NASA is set to launch a SpaceX rocket from Florida on Wednesday, sending a replacement crew to the International Space Station (ISS) while preparing to bring home two U.S. astronauts stranded in space for nine months after Boeing’s Starliner faced technical issues.
NASA has advanced the timeline of the mission after U.S. President Donald Trump and his adviser Elon Musk pushed for the early return of astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams. The two were originally scheduled to return in late March, but concerns over their prolonged stay led NASA to prioritize their retrieval.
The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, carrying four astronauts—two from NASA, one from Japan, and one from Russia—is set to lift off from Kennedy Space Center at 7:48 p.m. ET (2348 GMT). Once the new crew arrives, Wilmore and Williams, along with two other ISS members, will return to Earth aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule attached to the station since September.
Wilmore and Williams arrived at the ISS in June as part of a test mission on Boeing’s Starliner, which encountered propulsion system failures, making it unsafe for their return. NASA’s decision to abandon the Starliner capsule for this return highlights Boeing’s ongoing struggles with the $4.5 billion Starliner program, which has been delayed by technical issues and cost overruns.
The return flight is expected on Sunday or Monday, marking the end of an unintended extended mission for Wilmore and Williams. Meanwhile, NASA continues to evaluate Boeing’s readiness for future missions as SpaceX remains the primary transport provider for ISS crews.
Europe’s new-generation weather satellite, Meteosat Third Generation-Sounder 1 (MTG-S1), was successfully launched into space from the U.S. Cape Can...
The U.S. Justice Department announced charges against two Chinese citizens accused of spying inside the U.S. on behalf of Beijing....
The United States has decided to halt some planned deliveries of air defence missiles and other munitions to Ukraine, citing concerns over dwindling A...
Poland will temporarily restore border checks with Germany and Lithuania starting 7 July, Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced Tuesday, citing the nee...
Donald Trump announced Tuesday that Israel has accepted the key terms of a proposed 60-day ceasefire in Gaza, as part of renewed efforts to end the wa...
Europe’s new-generation weather satellite, Meteosat Third Generation-Sounder 1 (MTG-S1), was successfully launched into space from the U.S. Cape Canaveral base.
The U.S. Justice Department announced charges against two Chinese citizens accused of spying inside the U.S. on behalf of Beijing.
The United States has decided to halt some planned deliveries of air defence missiles and other munitions to Ukraine, citing concerns over dwindling American stockpiles, according to officials familiar with the matter.
Poland will temporarily restore border checks with Germany and Lithuania starting 7 July, Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced Tuesday, citing the need to reduce irregular migration across its borders.
The U.S. economy faces a 40% risk of recession in the second half of 2025, JP Morgan analysts said on Wednesday, citing rising tariffs and stagflation concerns.
China has ramped up efforts to protect communities impacted by flood control measures, introducing stronger compensation policies and direct aid from the central government.
Severe rain in Venezuela has caused rivers to overflow and triggered landslides, sweeping away homes and collapsing a highway bridge, with five states affected and no casualties reported so far.
A malfunction in the radar transmission system at the Area Control Center in Milan suspended more than 300 flights at the weekend, across northwest Italy since Saturday evening according to Italy's air traffic controller Enav (National Agency for Flight Assistance).
Thousands of protesters rallied in Bangkok on Saturday, demanding Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra resign as political and economic tensions mount.
Europe’s new-generation weather satellite, Meteosat Third Generation-Sounder 1 (MTG-S1), was successfully launched into space from the U.S. Cape Canaveral base.
Over the past year, 162 asteroids flew closer to Earth than the Moon. NASA and ESA warn only 40% of dangerous objects have been identified, with one asteroid posing a small risk of hitting the Moon in 2032.
A Chinese firm has launched what it claims is the country’s first 24/7 intelligent laser weeding robot, aiming to phase out chemical herbicides and cut agricultural pollution at its source.
Set on top of Chile’s Cerro Pachón mountain, the Vera C. Rubin Observatory will soon embark on a ten-year survey, using cutting-edge technology to uncover new secrets of the universe.
Scientists at the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences have identified a genetic 'dimmer switch' that controls how genes turn on and off during embryo formation, offering insights for future therapies.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment