logo
NASA astronaut Don Pettit to discuss his seven-month space mission on April 28; check live streaming details, time and how you can participate

NASA astronaut Don Pettit to discuss his seven-month space mission on April 28; check live streaming details, time and how you can participate

Time of India24-04-2025
Source: NASA
NASA
is set to broadcast a live news conference on Monday, April 28, at 2 p.m. EDT, in which astronaut
Don Pettit
will provide insights into his recent space mission on the International Space Station (ISS). Pettit arrived back on Earth on April 19 and spent 220 days in space during Expeditions 71 and 72. Pettit will give an overview of his experiences, scientific discoveries, and achievements during the conference. The event will be live streamed on NASA's website, with media and public opportunities to join via phone or social media. A live Q&A will then appear on NASA's Instagram account.
NASA astronaut Don Pettit to host live conference on his recent space mission
On Monday, April 28, at 2 p.m. EDT, NASA will host a live press conference in Houston at the Johnson Space Center. Astronaut Don Pettit will give engaging descriptions of his recent trip aboard the International Space Station (ISS) during the press conference.
This event will be webcast live online on the NASA website, and the public will have an opportunity to track along. Instructions on how to view the live stream on various digital media will be posted on NASA's official website.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Google Brain Co-Founder Andrew Ng, Recommends: Read These 5 Books And Turn Your Life Around
Blinkist: Andrew Ng's Reading List
Undo
Don Pettit to host live conference: Media interactions
According to the NASA reports, press reporters who wish to view the news conference in person will need to contact the NASA Johnson newsroom by today, Thursday, April 24, at 5 p.m. EDT. The newsroom may be reached by dialing
281-483-5111
or
jsccommu@mail.nasa.gov
may be emailed.
In this way, the news conference can have all the media present in person and be organised and safe.
For those unable to attend in person, the conference will be made available remotely as well. U.S. news media participants who wish to participate by phone need to call the newsroom at least two hours before the event begins. To pose questions by phone, news media representatives need to dial in at least 10 minutes before the start of the conference. This openness allows media practitioners to draw on Pettit's mission and pose pertinent questions regardless of where they are located geographically.
NASA invites public to ask questions
#AskNASA campaign
In an attempt to trigger participation throughout the event, NASA is inviting the public to ask questions to astronaut Don Pettit as the event is streamed live. The attendees can do so through social media under the hashtag #AskNASA. The move promotes more interaction with the space community and provides people with a chance to interact with the experts firsthand and learn more about Pettit's mission and space exploration science.
Instagram Q&A session
In addition to the live conference, NASA will also organize a live question-and-answer session with Pettit on the agency's Instagram account. The post-conference Q&A session will allow for further discussion and an open forum to let the users live Pettit's experience and the importance of his mission.
Astronaut Don Pettit successfully returned after 220 days
Astronaut
Don Pettit returned
on April 19 (April 20, local Kazakhstan time) after finishing his mission aboard the ISS. He was joined by Roscosmos cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner. The return was symbolic since it occurred on Pettit's birthday, which was April 20 and he was also turning 70.
Pettit's successful space flight, coupled with the celebration of his landmark, is the outstanding record of an experienced astronaut who has spent close to six months working in outer space. For this mission, Pettit flew on Expeditions 71 and 72 as a flight engineer. For this mission, he spent a total of 220 days in space, bringing his career total to 590 days in space on four spaceflights. Pettit is one of the most seasoned astronauts in NASA history with keen interest in the development of space science and technology.
Don Pettit's notable contributions
During his mission, Pettit and other astronauts completed 3,520 orbits around the Earth, the distance of 93 million miles. The long travel was an indication of the complexity and scale of traveling in space and the continuous utilisation of the ISS towards facilitating global scientific research.
During their venture, Pettit and his crew saw six visiting spacecraft come and seven depart, resupplying the space station with necessary supplies, equipment, and crew exchanges. Exchanges of this nature are crucial in maintaining the station operational and facilitating the research being carried out onboard.
Throughout his stay on the ISS, Don Pettit helped develop some of the most vital technologies and science. Some of his most notable contributions were attempts to advance on-orbit metal 3D printing, a leading-edge technology and one with the potential to have a phenomenal impact on missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond in the future. He also developed water sanitisation technologies to provide astronauts with clean water for long-duration missions. The research has broader implications, such as remote areas on Earth with no access to clean water.
Pettit's research also included monitoring for the effect of space on biological processes. He cultivated plants under conditions of differing water, which could tell us about supporting life on long-duration spaceflight. Pettit also studied the conduct of fire in microgravity, which has serious safety concerns for any future spaceflight to occur.
These tests are essential to pursue human space travel because they involve addressing the long-duration space home residency challenges directly. Aside from his scientific endeavours, Pettit was also successful in capturing the beauty of space. He snapped more than 670,000 photos during his mission, the majority of which he posted on his X (formerly Twitter) account for all to see. His images provided an amazing glimpse into life aboard the ISS, ranging from breathtaking vistas of the Earth to the day-to-day operations of the space station.
Pettit's photographs are now a photographic history of his mission, and they enable people to see for themselves the shock and awe of space travel. His commitment to sharing these photographs is evidence of his willingness to open up the imagination of those who will follow him.
Also Read |
NASA's Hubble Space Telescope marks 35 years with a captivating new view of the Sombrero Galaxy's hat-like structure
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

