All posts tagged: astronauts

NASA unveils Artemis III astronauts to test technology for future moon landing | World News

NASA unveils Artemis III astronauts to test technology for future moon landing | World News

2 min readJun 9, 2026 11:15 PM IST NASA on Tuesday revealed the crew for its Artemis III mission, the next step in the space agency’s plan to eventually land astronauts on the moon. The announcement came two months after Artemis II’s record-breaking trip around the moon that surpassed the distance record of Apollo 13. NASA’s Randy Bresnik, Frank Rubio, Andre Douglas and the European Space Agency’s Luca Parmitano won’t fly to the moon or land on the surface. Instead, they’ll orbit Earth while practicing docking their Orion capsule with two lunar landers. “To the Artemis III crew, we wish you Godspeed on the journey ahead,” said NASA administrator Jared Isaacman. Elon Musk’s SpaceX and Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin are racing to deliver the lunar landers. The two-week demo is targeted for 2027. Blue Origin suffered a recent setback when its massive rocket exploded during an engine-firing test on the launch pad in Florida, shaking nearby homes and illuminating the sky with an orange fireball. NASA’s Jeremy Parsons said the setback is a learning opportunity …

India's Astronauts Vs Pakistan's Terrorists: A Tale of Two National Visions

India's Astronauts Vs Pakistan's Terrorists: A Tale of Two National Visions

While India trains scientists and astronauts to explore the cosmos, state-sponsored terror operates undeterred in Pakistan, Dr VK Saraswat, former DRDO chief said. Disclaimer: We do not own any of the content, ideas, images, or text presented here. All rights belong to their respective owners. For more information and to view the original source, please visit the following link: Source link

NASA’s Oldest Active Astronaut Lands with his Crewmates on 70th Birthday

NASA’s Oldest Active Astronaut Lands with his Crewmates on 70th Birthday

The oldest veteran astronaut from NASA landed from the International Space Station on his 70th birthday. Donald Pettit, the U.S astronaut, reached Earth after seven months with his crew members Aleksey Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner, two Russian cosmonauts. The spacecraft Soyuz MS-26 launched on September 11, 2024 and came back to Earth on Saturday, April 20, 2025, at 6:20 AM local time in the steppes of Kazakhstan. He has made a remarkable history by landing on his birthday. He is a renowned name in the space world and has completed 13 spacewalk hours. Legacy of Pettit According to reported by space.com , This was the fourth flight of Pettit and Ovchinin, but the second for Vagner. Pettit worked for 590 days, Ovchinin for 595 days, and Vagner for 416 days in space until now, counted after this landing. This trio orbited Earth 3,520 times and finished this 93.3 million-mile journey throughout their mission. NASA astronaut and Expedition 73 flight engineer Nichole Ayers wrote on X on Saturday, saying goodbye today to Donald Pettit. It’s a …

Chinese Astronauts Set To Blast Off For Space Station

Chinese Astronauts Set To Blast Off For Space Station

Jiuquan: China will send a new team of astronauts to its space station on Thursday, as the country marches towards its ambition of becoming a space power to rival the dominance of the United States. Beijing has pumped billions of dollars into its space programme in recent years in an effort to achieve what President Xi Jinping describes as the Chinese people’s “space dream”. The world’s second-largest economy has bold plans to send a crewed mission to the Moon by the end of the decade and eventually build a base on the lunar surface. It will mark its latest milestone on Thursday, when the Shenzhou-20 mission will ferry a team of three astronauts to the country’s self-built Tiangong space station. The all-male trio will blast off at 5:17 pm (0917 GMT) from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the country’s remote northwestern desert, according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA). Leading the mission is Chen Dong, 46, a former fighter pilot and veteran space explorer who in 2022 became the first Chinese astronaut to …

SpaceX’s Fram2 Crew Captures First-Ever Views of Earth’s Polar Regions

SpaceX’s Fram2 Crew Captures First-Ever Views of Earth’s Polar Regions

The first astronauts to orbit over both of Earth’s poles have shared new images from their journey. SpaceX launched the private Fram2 mission on March 31, sending four first-time astronauts into a polar orbit. The mission lifted off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center and reached the orbit shortly after with the Crew Dragon spacecraft. The trajectory allowed the crew members to witness and document some of the most remotest regions of the planet. Interestingly, the images from the mission show views of the Arctic and Antarctic, which were never seen from a crewed spacecraft before. Mission Details and Crew Members According to reports, the mission is led by Chun Wang from Malta, who personally funded the journey. Serving as vehicle commander is Jannicke Mikkelsen from Norway, with German astronaut Rabea Rogge as mission pilot. Australian crew member Eric Phillips is onboard as mission specialist and medical officer. SpaceX confirmed that the mission is the first to place astronauts in a true polar orbit, a path typically reserved for satellite launches. Scientific Research on Board As …

