Australian sheep farmers discovered two large pieces of space debris and several other smaller scraps scattered in the middle of a paddock last month that may have belonged to the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/spacex">SpaceX</a> Crew-1&#8217;s Dragon Capsule.
Wedged into pastures in New South Wales, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/australia">Australia</a>, witnesses believe the debris re-entered the Earth&#8217;s atmosphere on July 9 after reports of a large bang was heard within a 100-mile radius across the Snowy Mountains, Australian media <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-07-29/space-junk-found-in-nsw-snowy-mountains-paddocks-/101277542">reports</a>.
Mick Miners, who runs a sheep farm in the region, came across a nearly 10-foot black and gray piece of space junk that looked similar to the Dragon Capsule&#8217;s trunk on his property last month, giving him quite a shock.
&#8220;I wasn&#8217;t quite sure what to think about it all,&#8221; Miners told Australian media. &#8220;I looked, and then I had a look around, and it made me sort of wonder a bit what was going on when things just start falling out of the sky.&#8221;
Miners then approached his neighboring farmer, who also found similar-looking debris a week earlier.
&#8220;I think it&#8217;s a concern it&#8217;s just fallen out of the sky,&#8221; Jock Wallace told Australian media. &#8220;If it landed on your house it would make a hell of a mess.&#8221;
Searching for answers about the mysterious objects that fell from the stars, Wallace contacted the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, who told him to connect with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in the United States.
&#8220;I&#8217;m a farmer from Dalgety,&#8221; he said. &#8220;What am I going to say to NASA?&#8221;
Brad Tucker, an astrophysicist at Australia National University College of Science, told local media he believes one of the objects came from the trunk of the SpaceX Crew-1 Dragon mission, which launched in November 2020.
&#8220;It&#8217;s hard to always be 100% in science,&#8221; Tucker said. &#8220;I would say, with very little doubt, that this is a piece of space junk — the things that we&#8217;ve been seeing here.&#8221;
Tucker said that based on the structure&#8217;s build, composition, and some of the materials marked with subtle details — such as scarring patterns from re-entering the Earth&#8217;s atmosphere — have led him to believe the bits of space junk came from the trunk of the SpaceX mission.
&#8220;From a distance as well, it just looks like an old burnt tree stump,&#8221; Tucker told <a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.space.com/spacex-debris-fall-australia-crew-1-dragon-capsule" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Space.com</a>. &#8220;It wasn&#8217;t until you got closer you realize there is something off about it.&#8221;
Although SpaceX has not yet confirmed if the debris belonged to the revolutionary space technology company, its Crew-1 Dragon spacecraft that carried four astronauts splashed down into the Gulf of Mexico near Panama City on May 2, 2021.
&#8220;Hopefully, SpaceX can confirm it is their part,&#8221; Tucker said, adding that Elon Musk&#8217;s company did not do anything wrong. &#8220;In fact, the whole point was to have the bits break up — as we see — and land in the ocean.&#8221;
&#8220;It just didn&#8217;t quite land in the ocean,&#8221; he added. &#8220;Probably most of it still did. This is part of the normal plan.&#8221;
Jonathon McDowell, an astronomer at the Harvard-Smithsonian collaboration Center for Astrophysics, said in a <a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://twitter.com/planet4589/status/1553030725456240643" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tweet</a> that the space object landed near the Dragon&#8217;s re-entry path and &#8220;is a good match to one of the Dragon trunk fins.&#8221;
Space debris crash-landing into the Earth&#8217;s surface has happened in the past before the sheep farmers&#8217; case.
Australian astrophysicist Tucker said the U.S. Space Station&#8217;s Skylab crashed over Esperance, Western Australia in the 1970s. During the 1980s, another incident occurred with a Russian nuclear-powered satellite plunging into Canadian land. And approximately 40 years later, a Chinese rocket booster damaged buildings in West Africa&#8217;s Ivory Coast in 2020.
In 1997, the only recorded incident of a piece of space debris landing on someone was the case of Lottie Williams in Oklahoma, who was hit in the shoulder with an object, BBC <a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-62414438" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reports.</a>
However, the two sheep farmers were thankful to have dodged the debris.
&#8220;Yeah, I don&#8217;t think you&#8217;d fare too well if it landed on you,&#8221; Wallace said.
Although Wallace admits, it&#8217;s quite exciting to know the debris crashed into his &#8220;paddy.&#8221;
If SpaceX confirms the debris belongs to one of its spacecraft, Tucker said a legal process must play out between Australia and U.S.government officials.
&#8220;This is becoming almost an international incident,&#8221; Tucker said. &#8220;Not in a bad sense — but this is how space is governed through treaties and at a national level and preserving and representing the interests of the people in Australia like Mick and Jock.&#8221;

Possible SpaceX Dragon Capsule Debris Crashes Into Australian Sheep Farm

Australia

Elon Musk

International Space Station (ISS)