CBSE class 10 science sample paper 2026: These 5 questions can be a game changer for students
CBSE class 10 science sample paper 2026: These 5 questions can be a game changer for students

Time of India

timean hour ago

  • Time of India

CBSE class 10 science sample paper 2026: These 5 questions can be a game changer for students

CBSE class 10 science sample paper 2025 CBSE sample question paper 2026: With the CBSE Class 10 board exams around the corner, students often struggle to prioritise what to study in the vast Science syllabus. The 2025-26 sample paper released by CBSE offers valuable clues. Experts and teachers recommend focusing on high-yield, concept-driven questions that are likely to be repeated in similar formats. These questions not only test a student's understanding of fundamental principles but also integrate real-life applications, making them ideal for thorough revision. Students can access the official sample question paper released by CBSE by visiting the board's website, The same can also be downloaded by clicking on the link provided below. Direct link to download CBSE class 10 science sample question paper 2025 here . Important questions from CBSE class 10th science sample paper Based on the official sample paper, here are five such important questions, carefully selected from Biology, Chemistry and Physics, that every Class 10 student must master. These are not just likely to appear in exams, but also build a strong foundation for higher classes and competitive exams. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Up to 70% off | Libas Purple Days Sale Libas Undo Question: Puneet wanted to grow banana plants. (5 marks) Based on your knowledge on plant reproduction should he opt for seeds or any alternate method of reproduction. Justify your answer. Offsprings of a banana plant usually show very little variation. What causes variation and are variations good or bad? Justify. Question: A hydrocarbon with the formula CxHy undergoes complete combustion as shown in the following equation: 2CxHy + 9O2 → 6CO2 + 6H2O. (5 marks) What are the values of 'x' and 'y'? Give the chemical (IUPAC) name of the hydrocarbon. Draw its electron dot structure. Name the alcohol which on heating with conc. H2SO4 will produce the above hydrocarbon CxHy. Write a balanced chemical equation for the reaction of CxHy with hydrogen gas in presence of Nickel. Question: The arrangement of resistors shown in the figure below is connected to a battery.; The power dissipation in the 100 Ω resistor is 81 W. (5 marks) Calculate: the current in the circuit the reading in the voltmeter V2 the reading in the voltmeter V1 Question: In a genetic experiment, plants with pure round green seeds (RRyy) were crossed with plants with wrinkled yellow seeds (rrYY). (3 marks) Show the gametes formed when F1 was self-pollinated. A total of 144 seeds were produced which developed into saplings. Show the ratio in which these traits are independently inherited in these144 sapling. Question: Zarina worked as an apprentice in a factory where flashlights and solar cookers are made. She learnt to make the circuits, the design of the light-box and light concentrators of the solar cookers as well. She learnt the uses of lenses in making all those tools. Based on your understanding of lenses, answer the following questions. (4 marks) What kind of lenses are used in the flashlight and light concentrator of the solar-cooker? Give reasons for your choices in your answer for part A. Attempt either of the two subparts. An object is placed 40 cm away from a lens which is normally used in a solar-cooker. The image formed is twice the size of the object. Calculate the focal length of the lens. OR An object is placed 20 cm in front of a lens which is used in a flashlight, and the image is formed 10 cm away from the lens on the same side as the object. Calculate the focal length of the lens. TOI Education is on WhatsApp now. Follow us here . Ready to navigate global policies? Secure your overseas future. Get expert guidance now!

Why Elon Musk hates researchers and loves engineers — after he corrected xAI employee Aditya Gupta's hiring post
Why Elon Musk hates researchers and loves engineers — after he corrected xAI employee Aditya Gupta's hiring post

Time of India

timean hour ago

  • Time of India

Why Elon Musk hates researchers and loves engineers — after he corrected xAI employee Aditya Gupta's hiring post

