logo
Private spaceflight ends with Pacific splashdown for astronauts

Private spaceflight ends with Pacific splashdown for astronauts

Rhyl Journal6 days ago
The SpaceX capsule undocked from the International Space Station on Monday and parachuted into the ocean off the Southern California coast, less than 24 hours later.
The crew of four launched nearly three weeks ago on a flight chartered by the Houston company Axiom Space.
Axiom's Peggy Whitson, the most experienced US astronaut, served as commander.
Joining her were India's Shubhanshu Shukla, Poland's Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski and Hungary's Tibor Kapu, whose countries paid more than 65 million dollars (£48 million) apiece for the mission.
Moments after splashdown, speaking on the radio, Dr Whitson said: 'Thanks for the great ride and safe trip.'
The visiting astronauts conducted dozens of experiments in orbit while celebrating their heritage.
The last time India, Poland and Hungary put anyone in space was during the late 1970s and 1980s, launching with the Soviets.
It was Axiom's fourth mission to the orbiting outpost since 2022, part of Nasa's ongoing effort to open up space to more businesses and people.
The company is one of several developing their own space stations to replace the current one.
Nasa plans to abandon the outpost in 2030, after more than 30 years of operation.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Solar eclipse 2025 truth as astronomers set record straight on 'ring of fire' spectacle
Solar eclipse 2025 truth as astronomers set record straight on 'ring of fire' spectacle

Daily Record

time3 hours ago

  • Daily Record

Solar eclipse 2025 truth as astronomers set record straight on 'ring of fire' spectacle

The celestial event will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience for many but the date has varied among internet users For the star gazers and sky watchers among us, the prospect of casting your eyes on a solar eclipse is an incredibly exciting one. Solar eclipses are rare, particularly in the UK, with the last total solar eclipse having taken place in 1999. ‌ Recently, a viral WhatsApp message claimed the UK is set to be plunged into darkness in 2025, with a solar eclipse taking place on August 2. The spectacle is set to "stun" viewers - but experts say it won't be when you think. ‌ Despite the buzz on social media, it turns out the viral claims of an annular eclipse are completely unfounded. Astronomers have debunked rumours of a solar eclipse occurring on August 2, 2025. ‌ The speculation is understandable, because there is anticipation for the total eclipse slated for August 2, 2027. However, The Economic Times reports that no such event will take place in 2025 on the same date. Official records from NASA and national observatories confirm there will be no solar eclipse on August 2, 2025. Instead, two eclipses are expected this year, neither of which coincide with the rumoured date. ‌ And sadly, UK eclipse enthusiasts have already had their opportunity. The first was an annular eclipse on February 28, 2025 visible only from parts of the South Pacific Ocean. The second is a partial eclipse on August 23, 2025 visible in regions of Canada, Greenland, and the Arctic. This means any hopes for a dramatic darkening of the skies on August 2, 2025, are entirely baseless. ‌ What we know about the solar eclipse 2027 So, what's behind the mix-up? Well, 2027's solar eclipse is not your average spectacle. Lasting up to six minutes and 23 seconds, it will be the longest total eclipse visible from land between the years 1991 and 2114. While most total eclipses last less than three minutes, this one will provide an extended view of the Sun's outer atmosphere - the corona - promising a breathtaking display for everyone along its path. The uniqueness of this celestial event is all down to impeccable cosmic timing. ‌ Adding a touch of drama, the eclipse's path skims near the equator, slowing the Moon's shadow as it traverses the Earth and resulting in an unusually prolonged period of darkness. The eclipse's path will stretch across Spain, Morocco, Egypt, Algeria, and Saudi Arabia, with many nations predicted to host festivals and viewing parties. The event may also spark a surge in eclipse tourism. ‌ However, for now, astronomy enthusiasts will have to hold their breath until 2027 for that unforgettable spectacle. As for 2025? There's no need to dust off your eclipse glasses - at least not on August 2. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. To console yourself, a total lunar eclipse will be visible over the UK in just a few short weeks, on September 7, but it won't be visible for long. The Moon will turn a deep, dark red during this event that's certainly not one to miss. With this in mind, we've rounded up everything you need to know about the coming eclipse, including when and how to spot this cosmic phenomenon. Find out more here.