NASA

SpaceX

Legendary American astronaut Buzz Aldrin sold his white, Teflon-coated space jacket worn during his historic 1969 Apollo 11 mission to the moon for nearly $2.8 million on Tuesday at a Sotheby&#8217;s auction in New York.
Aldrin&#8217;s Inflight Coverall Jacket was one of the astronaut&#8217;s 69 lots he listed for sale during the auction and became the most valuable American space artifact ever sold at an auction by the fine arts company.
Aldrin, 92, spent most of his six-day journey wearing the piece separate from the spacesuit while flying to the moon and back inside the spacecraft Command Module Columbia with Commander Neil Armstrong and Command Module Pilot Michael Collins.
After 50 years holding onto the historic American artifact, Aldrin finally felt ready to say goodbye once and for all.
&#8220;After deep consideration, the time felt right to share these items with the world, which for many are symbols of a historical moment, but for me have always remained personal mementos of a life dedicated to science and exploration,&#8221; Aldrin said in a statement last week.
Sotheby&#8217;s said the exceptionally rare garment sold in under ten minutes after bidders chased the item until the buyer, who bid over the phone, made the highest offer and clinched the sale.
All but one of Aldrin&#8217;s 69 lots sold during Tuesday&#8217;s auction.
The lot included a tiny broken circuit switch that almost left the crew stranded on the moon and a dented aluminum pen used by the spaceman himself to rescue the team.
&#8220;I used a felt-tip pen and pushed it in, and Houston says, &#8216;Hooray, we got a live circuit!’” Aldrin <a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://buzzaldrin.com/how-buzz-aldrin-used-a-felt-tip-pen-to-get-back-from-the-moon/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. &#8220;Then we were ready to proceed with the countdown.&#8221;
The New York Times <a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/26/science/space/buzz-aldrin-memorabilia-auction.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that auction officials expected it to sell for at $1 million, but bidding stalled at about $650,000.
Aldrin&#8217;s space memorabilia sold for approximately $8.2 million at Tuesday&#8217;s auction.
Other sold items included gold-colored lifetime passes to Major League Baseball games, an MTV Video Music Awards statuette the music network modeled after Aldrin forced into the moon&#8217;s surface, and a Presidential Medal of Freedom presented to him by President Nixon for his 240,000-mile re-entry to Earth.
Cassandra Hatton, a senior specialist at Sotheby&#8217;s, told The New York Times that she believed space artifacts that have traveled to the moon fascinate bidders because the items play a significant role in human history.
&#8220;It&#8217;s a moment that reminds us all what we can do,&#8221; she said. &#8220;We can achieve the near impossible, like we can escape our fate of being stuck on this planet. We can do amazing things.&#8221;
An estimated 650 million people worldwide witnessed on television the moment when Aldrin and Neil Armstrong became the first two people to walk on the moon.

US-AUCTION-SPACE

Legendary American Astronaut Buzz Aldrin’s Moon Jacket Auctions For $2.8 Million

Legendary American Astronaut Buzz Aldrin's Moon Jacket Auctions For $2.8 Million

Moon

Space

Russia will leave the International Space Station (ISS) after 2024, the nation&#8217;s new space chief announced Tuesday.
Yuri Borisov, selected earlier this month to lead Russia&#8217;s space agency, noted that the nation intends to fulfill its current obligations before leaving the ISS to focus on building its own space station.
“The decision to leave the station after 2024 has been made,” Borisov said, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-putin-science-241e789005f6375eeac3189acbdbc140" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to</a> the Associated Press. &#8220;I think that by that time we will start forming a Russian orbiting station.”
The ISS is run by the space agencies of the U.S., Russia, Japan, Europe, and Canada. First launched in 1998, the station has been in operation for more than two decades.
The station usually holds a crew of seven members, with three Russians, three Americans, and one Italian currently aboard.
Robyn Gatens, the Director of the ISS Division at NASA, <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/world/russia-leave-international-space-station-project-2024-director-says" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> Tuesday that she has not yet received an official notice from Roscosmos regarding the change, according to Fox News.
NASA astronaut Kjell Lindgren also <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/26/science/russia-space-station.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> The New York Times on Tuesday that nothing has been shared officially regarding Russia&#8217;s planned change regarding the ISS.
“That is very recent news,” he said, “and so we haven’t heard anything officially. Of course, you know, we were trained to do a mission up here, and that mission is one that requires the whole crew.”
The announcement follows months of concern that Russian President Vladimir Putin&#8217;s invasion of Ukraine would lead to changes in its space agency&#8217;s international partnerships. Russia has increasingly isolated itself politically from the U.S. and Western European nations following sanctions over its actions in Ukraine.
Russia&#8217;s politics have already caused controversy aboard the ISS. Earlier this month, three Russian cosmonauts were shown in a <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jul/04/russian-cosmonauts-display-flag-of-occupied-luhansk-region-on-iss-ukraine" target="_blank" rel="noopener">photograph</a> aboard the space station with a flag from the Luhansk People&#8217;s Republic. The region is one of the areas of Ukraine under invasion by Putin and largely under the control of a Russia-backed separatist group.
Russia has also taken a financial hit since Elon Musk&#8217;s SpaceX began <a href="https://www.npr.org/2022/04/08/1091661900/spacex-space-station-launch-axiom" target="_blank" rel="noopener">transporting astronauts</a> to the ISS. Roscosmos had previously earned millions of dollars per passenger on its Russian-made rockets.
NASA&#8217;s plans include operating the ISS through 2030. Those efforts may now require a change or revision without Russia&#8217;s support.
The report also comes just days after China <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/china-launches-first-of-two-remaining-modules-needed-to-complete-permanent-orbiting-space-station" target="_blank" rel="noopener">launched</a> Sunday the first of two remaining modules needed to complete its first permanent orbiting space station.
When completed, the modules will become the T-shaped Tiangong Space Station. The station will be smaller than the International Space Station but large enough to hold six crew members for a temporary period.
The first crew to board the new space station is expected to launch in December.

