.twitter.com/kxX6ho0Bqs</a></p>
— Reuters (@Reuters) <a href="https://twitter.com/Reuters/status/1649124523135094786?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 20, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>"Congrats SpaceX team on an exciting test launch of Starship! Learned a lot for next test launch in a few months," Musk tweeted. Ahead of the test flight, Musk had warned that technical issues were likely and sought to play down expectations for the inaugural flight.</p>

<p>SpaceX, meanwhile, said in a statement, "With a test like this, success comes from what we learn, and we learned a tremendous amount about the vehicle and ground systems today that will help us improve on future flights of Starship."&nbsp;</p>

<p>Starship consists of a 164-foot (50-meter) tall crew vehicle that sits atop a 230-foot tall first-stage Super Heavy booster rocket. In February, SpaceX had conducted a successful test firing of the 33 massive Raptor engines on the booster in Starship<strong>&nbsp;</strong>spacecraft and the Super Heavy rocket was being flown together for the first time, the news agency AFP reported.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The launch was scheduled for Monday but was postponed to Thursday due to a frozen pressure valve on the first-stage booster.</p>

<p><em><strong>(With inputs from agencies)</strong></em></p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

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Space X's Starship, the world's biggest rocket, exploded during its first test flight on Thursday (April 20). The rocket exploded just minutes after launching from the Gulf Coast Starbase facility in south Texas.

Space X's Starship, the world's biggest rocket, exploded during its first test flight on Thursday (April 20). The rocket exploded just minutes after launching from the Gulf Coast Starbase facility in south Texas. According to a report by the news agency Reuters, webcast viewers were awaiting the expected upper-stage Starship's separation from the lower-stage Super Heavy rocket when the combined vehicle began flipping end over end. The explosion followed moments later, leaving a trail of smoke and falling debris. Reuters tweeted a video of the explosion. The rocket reached a peak altitude of nearly 32 kilometres before the explosion. The fiery disintegration of the rocket was also captured on a live event on Facebook. ALSO READ | Elon Musk loses billions in net worth after Starship explosion, Tesla's underperformance Despite the failure of the test flight, SpaceX declared it a success with Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Elon Musk congratulating his team on an "exciting" test of the next-generation spacecraft designed to send astronauts to the Moon, Mars and beyond. The first test of SpaceX's Starship, the most powerful launch system ever built, ends in a fiery explosion https://t.co/nprwQOTMRW pic.twitter.com/kxX6ho0Bqs — Reuters (@Reuters) April 20, 2023 × "Congrats SpaceX team on an exciting test launch of Starship! Learned a lot for next test launch in a few months," Musk tweeted. Ahead of the test flight, Musk had warned that technical issues were likely and sought to play down expectations for the inaugural flight. SpaceX, meanwhile, said in a statement, "With a test like this, success comes from what we learn, and we learned a tremendous amount about the vehicle and ground systems today that will help us improve on future flights of Starship." Starship consists of a 164-foot (50-meter) tall crew vehicle that sits atop a 230-foot tall first-stage Super Heavy booster rocket. In February, SpaceX had conducted a successful test firing of the 33 massive Raptor engines on the booster in Starship spacecraft and the Super Heavy rocket was being flown together for the first time, the news agency AFP reported. The launch was scheduled for Monday but was postponed to Thursday due to a frozen pressure valve on the first-stage booster. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

WATCH | Moment when SpaceX's Starship rocket exploded after liftoff

SpaceX’s giant new rocket blasted off on its first test flight Thursday but exploded minutes after rising from the launch pad and crashed into the Gulf of Mexico.

