Latest news with #missions
Gulf Insider
7 hours ago
- Politics
- Gulf Insider
Israel Launches Major Airstrikes On Syria's Coast For 1st Time In Nearly A Month
Israel has attacked Syria for the first time in nearly a month. The last known airstrikes were May 3rd, but on Friday night major strikes rocked Syria's coastal area. State news agency SANA says that one civilian was killed 'as a result of an Israeli occupation airstrike targeting the vicinity of Zama'. Social media videos showed large fireballs lighting up the night sky. The Israeli military offered quick and rare confirmation that it had 'struck weapon storage facilities containing coastal missiles that posed a threat to international and Israeli maritime freedom of navigation, in the Latakia area of Syria.' Huge spoke plumes were seen over Tartus in the strike aftermath, and it should be noted that the coastal city is also home to Russia's lone Mediterranean naval base, which has yet to be completely packed up amid negotiations with the new Jolani regime. 'In addition, components of surface-to-air missiles were struck,' the Israeli military (IDF) statement further stated, vowing that the IDF will 'continue to operate to maintain freedom of action in the region, in order to carry out its missions and will act to remove any threat to the State of Israel and its citizens.' The irony of the timing is that the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) government has been teasing the possibility of peace and normalization with Israel, despite Israeli forces currently occupying large swathes of southern Syria, even well beyond the Golan Heights. The new post-Assad government has mostly shrugged off the Israeli attacks, which soon after Assad's ouster came in the hundreds, as Tel Aviv sought to destroy any and all military hardware left by the former Syrian Arab Army. Israel bombed Syria's naval defences a few hours ago. Not a single word of condemnation from the new regime, who continues to beg for normalisation. The 'revolution' was fought by those who want to surrendering to Israel and against those who fight it. — Syrian Girl (@Partisangirl) May 31, 2025 Tensions have been rising between Israel and Turkey over the 'spoils' in Syria. Turkey's military has sought to set up anti-air defenses for the new regime, reportedly in the center of the country – in Palmyra – which Israel has tried to thwart through bombing raids. Prior to Assad's ouster, Israel said it repeatedly bombed Syria for 'counter-Iran' operations, but at this point the divide-and-rule policy of keeping Syria as weak and fractured as possible has certainly become more clear.
News18
3 days ago
- Health
- News18
'Gravity Stinks': Sunita Williams, Butch Wilmore Completely Recover After Return From ISS
Last Updated: Indian-origin astronaut Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore returned to Earth from ISS after Boeing's Starliner glitch. They completed rehab and are now with Boeing and NASA. Indian-origin Nasa astronaut Sunita Williams and her teammate Butch Wilmore who returned to Earth from International Space Station (ISS) after months of delay, have finished physical therapy whilst increasing their engagement with Boeing and Nasa initiatives. The duo were stuck in ISS due to technical glitch in Boeing's Starliner capsule. 'Gravity stinks for a period, and that period varies for different people, but eventually you get over those neurovestibular balance type of issues," Wilmore added. Both the astronauts, who initially planned an eight-day Starliner test flight that went on for next nine months in space, had to go through a standard 45-day readjustment period to reacclimatise their muscles, balance and basic terrestrial functions. While carrying out their duties with Boeing's Starliner programme, Nasa's space station division in Houston and agency researchers, the astronauts have spent a minimum of two hours daily with Nasa's medical team for strength and conditioning. While speaking to Reuters, Williams, 59, discussed how her daily life on Earth was affected due to her extended space travel. 'It's been a little bit of a whirlwind," Williams told Reuters, adding, 'Because we also have obligations to all of the folks that we worked with." Williams mentioned that her post-spaceflight recovery was gradual and she experienced fatigue during later recovery stages as various muscles in her body reactivated themselves. The spaceflight-induced change impacted her early morning routine on ground until recently. 'Then I'm up at four in the morning, and I'm like, Aha! I'm back," she added. Wilmore also talked about his pre-flight neck and back difficulties, including limited head rotation. He said all these issues vanished when he was in space's weightless environment but he experienced them again upon returning. 'We're still floating in the capsule in the ocean, and my neck starts hurting, while we still hadn't even been extracted yet," he said, laughing. The human body which is used to surviving and evolving on Earth, faces various challenges when in space. Especially, the challenges due to zero gravity. It causes various physical changes like muscle deterioration and cardiovascular alterations. Additional factors like confined spaces and increased solar radiation contribute significantly in affecting the body. For the unversed, Starliner's tech issues, Nasa had to bring back the capsule without crew and integrate the astronauts into regular ISS rotation. Boeing has incurred $2 billion in development charges, with Nasa considering another uncrewed flight before human missions resume. Watch India Pakistan Breaking News on CNN-News18. Get breaking news, in-depth analysis, and expert perspectives on everything from geopolitics to diplomacy and global trends. Stay informed with the latest world news only on News18. Download the News18 App to stay updated! First Published: May 29, 2025, 15:57 IST