International Space Station

Russia To Leave International Space Station After 2024

Russia

China launched the first of two remaining modules on Sunday needed to complete its first permanent orbiting space station.
A Long March-5B Y3 rocket carrying China&#8217;s space station lab module Wentian blasted off from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site on Sunday in the Hainan Province of China.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="REPLAY: China launches lab module to Tiangong Space Station + live pad view (24 Jul 2022)" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XSbj7tlqgmQ?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Wentian, which means &#8220;quest for the heavens,&#8221; was the second of three modules planned by China. China&#8217;s state-owned CCTV provided a live feed of the launch, declaring it a &#8220;complete success,&#8221; <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/china/china-launches-second-space-station-module-wentian-2022-07-24/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to</a> Reuters.
The last remaining launch, called Mengtian, is scheduled for October. The first module, called Tianhe, was launched in April 2021.
When completed, the three modules will become the T-shaped Tiangong Space Station. The station will be much smaller than the International Space Station but large enough to hold six crew members for a temporary period.
The first crew to board the new space station is expected to launch in December.
The developments have taken some by surprise but have been in the works for years. The Tiangong Space Station project reaches back to 1992 when the nation&#8217;s government first approved the plan.
Once fully constructed, the station is expected to operate for at least a decade, with planned rotations of six months for three astronauts at a time. The plans might also allow visits by astronauts from other nations and space tourists.
Another long-term goal of the Tiangong Space Station will be to serve as the refueling station for an upcoming Hubble-like telescope that China hopes to launch in 2024.
The launch of the new Chinese space station module is not the only space project planned for the nation. Last month, the BBC <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-61511546" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that China has plans to put its first astronauts on the Moon and send a Mars sample return rover to the red planet by 2030.
The news also comes alongside several recent space developments. NASA announced on Wednesday the planned <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nasas-artemis-moon-rocket-mission-scheduled-for-august-in-first-step-toward-humans-returning-to-moon" target="_blank" rel="noopener">launch dates</a> for its Artemis I rocket test flight around the Moon as it prepares for a future human mission to the lunar surface in 2025.
The date of August 29 will serve as the earliest placeholder time for the uncrewed flight to orbit the Moon, according to the NASA teleconference with the media.
“The first in a series of increasingly complex missions, Artemis I will be an uncrewed flight test that will provide a foundation for human exploration in deep space and demonstrate our commitment and capability to extend human existence to the Moon and eventually Mars,” according to a <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-to-discuss-status-of-artemis-i-moon-mission-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a> from NASA.
Tuesday, two startup space companies, including one led by a founding member of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/elon-musk">Elon Musk</a>&#8216;s <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/spacex">SpaceX</a>, announced plans to launch the first commercial space lander to Mars by 2024.

China Launches Wentian Lab Module

China Launches First Of Two Remaining Modules Needed To Complete Permanent Orbiting Space Station

China

Two startup space companies, including one led by a founding member of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/elon-musk">Elon Musk</a>&#8216;s <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/spacex">SpaceX</a>, have announced plans to launch the first commercial space lander to Mars by 2024.
Impulse Space, led by former SpaceX member Tom Mueller, and Relativity Space made the <a href="https://www.relativityspace.com/press-release/2022/7/19/impulse-space-and-relativity-space-announce-first-commercial-mission-to-mars" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announcement</a> Tuesday.
“This is a major milestone for both Impulse and Relativity, as well as the entire space industry,” Impulse Space founder and CEO Mueller said. “One of the most challenging aspects of landing on Mars is the ‘glide stage,’ which involves an aeroshell to encapsulate the lander for the survival of Mars entry. With the power of our combined teams, experience and passion, I am confident this historic mission will be just one of many to come.”
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Impulse is excited to announce our partnership with <a href="https://twitter.com/relativityspace?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@relativityspace</a> to deliver our Mars Cruise Vehicle and Mars Lander on Relativity’s fully reusable, entirely 3D printed launch vehicle &#8211; Terran R! <a href="https://t.co/KCVlP6PqW0">pic.twitter.com/KCVlP6PqW0</a>
&mdash; Impulse Space (@GoToImpulse) <a href="https://twitter.com/GoToImpulse/status/1549392840685457414?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 19, 2022</a></blockquote>
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The new partnership plans to launch Impulse&#8217;s Mars Cruise Vehicle and Mars Lander from Cape Canaveral, Florida, sometime in 2024. The exclusive arrangement is scheduled until 2029, according to the announcement&#8217;s press release.
The Terran R rocket will be exclusively 3D printed through Relativity&#8217;s proprietary printing process in an effort to disrupt the industry and shorten the timeline necessary to reach Mars.
Impulse Space plans to <a href="https://www.impulsespace.com/mars" target="_blank" rel="noopener">utilize</a> an integrated cruise vehicle, entry capsule, and Mars lander aboard the Terran R launch vehicle. The trip through interplanetary space will last over half a year, with the goal of deploying the first commercial device to the surface of another planet.
“We believe building a multiplanetary future on Mars is only possible if we inspire dozens to hundreds of companies to work toward a singular goal,” Tim Ellis, co-founder and CEO of Relativity Space, said.
“This is a monumental challenge, but one that successfully achieved will expand the possibilities for human experience in our lifetime across two planets. With the delivery capabilities of Terran R coupled with Impulse’s in-space transportation, we are bringing humanity one step closer to making Mars a reality. This is a historic, impactful partnership with Tom and the entire Impulse team through the collaboration of two low-cost commercial providers that will establish and expand our presence on Mars,&#8221; he added.
It is important to note that neither company has yet launched a rocket into space.
Mueller&#8217;s company was founded in 2021. <a href="https://www.relativityspace.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Relativity Space</a>, the second company involved in the unique partnership, has invented a new approach to designing and flying its own 3D rockets. The entrepreneurial effort claims to disrupt 60 years of aerospace design, offering &#8220;a radically simplified supply chain, building a rocket with 100x fewer parts in less than 60 days.&#8221;
Relativity was launched in 2015 and has raised more than $1 billion to date.
&#8220;This is a whole new era of spaceflight, and we want to be positioned to provide reliable, low-cost, in-space propulsion,&#8221; Mueller <a href="https://arstechnica.com/science/2022/07/relativity-and-impulse-space-say-theyre-flying-to-mars-in-late-2024/">said</a> in an interview with Ars Technica.
In contrast, SpaceX founder Musk <a href="https://time.com/person-of-the-year-2021-elon-musk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in a Time magazine article in December that he hopes to reach the Moon by 2023 and expressed a goal of humans reaching the red planet by the end of the decade, though the timeline is considered tentative. Musk has also envisioned a city on Mars by 2050.

