LIGO records the grandest black hole crash yet, confirming theories by Einstein and Hawking and bringing cosmic mysteries down to Earth
Watch the story to know the wonder of cosmic discovery while making complex physics accessible through vivid imagery and compelling storytelling, focusing on the human triumph of scientific prediction coming true decades later.

Two Black Holes Crash Together Proving Einstein, Hawking Correct

<p>Indian space tech firms Bengaluru-based Pixxel and Hyderabad-based Dhruva Space have placed a total of four satellites in space via a commercial launch contract with Elon Musk’s SpaceX, the world leader in rocketry. In simple terms, the Indian firms paid for slots on America’s Falcon 9 rocket, which ferried them to space, more like a ride share to space.&nbsp;</p><p>The launch of these four Indian-origin satellites, among others, was carried out by SpaceX shortly after midnight hour Indian time, Wednesday, 27th August.</p><h2>What type of satellites did the Indian firms launch?</h2><p>&nbsp;</p><p>According to Dhruva Space, their LEAP-1 satellite marks the company’s first commercial mission, featuring advanced AI and hyperspectral payloads from Australia-based Akula Tech and Esper Satellites. These payloads have been hosted on Dhruva’s indigenously developed P-30 satellite structure.&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>According to Pixxel, they launched three Firefly hyperspectral Earth-imaging satellites on this SpaceX mission. Pixxel already has three Firefly satellites in space and with this latest launch, their fleet has grown to six.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>In simple terms, hyperspectral Earth-imaging captures pictures of our home planet using sensors that collect information far beyond what can be seen by human eyes or conventional cameras. Instead of the standard Red, Green, Blue, hyperspectral imaging captures hundreds of colours (wavelengths). This high amount of detail can help identify plants, minerals, water quality, etc. This data can be used to determine crop health, mapping cities, spotting oil spills etc.&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><h2>Why did Indian firms choose Musk’s SpaceX instead of India’s ISRO?&nbsp;</h2><p>&nbsp;</p><p>While the firms themselves haven’t revealed why they chose to pay and fly SpaceX, it is widely acknowledged that cost, reliability, launch frequency, rocket availability, and other commercial reasons are stacked up in SpaceX’s favour. SpaceX is a global leader in the space launch business and has completed 134 launches of various kinds in 2024. At the time of writing, SpaceX has launched its workhorse Falcon 9 more than 100 times in 2025.&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>In comparison, ISRO has been performing five to seven launches in recent years. Therefore, a customer (Indian or foreigner) who wishes to fly his satellite to space would prefer to fly at the next available rocket, than to wait for an ISRO rocket. Notably, ISRO has not flown a single commercial mission it 2025. While ISRO did announce that it would launch American private firm’s BlueBird satellite this year, that launch has been pushed to January-March 2026, as per ISRO Chief Dr. V. Narayanan.</p><p>While, ISRO did launch the NASA-ISRO NISAR satellite in July, that was a scientific collaboration and not a business venture. NASA and ISRO bore the costs of their respective part of the NISAR mission.&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><h2>In the era of SpaceX, Indian rockets are not cost-competitive</h2><p>&nbsp;</p><p>It is claimed that Indian rockets and space missions are cheaper than Hollywood films. However, these direct numerical comparisons are neither scientific nor rooted in reality. In the world of commercial rocketry, the real metric is cost-per-kilogramme to orbit. In simple terms, per-kg cost on larger rockets is cheaper than per-kg cost on smaller rockets. This is broadly similar to why a train ticket costs far lesser than undertaking the same journey via car. The larger the rocket, the more it can carry, therefore the per-kg cost reduces.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>While ISRO’'s commercial arm NSIL does not officially reveal its per-kg cost, it is well established in the market that ISRO’s rockets are not cost competitive in a world dominated by Elon Musk’'s SpaceX. Industry estimates have clearly shown that the per-kg cost on SpaceX’s massive Falcon-series of re-usable rockets are less than half of the per-kg cost charged by India. Naturally, satellite firms would choose the cheaper option offered by SpaceX.&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><h2>ISRO’s workhorse PSLV rocket failed in 2025, but we still don’t know why</h2><p>&nbsp;</p><p>In May 2025, ISRO launched the PSLV-C61 rocket carrying an advanced Indian Earth-imaging satellite EOS-09. In a rare occurrence, ISRO's workhorse PSLV rocket failed mid-flight, which led to the loss of rocket and the satellite.&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>As a taxpayer-funded space agency, ISRO has had the culture of publicly releasing its Failure Analysis Committee(FAC) reports following mission failures. When the strategic satellite GISAT-1 failed in the year 2021, ISRO had publicly released an FAC report.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>However, ISRO has not made the PSLV-C61 FAC report public. Space industry veterans say that the FAC reports not being publicly shared affects the image of the space agency, as several foreign entities entrust ISRO to launch their satellites and expect a high level of accountability and transparency from the launching agency.&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><h2>ISRO’s sluggish rate of launches and related concerns&nbsp;</h2><p>&nbsp;</p><p>In the eight months of 2025, ISRO has done only three launches from home soil. The only complete successful outcome in these three was the NASA-ISRO NISAR satellite that was launched in July.&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Last year, the Indian government announced that there would be a total of 30 space launches from India in 15 months (between January 2024 and March 2025). In the said 15 months, only 7 launches were executed. This means that only 23% of the launch target is being met.&nbsp;</p><p>This affects Indi’'s reputation in the highly-competitive and lucrative launch market.&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>While India has executed three space launches in the eight months of 2025, US has executed 120 launches, China has executed 49, and Russia has executed 11. While India’s launch activity cannot directly be compared with that of global space powers, it must be noted that India’s launch pace is sluggish by even its own standards.&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Simply put, global commercial space launch industry is quite like the airline industry- the ones that operate more flights get more bookings from customers, the ones that barely/rarely fly don’t get bookings. Therefore, only those who launch rockets frequently can attract customers.&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>In a recent video message during India's National Space Day on 23rd August, Prime Minister Narendra Modi acknowledged that there are barely five or six rocket launches from Indian soil in a year. He expressed his wish that the Indian private sector must come forward, develop capability to launch fifty rockets in a year by the year 2030. The Prime Minister, who directly oversees the Department of Space (ISRO’s parent body), envisioned that there must be a launch every week.</p>

Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently acknowledged that there are barely five or six rocket launches from India in a year and expressed the wish that the Indian private sector come forward and develop the capability to launch fifty rockets in a year by the year 2030.

Indian space tech firms Bengaluru-based Pixxel and Hyderabad-based Dhruva Space have placed a total of four satellites in space via a commercial launch contract with Elon Musk’s SpaceX, the world leader in rocketry. In simple terms, the Indian firms paid for slots on America’s Falcon 9 rocket, which ferried them to space, more like a ride share to space. The launch of these four Indian-origin satellites, among others, was carried out by SpaceX shortly after midnight hour Indian time, Wednesday, 27th August. What type of satellites did the Indian firms launch? According to Dhruva Space, their LEAP-1 satellite marks the company’s first commercial mission, featuring advanced AI and hyperspectral payloads from Australia-based Akula Tech and Esper Satellites. These payloads have been hosted on Dhruva’s indigenously developed P-30 satellite structure. According to Pixxel, they launched three Firefly hyperspectral Earth-imaging satellites on this SpaceX mission. Pixxel already has three Firefly satellites in space and with this latest launch, their fleet has grown to six. In simple terms, hyperspectral Earth-imaging captures pictures of our home planet using sensors that collect information far beyond what can be seen by human eyes or conventional cameras. Instead of the standard Red, Green, Blue, hyperspectral imaging captures hundreds of colours (wavelengths). This high amount of detail can help identify plants, minerals, water quality, etc. This data can be used to determine crop health, mapping cities, spotting oil spills etc. Why did Indian firms choose Musk’s SpaceX instead of India’s ISRO? While the firms themselves haven’t revealed why they chose to pay and fly SpaceX, it is widely acknowledged that cost, reliability, launch frequency, rocket availability, and other commercial reasons are stacked up in SpaceX’s favour. SpaceX is a global leader in the space launch business and has completed 134 launches of various kinds in 2024. At the time of writing, SpaceX has launched its workhorse Falcon 9 more than 100 times in 2025. In comparison, ISRO has been performing five to seven launches in recent years. Therefore, a customer (Indian or foreigner) who wishes to fly his satellite to space would prefer to fly at the next available rocket, than to wait for an ISRO rocket. Notably, ISRO has not flown a single commercial mission it 2025. While ISRO did announce that it would launch American private firm’s BlueBird satellite this year, that launch has been pushed to January-March 2026, as per ISRO Chief Dr. V. Narayanan. While, ISRO did launch the NASA-ISRO NISAR satellite in July, that was a scientific collaboration and not a business venture. NASA and ISRO bore the costs of their respective part of the NISAR mission. In the era of SpaceX, Indian rockets are not cost-competitive It is claimed that Indian rockets and space missions are cheaper than Hollywood films. However, these direct numerical comparisons are neither scientific nor rooted in reality. In the world of commercial rocketry, the real metric is cost-per-kilogramme to orbit. In simple terms, per-kg cost on larger rockets is cheaper than per-kg cost on smaller rockets. This is broadly similar to why a train ticket costs far lesser than undertaking the same journey via car. The larger the rocket, the more it can carry, therefore the per-kg cost reduces. While ISRO’'s commercial arm NSIL does not officially reveal its per-kg cost, it is well established in the market that ISRO’s rockets are not cost competitive in a world dominated by Elon Musk’'s SpaceX. Industry estimates have clearly shown that the per-kg cost on SpaceX’s massive Falcon-series of re-usable rockets are less than half of the per-kg cost charged by India. Naturally, satellite firms would choose the cheaper option offered by SpaceX. ISRO’s workhorse PSLV rocket failed in 2025, but we still don’t know why In May 2025, ISRO launched the PSLV-C61 rocket carrying an advanced Indian Earth-imaging satellite EOS-09. In a rare occurrence, ISRO's workhorse PSLV rocket failed mid-flight, which led to the loss of rocket and the satellite. As a taxpayer-funded space agency, ISRO has had the culture of publicly releasing its Failure Analysis Committee(FAC) reports following mission failures. When the strategic satellite GISAT-1 failed in the year 2021, ISRO had publicly released an FAC report. However, ISRO has not made the PSLV-C61 FAC report public. Space industry veterans say that the FAC reports not being publicly shared affects the image of the space agency, as several foreign entities entrust ISRO to launch their satellites and expect a high level of accountability and transparency from the launching agency. ISRO’s sluggish rate of launches and related concerns In the eight months of 2025, ISRO has done only three launches from home soil. The only complete successful outcome in these three was the NASA-ISRO NISAR satellite that was launched in July. Last year, the Indian government announced that there would be a total of 30 space launches from India in 15 months (between January 2024 and March 2025). In the said 15 months, only 7 launches were executed. This means that only 23% of the launch target is being met. This affects Indi’'s reputation in the highly-competitive and lucrative launch market. While India has executed three space launches in the eight months of 2025, US has executed 120 launches, China has executed 49, and Russia has executed 11. While India’s launch activity cannot directly be compared with that of global space powers, it must be noted that India’s launch pace is sluggish by even its own standards. Simply put, global commercial space launch industry is quite like the airline industry- the ones that operate more flights get more bookings from customers, the ones that barely/rarely fly don’t get bookings. Therefore, only those who launch rockets frequently can attract customers. In a recent video message during India's National Space Day on 23rd August, Prime Minister Narendra Modi acknowledged that there are barely five or six rocket launches from Indian soil in a year. He expressed his wish that the Indian private sector must come forward, develop capability to launch fifty rockets in a year by the year 2030. The Prime Minister, who directly oversees the Department of Space (ISRO’s parent body), envisioned that there must be a launch every week.

