Latest news with #Astronauts
New York Times
5 days ago
- General
- New York Times
Houston's Astrodome Was a Vision of the Future. It's Past Its Prime.
ACROSS THE COUNTRY Once a wonder of the world, the storied but moldering stadium has long been part of life in Houston. Is it worth saving? WHY WE'RE HERE We're exploring how America defines itself one place at a time. The Astrodome has characterized Houston's landscape for decades. Now that the hulking structure has fallen out of use, the community must decide what comes next. By J. David Goodman Reporting from inside and outside the Astrodome in Houston There are not many iconic structures in Houston, a city more famous for how it spreads out than what it builds up. The Astrodome is the exception. Never mind that no baseball or football has been played there in a quarter-century, or that music hasn't echoed through its cavernous circumference since George Strait's voice twanged through the upper decks in 2002. It opened as the nation's first domed stadium in 1965 with a constellation of astronauts hurling a meteor shower of ceremonial pitches. The landmark still exerts a hold over Houston's collective memory — a bygone vision of a space-age future in a city not inclined toward nostalgia. But what to do with the hulking structure has raised uncomfortable questions that many American cities have confronted: What is a place without its best-known building and what is it worth to save? Other cities have wrestled with what to do with the cherished but fading emblems of earlier eras, like a 1964 World's Fair pavilion in Queens, New York, an Olympic Stadium in Montreal or the Marine Stadium in Miami. Proposals to destroy them bring emotional responses. But the idea of pouring public money into saving such structures — especially if they are controlled by local governments, like the Astrodome is — also draws howls. Tell Us About Where You Live Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
The Guardian
21-07-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Hundreds of Nasa workers rebuke ‘arbitrary' Trump cuts in scathing letter
Almost 300 current and former US Nasa employees, including at least four astronauts, have issued a scathing dissent opposing the Trump administration's sweeping and indiscriminate cuts to the agency, which they say threaten safety, innovation and national security. The formal letter, titled The Voyager Declaration, is addressed to the acting Nasa administrator, Sean Duffy, a staunch Trump loyalist appointed on 7 July who is also his transportation secretary. The declaration, which is dedicated to 17 astronauts who have died in past spaceflight incidents, warns of catastrophic consequences if the proposed cuts to science grants, staffing and international missions are implemented. 'Major programmatic shifts at Nasa must be implemented strategically so that risks are managed carefully,' the letter said. 'Instead, the last six months have seen rapid and wasteful changes which have undermined our mission and caused catastrophic impacts on Nasa's workforce. 'We are compelled to speak up when our leadership prioritizes political momentum over human safety, scientific advancement, and efficient use of public resources. These cuts are arbitrary and have been enacted in defiance of congressional appropriations law. The consequences for the agency and the country alike are dire.' The letter sounds the alarm over suggested changes to Nasa's Technical Authority, a system of safety checks and balances established in the wake of the 2003 Columbia shuttle disaster that killed seven astronauts. 'The culture of organizational silence promoted at Nasa over the last six months already represents a dangerous turn away from the lessons learned after the Columbia disaster,' the declaration states. The declaration has 131 named signatures – including at least 55 current Nasa employees – and 156 anonymous signatories. Interim administrator Duffy, a former television host who was appointed after the ousting of a longtime Nasa employee, Janet Petro, is the final step in the chain of Technical Authority command. Trump's billionaire donor and former ally Elon Musk oversaw the loss of at least 2,600 of Nasa's 17,000-plus employees, according to Politico, before the billionaire businessman stepped back from the so-called 'department of government efficiency' (Doge). So far, at least $120m in Nasa grants have been terminated, and the White House has proposed slashing a quarter of the agency's total budget for next year. International missions have been cancelled, and almost half the agency's science budget could be cut in 2026. The signatories said they dissent from the indiscriminate cuts to Nasa research which supports national security by ensuring the US role as a global leader in science and technology. 'Basic research in space science, aeronautics, and the stewardship of the Earth are inherently governmental functions that cannot and will not be taken up by the private sector,' the letter says. The Voyager Declaration, named after the twin Nasa spacecraft that are exploring interstellar space, is only the latest formal dissent against Trump's unprecedented assault on science and federal agencies. In June, at least 300 employees at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) published a declaration calling for the restoration of grants into life-saving treatments that the Trump administration had 'delayed or terminated for political reasons'. Earlier in July, 140 workers at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) were placed on administrative leave after signing a letter highlighting key concerns including a culture of fear at the agency, the cancellation of environmental justice programs and grants, undermining public trust and 'ignoring scientific consensus to protect polluters'.