Relativity Space/Impulse Space

Former SpaceX Founding Member Trying To Beat Elon Musk To Mars

Former SpaceX Founding Member Leads Company That Seeks To Beat Elon Musk To Mars

Mars

Science

SpaceX launched 53 Starlink internet satellites on Sunday, marking more than 2,800 satellites launched since the company&#8217;s start.
The satellites were released from the Falcon 9 rocket that blasted off from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on Sunday morning.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Watch Falcon 9 launch 53 Starlink satellites to orbit → <a href="https://t.co/BCUuxXHxWd">https://t.co/BCUuxXHxWd</a> <a href="https://t.co/97M8OwmI28">https://t.co/97M8OwmI28</a>
&mdash; SpaceX (@SpaceX) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1548672687509123072?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 17, 2022</a></blockquote>
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The Falcon 9&#8217;s launch included nine Merlin 1D engines with 1.7 million pounds of thrust, burning rocket-grade kerosene fuel to ascend from the launch pad.
Its flight from Cape Canaveral headed northeast over the Atlantic Ocean, passing through the speed of sound in less than a minute. The rocket&#8217;s first stage engines detached less than three minutes into the flight, as shown in the launch video.
The launch marked the 31st mission for the Falcon 9, with the rocket&#8217;s first stage booster landing on the Just Read the Instructions drone ship. The successful launch marks more than 2,800 Starlink spacecraft now released into the Earth&#8217;s low orbit. Over 2,500 Starlink satellites are currently operating in space. Starlink aims to use a full fleet of 4,408 satellites at five orbital levels called shells to provide internet communications worldwide.
The operation also marked the 13th flight for the Falcon 9 first-stage booster. The booster has also launched nine previous Starlink missions, along with the RADARSAT Constellation Mission and the Dragon spacecraft&#8217;s first demonstration mission.
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Liftoff! <a href="https://t.co/ACGocFFr5F">pic.twitter.com/ACGocFFr5F</a>
&mdash; SpaceX (@SpaceX) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1548674066885685248?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 17, 2022</a></blockquote>
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The Sunday launch also included booster <a href="https://spaceflightnow.com/2022/07/17/falcon-9-starlink-4-22-live-coverage/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tail number B1051</a>, one of the oldest in use by SpaceX. Sunday&#8217;s flight marked its 13th mission, making it the third booster to hit the milestone.
The launch came just one day after Dragon&#8217;s cargo craft launched on Thursday and returned on Saturday morning. The return flight held significant anticipations for researchers as it included numerous science experiments in addition to crew supplies.
The launch also comes just one week after the Falcon 9 transported 46 Starlink satellites into space on July 11. The launch was streamed live from California’s Vandenberg Space Force Base, with the Falcon 9 landing on a ship in the Pacific Ocean.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Watch Falcon 9 launch 46 Starlink satellites to orbit → <a href="https://t.co/1i5c8JEr6y">https://t.co/1i5c8JEr6y</a> <a href="https://t.co/BqtQBgG3wp">https://t.co/BqtQBgG3wp</a>
&mdash; SpaceX (@SpaceX) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1546307020399079424?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 11, 2022</a></blockquote>
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As The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/watch-elon-musks-spacex-launches-46-starlink-satellites-in-one-day" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>, SpaceX has approval from the Federal Communications Commission to launch around 12,000 satellites. A future launcher from the company, called Starship, is expected to transport hundreds of satellites in a single launch. According to <a href="https://www.space.com/spacex-starlink-sl3-1-launch-rocket-landing">Space.com</a>, SpaceX has also applied internationally for permission to launch an additional 30,000 satellites.
The rapid series of launches have largely been successful. However, on July 12, an explosion rocked SpaceX’s testing facilities in Boca Chica, Texas, as a Super Heavy Booster burst into flames, with a NASA Space Flight capturing video of the <a href="https://gizmodo.com/starship-booster-explodes-unexpectedly-during-test-1849166744">explosion</a>.
NASA Spaceflight managing editor Chris Bergin shared the <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1546639772621365248" target="_blank" rel="noopener">video</a> along with the comment, “Holy moly. Well, that was unexpected.”
Musk replied, “Yeah, actually not good. Team is assessing damage.”
Starlink satellites are designed to provide internet communications to rural and remote locations worldwide. Consumers can purchase <a href="https://www.starlink.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Starlink service</a> and operate it through a mobile app and a small satellite dish.

