NASA and Boeing Delay Starliner’s Return to Earth for Further Analysis NASA and Boeing have announced that the return of the Starliner spacecraft and its first astronaut crew from the International Space Station (ISS) is now expected on June 18. This delay allows mission analysts to address issues that could impact the return. Adjusted Return Schedule Originally, Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner was scheduled to undock on Friday and return to Earth after launching from Florida with two NASA astronauts on June 5. This mission is crucial for certifying Starliner for regular flights by the U.S. space agency. Factors Affecting the Return…
Author: Kanika Sharma
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Boeing’s Starliner Capsule to Dock with ISS in Key Test Boeing’s Starliner capsule faces a pivotal test on Thursday as it aims to dock with the International Space Station (ISS) for the first time with astronauts aboard. This mission is crucial for Boeing as it competes with Elon Musk’s SpaceX in the space race. Mission Overview The CST-100 Starliner, carrying astronauts Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Sunita “Suni” Williams, launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on Wednesday. The launch utilised an Atlas V rocket provided by the United Launch Alliance, a joint venture between Boeing and Lockheed Martin.…
The TRISHNA (Thermal Infra-Red Imaging Satellite for High-resolution Natural Resource Assessment) mission is a joint initiative by ISRO and CNES. This mission aims to provide high-resolution monitoring of Earth’s surface temperature, emissivity, biophysical variables, and radiation for energy budgeting on a regional to global scale. It focuses on addressing water and food security challenges, human-induced climate change impacts, and efficient water resource management through evapotranspiration monitoring. Primary Objectives TRISHNA’s main goals include: Detailed monitoring of the energy and water budgets of the continental biosphere to quantify terrestrial water stress and usage. High-resolution observation of water quality and dynamics in coastal…
Astroscale Holdings Sees 51% Surge in Shares on Debut Shares of Japanese startup Astroscale Holdings (186A.T) jumped 51% in their Tokyo growth market debut on Wednesday. The stock opened at 1,281 yen per share, significantly higher than the initial public offering (IPO) price of 850 yen. This values the company at 145 billion yen ($934 million). https://youtu.be/vc7HhWttLFs Milestone for Space Debris Removal Astroscale’s CEO, Nobu Okada, described the listing as a significant milestone in their mission to tackle the global problem of space debris. The startup, founded in 2013, has received support from the governments of Japan, the United States,…
Climate Change Doubles Risk of Southern Brazil Floods Climate change has doubled the likelihood of the recent floods in southern Brazil, say international scientists. Heavy rains, intensified by the natural El Niño phenomenon, led to this disaster. Over 170 lives were lost, and nearly 580,000 people were displaced after storms and floods hit Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil’s southernmost state, last month. Local authorities have called it the worst disaster in the region’s history. https://youtu.be/rAEnJQyZH_s An Extremely Rare Event Experts from the World Weather Attribution group explained that the heavy rainfall, which submerged entire towns and destroyed critical infrastructure, was…
Japanese Billionaire Yusaku Maezawa Cancels “dearMoon” Mission Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa has cancelled his highly anticipated “dearMoon” mission, which was set to be the first private flight around the moon. The mission’s team announced this development on Saturday, expressing disappointment over the cancellation. Initially, the “dearMoon” team aimed to complete the circumlunar flight with celebrities on board by the end of the previous year. However, this target became “unfeasible,” leading to the project’s cancellation. “Without clear schedule certainty in the near-term, it is with a heavy heart that Maezawa made the unavoidable decision to cancel the project,” the mission stated…
Successful Launch of Agnibaan Rocket India’s Agnikul Cosmos successfully launched its Agnibaan rocket for the first time on Thursday. This marks a significant milestone as it is powered by the only Indian rocket engine using both gas and liquid fuel. This event represents the country’s second flight of a privately built rocket. Overcoming Challenges The Agnibaan’s first flight faced multiple delays, with four cancellations in the last two months due to technical issues. The most recent cancellation occurred on Tuesday, just five seconds before lift-off. Despite these setbacks, the rocket finally took off on Thursday. Flight Details and Achievements The…
Boeing and NASA have addressed two technical issues with the Starliner spacecraft, including a “design vulnerability” that required a temporary workaround, to ensure the capsule is ready for its first mission carrying astronauts, officials announced on Friday. Addressing Technical Setbacks Starliner’s debut crewed mission, a critical test now scheduled for June 1, was delayed earlier this month due to a minor helium leak in its propulsion system detected just hours before its planned launch from Florida. After two weeks of thorough investigation, officials confirmed the leak poses no significant risk to the astronauts. “This is really not a safety of…
SpaceX has successfully completed a significant prelaunch test for its Starship rocket, marking a key milestone as it prepares for the vehicle’s fourth test flight. Launch rehearsal for Flight 4 complete pic.twitter.com/Gh8s7n4JIQ — SpaceX (@SpaceX) May 20, 2024 Successful Wet Dress Rehearsal On May 20, 2024, SpaceX conducted a “wet dress rehearsal” at its Starbase site in South Texas. This involved filling both stages of the Starship rocket with supercold liquid oxygen and liquid methane. SpaceX announced the completion of this test via a post on X, sharing four photos of the procedure. “Launch rehearsal for Flight 4 complete,” SpaceX…
Blue Origin Launches Six-Person Crew to the Edge of Space Blue Origin, Jeff Bezos’ space company, successfully launched a six-person crew from West Texas to the edge of space on Sunday. This flight included Ed Dwight, the first U.S. Black astronaut candidate from the 1960s, marking the resumption of Blue Origin’s space tourism business after its New Shepard rocket was grounded in 2022. Historic Flight and Crew Members Ed Dwight, now 90 years and eight months old, became the oldest person to fly to space. Upon landing, he expressed his excitement, saying, “I am ecstatic.” Dwight had been selected by…