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches from Kennedy Space Center, Florida early Wednesday
A SpaceX rocket took to the Florida sky during the bright, early hours of Wednesday, May 28. The Space Force's 45th Weather Squadron predicted an 85% chance of favorable weather during the early window, and just as predicted, skies were clear and a heat index of 91 degrees was felt. The rocket took off right on time at 9:30 a.m. from Kennedy Space Center's Pad 39A. Upon liftoff, it turned and headed on a northeast trajectory. The payload was the latest batch of SpaceX Starlink internet satellites, which provide internet in some of the most remote places on Earth. No Space Coast sonic booms were heard, as eight-and-a-half minutes after launch, the rocket's first stage — also known as the booster — landed on the Just Read the Instructions drone ship, which was stationed out on the Atlantic Ocean. It was the 19th flight for the Falcon 9 first stage. Previous missions include: 12 previous Starlink missions, Axiom's Ax-2, Euclid, Axiom's Ax-3, CRS-30, SES ASTRA 1P, and NG-21. When is the next Florida launch? Is there a launch today? Upcoming SpaceX, Axiom, ULA rocket launch schedule at Cape Canaveral The next rocket launch from Florida is set to take place between 1:23 p.m. and 2:08 p.m on Friday, May 30. The launch will be from Cape Canaveral Launch Complex 40, and see a SpaceX rocket deliver a Lockheed Martin-built GPS III satellite for the Space Force's Space Systems Command. The FLORIDA TODAY Space Team will provide live updates beginning 90 minutes prior to liftoff at Brooke Edwards is a Space Reporter for Florida Today. Contact her at bedwards@ or on X: @brookeofstars. This article originally appeared on Florida Today: SpaceX rocket launch from Florida delivers Starlink satellites Wednesday
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Business Standard
6 days ago
- Science
- Business Standard
Sonic boom marks SpaceX Dragon's return to earth after ISS cargo mission
SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft splashed down in the Pacific off California's coast, marking the end of a successful cargo mission to the space station. The uncrewed capsule completed the 32nd commercial resupply mission to the International Space Station (ISS) for NASA. The spacecraft is designed for low gravity, carrying nearly 6,700 pounds of supplies. It had undocked from the space station's Harmony module on May 23 at 12.05 pm, ready to deliver its cargo back to Earth. SpaceX Dragon returned to Earth with a sonic boom Southern California's most regions felt the shaking from a brief sonic boom created as SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft re-entered Earth's atmosphere on Saturday night. SpaceX shared a post on X announcing that the spacecraft Dragon would return to Earth with a short sonic boom before landing in the Pacific region. The post reads, "Dragon is on track to reenter Earth's atmosphere and splash down off the southern coast of California near Oceanside at ~10:44 p.m. PT." Several people took to social media after they heard the boom sound on Saturday. Many people shared a video of the bright streak across the night sky as the Dragon's flight continued over the Golden State. Testing materials and advancing robotic tech in space The mission brought back valuable hardware from the MISSE-20 experiment. The test checked the endurance of different materials in the extreme environment of space. Exposed to ultraviolet radiation, atomic oxygen, and charged particles, items like solar sails, radiation shields, and reentry ceramics underwent rigorous testing. These insights will play a vital role in shaping the next generation of spacecraft materials. Another significant return was Astrobee-REACCH, a robotic test system equipped with gripping arms and sticky adhesive pads. These Astrobee robots successfully manipulated objects of various shapes in microgravity. Their capabilities could prove essential for future missions—clearing orbital debris, maintaining old satellites, and enhancing overall safety in space operations. Books, cameras, and clearer views of Earth Also aboard were books from the 'Story Time from Space' initiative, where astronauts read STEM-focused stories to children on Earth. While floating in orbit, they conducted science experiments alongside the readings. These videos and learning materials are now part of an educational resource library back on Earth. The mission also carried back data and hardware from OPTICA, a year-long demonstration project that tested cutting-edge space imaging technology. With its focus on high-resolution visuals and data compression techniques, OPTICA could significantly cut the costs of satellite communications and enhance disaster response systems using clearer, faster space-based imagery. From launchpad to learning: A mission timeline This Dragon capsule launched aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from NASA's Kennedy Space Center on April 21 and docked with the ISS a day later, on April 22. The ISS has now been continuously inhabited for over 24 years. It remains a vital platform for scientific research and commercial innovation in low Earth orbit. Each mission not only advances our understanding of space but also lays the groundwork for future exploration, including NASA's Artemis program and the eventual goal of reaching Mars.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
We are called the greatest generation for good reason. Here's why.