SpaceX Falcon 9

SpaceX Launches 53 More Starlink Satellites Into Orbit

Watch: SpaceX Launches 53 More Starlink Satellites Into Orbit

Scientists are growing stem cells in space in an effort to discover new ways to produce large batches of certain stem cells to treat a variety of diseases.
Researchers from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles are behind the program that delivered stem cells to the International Space Station (ISS) over the weekend on a supply trip delivery.
“By pushing the boundaries like this, it’s knowledge and it’s science and it’s learning,” <a href="https://apnews.com/article/space-exploration-science-health-shootings-841ed7547d8b1a73b42531e593632e6d" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> Clive Svendsen, executive director of Cedars-Sinai’s Regenerative Medicine Institute.
The project is the seventh of its type that has included stem cells sent to space from experiments by the U.S., China, and Italy. The efforts are attempting to overcome the difficulty of growing large quantities of stem cells under the Earth&#8217;s gravity by conducting efforts beyond the planet&#8217;s atmosphere.
“In zero G, there’s no force on the cells, so they can just grow in a different way,” Svendsen said.
The particular cells used in the Cedars-Sinai experiment are pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). These materials are utilized by scientists for a variety of treatments, ranging from skin to blood cells.
&#8220;Human iPSCs are ideal for creating and testing potential treatments that can be tailored to an individual,&#8221; ISS National Laboratory <a href="https://www.issnationallab.org/iss360/spacex-crs-25-mission-overview/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">explains</a> regarding the mission.  &#8220;Microgravity may overcome some of the problems involved in the processes by which stem cells divide and become different types of cells, which could advance the manufacturing of iPSCs for the treatment of various diseases on Earth.&#8221;
Leaders at Cedars-Sinai said in an announcement of the project last year that they are excited to pursue the research with the goal of advancing clinical treatment.
“Going to space to improve stem cell production is consistent with the innovative discovery programs at the Cedars-Sinai Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute,” <a href="https://www.cedars-sinai.edu/research/news/cedars-science/2021/sending-stem-cells-into-space.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> Shlomo Melmed, MB, ChB, executive vice president of Academic Affairs and dean of the Medical Faculty at Cedars-Sinai. “This bold next step in the evolution of this forward-looking science will advance our progress toward future cell therapies. The potential of regenerative medicine is truly out of this world.”
The experiment also involves growing a similar set of stem cells on Earth for comparison. The stem cells on the ISS will be returned in a few weeks on a SpaceX capsule and then analyzed.
Elon Musk‘s SpaceX Falcon 9 <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/watch-elon-musks-spacex-launches-46-starlink-satellites-in-one-day" target="_blank" rel="noopener">launched</a> 46 Starlink satellites into space on a week ago in an operation that was streamed live from California’s Vandenberg Space Force Base, with the Falcon 9 landing on a ship at sea.
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Watch Falcon 9 launch 46 Starlink satellites to orbit → <a href="https://t.co/1i5c8JEr6y">https://t.co/1i5c8JEr6y</a> <a href="https://t.co/BqtQBgG3wp">https://t.co/BqtQBgG3wp</a>
&mdash; SpaceX (@SpaceX) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1546307020399079424?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 11, 2022</a></blockquote>
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The launch marked the 50th dedicated mission for the Starlink internet project with Starlink’s new satellites deploying approximately one hour after liftoff.
In addition to the positive mission last week, SpaceX also endured a recent setback after a sudden explosion rocked its testing facilities in Boca Chica, Texas, on Monday.
The company’s Super Heavy Booster caught fire, with a live stream from NASA Space Flight capturing footage of the <a href="https://gizmodo.com/starship-booster-explodes-unexpectedly-during-test-1849166744">explosion</a>.
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Holy moly. Well, that was unexpected!<a href="https://t.co/dUUqw7ojRv">https://t.co/dUUqw7ojRv</a> <a href="https://t.co/7IGztPuE12">pic.twitter.com/7IGztPuE12</a>
&mdash; Chris Bergin &#8211; NSF (@NASASpaceflight) <a href="https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/1546605684070006784?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 11, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Musk responded on Twitter with the comment, “Yeah, actually not good. Team is assessing damage.”