Solar eclipse 2025: Experts confirm whether or not a spectacle will take place in August
Solar eclipse 2025: Experts confirm whether or not a spectacle will take place in August

Daily Mirror

time12 hours ago

  • Daily Mirror

Solar eclipse 2025: Experts confirm whether or not a spectacle will take place in August

Skywatchers have been sharing claims on social media that a solar eclipse will take place on August 2, 2025, after a total eclipse was visible in the UK earlier this month but experts have now weighed in Astronomy enthusiasts and social media users have been abuzz with chatter about a potential solar eclipse on 2 August, 2025, but astronomers have now debunked these rumours. ‌ The hype is understandable, particularly as excitement mounts for the awe-inspiring total eclipse slated for 2 August, 2027. ‌ However, contrary to viral claims, The Economic Times reports that no such event is scheduled for the same date in 2025. ‌ Official data from NASA and national observatories confirm that there will be no solar eclipse on 2 August, 2025. Instead, two eclipses are anticipated this year, neither of which coincide with the aforementioned date, and UK eclipse chasers have already had their moment. The first is an annular eclipse on 28 February, visible solely from certain areas of the South Pacific Ocean. ‌ The second is a partial eclipse on 23 August, observable in parts of Canada, Greenland, and the Arctic. This means any expectations of a dramatic darkening of the skies on 2 August, 2025, are entirely baseless, reports the Express. So, what's behind the mix-up? This eclipse is no ordinary spectacle. ‌ Lasting up to six minutes and 23 seconds, it will be the longest total eclipse visible from land between the years 1991 and 2114. While most total eclipses last less than three minutes, this one will provide an extended glimpse of the Sun's outer atmosphere - the corona - promising a mesmerising display for all those along its path. The uniqueness of this celestial event boils down to impeccable cosmic timing ‌ Adding a touch of drama, the eclipse's trajectory is near the equator, which slows down the Moon's shadow as it traverses Earth, resulting in an extended period of darkness. However, for now, astronomy enthusiasts will have to hold their breath until 2027 for that memorable spectacle. As for 2025? You can keep your eclipse glasses tucked away - at least until August 2.

‘A disaster for all of us': US scientists describe impact of Trump cuts
‘A disaster for all of us': US scientists describe impact of Trump cuts