‘Will You Return To Space On Boeing Starliner?’ What NASA Astronauts Said

‘Will You Return To Space On Boeing Starliner?’ What NASA Astronauts Said

New Delhi: NASA Crew-9 astronauts Sunita Williams, Butch Wilmore and Nick Hague spoke to the press today about the future of NASA’s human space flight programme, after their recent return from the International Space Station (ISS). Mr Wilmore said they will carefully study and rectify all the issues they have faced before going to space in another Boeing Starliner spacecraft. To a reporter’s question to Mr Wilmore on whom he would place the blame for the mission that did not go as planned, he said, “There were some issues that happened with Starliner. There were some issues which of course prevented us from returning… If I were to start pointing fingers, I’d blame myself. I will start with myself.” “Blame, I don’t like this term… We are all responsible, NASA and Boeing too. Trust is very important. We are not going to look back and say ‘this person or that entity is to be blamed’. We are going to look forward and say ‘how do we use the lessons we learned from this whole process …

Chiranjeevi, R Madhavan REACT as NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore return to Earth

Chiranjeevi, R Madhavan REACT as NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore return to Earth

NASA astronaut Sunita Williams returned to Earth alongside Butch Wilmore after an extended stay in space. Initially planned as a short mission, their stay stretched to nine months due to propulsion issues with their spacecraft. Following their return, actors Chiranjeevi and R Madhavan shared heartfelt messages on social media welcoming them back. Chiranjeevi took to his X handle and welcomed Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore back to Earth, calling their return both historic and heroic. He highlighted how their mission, originally planned for eight days, extended to 286 days with 4,577 orbits around the Earth. “HISTORIC & HEROIC ‘HOME’ COMING!!! Went for 8 Days to Space & Returned after 286 Days, after an Astonishing 4577 orbits around earth,” Chiranjeevi wrote. Describing their journey as “dramatic, nerve-wracking, and thrilling,” he called it the greatest adventure ever. He also praised SpaceX Dragon and Crew-9 for bringing them home safely. Take a look at his post below: R Madhavan also welcomed Sunita Williams back to Earth with warmth, expressing his relief and joy at seeing her safe and …

Stranded Astronaut’s Return Journey To Earth Begins After 9 Months

Stranded Astronaut’s Return Journey To Earth Begins After 9 Months

According to retired NASA astronaut Cady Coleman, there is no special overtime salary for astronauts. Since they are federal employees, their time in space is treated just like any regular work trip on Earth. They continue to earn their regular pay, with NASA covering their food and living expenses on the ISS. The only additional compensation they receive is a small daily stipend for incidentals – reportedly just $4 (Rs 347) per day, Ms Coleman told Washingtonian. For reference, during her 159-day mission in 2010-11, Ms Coleman received a total of around $636 (over Rs 55,000) in extra pay. Using the same calculation, Ms Williams and Mr Wilmore – after spending over 287 days in space – will likely receive just $1,148 (approximately Rs 1 lakh) each in additional compensation. NASA has maintained that the astronauts are not technically “stranded”, as they have been actively working on the ISS. NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore are classified under the GS-15 pay grade, the highest level for federal employees under the General …

Sunita Williams, Butch Willmore return: NASA says ‘they are on their way’, as astronauts head towards Earth

Sunita Williams, Butch Willmore return: NASA says ‘they are on their way’, as astronauts head towards Earth

Sunita Williams and Butch Willmore, who were stranded in the International Space Station, for almost 9 months, are set to be back to Earth. Their return mission is facilitated by Elon Musk’s SpaceX. Astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Willmore, after being stranded for almost nine months in the International Space Station, are set to return to Earth. Their return is being facilitated by Elon Musk’s company, Space X. Williams, 59, and Wilmore went on what was meant to be an eight-day mission to the ISS aboard Boeing’s Starliner in June 2024. However, technical issues including helium leaks and thruster malfunctions meant that the Starliner was unsafe for their return.   Disclaimer: We do not own any of the content, ideas, images, or text presented here. All rights belong to their respective owners. For more information and to view the original source, please visit the following link: Source link

Muscle loss, vision issues, radiation risk: Sunita Williams, Butch Wilmore may face these after 9 months in space | Health News

Muscle loss, vision issues, radiation risk: Sunita Williams, Butch Wilmore may face these after 9 months in space | Health News

Nasa astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry ‘Butch’ Wilmore are finally set to return to Earth after spending nine months in space in a mission that was initially meant to last just a week. The unplanned extension has tested the astronauts’ adaptability, as they have had to wait for the formulation of a safe return plan. Meanwhile, its long-term effects on their bodies cannot be ignored. Astronauts in space experience significant physiological changes due to prolonged exposure to microgravity, radiation, and isolation. The toll on muscles, bones, and even mental health can be severe. But what exactly happens when a mission lasts much longer than expected? Dr Raghu Nagaraj, director of the Institute of Orthopaedics, Sports Medicine, and Robotic Joint Replacement at Kauvery Hospitals, Bengaluru, shares insights on the health risks both astronauts may face after spending nine months in space. Story continues below this ad Muscle and bone loss in microgravity “In microgravity, muscles – especially those in the lower back, legs, and core – lose mass and strength because they are not being used …