<p>Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently acknowledged that there are barely five or six rocket launches from India in a year and expressed the wish that the Indian private sector come forward and develop the capability to launch fifty rockets in a year by the year 2030.</p>

Why are Indian firms picking, paying SpaceX over ISRO to launch satellites?

SpaceX launched its massive Super Heavy-Starship rocket on August 26, 2025, achieving a key milestone after previous failures. Despite minor reentry damage, both stages completed their missions with controlled splashdowns in the Indian Ocean and Gulf of Mexico.

Spacex launches super heavy-starship on successful test flight | Musk gets applause

Spacex megarocket: Most powerful launch vehicle ever? | Loud cheers for musk

<p>For the second time in as many days, SpaceX has called off the launch of its massive Starship rocket in Texas. The company was forced to stand down once again on Monday (Aug 25) evening, this time due to bad weather. This comes less than 24 hours after a separate launch attempt was scrubbed because of a liquid oxygen leak. Starship, stacked on its Super Heavy booster, towers 397 feet (121 meters) is a behemoth, taller than the Statue of Liberty. It is central to Elon Musk's vision of reusable rockets capable of carrying people to the Moon and Mars. The 403-foot behemoth was supposed to blast off from Starbase in Texas at 7.30 pm local time (0030 GMT) for its tenth test flight.</p><p><strong>Also read | </strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/is-musk-s-dream-rocket-cursed-space-x-scrubs-megarocket-starship-s-10th-test-amid-string-of-explosions-and-failures-1756083270563"><strong>Is Musk's dream rocket cursed? Space X scrubs megarocket Starship's 10th test amid string of explosions and failures</strong></a></p><h2><strong>Why did SpaceX cancel Starship's latest launch attempt?</strong></h2><p>On X, the company said that it was “Standing down from today’s flight test attempt due to weather.” It added that the “Starship team is determining the next best available opportunity to fly”.</p>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Standing down from today’s flight test attempt due to weather. Starship team is determining the next best available opportunity to fly</p>&mdash; SpaceX (@SpaceX) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1960130754714935426?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 26, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<h2><strong>SpaceX's string of failures grows</strong></h2><p>The latest delay piles onto a string of high-profile failures. Starship's upper stage has exploded in all three of its test flights this year, with debris falling over Caribbean islands in two cases and one stage breaking apart after reaching space. Another blew up on the ground during a June static fire test. So far, the rocket hasn't managed to deliver a payload to orbit or return its upper stage intact. However, Musk remains unfazed. Replying to a user on X on Sunday, Musk predicted, “In about 6 or 7 years, there will be days where Starship launches more than 24 times in 24 hours.”</p><p><strong>Also read | </strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/jd-vance-doesn-t-know-history-us-vp-sparks-backlash-after-claiming-wwii-ended-with-negotiation-while-defending-trump-s-ukraine-plan-1756113223188"><strong>JD Vance labelled 'ignoramus' for claiming WWII ended in 'negotiations' while defending Trump</strong></a></p><h2><strong>Starship: Humanity's dream of reaching Mars</strong></h2><p>US President Donald Trump's former DOGE chief, Elon Musk, as per AFP, has pegged SpaceX's entire future to the entirely reusable rocket, planning to eventually phase out the workhorse Falcon rockets in favour of Starship. NASA, too, has tapped it for its first crewed lunar mission since Apollo, tentatively set for 2027.<br>Despite the setbacks, SpaceX is sticking to its "fail fast, learn fast" approach, pushing ahead with test after test. The company has managed to successfully catch Starship's massive lower stage booster with "chopstick" launch tower arms three times.</p><p>Still, critics are starting to wonder if Musk's most ambitious gamble is wobbling."I think there is a lot of pressure on this mission," space analyst Dallas Kasaboski told AFP. "We've had so many tests and it hasn't proven itself reliable -- the successes have not exceeded the failures." Others, like Will Lockett, a former engineer turned commentator, have gone further, questioning whether the whole Starship concept is "fundamentally flawed".<br>&nbsp;</p>

Elon Musk's bad luck continues as megarocket Starship is forced to ground again, this time due to bad weather. Here's all you need to know.

For the second time in as many days, SpaceX has called off the launch of its massive Starship rocket in Texas. The company was forced to stand down once again on Monday (Aug 25) evening, this time due to bad weather. This comes less than 24 hours after a separate launch attempt was scrubbed because of a liquid oxygen leak. Starship, stacked on its Super Heavy booster, towers 397 feet (121 meters) is a behemoth, taller than the Statue of Liberty. It is central to Elon Musk's vision of reusable rockets capable of carrying people to the Moon and Mars. The 403-foot behemoth was supposed to blast off from Starbase in Texas at 7.30 pm local time (0030 GMT) for its tenth test flight. Also read | Is Musk's dream rocket cursed? Space X scrubs megarocket Starship's 10th test amid string of explosions and failures Why did SpaceX cancel Starship's latest launch attempt? On X, the company said that it was “Standing down from today’s flight test attempt due to weather.” It added that the “Starship team is determining the next best available opportunity to fly”.

<p>Elon Musk's bad luck continues as megarocket Starship is forced to ground again, this time due to bad weather. Here's all you need to know.</p>

Elon Musk’s Starship grounded again: SpaceX scraps Texas launch for second time in 2 days

<p>After postponing the launch of its 10th flight test of Starship, Elon Musk’s SpaceX is eyeing another window to launch the world’s biggest rocket on Monday (Aug 25) evening. The space company is developing the 400-foot Starship rocket for a crewed mission to Mars. This comes after the launch was scrubbed just minutes before the rocket was set to take off from the company’s launch pad in South Texas on Sunday (Aug 24).</p><p>In a post on X, SpaceX wrote, “Standing down from today's tenth flight of Starship to allow time to troubleshoot an issue with ground systems.”</p><h2><strong>When will Starship’s 10th flight test launch take place?</strong></h2><p>The launch, which was originally scheduled for Sunday, will now take place on Monday at 6:30 pm CT, according to the official website of SpaceX. The launch attempt will mark a critical milestone in Musk’s Mars ambitions. The company is aiming to recover both the booster and the upper-stage Starship spacecraft in the test flight.</p><h2><strong>Earlier launches</strong></h2><p>Two test flights earlier this year ended up exploding following the launch. Three months earlier, Starship and its Super Heavy booster were both lost after lifting off from the company’s Starbase facility in Texas.</p><p>A week earlier, SpaceX unveiled the redesigned fins to guide the Super Heavy booster back to land. According to the company, the new components are 50 per cent larger and stronger than earlier versions.</p><h2><strong>Musk’s vision faces setback</strong></h2><p>Musk’s space company secured a multi-billion-dollar contract with NASA as part of the space agency’s Artemis program, which is aiming to send astronauts to the Moon. However, the failed tests of Starship and other factors have pushed the mission back from December 2025 to September 2026.</p><p>Meanwhile, Musk said earlier this year that Starship would launch to Mars as early as next year, with the aircraft carrying Tesla’s humanoid robot Optimus.</p><p>Musk’s ultimate Mars dream involves building a fleet of several thousand Starships that will help establish a self-sufficient human colony on Mars by 2050.<br>&nbsp;</p>

A week earlier, SpaceX unveiled the redesigned fins to guide the Super Heavy booster back to land. According to the company, the new components are 50 per cent larger and stronger than earlier versions.

After postponing the launch of its 10th flight test of Starship, Elon Musk’s SpaceX is eyeing another window to launch the world’s biggest rocket on Monday (Aug 25) evening. The space company is developing the 400-foot Starship rocket for a crewed mission to Mars. This comes after the launch was scrubbed just minutes before the rocket was set to take off from the company’s launch pad in South Texas on Sunday (Aug 24). In a post on X, SpaceX wrote, “Standing down from today's tenth flight of Starship to allow time to troubleshoot an issue with ground systems.” When will Starship’s 10th flight test launch take place? The launch, which was originally scheduled for Sunday, will now take place on Monday at 6:30 pm CT, according to the official website of SpaceX. The launch attempt will mark a critical milestone in Musk’s Mars ambitions. The company is aiming to recover both the booster and the upper-stage Starship spacecraft in the test flight. Earlier launches Two test flights earlier this year ended up exploding following the launch. Three months earlier, Starship and its Super Heavy booster were both lost after lifting off from the company’s Starbase facility in Texas. A week earlier, SpaceX unveiled the redesigned fins to guide the Super Heavy booster back to land. According to the company, the new components are 50 per cent larger and stronger than earlier versions. Musk’s vision faces setback Musk’s space company secured a multi-billion-dollar contract with NASA as part of the space agency’s Artemis program, which is aiming to send astronauts to the Moon. However, the failed tests of Starship and other factors have pushed the mission back from December 2025 to September 2026. Meanwhile, Musk said earlier this year that Starship would launch to Mars as early as next year, with the aircraft carrying Tesla’s humanoid robot Optimus. Musk’s ultimate Mars dream involves building a fleet of several thousand Starships that will help establish a self-sufficient human colony on Mars by 2050.