Elon Musk’s SpaceX Starship rocket explodes mid-flight after launch

<p>Elon Musk's wealth recorded a significant drop in a tumultuous 24-hour period that saw Tesla's below-expectation quarterly results, the explosion of SpaceX Starship rocket, and Twitter taking away all legacy blue checkmarks.</p>

<p>All of these events have taken place in a&nbsp;24-hour period between April 19 and April 20.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/in-pictures-when-elon-musks-spacex-starship-dream-exploded-in-thin-air-584614">In Pictures | When Elon Musk's Starship dream exploded into successful failure</a></strong></p>

<p>They have had the most immediate consequence on Musk's wealth. The billionaire business magnate's net worth has dropped by $12.6 billion in last 24-hours, his biggest decline this year according to Bloomberg Billionaires Index.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO WATCH |&nbsp;Tesla records 24 per cent&nbsp;drop in net income</strong></p>

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<p>For Elon Musk, his stake in Tesla, including shares and options, makes up the biggest part of his $163.9 billion fortune. He is the Chief Executive Officer of both Tesla and SpaceX, as well as Twitter, the social media platform he acquired last year. Musk continues to be the world’s second-richest person behind French luxury tycoon Bernard Arnault.</p>

<h2><strong>How Elon Musk is reacting to recent setbacks?</strong></h2>

<p>Referring to Tesla's underperformance, Musk said that "it’s difficult to say what the margin will be."</p>

<p>As for SpaceX Starship debacle, Musk congratulated employees and said he’s optimistic about the program’s progress. Many called it Musk's way of turning setbacks into 'successful failures.'&nbsp;</p>

<p>On Twitter, he kept the promise of removing legacy blue checkmarks, sending shockwaves beneath&nbsp;pillars of world's virtual 'town square'.</p>

<p>It’s "shaping up to be quite the day!" he tweeted, while referring to April 20 or 4/20, the unofficial pot holiday.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

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Elon Musk's wealth recorded a significant drop in a tumultuous 24-hour period that saw Tesla's below-expectation quarterly results, the explosion of SpaceX Starship rocket, and Twitter taking away all legacy blue checkmarks.

Elon Musk's wealth recorded a significant drop in a tumultuous 24-hour period that saw Tesla's below-expectation quarterly results, the explosion of SpaceX Starship rocket, and Twitter taking away all legacy blue checkmarks. All of these events have taken place in a 24-hour period between April 19 and April 20. ALSO READ | In Pictures | When Elon Musk's Starship dream exploded into successful failure They have had the most immediate consequence on Musk's wealth. The billionaire business magnate's net worth has dropped by $12.6 billion in last 24-hours, his biggest decline this year according to Bloomberg Billionaires Index. ALSO WATCH | Tesla records 24 per cent drop in net income × For Elon Musk, his stake in Tesla, including shares and options, makes up the biggest part of his $163.9 billion fortune. He is the Chief Executive Officer of both Tesla and SpaceX, as well as Twitter, the social media platform he acquired last year. Musk continues to be the world’s second-richest person behind French luxury tycoon Bernard Arnault. How Elon Musk is reacting to recent setbacks? Referring to Tesla's underperformance, Musk said that "it’s difficult to say what the margin will be." As for SpaceX Starship debacle, Musk congratulated employees and said he’s optimistic about the program’s progress. Many called it Musk's way of turning setbacks into 'successful failures.' On Twitter, he kept the promise of removing legacy blue checkmarks, sending shockwaves beneath pillars of world's virtual 'town square'. It’s "shaping up to be quite the day!" he tweeted, while referring to April 20 or 4/20, the unofficial pot holiday. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Elon Musk loses billions in net worth after Starship explosion, Tesla's underperformance

SpaceX's Starship: World's biggest Rocket blows up minutes into inaugural test flight

SpaceX’s Starship, the most powerful rocket ever built, took off from a launch pad on the coast of South Texas on Thursday at 9:28 a.m. ET, but exploded midair before stage separation.

SpaceX's Starship rocket lifts off for inaugural test flight

<p>A "mysterious" spiral was spotted in Alaska as aurora watchers and photographers were intrigued to see the huge bluish-white shape in the sky early morning on Saturday (April 15). The shape looked mesmerising with the northern lights in the background.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The images and videos went viral on social media platforms, with people speculating what is it but scientists from The Geophysical Institute at the University of Alaska Fairbanks have said that the mysterious shape, which later faded away, could be linked to a SpaceX rocket launch that took place earlier on that day in California.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As quoted by the Independent, geophysicist Don Hampton said: "We learned that SpaceX had launched one of their Falcon 9 rockets into a polar orbit about two hours earlier, and watching a replay of their live feed showed the trajectory going right over Alaska."&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Here's the video:&nbsp;</strong></p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SpaceX?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SpaceX</a> launched a Falcon 9 rocket from California. It carried the mission known as Transporter-7. When the rocket's discarded upper stage passed over Alaska, it vented its unused fuel. A bit of spin turned the harmless cloud into a spectacular spiral.<br />
<br />
© University of Alaska. <a href="https://t.co/CheIytimxB">pic.twitter.com/CheIytimxB</a></p>
— Girl In Space  (@ExploreCosmos_) <a href="https://twitter.com/ExploreCosmos_/status/1647714319776227331?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 16, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>People also shared their experiences on social media as Todd Salat, who has been capturing the stunning northern lights for years, wrote on Facebook that he experienced a first – "an illuminating gyre in the sky."&nbsp;</p>