Editor's Note: This is the text of a Memorial Day address delivered in 2016. I want to thank Linda Dixon and the (Lexington, Massachusetts) Celebrations Committee for inviting me to speak today. I have declined to speak at such events in the past. I decided to accept the invitation today because so many of those with whom I served in WWII are no longer with us and I want to share with you what we learned in the war and its aftermath. Today we assemble to remember the men and women who sacrificed their lives for our country. It is right and important that we remember and grieve with the families, the mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters, husbands and wives, who lost loved ones in America's wars. Today, we honor the warriors, but never war itself. I fought in World War II in the Army Air Force. Some of my brother soldiers were lost in that war. It was a just war, a war that had to be waged to defeat fascism in Europe that would have enslaved peoples throughout the world. I flew 70 combat missions in that war. On a flight over Ostiglia, Italy in November, 1944 our plane was hit. The pilot and co-pilot were stunned by flak from the enemies' anti- aircraft guns that hit the windshield. The badly damaged plane was diving toward the ground. Unaware that the pilots were incapacitated, I was about to parachute from the plane. But at the last minute I realized no one else was bailing out so I checked the pilots. I found them plumped in the cockpit, stunned. I worked to revive them and was successful. They regained control of the plane. So, I was one of the lucky ones who survived that war without any serious mishaps. We lost more than 400,000 Americans in that war and the worldwide losses exceeded 80 million people. My younger brother, Arnold, was wounded in the assault on Okinawa. We mourn for the Americans who died in that war and for all those who died in wars before and since. My generation has been referred to as the greatest generation. I think this appellation is appropriate for three reasons. First unlike the divisiveness and sectarianism of today, Americans were united in a single purpose that involved everyone in one way or another. Whether you were on the front lines or on the home front, whether you were rich or poor, everyone was asked to sacrifice for the good of the country and mankind. Second, during the war, President Franklin Roosevelt issued an executive order that forced US military contractors to end racial discrimination in employment and (later President) Truman began integrating the armed forces. Third, returning soldiers were offered an opportunity to pursue a college education through the GI Bill, an education many could not have afforded otherwise. America invested in its people creating the most educated and productive generation the world had ever seen. That generation went on to build an American that ended legal segregation and created an economy of shared prosperity. Today education is becoming prohibitively expensive. Student debt has soared. We are losing our place in the world's intellectual growth. Inequality has returned to levels not seen since the Gilded Age. Wars have caused enormous losses of life and property in the past. But with the weapons available in the world today those losses are nothing compared to what could happen in an all-out war today. Entire cities and their populations could be lost with one bomb detonating. Add to that the threat of climate change and it is clear that our survival and the future of our kids, grandkids and great grandkids requires cooperation among nations rather than blustering, sword rattling and conflict. Why do we fight wars? Since World War II we have been involved in too many wars for the wrong reasons. Our friends one day become our enemies the next. Our leaders rally us to war by claiming that freedom or democracy is endangered and, in the end, we make enemies of those we are told we are freeing. War is an ultimate political solution and must never be entered into lightly. It is a double tragedy to lose Americans in wars that should never have been fought. And it is for that reason that I think Memorial Day should be a day to honor peace and those who campaign for peaceful solutions as well as the men and women who have given their lives for our country in war. We mourn for the Americans and all those who died in World War II and all wars before and since. Over 100,000 Americans have died in wars since WWII. I question how many of those losses might have been avoided had we sought solutions other than resorting to war. Opinion: My aunts survived the Holocaust. Now, we must do more than say 'never again.' The men and women who serve in our armed forces do not choose the wars our country fights. Politicians, businessmen and generals make that deadly choice. But it is the soldiers who make the ultimate sacrifice, often without questioning the motives of those who send them into battle. On this Memorial Day, I ask all of you to remember the men and women who died too young and those living who have served or are serving our country and to all veterans living and dead. Milwaukee resident Michael Rosen contributed this speech from his uncle Sam Berman, who spoke at a Massachusetts Memorial Day event in 2016. Berman, who attended the University of Wisconsin, won the Distinguished Flying Cross during World War II. He died on May 3, 2021 at 98. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: WWII veteran says Memorial Day should also honor peace | Opinion