Researchers Grow Stem Cells Aboard International Space Station In New Study

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/elon-musk">Elon Musk</a>&#8216;s SpaceX Falcon 9 launched 46 Starlink satellites into space on Sunday.
The successful launch was streamed live from California&#8217;s Vandenberg Space Force Base, with the Falcon 9 landing on a ship at sea.
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Watch Falcon 9 launch 46 Starlink satellites to orbit → <a href="https://t.co/1i5c8JEr6y">https://t.co/1i5c8JEr6y</a> <a href="https://t.co/BqtQBgG3wp">https://t.co/BqtQBgG3wp</a>
&mdash; SpaceX (@SpaceX) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1546307020399079424?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 11, 2022</a></blockquote>
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The launch marked the 50th dedicated mission for the Starlink internet project. Starlink&#8217;s new satellites began deploying approximately one hour after liftoff.
The Falcon 9 broke through the marine cloud layer and sound barrier in approximately one minute, the live video of the launch revealed. Following the end of the first stage, the rocket&#8217;s nine Merlin engines separated with the upper stage continuing into orbit.
The booster descended back to Earth where it made its landing on a drone ship in the Pacific Ocean. The particular booster used in the launch, the B1063, marked its sixth flight as part of the SpaceX reusable rocket fleet.
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Falcon 9’s first stage has landed on the Of Course I Still Love You droneship
&mdash; SpaceX (@SpaceX) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1546310573637320704?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 11, 2022</a></blockquote>
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The Falcon 9 is the world&#8217;s first orbital-class rocket capable of reflight. First launched in 2012, the Falcon 9 has made more than 120 landings and can transport satellites and humans. In April, the Falcon 9 <a href="https://spacenews.com/falcon-9-launches-crew-4-mission-to-space-station/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">transported</a> American and European astronauts to the International Space Station.
The satellites join approximately 2,500 Starlink devices already in space. SpaceX has approval from the Federal Communications Commission to launch around 12,000 satellites. A future launcher from the company, called Starship, is expected to transport hundreds of satellites in a single launch.
According to <a href="https://www.space.com/spacex-starlink-sl3-1-launch-rocket-landing">Space.com</a>, SpaceX has also applied internationally for permission to launch an additional 30,000 satellites.
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Liftoff! <a href="https://t.co/bojQcPXiZC">pic.twitter.com/bojQcPXiZC</a>
&mdash; SpaceX (@SpaceX) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1546308483372294144?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 11, 2022</a></blockquote>
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The vast number of satellites has led to concerns about considering a new approach to space sustainability and safety. Starlink describes itself on its <a href="https://www.starlink.com/">website</a> as &#8220;meeting or exceeding all regulatory and industry standards.&#8221;
Satellites are designed to &#8220;utilize their on-board propulsion system to deorbit over the course of a few months,&#8221; according to its website. In addition, any inoperable satellites will burn up in Earth’s atmosphere within one to five years.
Starlink satellites are designed to provide high-speed internet to remote and rural locations worldwide. The service has also found interest among airlines looking for improved in-flight internet services.
In April, Musk signed a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/elon-musks-spacex-signs-first-deal-with-major-u-s-airline-to-provide-free-wi-fi-for-passengers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">deal</a> with Hawaiian Airlines to provide internet services using Starlink. The agreement made the transportation company the first U.S. airline to sign up for the service.
Jonathan Hofeller, vice president of Starlink commercial sales at SpaceX, said in a statement that Hawaiian Airlines “was ensuring its passengers will experience high-speed internet the way we expect it in the 21st century, making hassles like downloading movies before takeoff a relic of the past.”
Musk also made headlines in February when he provided Starlink satellite broadband service to Ukraine to offer access to the internet as Russian military forces invaded the country.
Musk <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/elon-musk-praised-for-coming-to-ukraines-rescue-pushes-a-button-and-changes-the-course-of-history" target="_blank" rel="noopener">provided</a> the internet services after seeing a tweet from Mykhailo Fedorov, the vice prime minister of Ukraine, who wrote: “@elonmusk, while you try to colonize Mars — Russia try to occupy Ukraine! While your rockets successfully land from space — Russian rockets attack Ukrainian civil people! We ask you to provide Ukraine with Starlink stations and to address sane Russians to stand.”