<p>A week earlier, SpaceX unveiled the redesigned fins to guide the Super Heavy booster back to land. According to the company, the new components are 50 per cent larger and stronger than earlier versions.</p>

Musk’s SpaceX to attempt 10th Starship launch Monday after delay – Check details

<p>Elon Musk's SpaceX hit pause on its latest Starship test flight Sunday (Aug 24), scrubbing the much-hyped launch just minutes before liftoff, saying it had things to troubleshoot. The cancellation marked yet another setback for Elon Musk's giant rocket — the one he insists will one day carry people to the Moon and eventually Mars. The 403-foot behemoth was supposed to blast off from Starbase in Texas at 6:30 pm local time (2330 GMT) for its tenth test flight. Musk himself had teased the launch an hour earlier, posting "Starship 10 launching tonight" on X. But despite the rocket already being fuelled, SpaceX abruptly called it off just 15 minutes before launch.</p><h2><strong>Why was the SpaceX launch cancelled?</strong></h2><p>On X, the space company said, "Standing down from today's tenth flight of Starship to allow time to troubleshoot an issue with ground systems". However, it did not elaborate on what issue it needed to troubleshoot.</p>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Standing down from today's tenth flight of Starship to allow time to troubleshoot an issue with ground systems</p>— SpaceX (@SpaceX) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1959755893324865963?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 24, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<p>For now, the cancelled launch could be rescheduled as early as Monday or Tuesday, according to local road closure notices near Starbase.&nbsp;</p><h2><strong>SpaceX's string of failures grows</strong></h2><p>The latest delay piles onto a string of high-profile failures. Starship's upper stage has exploded in all three of its test flights this year, with debris falling over Caribbean islands in two cases and one stage breaking apart after reaching space. Another blew up on the ground during a June static fire test. So far, the rocket hasn't managed to deliver a payload to orbit or return its upper stage intact.</p><p>That's a problem, because Starship isn't just Musk's passion project — NASA is banking on a version of it to land astronauts on the Moon.</p><h2><strong>Starship: Humanity's dream of reaching Mars</strong></h2><p>US President Donald Trump's former DOGE chief Elon Musk, as per AFP, has pegged SpaceX's entire future to the entirely reusable rocket, planning to eventually phase out the workhorse Falcon rockets in favour of Starship.</p><p>Despite the setbacks, SpaceX is sticking to its "fail fast, learn fast" approach, pushing ahead with test after test. The company has managed to successfully catch Starship's massive lower stage booster with "chopstick" launch tower arms three times.</p><p>Still, critics are starting to wonder if Musk's most ambitious gamble is wobbling."I think there is a lot of pressure on this mission," space analyst Dallas Kasaboski told AFP. "We've had so many tests and it hasn't proven itself reliable -- the successes have not exceeded the failures." Others, like Will Lockett, a former engineer turned commentator, have gone further, questioning whether the whole Starship concept is "fundamentally flawed".</p>

The 10th flight of Starship, Elon Musk's dream megarocket, which he claims would one day take humanity to Mars, was cancelled over the need to “troubleshoot” some issues. This follows a string of explosions and failures of the SpaceX rocket. All you need to know. 

Elon Musk's SpaceX hit pause on its latest Starship test flight Sunday (Aug 24), scrubbing the much-hyped launch just minutes before liftoff, saying it had things to troubleshoot. The cancellation marked yet another setback for Elon Musk's giant rocket — the one he insists will one day carry people to the Moon and eventually Mars. The 403-foot behemoth was supposed to blast off from Starbase in Texas at 6:30 pm local time (2330 GMT) for its tenth test flight. Musk himself had teased the launch an hour earlier, posting "Starship 10 launching tonight" on X. But despite the rocket already being fuelled, SpaceX abruptly called it off just 15 minutes before launch. Why was the SpaceX launch cancelled? On X, the space company said, "Standing down from today's tenth flight of Starship to allow time to troubleshoot an issue with ground systems". However, it did not elaborate on what issue it needed to troubleshoot.

<p>The 10th flight of Starship, Elon Musk's dream megarocket, which he claims would one day take humanity to Mars, was cancelled over the need to “troubleshoot” some issues. This follows a string of explosions and failures of the SpaceX rocket. All you need to know.&nbsp;</p>

Is Musk's dream rocket cursed? Space X scrubs megarocket Starship's 10th test amid string of explosions and failures

ISRO spotted a dangerous crack in the Falcon-9’s oxidiser line just hours before lift-off. Their demand for full repair and testing delayed the launch but saved lives. Shubhanshu Shukla’s mission succeeded only because India insisted on safety.


ISRO detected a critical fuel leak SpaceX missed

The X-37B space plane goes on secretive missions for days to carry out tests and experiments for the US Space Force. It is set to be launched again this week from NASA's Kennedy Space Centre near Cape Canaveral. Its launch and landing techniques are quite unique.

<p>The X-37B space plane goes on secretive missions for days to carry out tests and experiments for the US Space Force. It is set to be launched again this week from NASA's Kennedy Space Centre near Cape Canaveral. Its launch and landing techniques are quite unique.</p>

What is the X-37B 'secretive' space plane that US Space Force launches this week?

Research has already shown that space conditions can alter bacterial behaviour. This study could help scientists develop strategies to stop infections before they become untreatable, both for astronauts on long missions and for people here on Earth.

<p>Research has already shown that space conditions can alter bacterial behaviour. This study could help scientists develop strategies to stop infections before they become untreatable, both for astronauts on long missions and for people here on Earth.</p>

Why SpaceX has launched disease-causing bacteria to the International Space Station?

<p>Four crew members who travelled to the International Space Station (ISS) in March 2025 to take over from two astronauts who were left stranded by a beleaguered space capsule returned to Earth on Saturday. The NASA astronauts, including Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, along with Takuya Onishi of Japan and Kirill Peskov of Russia, landed in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Southern California at 11:33 a.m. ET aboard a SpaceX capsule.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>This mission was NASA's first Pacific splashdown in 50 years and SpaceX's third with people on board. The last time NASA astronauts landed in the Pacific Ocean was in 1975 during the Apollo-Soyuz mission, which was the first joint spaceflight between the United States and the Soviet Union.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>“Splashdown! Crew-10 is back on Earth from the International Space Station, marking the completion of another successful flight,” said NASA acting administrator Sean Duffy. “Our crew missions are the building blocks for long-duration, human exploration, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. NASA is leading the way by setting a bold vision for exploration where we have a thriving space industry supporting private space stations in low Earth orbit, as well as humans exploring the Moon and Mars.”</p><h3>What is NASA's SpaceX Crew-10 mission?</h3><p>SpaceX Crew-10 is NASA's 10th crew rotation mission under the Commercial Crew Program and its 11th flight with astronauts, including the Demo-2 test flight to the International Space Station. During the mission, four crew members were included and were launched from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on March 24, 2025.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The 5-month mission of Crew-10 conducted over 200 scientific experiments and technology demonstrations ranging from material flammability tests and lunar navigation trials to monitoring the physiological effects of spaceflight.</p><h3>Where did SpaceX splash down?</h3><p>NASA's SpaceX Crew-10 landed off the coast of San Diego, California, on Saturday at 11:33 a.m. EDT, carrying NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Takuya Onishi, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov.</p><p>&nbsp;</p>

The SpaceX Crew-10 mission of NASA was its first Pacific splashdown in 50 years and SpaceX's third with people on board. The last time NASA astronauts splashed down in the Pacific Ocean was during the Apollo-Soyuz mission in 1975.

Four crew members who travelled to the International Space Station (ISS) in March 2025 to take over from two astronauts who were left stranded by a beleaguered space capsule returned to Earth on Saturday. The NASA astronauts, including Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, along with Takuya Onishi of Japan and Kirill Peskov of Russia, landed in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Southern California at 11:33 a.m. ET aboard a SpaceX capsule. This mission was NASA's first Pacific splashdown in 50 years and SpaceX's third with people on board. The last time NASA astronauts landed in the Pacific Ocean was in 1975 during the Apollo-Soyuz mission, which was the first joint spaceflight between the United States and the Soviet Union. “Splashdown! Crew-10 is back on Earth from the International Space Station, marking the completion of another successful flight,” said NASA acting administrator Sean Duffy. “Our crew missions are the building blocks for long-duration, human exploration, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. NASA is leading the way by setting a bold vision for exploration where we have a thriving space industry supporting private space stations in low Earth orbit, as well as humans exploring the Moon and Mars.” What is NASA's SpaceX Crew-10 mission? SpaceX Crew-10 is NASA's 10th crew rotation mission under the Commercial Crew Program and its 11th flight with astronauts, including the Demo-2 test flight to the International Space Station. During the mission, four crew members were included and were launched from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on March 24, 2025. The 5-month mission of Crew-10 conducted over 200 scientific experiments and technology demonstrations ranging from material flammability tests and lunar navigation trials to monitoring the physiological effects of spaceflight. Where did SpaceX splash down? NASA's SpaceX Crew-10 landed off the coast of San Diego, California, on Saturday at 11:33 a.m. EDT, carrying NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Takuya Onishi, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov.

<p>The SpaceX Crew-10 mission of NASA was its first Pacific splashdown in 50 years and SpaceX's third with people on board. The last time NASA astronauts splashed down in the Pacific Ocean was during the Apollo-Soyuz mission in 1975.</p>

What is NASA's SpaceX Crew-10 mission? Four Astronauts splash down in Pacific after 5-month ISS mission

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

<p>Since May 2024, Elon Musk has held the position of being the world’s richest person. He made headlines as being the richest last year after becoming the first billionaire ever to cross a net worth of $400 billion, primarily due to SpaceX’s staggering valuation of $350 billion. Other than SpaceX, the 53-year-old is part of several companies like Tesla, xAI, and Neuralink.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Musk's wealth was built through a series of high-stakes ventures and investments. And currently, another headline surfaced that Tesla announced an "interim" compensation amount worth $29 billion for Elon Musk. A few months ago, he also acted as senior adviser to President Donald Trump, leading the Department of Government Efficiency. But after a public feud with Trump, he left the Trump administration and announced the creation of his own political party, the America Party.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>So, have you ever wondered how Elon Musk is getting richer and how he managed to acquire these assets and reach this level that helped him to become the richest person in the world, leaving behind several business tycoons?</p><h3>How did Elon Musk become the richest man?</h3><p>Born in Pretoria, South Africa, before moving to Canada in 1989, Tesla chief Elon Musk's entrepreneurial journey started with Zip2, a software company that he started with his brother Kimbal in 1995. The software company developed online city guides for newspapers, which were later acquired by 'Compaq' for $307 million in 1999, netting Musk $22 million for his 7 per cent stake.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Later in the same year, Musk co-founded X.com, an online payment company that became PayPal after merging with Confinity. He remained a major shareholder despite being ousted as CEO in 2000 due to strategic disagreements. Surprisingly, when PayPal was acquired by eBay for $1.5 billion in 2002, Musk earned $175.8 million after taxes when he retained an 11.7 per cent stake, according to a report by HT.</p><h3>SpaceX</h3><p>After PayPal, he founded Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) in 2002, with the aim of reducing space travel costs. Initially, he faced several failed attempts to launch the rocket, resulting in SpaceX facing near bankruptcy after three failed rocket launches by 2008. However, a fourth launch was successful, and a $1.6 billion NASA contract in 2008 saved his company. Currently, the value of SpaceX is $350 billion (December 2024 tender offer), and Musk owns 42%.</p><h3>Tesla</h3><p>In the meantime, Musk became CEO in 2008 after joining Tesla Motors in 2004 as a lead investor and chairman. Tesla aimed at producing electric vehicles (EVs). Initially, he invested $6.5 million in the company that saved Tesla from near collapse in 2008, when it was losing $10 million monthly.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Later, the stock price of Tesla surged by over 1,100 per cent from 2017 to 2022, driven by increased production and profitability.</p><h3>xAI, X and other ventures</h3><p>Along with these companies, Musk also acquired Twitter for $44 billion in 2022, renaming it X. Elon Musk’s AI venture, xAI, also launched in 2023, reached a valuation of $50 billion by November 2024, with Musk holding a 54 per cent stake. His other companies, such as Neuralink, focused on brain-computer interfaces, and The Boring Company, specialising in tunnelling, have also added to his fortune.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Musk’s wealth hit a peak of $400 billion in December 2024 after Tesla’s shares soared following Donald Trump’s election victory. However, by March 2025, his net worth had fallen by $126 billion due to a 70 per cent drop in Tesla’s profits and widespread criticism over his political associations.</p>

The wealth of Elon Musk reached a peak of $400 billion in December 2024 after Tesla’s shares exponentially rose following the landslide election victory of Donald Trump. 