Elon Musk recently made waves by publicly correcting a hiring post from an xAI employee, Aditya Gupta, who initially sought to recruit both "researchers" and "engineers" for the artificial intelligence startup. Musk emphatically declared that the term "researcher" is outdated, pretentious, and fosters a problematic two-tier system within the engineering workforce. He insisted that at xAI—and also at SpaceX—everyone should simply be called "engineers." This shift reflects Musk's vision for a unified, accountable, and highly practical technical team, breaking away from traditional academic distinctions he views as unnecessary and even harmful to innovation and team cohesion. Elon Musk's perspective: Engineers over researchers Elon Musk has been vocal about his dislike for the title "researcher," which he frequently describes as a "relic of academia." In Musk's view, the label 'researcher' creates an artificial hierarchy within technical teams, suggesting that researchers are somehow distinct, or even less accountable, compared to engineers. He argues that this division weakens ownership, blurs responsibility, and fosters a separation that slows practical progress. Elon Musk reasons that in fast-paced technology companies like xAI and SpaceX , what matters most is the ability to build, iterate, and solve real-world problems—responsibilities encompassed by the role of an "engineer." by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Learn More - How Donating Sperm May Boost Your Income SpellRock Undo By rejecting the researcher title, Musk aims to eliminate what he perceives as academic pretentiousness that can sometimes encourage theoretical work disconnected from product outcomes. He emphasizes that this distinction is not only outdated but counterproductive, introducing inefficiencies and hindering collaboration. As Musk noted, his insistence on the universal "engineer" title promotes a culture where every team member is equally accountable for delivering tangible, impactful results, fostering a meritocratic and results-driven environment. Practical engineering over theoretical research At xAI, Musk champions a workforce composed of builders and implementers rather than theorists. The company's mission to rapidly advance AI technologies, relying on cutting-edge methods like reinforcement learning and massive computing infrastructure, requires a practical, hands-on approach. Musk specifically points out that although SpaceX conducts groundbreaking technological research, it never labels any employees as 'researchers.' This reflects his belief that true innovation depends on rigorous engineering discipline, rapid prototyping, and direct problem-solving. This approach denotes a preference for those who can translate ideas into working systems efficiently, rather than spending extended time in exploratory research without definite product outcomes. In Musk's philosophy, eliminating the 'researcher' distinction accelerates the engineering feedback loop, promoting speed and accountability critical for breakthrough innovation. Impact on company culture and the AI industry Musk's correction of the xAI hiring post is more than a cosmetic change—it embodies his no-nonsense, high-accountability management style. By publicly enforcing uniform job titles, Musk sends a clear message that academic or theoretical fragmentation has no place in his companies. Experts interpret this move as symbolic of a broader Silicon Valley trend favoring flatter, integrated teams with streamlined roles to enhance agility and rapid product delivery. However, this shift has its critics. Some industry analysts warn that entirely removing the "researcher" role risks sidelining deep exploratory inquiry and ethical considerations essential in AI development—areas traditionally safeguarded by academic research freedoms. The balance between practical engineering and theoretical investigation remains a subject of debate. The ripple effects and future outlook Elon Musk's terminological shift is already influencing company cultures beyond xAI. SpaceX has long embraced this engineering-only framework, and other prominent AI companies like OpenAI and Anthropic are experimenting with novel job title structures to blur conventional boundaries between research and engineering roles. Musk's approach underscores his desire to build startups that push technological frontiers aggressively while maintaining crystal-clear lines of accountability and measurable output. Whether this 'engineer-only' model will foster faster innovation or create challenges in navigating the complex landscape of AI research remains to be seen. For now, Elon Musk has unequivocally communicated his stance: at xAI, there are no researchers—only engineers—united in building the future of artificial intelligence.

Americans eating ultra-processed foods like bread, soda, and noodles at higher risk of lung cancer, says new study
Americans eating ultra-processed foods like bread, soda, and noodles at higher risk of lung cancer, says new study

Time of India

timean hour ago

  • Time of India

Americans eating ultra-processed foods like bread, soda, and noodles at higher risk of lung cancer, says new study

A large-scale US study has found that people who consume the highest amounts of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are 41 per cent more likely to develop lung cancer than those who eat the least. This food category already makes up more than half of the average diet in the UK and the US. Published in the peer-reviewed journal Thorax , the study drew on data from the US Prostate , Lung, Colorectal and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trials, which tracked 101,732 adults aged 55 to 74 over a decade. Also Read: Burger King menu change adds 4 cold foam coffees and 2 real juice sips; see flavors and calorie counts by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Learn More - How Donating Sperm May Support Your Income SpellRock Undo Researchers assessed their diets, categorizing foods from minimally processed to ultra-processed, and monitored cancer diagnoses until 2009 and deaths until 2018. Live Events UPFs, defined as industrially manufactured foods high in additives, preservatives, flavour enhancers, and low in nutritional value, include everyday items like sour cream, ice cream, instant noodles, breakfast cereals, soft drinks, frozen meals, and shop-bought pizzas. During the follow-up, 1,706 participants were diagnosed with lung cancer, 1,473 with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and 233 with small cell lung cancer (SCLC). Even after accounting for known risk factors such as smoking and general diet quality, the risk of NSCLC was 37 per cent higher, and SCLC was 44 per cent higher among those who consumed the most UPFs. The researchers noted that while the study was observational and cannot prove causation, the findings contribute to a growing body of evidence. A 2024 BMJ meta-analysis had already linked UPFs to 32 adverse health outcomes, including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, poor mental health, and early mortality. Experts point to how UPFs alter the food matrix and may introduce harmful chemicals during processing or through packaging. Substances like acrolein, a toxic compound also found in cigarette smoke, can form in grilled sausages and caramelized products. While speaking to The Independent, Nutritionist Rob Hobson said the findings are a reminder of how the modern food environment prioritizes cheap, convenient, and aggressively marketed products. 'It's not about being perfect,' he added, 'but about making small shifts, cooking more from scratch, adding more whole foods, and becoming more aware of the UPFs in your diet.'

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store