Watch: Elon Musk’s SpaceX Launches 46 Starlink Satellites In One Day

A bus-sized <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/asteroid">asteroid</a> will make an unexpected and extremely close pass by Earth on Thursday, July 7.
According to calculations by <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/nasa">NASA</a>, the asteroid, 2022 NF, will come within 56,000 miles (90,000km) of the Earth at its closest approach, approximately 23% of the average distance between the Earth and the Moon. Referred to by <a href="https://weather.com/en-IN/india/space/news/2022-07-07-look-out-for-bus-sized-asteroid-fly-by-on-july-8-early-morning">The Weather Channel</a> as a “master of hide-and-seek,” 2022 NF was hitherto unknown until July 4, when it was discovered using data from the Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System (<a href="http://legacy.ifa.hawaii.edu/research/Pan-STARRS.shtml">Pan-STARRS</a>), a series of cameras and telescopes based in Hawaii and specializing in the detection and tracking of near-Earth objects (NEOs). Researchers analyzed that data to calculate the asteroid’s trajectory and approximate size, estimating that the object is between 18-41 feet (5.5-12.5m) long.
The asteroid does not fit NASA’s criteria for “potentially hazardous asteroid,” and the object is small enough that it would almost certainly burn up in the atmosphere if it entered Earth’s gravity well. “Potentially hazardous asteroids” typically must measure at least 460 feet (140m) long and pass within 4.6 million miles (7.5 million km) of the Earth at some point in its orbit. NASA and its international colleagues track thousands of NEOs, although only a handful of the larger ones are considered potentially dangerous if their trajectories change.
According to NASA, “Only once every few million years, an object large enough to threaten Earth&#8217;s civilization comes along.”
In November of 2021, NASA launched a spacecraft called the Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART), which is expected to collide with the 525-foot-long Dimorphous Asteroid in Autumn of 2022. The impact should leave the asteroid intact, but may alter the course of its orbit, and the mission is meant to determine how effective future asteroid deflection efforts may be, should the need arise.
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-406065" src="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/2022NF_poster-300x203.jpg" alt="" width="613" height="415" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/07/2022NF_poster-300x203.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/07/2022NF_poster-851x576.jpg 851w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/07/2022NF_poster-768x520.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/07/2022NF_poster-1536x1040.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/07/2022NF_poster.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 613px) 100vw, 613px" /></div>
According to NASA’s small body database, 2022 NF will orbit the Sun once every 6 years.
The Virtual Telescope Project is live-streaming 2022 NF’s flyby of Earth throughout the day as a belated celebration of “Asteroid Day,” which took place a little over a week ago on June 30, and <a href="https://theskylive.com/2022nf-info">theskylive.com</a> is providing updates on its location in the sky throughout the day.

Asteroid Approaches Earth

Unexpected Asteroid Passing Really Close By Earth

Newly Discovered Asteroid Makes Close Pass By Earth

Asteroid

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/nasa">NASA&#8217;s</a> latest launch is designed as preparation for once again sending astronauts to the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/moon">Moon</a> in the years ahead.
The Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System Technology Operations and Navigation Experiment (CAPSTONE) CubeSat satellite took off from <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/new-zealand">New Zealand</a> on Tuesday. Though only the size of a microwave oven, the experiment is set to orbit the Moon and send vital information back to Earth.
“CAPSTONE is a pathfinder in many ways, and it will demonstrate several technology capabilities during its mission timeframe while navigating a never-before-flown orbit around the Moon,” <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/capstone-launches-to-test-new-orbit-for-nasa-s-artemis-moon-missions" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> Elwood Agasid, project manager for CAPSTONE at NASA&#8217;s Ames Research Center in California&#8217;s Silicon Valley. “CAPSTONE is laying a foundation for Artemis, Gateway, and commercial support for future lunar operations.”
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Rocket Lab and NASA have launched the Capstone spacecraft to the Moon! 🌑
The spacecraft is intended to to test a new orbit for NASA’s Artemis missions. <a href="https://t.co/VkHvR8gVQw">pic.twitter.com/VkHvR8gVQw</a>
&mdash; Everything Space (@totalspace360) <a href="https://twitter.com/totalspace360/status/1541813106912944128?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 28, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Bradley Cheetham, principal investigator for CAPSTONE and chief executive officer of Advanced Space, celebrated the successful launch in NASA&#8217;s statement. The company owns and operates CAPSTONE on behalf of NASA.
&#8220;Delivering the spacecraft for launch was an accomplishment for the entire mission team, including NASA and our industry partners. Our team is now preparing for separation and initial acquisition for the spacecraft in six days,&#8221; Cheetham said.
“We have already learned a tremendous amount getting to this point, and we are passionate about the importance of returning humans to the Moon, this time to stay!&#8221; he added.
The CubeSat&#8217;s orbit will be elongated at a precise balance point in the gravities of the Earth and the Moon, requiring minimal energy to run.
&#8220;CAPSTONE’s orbit also establishes a location that is an ideal staging area for missions to the Moon and beyond,&#8221; according to NASA&#8217;s <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/spacetech/small_spacecraft/capstone" target="_blank" rel="noopener">description</a> of the satellite.
&#8220;The orbit will bring CAPSTONE within 1,000 miles of one lunar pole on its near pass and 43,500 miles from the other pole at its peak every seven days, requiring less propulsion capability for spacecraft flying to and from the Moon’s surface,&#8221; compared to other circular orbits.
The CAPSTONE satellite is only one aspect of the exciting plans in development. A space station called <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/gateway" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gateway</a> is hoping to orbit the Moon for 15 years. The Gateway anticipates orbiting the Moon to offer essential support for a long-term human return to the lunar surface and to serve as a staging location for future space exploration.
The goal of sending humans back to the surface of the Moon has been a long-term research project by NASA. The last American astronaut to walk the lunar surface was Gener Cernan, known as the &#8220;last man on the Moon&#8221; for his 1972 Apollo 17 landing.
<a href="https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/news/890/who-has-walked-on-the-moon/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">According to</a> NASA Science, 24 American astronauts “made the trip from the Earth to the Moon” between 1968 and 1971. Of those, 10 remain alive today.
In 2021, NASA announced a partnership with Elon Musk&#8217;s SpaceX as part of its Artemis program to once again send astronauts to the Moon. The project&#8217;s <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/as-artemis-moves-forward-nasa-picks-spacex-to-land-next-americans-on-moon" target="_blank" rel="noopener">goals</a> also include landing the first woman on the Moon and the first person of color.