Since May 2024, Elon Musk has held the position of being the world’s richest person. He made headlines as being the richest last year after becoming the first billionaire ever to cross a net worth of $400 billion, primarily due to SpaceX’s staggering valuation of $350 billion. Other than SpaceX, the 53-year-old is part of several companies like Tesla, xAI, and Neuralink. Musk's wealth was built through a series of high-stakes ventures and investments. And currently, another headline surfaced that Tesla announced an "interim" compensation amount worth $29 billion for Elon Musk. A few months ago, he also acted as senior adviser to President Donald Trump, leading the Department of Government Efficiency. But after a public feud with Trump, he left the Trump administration and announced the creation of his own political party, the America Party. So, have you ever wondered how Elon Musk is getting richer and how he managed to acquire these assets and reach this level that helped him to become the richest person in the world, leaving behind several business tycoons? How did Elon Musk become the richest man? Born in Pretoria, South Africa, before moving to Canada in 1989, Tesla chief Elon Musk's entrepreneurial journey started with Zip2, a software company that he started with his brother Kimbal in 1995. The software company developed online city guides for newspapers, which were later acquired by 'Compaq' for $307 million in 1999, netting Musk $22 million for his 7 per cent stake. Later in the same year, Musk co-founded X.com, an online payment company that became PayPal after merging with Confinity. He remained a major shareholder despite being ousted as CEO in 2000 due to strategic disagreements. Surprisingly, when PayPal was acquired by eBay for $1.5 billion in 2002, Musk earned $175.8 million after taxes when he retained an 11.7 per cent stake, according to a report by HT. SpaceX After PayPal, he founded Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) in 2002, with the aim of reducing space travel costs. Initially, he faced several failed attempts to launch the rocket, resulting in SpaceX facing near bankruptcy after three failed rocket launches by 2008. However, a fourth launch was successful, and a $1.6 billion NASA contract in 2008 saved his company. Currently, the value of SpaceX is $350 billion (December 2024 tender offer), and Musk owns 42%. Tesla In the meantime, Musk became CEO in 2008 after joining Tesla Motors in 2004 as a lead investor and chairman. Tesla aimed at producing electric vehicles (EVs). Initially, he invested $6.5 million in the company that saved Tesla from near collapse in 2008, when it was losing $10 million monthly. Later, the stock price of Tesla surged by over 1,100 per cent from 2017 to 2022, driven by increased production and profitability. xAI, X and other ventures Along with these companies, Musk also acquired Twitter for $44 billion in 2022, renaming it X. Elon Musk’s AI venture, xAI, also launched in 2023, reached a valuation of $50 billion by November 2024, with Musk holding a 54 per cent stake. His other companies, such as Neuralink, focused on brain-computer interfaces, and The Boring Company, specialising in tunnelling, have also added to his fortune. Musk’s wealth hit a peak of $400 billion in December 2024 after Tesla’s shares soared following Donald Trump’s election victory. However, by March 2025, his net worth had fallen by $126 billion due to a 70 per cent drop in Tesla’s profits and widespread criticism over his political associations.

<p>The wealth of Elon Musk reached a peak of $400 billion in December 2024 after Tesla’s shares exponentially rose following the landslide election victory of Donald Trump.</p>

Tesla's $29 billion pay package or loose change? How Elon Musk became the world’s richest man with a $400 billion empire

<p>Starlink is down, and users are not happy. Elon Musk charges people colossal amounts of money for the internet service, and so people are angry to see outages, slow connection and even total blackouts. According to Downdetector, a site that monitors online outages, SpaceX's Starlink started having problems around 3 pm ET. In the United States, New York, Chicago, Atlanta, Dallas, Phoenix, San Francisco and Seattle witnessed widespread disruptions, as per a live outage map. People in other countries also reported problems with Starlink. This includes Australia, Canada, the UK, Mexico, Brazil, Peru and several other countries across South America and Europe. Starlink currently has more than six million active users worldwide, and charges $80 to $120, depending on the plan. Users are asking Musk for refunds because they are paying exorbitant amounts precisely for something like this not to happen. "Hope there’s a big refund coming. You charge top dollar so this s*** doesn’t happen!" a user wrote. Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/elon-musk-s-starlink-clears-another-hurdle-with-indian-govt-many-more-to-go-1752079147719"><strong>Elon Musk’s Starlink clears another hurdle with Indian Govt; many more to go</strong></a><br>&nbsp;</p><p>Starlink confirmed the outages in a post on X, stating, "Starlink is currently in a network outage and we are actively implementing a solution. We appreciate your patience. We'll share an update once this issue is resolved." Starlink also lets users access the network while on the go with its Roam plans, which are even more costly. Prices start from $50 and can go up to $165 per month. The Starlink kit costs $349 plus shipping. So that's a whole lot of money for the internet. Starlink is also launching in India soon, and this unexpected outage might affect its numbers in the country. Another user told Starlink that it "owes everyone a refund for today". "...better see a discount on that next bill, or we will have issues you failed to provide your service."</p><h2><strong>Starlink in India</strong></h2><p>People in India who want to enjoy Starlink services will have to whip out a kickass amount of money. The initial hardware cost itself will go as high as Rs 33,000 for the Standard Kit. Users will get a dish, router and other cables needed for the connection. Monthly plans will range from Rs 3,000 to Rs 4,200. Starlink is expected to start operations in India around August, following its license receipt in early June. Users can get a free trial on high-speed satellite internet for a month with each device purchase to test it out before deciding to dole out large sums of money. Starlink's low Earth orbit satellite constellation promises to reach remote and rural locations, which traditional networks have found hard to penetrate.</p><h2><strong>Musk's plans for Starlink on Mars</strong></h2><p>This outage comes as a huge challenge for Musk, who plans on using the network on Mars someday. In May, the billionaire talked about SpaceX's strategy to colonise Mars, with Starlink a crucial component. He announced that SpaceX will send Starlink satellites to the red planet for those who wish to live on the neighbouring planet.</p>

Starlink witnessed an outage on Thursday, affecting services in the US, Canada, Peru, Australia, the UK and other countries. The satellite internet service charges users a huge fee, and this is why people are extremely angry with the Starlink outage.

Starlink is down, and users are not happy. Elon Musk charges people colossal amounts of money for the internet service, and so people are angry to see outages, slow connection and even total blackouts. According to Downdetector, a site that monitors online outages, SpaceX's Starlink started having problems around 3 pm ET. In the United States, New York, Chicago, Atlanta, Dallas, Phoenix, San Francisco and Seattle witnessed widespread disruptions, as per a live outage map. People in other countries also reported problems with Starlink. This includes Australia, Canada, the UK, Mexico, Brazil, Peru and several other countries across South America and Europe. Starlink currently has more than six million active users worldwide, and charges $80 to $120, depending on the plan. Users are asking Musk for refunds because they are paying exorbitant amounts precisely for something like this not to happen. "Hope there’s a big refund coming. You charge top dollar so this s*** doesn’t happen!" a user wrote. Also Read: Elon Musk’s Starlink clears another hurdle with Indian Govt; many more to go Starlink confirmed the outages in a post on X, stating, "Starlink is currently in a network outage and we are actively implementing a solution. We appreciate your patience. We'll share an update once this issue is resolved." Starlink also lets users access the network while on the go with its Roam plans, which are even more costly. Prices start from $50 and can go up to $165 per month. The Starlink kit costs $349 plus shipping. So that's a whole lot of money for the internet. Starlink is also launching in India soon, and this unexpected outage might affect its numbers in the country. Another user told Starlink that it "owes everyone a refund for today". "...better see a discount on that next bill, or we will have issues you failed to provide your service." Starlink in India People in India who want to enjoy Starlink services will have to whip out a kickass amount of money. The initial hardware cost itself will go as high as Rs 33,000 for the Standard Kit. Users will get a dish, router and other cables needed for the connection. Monthly plans will range from Rs 3,000 to Rs 4,200. Starlink is expected to start operations in India around August, following its license receipt in early June. Users can get a free trial on high-speed satellite internet for a month with each device purchase to test it out before deciding to dole out large sums of money. Starlink's low Earth orbit satellite constellation promises to reach remote and rural locations, which traditional networks have found hard to penetrate. Musk's plans for Starlink on Mars This outage comes as a huge challenge for Musk, who plans on using the network on Mars someday. In May, the billionaire talked about SpaceX's strategy to colonise Mars, with Starlink a crucial component. He announced that SpaceX will send Starlink satellites to the red planet for those who wish to live on the neighbouring planet.