<p>Elizabeth Withnall from northwest Alaska wrote on Facebook: "I was out aurora watching and saw the craziest thing in the sky," she wrote on Facebook. "I always see strange things in the sky but this was insane."&nbsp;</p>

<p>In her post, Withnall said she was "hoping a spaceship would land and aliens would hop out" but Don Hampton of the University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute said this event wasn't exactly related to a UFO.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Hampton told The Associated Press that "when they do that at high altitudes, that fuel turns into ice. And if it happens to be in the sunlight, when you're in the darkness on the ground, you can see it as a sort of big cloud, and sometimes it's swirly. It's not a galaxy...It's just water vapour reflecting sunlight."&nbsp;</p>

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<h2><strong>What was it?&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>The spiral was linked to the SpaceX company's launch of a new rocket as reports have mentioned that such spirals have been seen in the past as well and they mostly appear as the upper stage of Falcon 9 dumps excess fuel when it falls into the ocean.</p>

<p>SpaceX had launched a rocket from California's Vandenberg Space Force Base just hours before.&nbsp;</p>

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A "mysterious" spiral was spotted in Alaska as aurora watchers and photographers were intrigued to see the huge bluish-white shape in the sky early morning on Saturday (April 15).

A "mysterious" spiral was spotted in Alaska as aurora watchers and photographers were intrigued to see the huge bluish-white shape in the sky early morning on Saturday (April 15). The shape looked mesmerising with the northern lights in the background. The images and videos went viral on social media platforms, with people speculating what is it but scientists from The Geophysical Institute at the University of Alaska Fairbanks have said that the mysterious shape, which later faded away, could be linked to a SpaceX rocket launch that took place earlier on that day in California. As quoted by the Independent, geophysicist Don Hampton said: "We learned that SpaceX had launched one of their Falcon 9 rockets into a polar orbit about two hours earlier, and watching a replay of their live feed showed the trajectory going right over Alaska." Here's the video: #SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket from California. It carried the mission known as Transporter-7. When the rocket's discarded upper stage passed over Alaska, it vented its unused fuel. A bit of spin turned the harmless cloud into a spectacular spiral. © University of Alaska. pic.twitter.com/CheIytimxB — Girl In Space  (@ExploreCosmos_) April 16, 2023 × People also shared their experiences on social media as Todd Salat, who has been capturing the stunning northern lights for years, wrote on Facebook that he experienced a first – "an illuminating gyre in the sky." Elizabeth Withnall from northwest Alaska wrote on Facebook: "I was out aurora watching and saw the craziest thing in the sky," she wrote on Facebook. "I always see strange things in the sky but this was insane." In her post, Withnall said she was "hoping a spaceship would land and aliens would hop out" but Don Hampton of the University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute said this event wasn't exactly related to a UFO. Hampton told The Associated Press that "when they do that at high altitudes, that fuel turns into ice. And if it happens to be in the sunlight, when you're in the darkness on the ground, you can see it as a sort of big cloud, and sometimes it's swirly. It's not a galaxy...It's just water vapour reflecting sunlight." × What was it? The spiral was linked to the SpaceX company's launch of a new rocket as reports have mentioned that such spirals have been seen in the past as well and they mostly appear as the upper stage of Falcon 9 dumps excess fuel when it falls into the ocean. SpaceX had launched a rocket from California's Vandenberg Space Force Base just hours before. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

WATCH | Not UFO or alien, this 'mysterious' spiral in Alaska is something else

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