The Guardian

time16 hours ago

  • The Guardian

‘A disaster for all of us': US scientists describe impact of Trump cuts

'Our ability to respond to climate change, the biggest existential threat facing humanity, is totally adrift,' said Sally Johnson, an Earth scientist who has spent the past two decades helping collect, store and distribute data at Nasa (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) and Noaa (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration). Donald Trump's assault on science – but particularly climate science – has led to unprecedented funding cuts and staff layoffs across federally funded agencies and programs, threatening to derail research tackling the most pressing issues facing Americans and humanity more broadly. A generation of scientific talent is also on the brink of being lost, with unprecedented political interference at what were previously evidence-driven agencies jeopardizing the future of US industries and economic growth. Johnson was among scores of scientists conducting vital research across a range of fields from infectious diseases, robotics, education, computer science and the climate crisis, who responded to a Guardian online callout to share their experiences about the impact of the Trump administration's cuts to science funding. Many said they had already had funding slashed or programs terminated, while others fear that cuts are inevitable and are beginning to search for alternative work – either overseas or outside science. So far, the cuts have led to a 60% reduction in Johnson's team, and fear is mounting over the future of 30 years of climate data and expertise as communities across the country are battered by increasingly destructive extreme weather events. 'We won't be able to afford to continue providing the free and quality tools and services to make our data stores searchable, viewable, usable, and accessible. We might not even be able to afford to keep all the data … this will mean worse forecasts and less effective search and rescue responses leading to unnecessary and avoidable loss of life,' said Johnson (not her real name). Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act (Obbba) calls for a 56% cut to the current $9bn National Science Foundation (NSF) budget, as well as a 73% reduction in staff and fellowships – with graduate students among the hardest hit. The NSF is the premier federal investor in basic science and engineering, and more than 1,650 grants have also been terminated, according to Grant Watch, a non-profit tracking federally funded research grants under the Trump administration. At the behest of Trump, the hardest hit are studies aimed at addressing the unequal impact of the climate crisis and other environmental hazards, as well as any projects perceived to have a connection to diversity, equity or inclusion (DEI). An anthropologist who researches the impact of floods and cyclones on public health and food supplies in Madagascar, which is among the most vulnerable nations in the world to the climate crisis but contributed virtually nothing to the catastrophe, is leaving Johns Hopkins for Oxford University after funding for the remainder of her fellowship was threatened. 'I am devastated to leave family, friends and the grad students I am mentoring in the US, but this seemed like the only way to continue work I've been pursuing for 10+ years. I am working on improving climate mitigation and adaptation in an African country. After Trump was elected, the writing was on the wall. There is no way I can write grant applications that will be acceptable to this government.' A veteran infectious diseases researcher at Ohio State University was forced to abandon a clinical trial for a new medication to treat hypoxemic respiratory failure in Covid patients after the National Institute of Health (NIH) terminated funding midway through the study. The decision will save $500,000, but $1.5m had already been spent on the trial which researchers hoped would lead to new treatment options for the million or so people hospitalized with respiratory failure each year as a result of flu, Covid and other infections. The trial would have to be repeated from the start, in order to seek approval from the FDA. 'This is a disaster for all of us. We're all depressed and living on a knife-edge, because we know we could lose the rest of our grants any day. These people really hate us yet all we've done is work hard to make people's health better. A flu pandemic is coming for us, what's happening in cattle is truly scary and all we have is oxygen and hope for people,' said the Ohio scientist. Between 90 and 95% of their lab work is funded through the NIH. So far, more than 3,500 grants have been terminated or frozen by the NIH. Trump's budget proposes slashing NIH funding by more than 40%. The majority of scientists who got in touch described feeling anxious and despondent – about their own work if the cuts continue, but also about what seems an inevitable loss of talent and knowledge which could upend the US position as a global leader in scientific endeavors and ricochet for years to come. The brain drain is real. The Australian Academy of Science is leading the country's efforts to proactively recruit top US-based scientists, creating a new global talent program that includes research funding, access to Australian research infrastructure, fast-track visas and a relocation package. At least 75 scientists applied in the first three months of the program, the AAS told the Guardian. The Trump administration has accused universities, without evidence, of promoting leftwing radical thinking and research, but federal funds train scientists who go on to work for the oil and gas, mining, chemical, big tech and other industries. Several respondents said the private sector was also starting to feel the knock-on effect of Trump's cuts and tariffs. Wessel van den Bergh, a materials scientist with a PhD, was working on battery storage technology for a Chinese-owned renewable energy company in Massachusetts. He was laid off in early June amid Trump's tariff chaos and attacks on science and renewables, and is struggling to find work. 'When I started my PhD program, America was at the leading edge of batteries/energy storage but this is no longer true due to tariffs, funding cuts, and aggression towards green alternatives. Rather, the US has ceded its hard-earned expertise to other countries such as Korea, Japan and China,' Van den Bergh said. Trump supports the expansion of fossil fuels and has received millions of dollars in campaign donations from the oil, gas and coal industry, while his budget legislation terminated incentives for solar and wind energy. 'It's crushing, I don't see a clear path ahead any more. I no longer feel this country values science. It's genuinely heartbreaking to build your vocation to something that could genuinely benefit the world for it to be quashed for imagined political victories … especially at a time where these kinds of technologies are the only way out of the climate crisis,' said Van den Bergh. Separately, the Nuclear Physics Laboratory (NPL) at the University of Illinois got in touch after the Guardian's recent investigation into the chaos at the NSF. For almost 100 years the NPL has been at the forefront of cutting-edge science in drug discovery, cancer treatments, PET scans and other medical diagnoses, and semiconductor testing, with researchers playing a key role in world-renowned institutions like Cern and Los Alamos. It's a major hub for nurturing and training future talent, and at least 50 students have graduated with PhDs in the past 20 years. It was here that Rosalind Yalow got her PhD in nuclear physics in 1945, and then went on to invent radioimmunoassay – a technique to detect minute amounts of hormones, viruses and drugs in the blood which revolutionized medical testing for conditions such as diabetes. Yalow was awarded the Nobel prize in 1977, only the second woman to win it. The lab was recently informed that the NSF will reduce funding that supports graduates students from $15m for four years to $1m for one year. 'Our group in nuclear physics at Illinois actually predates the founding of the NSF in 1950, and we have a long history of both producing scientists and accelerator technologies that have had an impact on huge numbers of people,' said Anne M Sickles, professor of nuclear physics. 'If you cut the funding to the people who are doing the work right now, you don't know what they would have innovated in 10 years or 15 years or 32 years like Rosalind Yalow. We don't know what we're losing.' The NFS declined to comment, while the office of management and budget and NIH did not respond.

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