<p>Starlink witnessed an outage on Thursday, affecting services in the US, Canada, Peru, Australia, the UK and other countries. The satellite internet service charges users a huge fee, and this is why people are extremely angry with the Starlink outage.</p>

'Better see a discount...': Angry users demand Musk refund their money after Starlink goes down

<p>US President Donald Trump on Thursday (July 24) denied claims of destroying Elon Musk's companies in America, saying "he wants" Musk and all the other businesses within the states to thrive "like never before". This comes as reports emerge saying that the US president is looking to cancel government contracts with Musk's SpaceX.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Trump in a post on Truth Social stressed that the better if these companies thriver, the USA will thrive.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>"Everyone is stating that I will destroy Elon’s companies by taking away some, if not all, of the large scale subsidies he receives from the U.S. Government. This is not so! I want Elon, and all businesses within our Country, to THRIVE, in fact, THRIVE like never before!," he said in a post on Truth Social.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Trump said that the US is setting records every day, adding that he wants to keep it that way.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>"The better they do, the better the USA does, and that’s good for all of us. We are setting records every day, and I want to keep it that way!," he said.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>All this comes as the relationship between Trump and Musk turned sour. According to a Wall Street Journal report, Trump administration staffers have reviewed SpaceX’s agreements with NASA and the Pentagon. They concluded that cancelling them could seriously damage key US space and defence programmes.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>SpaceX isn’t the only Musk firm linked to the US government. The Pentagon recently signed a $200 million deal with xAI, Musk’s artificial intelligence startup, to work on AI for military use.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>SpaceX is the world’s leading launch provider. Last year, it was behind 83% of all satellite launches globally. It’s been a long-time contractor for the US government and plays a vital role in helping Ukraine maintain communications in its war with Russia. So far, Musk’s company has received at least $21 billion from US taxpayers, and another $13 billion is expected.</p>

Trump has denied the claims of destroying Musk's companies in America, stressing that he wants his companies to thrive in the US. The US president said that he wants Musk and all his businesses within the country.

US President Donald Trump on Thursday (July 24) denied claims of destroying Elon Musk's companies in America, saying "he wants" Musk and all the other businesses within the states to thrive "like never before". This comes as reports emerge saying that the US president is looking to cancel government contracts with Musk's SpaceX. Trump in a post on Truth Social stressed that the better if these companies thriver, the USA will thrive. "Everyone is stating that I will destroy Elon’s companies by taking away some, if not all, of the large scale subsidies he receives from the U.S. Government. This is not so! I want Elon, and all businesses within our Country, to THRIVE, in fact, THRIVE like never before!," he said in a post on Truth Social. Trump said that the US is setting records every day, adding that he wants to keep it that way. "The better they do, the better the USA does, and that’s good for all of us. We are setting records every day, and I want to keep it that way!," he said. All this comes as the relationship between Trump and Musk turned sour. According to a Wall Street Journal report, Trump administration staffers have reviewed SpaceX’s agreements with NASA and the Pentagon. They concluded that cancelling them could seriously damage key US space and defence programmes. SpaceX isn’t the only Musk firm linked to the US government. The Pentagon recently signed a $200 million deal with xAI, Musk’s artificial intelligence startup, to work on AI for military use. SpaceX is the world’s leading launch provider. Last year, it was behind 83% of all satellite launches globally. It’s been a long-time contractor for the US government and plays a vital role in helping Ukraine maintain communications in its war with Russia. So far, Musk’s company has received at least $21 billion from US taxpayers, and another $13 billion is expected.

<p>Trump has denied the claims of destroying Musk's companies in America, stressing that he wants his companies to thrive in the US. The US president said that he wants Musk and all his businesses within the country.</p>

Trump wants Elon: US president denies 'destroying' Musk's companies in America, wants them to 'thrive'

<p>US President Donald Trump reportedly wanted to cancel government contracts with Elon Musk’s SpaceX after their relationship turned sour. But now that the Trump team is looking into it, they’re realising it’s not that straightforward. According to The Wall Street Journal, Trump administration staffers have reviewed SpaceX’s agreements with NASA and the Pentagon. They concluded that cancelling them could seriously damage key US space and defence programmes.</p><p><strong>Also read: </strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/is-russia-about-to-ban-whatsapp-putin-orders-crackdown-on-social-media-apps-from-unfriendly-countries-1753009335811"><strong>Is Russia about to ban WhatsApp? Putin orders crackdown on social media apps from 'unfriendly countries'</strong></a></p><h2><strong>What did the review of SpaceX contracts reveal?</strong></h2><p>The review found that only a few of SpaceX’s current deals might be open to further scrutiny. None have actually been cancelled. That’s because there’s no alternative company that can do the same job as well or as cheaply. SpaceX is the world’s leading launch provider. Last year, it was behind 83% of all satellite launches globally. It’s been a long-time contractor for the US government and plays a vital role in helping Ukraine maintain communications in its war with Russia. So far, Musk’s company has received at least $21 billion from US taxpayers, and another $13 billion is expected.</p><h2><strong>Isn’t there any competitor to SpaceX?</strong></h2><p>Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin is one of the few rivals. In the last round of Trump-era contract awards, it secured seven deals, compared to 28 for SpaceX. But experts say that’s not enough to challenge SpaceX’s dominance. “There’s no replacing SpaceX. You just do not have the capacity in our other launch options,” defence and space expert Todd Harrison told Forbes.</p><h2><strong>What about Musk’s other companies?</strong></h2><p>SpaceX isn’t the only Musk firm linked to the government. The Pentagon recently signed a $200 million deal with xAI, Musk’s artificial intelligence startup, to work on AI for military use. This happened just after xAI’s chatbot “Grok” sparked controversy by calling itself “MechaHitler” on X. Altogether, Musk has secured $38 billion in US government contracts. That includes $15.7 billion for Tesla alone, many of which were approved during Joe Biden’s presidency.</p>

SpaceX is the world’s leading launch provider. Last year, it was behind 83% of all satellite launches globally. It’s been a long-time contractor for the US government and plays a vital role in helping Ukraine maintain communications in its war with Russia.

US President Donald Trump reportedly wanted to cancel government contracts with Elon Musk’s SpaceX after their relationship turned sour. But now that the Trump team is looking into it, they’re realising it’s not that straightforward. According to The Wall Street Journal, Trump administration staffers have reviewed SpaceX’s agreements with NASA and the Pentagon. They concluded that cancelling them could seriously damage key US space and defence programmes. Also read: Is Russia about to ban WhatsApp? Putin orders crackdown on social media apps from 'unfriendly countries' What did the review of SpaceX contracts reveal? The review found that only a few of SpaceX’s current deals might be open to further scrutiny. None have actually been cancelled. That’s because there’s no alternative company that can do the same job as well or as cheaply. SpaceX is the world’s leading launch provider. Last year, it was behind 83% of all satellite launches globally. It’s been a long-time contractor for the US government and plays a vital role in helping Ukraine maintain communications in its war with Russia. So far, Musk’s company has received at least $21 billion from US taxpayers, and another $13 billion is expected. Isn’t there any competitor to SpaceX? Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin is one of the few rivals. In the last round of Trump-era contract awards, it secured seven deals, compared to 28 for SpaceX. But experts say that’s not enough to challenge SpaceX’s dominance. “There’s no replacing SpaceX. You just do not have the capacity in our other launch options,” defence and space expert Todd Harrison told Forbes. What about Musk’s other companies? SpaceX isn’t the only Musk firm linked to the government. The Pentagon recently signed a $200 million deal with xAI, Musk’s artificial intelligence startup, to work on AI for military use. This happened just after xAI’s chatbot “Grok” sparked controversy by calling itself “MechaHitler” on X. Altogether, Musk has secured $38 billion in US government contracts. That includes $15.7 billion for Tesla alone, many of which were approved during Joe Biden’s presidency.

<p>SpaceX is the world’s leading launch provider. Last year, it was behind 83% of all satellite launches globally. It’s been a long-time contractor for the US government and plays a vital role in helping Ukraine maintain communications in its war with Russia.</p>

Can Trump really cut Elon Musk’s contracts? Pentagon says breaking up with Musk isn’t easy - Here's why

<p>US President Donald Trump’s administration reportedly considered axing several federal contracts with Elon Musk’s SpaceX, but found most of them too vital to scrap. This is according to a detailed Wall Street Journal investigation published on July 19, citing senior officials familiar with the matter. The review was initiated after Trump’s public spat with Musk in June 2025, when the tech billionaire criticised Trump on social media platforms. In response, Trump suggested axing Musk’s government deals as a cost-cutting move.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>“The easiest way to save federal dollars is to cancel SpaceX contracts,” Trump posted on Truth Social last month. Following the post, Trump-appointed officials at the General Services Administration reportedly circulated internal requests to NASA, the Pentagon, and other departments for a contract-by-contract breakdown of all federal business awarded to SpaceX.</p><h2><strong>Most SpaceX contracts deemed too essential</strong></h2><p>However, the WSJ report says most of SpaceX’s federal contracts, especially those linked to national security and human spaceflight were flagged as irreplaceable. The Pentagon, NASA, and intelligence agencies reportedly warned that unwinding such deals would cripple key missions.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>One senior official familiar with the review told The Wall Street Journal that “the government has no real alternatives” when it comes to rocket launches, crew missions or military-grade satellite internet.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The review ultimately failed to produce any major cancellations. Instead, the findings reinforced SpaceX’s strategic role in US defence and space infrastructure, from flying GPS satellites and ferrying NASA astronauts to supplying Starlink-based military communications.</p><h2><strong>Behind-the-scenes diplomacy and Starlink’s growing role</strong></h2><p>While Musk and Trump continue to spar in public, SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell reportedly held quiet meetings with White House officials in recent weeks, indicating efforts to contain the fallout. Meanwhile, SpaceX has secured fresh deals, including a $5.9 billion agreement to launch 28 national security missions for the US Space Force, as per WSJ.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Musk’s space company is also central to the US’s internet-in-space ambitions. Its Starshield unit, a military variant of the Starlink constellation, is under a classified contract with the US intelligence community, the report adds.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>NASA too is heavily dependent on Musk’s company. The Crew Dragon capsule remains the only American spacecraft certified to carry astronauts to and from the International Space Station.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Earlier this year, Musk reportedly threatened to suspend Dragon missions during a clash over political pressure. However, he later backed down after internal talks.</p><h2><strong>No signs of slowdown</strong></h2><p>Despite political heat, SpaceX continues to dominate global launch markets. The company is expected to launch a crewed NASA mission to the ISS later this month and is ramping up Starlink deployments globally, &nbsp;including in geopolitically sensitive regions like Ukraine and the Indo-Pacific.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>While Trump’s call for a SpaceX “review” briefly triggered alarm, the WSJ report makes clear: Musk’s company remains entrenched in US federal architecture and irreplaceable in the current geopolitical and technological landscape.</p><p><br>&nbsp;</p>

However, a Wall Street Journal report revealed most contracts, especially those vital to national security and space missions, were deemed irreplaceable. 

US President Donald Trump’s administration reportedly considered axing several federal contracts with Elon Musk’s SpaceX, but found most of them too vital to scrap. This is according to a detailed Wall Street Journal investigation published on July 19, citing senior officials familiar with the matter. The review was initiated after Trump’s public spat with Musk in June 2025, when the tech billionaire criticised Trump on social media platforms. In response, Trump suggested axing Musk’s government deals as a cost-cutting move. “The easiest way to save federal dollars is to cancel SpaceX contracts,” Trump posted on Truth Social last month. Following the post, Trump-appointed officials at the General Services Administration reportedly circulated internal requests to NASA, the Pentagon, and other departments for a contract-by-contract breakdown of all federal business awarded to SpaceX. Most SpaceX contracts deemed too essential However, the WSJ report says most of SpaceX’s federal contracts, especially those linked to national security and human spaceflight were flagged as irreplaceable. The Pentagon, NASA, and intelligence agencies reportedly warned that unwinding such deals would cripple key missions. One senior official familiar with the review told The Wall Street Journal that “the government has no real alternatives” when it comes to rocket launches, crew missions or military-grade satellite internet. The review ultimately failed to produce any major cancellations. Instead, the findings reinforced SpaceX’s strategic role in US defence and space infrastructure, from flying GPS satellites and ferrying NASA astronauts to supplying Starlink-based military communications. Behind-the-scenes diplomacy and Starlink’s growing role While Musk and Trump continue to spar in public, SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell reportedly held quiet meetings with White House officials in recent weeks, indicating efforts to contain the fallout. Meanwhile, SpaceX has secured fresh deals, including a $5.9 billion agreement to launch 28 national security missions for the US Space Force, as per WSJ. Musk’s space company is also central to the US’s internet-in-space ambitions. Its Starshield unit, a military variant of the Starlink constellation, is under a classified contract with the US intelligence community, the report adds. NASA too is heavily dependent on Musk’s company. The Crew Dragon capsule remains the only American spacecraft certified to carry astronauts to and from the International Space Station. Earlier this year, Musk reportedly threatened to suspend Dragon missions during a clash over political pressure. However, he later backed down after internal talks. No signs of slowdown Despite political heat, SpaceX continues to dominate global launch markets. The company is expected to launch a crewed NASA mission to the ISS later this month and is ramping up Starlink deployments globally, including in geopolitically sensitive regions like Ukraine and the Indo-Pacific. While Trump’s call for a SpaceX “review” briefly triggered alarm, the WSJ report makes clear: Musk’s company remains entrenched in US federal architecture and irreplaceable in the current geopolitical and technological landscape.

<p>Trump’s administration considered cutting federal contracts with SpaceX due to Musk's criticism, but found most contracts essential, especially for national security and space missions.</p>

Trump review spares critical SpaceX contracts: WSJ

<p>SpaceX has committed $2 billion to Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence startup xAI, the Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday, marking one of the largest single investments into a private AI company and deepening the integration between the billionaire’s business empire. According to the Wall Street Journal, the SpaceX investment is part of a broader $5 billion equity round that now values the combined entity, including xAI and Musk’s social media platform X, at roughly $113 billion.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The report underscores Musk’s aggressive push to position xAI as a serious competitor to OpenAI, the firm he co-founded and later fell out with. In May, Musk confirmed that xAI would be merged with X (formerly Twitter), aiming to harness its AI technology across his companies. SpaceX and xAI did not immediately respond to Reuters’ requests for comment.</p><h2><strong>Grok chatbot at the centre of Musk’s AI ambitions</strong></h2><p>The funding round highlights Musk’s plan to use xAI’s technology, particularly the Grok chatbot, in diverse applications across his businesses.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Grok, xAI’s flagship large-language model, already powers customer support for Starlink, SpaceX’s satellite internet service. The Wall Street Journal also reported plans to integrate Grok into Tesla’s Optimus humanoid robots in future development cycles.&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Despite some recent controversies over Grok’s unpredictable responses, Musk has continued to promote it as a breakthrough. “The smartest AI in the world,” Musk said of Grok in April, defending its irreverent style as a feature, not a flaw, as quoted by Reuters.&nbsp;</p><h2><strong>A broader AI arms race</strong></h2><p>The $2 billion investment also reflects the staggering costs of staying competitive in AI development, where companies like OpenAI, Anthropic and Google DeepMind are spending heavily on training massive models and securing specialised chips.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>xAI has signalled its commitment to expanding infrastructure and model training at scale to catch up with established rivals. Analysts say the funding underscores Musk’s determination to maintain tight control over critical technology that could reshape everything from online services to robotics and space operations. As per Reuters, xAI has not publicly disclosed the full details of its training architecture or the scale of its compute resources, but Musk has repeatedly hinted at plans to build or acquire large GPU clusters.</p><h2><strong>Musk’s empire: increasingly interconnected</strong></h2><p>The latest deal shows how Musk is blurring the lines between his companies. X (Twitter), SpaceX, Tesla, and xAI now share resources, talent and technology to pursue ambitious cross-sector goals.</p><p>For SpaceX, the AI investment is not merely financial: Grok’s technology could enhance customer service, improve Starlink’s network management and support advanced automation in manufacturing and operations.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>At the same time, Musk has been clear that controlling powerful AI tools is a strategic priority. He has been an outspoken critic of OpenAI’s direction since leaving its board, claiming it strayed from its original open-source mission.</p><p>&nbsp;</p>

Elon Musk xAI secures $2B from SpaceX in a $5B funding round, boosting its battle with OpenAI and integrating Grok AI into Tesla robots, Starlink, and beyond, blurring boundaries across Musk empire.

SpaceX has committed $2 billion to Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence startup xAI, the Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday, marking one of the largest single investments into a private AI company and deepening the integration between the billionaire’s business empire. According to the Wall Street Journal, the SpaceX investment is part of a broader $5 billion equity round that now values the combined entity, including xAI and Musk’s social media platform X, at roughly $113 billion. The report underscores Musk’s aggressive push to position xAI as a serious competitor to OpenAI, the firm he co-founded and later fell out with. In May, Musk confirmed that xAI would be merged with X (formerly Twitter), aiming to harness its AI technology across his companies. SpaceX and xAI did not immediately respond to Reuters’ requests for comment. Grok chatbot at the centre of Musk’s AI ambitions The funding round highlights Musk’s plan to use xAI’s technology, particularly the Grok chatbot, in diverse applications across his businesses. Grok, xAI’s flagship large-language model, already powers customer support for Starlink, SpaceX’s satellite internet service. The Wall Street Journal also reported plans to integrate Grok into Tesla’s Optimus humanoid robots in future development cycles. Despite some recent controversies over Grok’s unpredictable responses, Musk has continued to promote it as a breakthrough. “The smartest AI in the world,” Musk said of Grok in April, defending its irreverent style as a feature, not a flaw, as quoted by Reuters. A broader AI arms race The $2 billion investment also reflects the staggering costs of staying competitive in AI development, where companies like OpenAI, Anthropic and Google DeepMind are spending heavily on training massive models and securing specialised chips. xAI has signalled its commitment to expanding infrastructure and model training at scale to catch up with established rivals. Analysts say the funding underscores Musk’s determination to maintain tight control over critical technology that could reshape everything from online services to robotics and space operations. As per Reuters, xAI has not publicly disclosed the full details of its training architecture or the scale of its compute resources, but Musk has repeatedly hinted at plans to build or acquire large GPU clusters. Musk’s empire: increasingly interconnected The latest deal shows how Musk is blurring the lines between his companies. X (Twitter), SpaceX, Tesla, and xAI now share resources, talent and technology to pursue ambitious cross-sector goals. For SpaceX, the AI investment is not merely financial: Grok’s technology could enhance customer service, improve Starlink’s network management and support advanced automation in manufacturing and operations. At the same time, Musk has been clear that controlling powerful AI tools is a strategic priority. He has been an outspoken critic of OpenAI’s direction since leaving its board, claiming it strayed from its original open-source mission.

<p>SpaceX to invests $2 billion into Elon Musk’s AI startup xAI, strengthening ties across his companies as Grok becomes central to a multi-sector tech strategy.</p>

Spacex to invest $2 billion in Musk’s AI startup xAI in major funding push

<p>Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, who is nearing the end of his 14-day mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS), is preparing to begin his return journey on July 14. Just days before departure, Shukla brought a touch of India to orbit by sharing Gajar ka halwa, a traditional carrot-based dessert specially adapted for space by ISRO and DRDO. The treat was the highlight of a modest yet memorable meal shared with fellow Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) crewmates, as shown in photos from the orbiting laboratory. The evening of food and conversation offered a glimpse into the quieter moments of life aboard the ISS, where astronauts from around the world come together not only for science, but to celebrate culture and companionship far from Earth.</p><h2><strong>The Crew</strong></h2><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The Ax-4 crew comprises Shukla, Peggy Whitson, former NASA astronaut and Axiom Space’s director of human spaceflight, Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski from Poland, and Tibor Kapu from Hungary under the HUNOR programme. The mission launched on June 25 from Kennedy Space Centre, Florida, and docked at the ISS a day later after a 28-hour journey.&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Astronaut Jonny Kim, reflecting on the gathering, shared, “One of the most unforgettable evenings I’ve experienced on this mission was sharing a meal with new friends, Ax-4, aboard the International Space Station. We swapped stories and marvelled at how people from diverse backgrounds and nations came together to represent humanity in space.”</p><p>&nbsp;</p><h2><strong>A special menu in microgravity</strong></h2><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The evening’s menu highlighted the diversity of the crew. Appetisers included rehydrated shrimp cocktails and crackers, while the main course offered chicken and beef fajitas.</p><p>&nbsp;</p>

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<p>&nbsp;</p><p>Such meals go beyond nutrition, they strengthen camaraderie among astronauts from different nations. NASA’s Steve Stitch, Manager of the Commercial Crew Program, noted in a press briefing that the Ax-4 crew would prepare to undock on July 14, after the high beta period, a time when the ISS experiences prolonged sunlight, complicating thermal control.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><h2><strong>A journey across sunrises</strong></h2><p>&nbsp;</p><p>During their stay, Shukla and his fellow astronauts have witnessed 230 sunrises and travelled nearly one million kilometres in orbit. The inclusion of Indian cuisine on the ISS symbolises the growing international collaboration in space exploration, while also recognising the importance of cultural familiarity for astronaut well-being. As Ax-4 concludes, such gatherings leave a lasting mark, proving that even in orbit, a simple dessert can bring people together.<br>&nbsp;</p>

The evening of food and conversation offered a glimpse into the quieter moments of life aboard the ISS, where astronauts from around the world come together not only for science, but to celebrate culture and companionship far from Earth.

Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, who is nearing the end of his 14-day mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS), is preparing to begin his return journey on July 14. Just days before departure, Shukla brought a touch of India to orbit by sharing Gajar ka halwa, a traditional carrot-based dessert specially adapted for space by ISRO and DRDO. The treat was the highlight of a modest yet memorable meal shared with fellow Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) crewmates, as shown in photos from the orbiting laboratory. The evening of food and conversation offered a glimpse into the quieter moments of life aboard the ISS, where astronauts from around the world come together not only for science, but to celebrate culture and companionship far from Earth. The Crew The Ax-4 crew comprises Shukla, Peggy Whitson, former NASA astronaut and Axiom Space’s director of human spaceflight, Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski from Poland, and Tibor Kapu from Hungary under the HUNOR programme. The mission launched on June 25 from Kennedy Space Centre, Florida, and docked at the ISS a day later after a 28-hour journey. Astronaut Jonny Kim, reflecting on the gathering, shared, “One of the most unforgettable evenings I’ve experienced on this mission was sharing a meal with new friends, Ax-4, aboard the International Space Station. We swapped stories and marvelled at how people from diverse backgrounds and nations came together to represent humanity in space.” A special menu in microgravity The evening’s menu highlighted the diversity of the crew. Appetisers included rehydrated shrimp cocktails and crackers, while the main course offered chicken and beef fajitas.

<p>The evening of food and conversation offered a glimpse into the quieter moments of life aboard the ISS, where astronauts from around the world come together not only for science, but to celebrate culture and companionship far from Earth.</p>

Shrimp cocktails, fajitas and 'Gajar ka halwa': Shubhanshu Shukla’s special dinner aboard ISS ahead of homecoming

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

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

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

<p>The United States Air Force has abandoned its controversial plan to test hypersonic rocket cargo deliveries from Johnston Atoll in the Pacific, following concerns about environmental damage and threats to local wildlife.</p><h2><strong>Seabird habitat halts hypersonic cargo project</strong></h2><p>The move comes after a Reuters report highlighted expert warnings that the project, developed in partnership with commercial rocket makers like Elon Musk’s SpaceX, could severely impact the seabirds that nest on the remote atoll.</p><p><strong>Also read: </strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/-it-s-all-fake-trump-s-trade-war-just-for-show-white-house-insider-claims-tariff-threats-are-theatrical-game-1751727467439"><strong>‘It’s all fake’: Trump’s trade war just for show? White House insider claims tariff threats are ‘theatrical game’</strong></a></p><p>Johnston Atoll, located about 800 miles southwest of Hawaii, is a National Wildlife Refuge home to 14 species of tropical birds, many of which nest directly on the island. Following public outcry and a petition that gathered more than 3,800 signatures, the Air Force has now confirmed it is looking for alternative locations.</p><h2><strong>Musk’s SpaceX involved, but no official deal yet</strong></h2><p>Although no formal announcement has been made, the rocket cargo program was expected to use commercial launch partners such as SpaceX. The system aims to deliver up to 100 tons of cargo to any point on Earth within 90 minutes, offering the military unprecedented speed for resupply missions in remote or hostile areas.</p><p>The Air Force previously stated that current logistics systems require “days to weeks” to transport material to distant locations, while this new approach would offer near-instant delivery using re-entry rocket vehicles.</p><p>The military had initially said it would conduct a full environmental review of the project after the report surfaced. However, a spokesperson told Stars and Stripes that the Air Force is now exploring new sites altogether instead of continuing with the Johnston Atoll plan.</p><p>SpaceX has faced environmental criticism before, particularly at its Boca Chica site in Texas. Conservation groups sued the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) earlier this year for approving an expansion of SpaceX launches near another wildlife refuge without additional studies.</p><p>One launch at Boca Chica destroyed plover nests and eggs, prompting Musk to quip that he would “abstain from omelets for a week” to make up for the damage.</p>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">To make up for this heinous crime, I will refrain from having omelette for a week <a href="https://t.co/FecxG8Rjmg">pic.twitter.com/FecxG8Rjmg</a></p>&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1810887584232657026?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 10, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

The system aims to deliver up to 100 tons of cargo to any point on Earth within 90 minutes, offering the military unprecedented speed for resupply missions in remote or hostile areas.

The United States Air Force has abandoned its controversial plan to test hypersonic rocket cargo deliveries from Johnston Atoll in the Pacific, following concerns about environmental damage and threats to local wildlife. Seabird habitat halts hypersonic cargo project The move comes after a Reuters report highlighted expert warnings that the project, developed in partnership with commercial rocket makers like Elon Musk’s SpaceX, could severely impact the seabirds that nest on the remote atoll. Also read: ‘It’s all fake’: Trump’s trade war just for show? White House insider claims tariff threats are ‘theatrical game’ Johnston Atoll, located about 800 miles southwest of Hawaii, is a National Wildlife Refuge home to 14 species of tropical birds, many of which nest directly on the island. Following public outcry and a petition that gathered more than 3,800 signatures, the Air Force has now confirmed it is looking for alternative locations. Musk’s SpaceX involved, but no official deal yet Although no formal announcement has been made, the rocket cargo program was expected to use commercial launch partners such as SpaceX. The system aims to deliver up to 100 tons of cargo to any point on Earth within 90 minutes, offering the military unprecedented speed for resupply missions in remote or hostile areas. The Air Force previously stated that current logistics systems require “days to weeks” to transport material to distant locations, while this new approach would offer near-instant delivery using re-entry rocket vehicles. The military had initially said it would conduct a full environmental review of the project after the report surfaced. However, a spokesperson told Stars and Stripes that the Air Force is now exploring new sites altogether instead of continuing with the Johnston Atoll plan. SpaceX has faced environmental criticism before, particularly at its Boca Chica site in Texas. Conservation groups sued the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) earlier this year for approving an expansion of SpaceX launches near another wildlife refuge without additional studies. One launch at Boca Chica destroyed plover nests and eggs, prompting Musk to quip that he would “abstain from omelets for a week” to make up for the damage.

<p>The system aims to deliver up to 100 tons of cargo to any point on Earth within 90 minutes, offering the military unprecedented speed for resupply missions in remote or hostile areas.</p>

US Air Force scraps project with Elon Musk’s SpaceX over 'bird nests'

Unlike on Earth, space lacks air needed for sound waves to travel. This makes traditional voice communication impossible. 

<p>Unlike on Earth, space lacks air needed for sound waves to travel. This makes traditional voice communication impossible.&nbsp;</p>

'No signal, no antennas': How did Indian astronaut communicate with Earth from space?

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

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

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

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

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

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

<p>Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum on Wednesday (Jun 25) threatened to take legal action against Elon Musk’s SpaceX over falling debris and contamination from rocket launches across the border in the United States. During a press conference, Sheinbaum told reporters that the Mexican government was studying which international laws were being violated by the space company to file “the necessary lawsuits” as “there is indeed contamination”.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>On several occasions, SpaceX rocket explosions have resulted in debris washing up on Mexican beaches. Last week, a SpaceX Starship rocket exploded during a routine ground test at the Starbase headquarters in southern Texas, close to the Mexican border. &nbsp;Following the blast, a large fireball was seen erupting into the air, suggesting a setback to Musk’s dream of sending humans to Mars.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Weeks before, debris from SpaceX’s Starship test flight reportedly washed up along the beaches in northern Mexico and parts of southern Texas, sparking concern among environmental groups. The debris included fragments of aluminium, plastic shards and several large tanks, said Conibio Global AC, a nonprofit environmental organisation.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Sheinbaum added that Mexican officials are carrying out a “comprehensive review” of the environmental impacts of rocket launches in the bordering state of Tamaulipas.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>In early May, the US Federal Aviation Administration approved an increase in the annual for rocket launches for Musk’s space company from five to 25. It said that the increased frequency would not impact the environment adversely. The decision came despite conservative groups warning that the expansion could endanger sea turtles and shorebirds.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The lawsuit would be the latest legal battle between Mexico and a US corporate giant. In May, Sheinbaum’s administration sued Google for renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the ‘Gulf of America’ in their Google Maps application. The tech giant made the changes for US users after US President Donald Trump signed an executive order to change its name.</p>

Last week, a SpaceX Starship rocket exploded during a routine ground test at the Starbase headquarters in southern Texas, close to the Mexican border.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum on Wednesday (Jun 25) threatened to take legal action against Elon Musk’s SpaceX over falling debris and contamination from rocket launches across the border in the United States. During a press conference, Sheinbaum told reporters that the Mexican government was studying which international laws were being violated by the space company to file “the necessary lawsuits” as “there is indeed contamination”. On several occasions, SpaceX rocket explosions have resulted in debris washing up on Mexican beaches. Last week, a SpaceX Starship rocket exploded during a routine ground test at the Starbase headquarters in southern Texas, close to the Mexican border. Following the blast, a large fireball was seen erupting into the air, suggesting a setback to Musk’s dream of sending humans to Mars. Weeks before, debris from SpaceX’s Starship test flight reportedly washed up along the beaches in northern Mexico and parts of southern Texas, sparking concern among environmental groups. The debris included fragments of aluminium, plastic shards and several large tanks, said Conibio Global AC, a nonprofit environmental organisation. Sheinbaum added that Mexican officials are carrying out a “comprehensive review” of the environmental impacts of rocket launches in the bordering state of Tamaulipas. In early May, the US Federal Aviation Administration approved an increase in the annual for rocket launches for Musk’s space company from five to 25. It said that the increased frequency would not impact the environment adversely. The decision came despite conservative groups warning that the expansion could endanger sea turtles and shorebirds. The lawsuit would be the latest legal battle between Mexico and a US corporate giant. In May, Sheinbaum’s administration sued Google for renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the ‘Gulf of America’ in their Google Maps application. The tech giant made the changes for US users after US President Donald Trump signed an executive order to change its name.

<p>Last week, a SpaceX Starship rocket exploded during a routine ground test at the Starbase headquarters in southern Texas, close to the Mexican border.&nbsp;</p>

Elon Musk’s SpaceX to face legal troubles? Mexican president threatens to sue US company over rocket debris

<p>Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla of the Indian Air Force has officially entered orbit as part of the Axiom-4 mission to the International Space Station (ISS) &nbsp;on Wednesday. The SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft lifted off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Centre, Florida, at 12:00 PM IST (2:30 AM EDT). The launch marks a historic first for India, with Shukla becoming the country’s first astronaut to travel to the ISS. The spacecraft, travelling at over 27,000 kilometres per hour in low Earth orbit, is expected to dock with the ISS around 4:30 PM IST on June 26 after a 28-hour journey. Just before departure, Shukla shared a heartfelt message for his wife, Kamna Shukla, expressing deep gratitude for her constant support.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Shukla is joined by three international crewmates—mission commander Peggy Whitson from the United States, and mission specialists Tibor Kapu (Hungary) and Slawosz Uznanski (Poland), both representing the European Space Agency. This is the first ISS mission for all three participating nations—India, Hungary, and Poland—since their initial crewed spaceflights nearly four decades ago. The Axiom-4 mission, organised by Axiom Space in collaboration with SpaceX, ISRO, and international partners, underscores growing cooperation in commercial space exploration.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><h2><strong>Farewell message before departure</strong></h2><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Before departing Earth, Shukla shared a personal message on social media, expressing gratitude to his team, friends, and family. His note included a special mention of his wife, Kamna Shukla. “Special thanks to Kamna for being the wonderful partner that you are. Without you none of this was possible, but more importantly none of this would matter,” he wrote. The post was accompanied by a poignant photograph of the couple bidding farewell through a glass partition, a quiet moment before a momentous journey.</p><p>&nbsp;</p>

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<p>&nbsp;</p><p>Shukla and Kamna’s story traces back to their school days in Lucknow, where they met in primary school. Now parents to a six-year-old, the couple’s long-standing bond has stood alongside the pilot’s rise through the Indian Air Force and into space history.</p><h2><strong>Milestone for Indian spaceflight</strong></h2><p>&nbsp;</p><p>In orbit, Shukla addressed the nation with a brief message: “This is the beginning of India’s space programme. Every Indian should feel proud. Jai Hind, Jai Bharat.” The mission serves as a precursor to ISRO’s planned Gaganyaan mission in 2027, and India’s long-term goal of landing an astronaut on the Moon by 2040.&nbsp;</p>

In orbit, Shukla addressed the nation with a brief message: “This is the beginning of India’s space programme. Every Indian should feel proud. Jai Hind, Jai Bharat.”

Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla of the Indian Air Force has officially entered orbit as part of the Axiom-4 mission to the International Space Station (ISS) on Wednesday. The SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft lifted off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Centre, Florida, at 12:00 PM IST (2:30 AM EDT). The launch marks a historic first for India, with Shukla becoming the country’s first astronaut to travel to the ISS. The spacecraft, travelling at over 27,000 kilometres per hour in low Earth orbit, is expected to dock with the ISS around 4:30 PM IST on June 26 after a 28-hour journey. Just before departure, Shukla shared a heartfelt message for his wife, Kamna Shukla, expressing deep gratitude for her constant support. Shukla is joined by three international crewmates—mission commander Peggy Whitson from the United States, and mission specialists Tibor Kapu (Hungary) and Slawosz Uznanski (Poland), both representing the European Space Agency. This is the first ISS mission for all three participating nations—India, Hungary, and Poland—since their initial crewed spaceflights nearly four decades ago. The Axiom-4 mission, organised by Axiom Space in collaboration with SpaceX, ISRO, and international partners, underscores growing cooperation in commercial space exploration. Farewell message before departure Before departing Earth, Shukla shared a personal message on social media, expressing gratitude to his team, friends, and family. His note included a special mention of his wife, Kamna Shukla. “Special thanks to Kamna for being the wonderful partner that you are. Without you none of this was possible, but more importantly none of this would matter,” he wrote. The post was accompanied by a poignant photograph of the couple bidding farewell through a glass partition, a quiet moment before a momentous journey.

<p>In orbit, Shukla addressed the nation with a brief message: “This is the beginning of India’s space programme. Every Indian should feel proud. Jai Hind, Jai Bharat.”</p>

Shubhanshu Shukla’s touching farewell to wife before Axiom-4 mission to International Space Station

Rakesh Sharma made history as India’s first astronaut in space. Now, Shubhanshu Shukla will become the first Indian to reach the ISS on Axiom Mission 4, marking a new era in India’s space journey. He will conduct experiments and represent India in global space research.

<p>Rakesh Sharma made history as India’s first astronaut in space. Now, Shubhanshu Shukla will become the first Indian to reach the ISS on Axiom Mission 4, marking a new era in India’s space journey. He will conduct experiments and represent India in global space research.</p>

41 years after Rakesh Sharma, Shubhanshu Shukla to make history with Axiom Mission 4

Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, Indian Air Force pilot and Gaganyaan astronaut, becomes the first indian to fly to the ISS via Axim Mission 4. From Lucknow to space, his journey inspires young India and marks a milestone in India’s space journey.

<p>Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, Indian Air Force pilot and Gaganyaan astronaut, becomes the first indian to fly to the ISS via Axom Mission 4. From Lucknow to space, his journey inspires young India and marks a milestone in India’s space journey.</p>

India’s space hero: How Shubhanshu Shukla went from flying Sukhoi-30 to SpaceX’s Dragon?

Axiom mission 4 to the ISS, led by NASA, Axiom Space, and SpaceX, launches June 25 at 12:01 pm IST from Kennedy Space Center. The private crew aims to expand commercial access to space, test tech & support global cooperation.

<p>Axiom mission 4 to the ISS, led by NASA, Axiom Space, and SpaceX, launches June 25 at 12:01 pm IST from Kennedy Space Center. The private crew aims to expand commercial access to space, test tech &amp; support global cooperation.</p>

Axiom mission 4 launch set for June 25 from Kennedy space center

<p>A SpaceX Starship prototype erupted into flames during a routine test at the company's facility in Tesla late Wednesday night (June 18). As it exploded, the rocket was seen bursting into a giant ball of fire during the test. The incident has raised concerns about the timeline for SpaceX's next launch attempt.</p><p>The shocking video has been going viral on social media, showing the Starship 36 rocket, that was undergoing a static fire test at Elon Musk's Starbase site, and its nose suddenly burst open.</p><p>Even there was a flash on the screen for a moment as the blast happened. As the light faded, a giant fireball spread across the ground while thick black smoke engulfed into the sky.</p><p>This test is done as final systems check before flight. As it exploded, no injuries have been reported. &nbsp;</p><p>"On Wednesday, June 18 at approximately 11 p.m. CT, the Starship preparing for the tenth flight test experienced a major anomaly while on a test stand at Starbase. A safety clear area around the site was maintained throughout the operation and all personnel are safe and accounted for," SpaceX said in a post on X.</p><h2>WATCH video here</h2>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Insane explosion at static test for Space X Starship <a href="https://t.co/1OJacK0q4V">pic.twitter.com/1OJacK0q4V</a></p>&mdash; Paul Prosise (@PaulProsise) <a href="https://twitter.com/PaulProsise/status/1935553278533620157?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 19, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<p>SpaceX stressed there was no threat to nearby communities and urged the public to stay away from the site.</p><p>It added that the Starbase team is actively working to safe the test site and the immediate surrounding area in conjunction with local officials.</p><p>In a post on Facebook, the Cameron County Precinct 1 constable’s office stated that SpaceX's Ship 36 "suffered a catastrophic failure and exploded" shortly after 11 pm.</p><p>“Thankfully, no injuries have been reported at this time. Emergency protocols were quickly enacted, and an investigation is now underway to determine the cause of the incident,” the post added.</p><p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/what-spacex-learnt-from-starship-s-crash-over-the-indian-ocean-1748451011357"><strong>Also read: What SpaceX learnt from Starship’s crash over the Indian ocean?</strong></a></p>

The shocking video has been going viral on social media, showing the Starship 36 rocket, that was undergoing a static fire test at Starbase site, and its nose suddenly burst open.

A SpaceX Starship prototype erupted into flames during a routine test at the company's facility in Tesla late Wednesday night (June 18). As it exploded, the rocket was seen bursting into a giant ball of fire during the test. The incident has raised concerns about the timeline for SpaceX's next launch attempt. The shocking video has been going viral on social media, showing the Starship 36 rocket, that was undergoing a static fire test at Elon Musk's Starbase site, and its nose suddenly burst open. Even there was a flash on the screen for a moment as the blast happened. As the light faded, a giant fireball spread across the ground while thick black smoke engulfed into the sky. This test is done as final systems check before flight. As it exploded, no injuries have been reported. "On Wednesday, June 18 at approximately 11 p.m. CT, the Starship preparing for the tenth flight test experienced a major anomaly while on a test stand at Starbase. A safety clear area around the site was maintained throughout the operation and all personnel are safe and accounted for," SpaceX said in a post on X. WATCH video here

<p>The shocking video has been going viral on social media, showing the Starship 36 rocket, that was undergoing a static fire test at Elon Musk's Starbase site, and its nose suddenly burst open.</p>

SpaceX Starship explodes into massive fireball in Texas, black smoke engulfs sky - WATCH

<h2>SpaceX launches 26 new Starlink satellites from California</h2><p>Falcon 9 lifts off from Vandenberg base. SpaceX successfully launched a batch of 26 Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit on Monday, 17 June 2025. The mission lifted off at 8:36 PM PDT (or 11:36 PM EDT / 03:36 GMT) from Space Launch Complex 4 East at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California.</p>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Watch Falcon 9 launch 26 <a href="https://twitter.com/Starlink?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Starlink</a> satellites to orbit from California <a href="https://t.co/rmDHx7Mqtl">https://t.co/rmDHx7Mqtl</a></p>&mdash; SpaceX (@SpaceX) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1934815632488583538?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 17, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<p>The mission used a Falcon 9 rocket making its third flight, which placed the satellites into orbit around eight and a half minutes after launch. SpaceX named this group as Starlink 15-9 on its website.</p><h2>Booster lands on Droneship in pacific</h2><p>After separation, the Falcon 9's first-stage booster made a successful landing on the droneship, positioned in the Pacific Ocean. The booster, B1093, had last flown in May 2025 on another Starlink mission.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The satellites were expected to be deployed after a second engine burn, scheduled about an hour into the mission. This flight follows another recent Starlink launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida on 13 June, which delivered the final satellites of the first generation direct-to-cell constellation.</p><h2>Starlink network keeps expanding</h2><p>While Monday’s satellites were not part of the direct-to-cell programme, they contribute to the growth of the Starlink broadband internet network, which now has over 7,760 active satellites in orbit. This network provides global internet coverage, especially in remote and underserved areas.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>SpaceX has stated that its direct-to-cell technology, developed in partnership with mobile service providers, will enable standard mobile phones to access the internet even in locations where there are no towers or cables.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>With each launch, SpaceX continues to strengthen its global satellite internet service, bringing faster, more accessible broadband to people worldwide.</p><p>&nbsp;</p>

SpaceX launched 26 starlink satellites from california on june 17, 2025, using a falcon 9 rocket. the booster landed on a pacific droneship. This adds to the growing starlink network with over 7,760 satellites, expanding global internet coverage, especially in remote areas.

SpaceX launches 26 new Starlink satellites from California Falcon 9 lifts off from Vandenberg base. SpaceX successfully launched a batch of 26 Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit on Monday, 17 June 2025. The mission lifted off at 8:36 PM PDT (or 11:36 PM EDT / 03:36 GMT) from Space Launch Complex 4 East at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California.

<p>SpaceX launched 26 Starlink satellites from California on June 17, 2025, using a Falcon 9 rocket. The booster landed on a pacific droneship. This adds to the growing starlink network with over 7,760 satellites, expanding global internet coverage, especially in remote areas.</p>

Falcon 9 rocket deploys 26 SpaceX Starlink satellites in space

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