Al Jazeera
15-07-2025
- Science
- Al Jazeera
Video: SpaceX capsule returns to earth after 20-day mission
SpaceX capsule returns to earth after 20-day mission NewsFeed Astronauts from India, Poland, Hungary and the United States returned to Earth early Tuesday after the 20-day SpaceX Axiom Mission 4 to the International Space Station. They parachuted into the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Southern California. Video Duration 00 minutes 38 seconds 00:38 Video Duration 02 minutes 56 seconds 02:56 Video Duration 01 minutes 27 seconds 01:27 Video Duration 01 minutes 58 seconds 01:58 Video Duration 00 minutes 54 seconds 00:54 Video Duration 02 minutes 20 seconds 02:20 Video Duration 01 minutes 10 seconds 01:10
UAE Moments
14-07-2025
- Entertainment
- UAE Moments
Dubai's Museum of the Future Launches Unlimited Summer Pass
Dubai's Museum of the Future is bringing the heat this season—with air conditioning, of course. If you're planning to hide indoors all summer (same), the museum's new Summer Pass is your golden ticket. Here's what's in it for you: unlimited entry from July 1 to September 30, no need to book in advance, and a whole lineup of cool events, all for just Dh229. What's Included in the Summer Pass? Unlimited access to the museum all summer long Dh50 retail credit to spend at the museum's lobby shop Entry to exclusive summer events and kids' zones Behind-the-scenes tours and surprise experiences What's Happening This Summer? Meet a Real Astronaut On July 14 and 21, catch real astronauts from the UAE Space Programme. Ask your burning space questions or just flex with a selfie. Photography Tour: Capture the Future Starting July 14, join guided early-morning photo walks through the museum's most Insta-worthy spots—plus tips from expert photographers. Wellness Weekends From July 19 to August 29, the museum's Al Waha space transforms into a zen den with yoga and meditation sessions led by top instructors. Light the Future Ever dreamed of flipping the switch on something iconic? This is your shot. A lucky few visitors can light up the entire Museum facade.
Yahoo
05-07-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Wildly Beautiful and Rare "Red Sprite" Flare Seen on Earth From Orbit
NASA astronaut Nichole Ayers, currently stationed on board the International Space Station, shared an incredible image of a sprite — a rare weather phenomenon that's triggered high above the clouds by "intense electrical activity in the thunderstorms below." The image shows the rare electrical discharge in the shape of a starkly red, upended umbrella, hovering high over a brewing storm, like some sort of occult tower from "Lord of the Rings." "Just. Wow," Ayers tweeted. "As we went over Mexico and the US this morning, I caught this sprite." Being hundreds of miles above the surface of the Earth gave Ayers the perfect vantage point to watch the stunning event unfold. "We have a great view above the clouds, so scientists can use these types of pictures to better understand the formation, characteristics, and relationship of [Transient Luminous Events] to thunderstorms." According to NASA, sprites can appear at altitudes of around 50 miles, which is far higher than where thunderstorms form. They often appear mere moments after lightning strikes, forming spiny tendrils of red plumes. The otherworldly phenomenon, which was first officially observed in 1989 photographs, is still poorly understood. Scientists have yet to uncover how and why they form. In 2022, NASA launched a "citizen science project," dubbed "Spritacular," to crowdsource images of the TLEs. According to the project's official website, over 800 volunteers have joined the effort, and 360 observations have been collected across 21 countries. Other TLEs include elves, an acronym for "emission of light and very low frequency perturbations due to electromagnetic pulse sources," and jets, a type of cloud-to-air discharge that can appear as blue tendrils. "While sprites [and other TLEs] may appear delicate and silent in the upper atmosphere, they are often linked to powerful, sometimes devastating weather systems," University of Science and Technology of China PhD student and TLE expert Hailiang Huang told National Geographic last week. "Understanding them not only satisfies our curiosity about the upper atmosphere, but also helps us learn more about the storms we face here on Earth," he added. Best of all, studying TLEs could even help us learn about distant planets: NASA's Juno mission found evidence of sprites and elves in the atmosphere of Jupiter as well. More on sprites: NASA Crowdsourcing Investigation of Otherworldly "Sprites" in Sky