Latest NASA Launch Hopes To Prepare For Return Of Astronauts To Moon

A new scientific study on the planet of Jupiter claims it is our solar system&#8217;s largest planet in part due to eating other planets.
A new <a href="https://www.aanda.org/articles/aa/full_html/2022/06/aa43207-22/aa43207-22.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">study</a> published in Astronomy and Astrophysics is suggesting the theory that the giant gas planet is fillet with a number of baby planets.
&#8220;Jupiter was one of the first planets to form in our solar system,&#8221; Yamila Miguel, an astrophysicist at Leiden University in the Netherlands, <a href="https://www.livescience.com/jupiter-ate-baby-planets-while-growing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> Live Science. However, little is known about how it was formed.
In the new research article, images from NASA&#8217;s Juno space probe allowed the team members on the project to map out the rocky core of Jupiter. &#8220;The chemical make-up suggests Jupiter devoured baby planets, or planetesimals, to fuel its expansive growth,&#8221; according to Live Science.
Miguel also noted that Juno&#8217;s data allowed the researchers to gather the new data necessary to accurately measure Jupiter&#8217;s interior, which served as a critical aspect of the study.
&#8220;Juno provided very accurate gravity data that helped us to constrain the distribution of the material in Jupiter&#8217;s interior,&#8221; Miguel said. &#8220;It is very unique data that we can only get with a spacecraft orbiting around the planet.&#8221;
The view is among two major theories regarding how Jupiter collected its initial rocky core. One theory suggests the planet is composed of billions of smaller space rocks.
The other theory, supported in the new study, claims the planet&#8217;s core was formed by absorbing multiple &#8220;planetesimals&#8221; spanning several miles in size. The research concluded, &#8220;Our results imply that Jupiter continued to accrete heavy elements in large amounts while its hydrogen-helium envelope was growing, contrary to predictions based on the pebble-isolation mass in its simplest incarnation.&#8221;
The study hopes to provide a deeper understanding of Jupiter&#8217;s formation, as well as offer insights into how other planets beyond the red giant, such as Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune, developed.
Jupiter, at about 484 million miles from the Earth, remains an intriguing point of exploration. In addition to NASA&#8217;s Juno exploration, a growing emphasis on both Mars and Jupiter has become a focus of the emerging space industry.
The research regarding Jupiter has also continued to advance as the planet has been photographed and explored. Last July, NASA selected SpaceX to study whether Jupiter&#8217;s moon Europa has conditions that could potentially support life.
According to NASA’s <a href="https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/nasa-awards-launch-services-contract-for-the-europa-clipper-mission">Jet Propulsion Laboratory</a>, the mission will mark the first “detailed investigations” of the large Jupiter moon.
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NASA has selected Falcon Heavy to fly Europa Clipper! Launching in October 2024, this interplanetary mission will study whether Jupiter&#39;s icy moon Europa could have conditions suitable for life. <a href="https://t.co/KJt7Natn7i">https://t.co/KJt7Natn7i</a> <a href="https://t.co/sfcdrcKE77">pic.twitter.com/sfcdrcKE77</a>
&mdash; SpaceX (@SpaceX) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1418667693016711170?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 23, 2021</a></blockquote>
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The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nasa-gives-spacex-178-million-to-launch-jupiter-moon-expedition" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that according to <a href="https://www.spacex.com/vehicles/falcon-heavy/">SpaceX</a>, Falcon Heavy is “the most powerful operational rocket in the world by a factor of two.” It can lift payloads of nearly 141,000 pounds into orbit.
The vehicle’s core booster and two side boosters contain a combined twenty-seven Merlin engines, which can generate more than five million pounds of thrust at takeoff.

Jupiter

Scientists Believe Jupiter Is Huge Because It Ate Other Planets

Netherlands

<a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/spacex">SpaceX</a> employees circulated an open letter criticizing CEO <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/elon-musk">Elon Musk</a> for his “behavior in the public sphere.” Those employees now find themselves out of a job, according to a Friday report from <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/17/technology/spacex-employees-fired-musk-letter.html?searchResultPosition=1">The New York Times</a>.
“Elon’s behavior in the public sphere is a frequent source of distraction and embarrassment for us, particularly in recent weeks,” the letter, first obtained by <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2022/6/16/23170228/spacex-elon-musk-internal-open-letter-behavior">The Verge</a>, asserted. “As our CEO and most prominent spokesperson, Elon is seen as the face of SpaceX — every tweet that Elon sends is a de facto public statement by the company.”
The employees also said that “it is critical to make clear to our teams and to our potential talent pool that his messaging does not reflect our work, our mission, or our values,” exhorting SpaceX to “swiftly and explicitly separate itself from Elon’s personal brand.”
Those responsible for the Wednesday letter were fired by Thursday afternoon, the Times reported on the basis of three employees’ confirmation and an email obtained from SpaceX President and COO Gwynne Shotwell.
“The letter, solicitations and general process made employees feel uncomfortable, intimidated and bullied, and/or angry because the letter pressured them to sign onto something that did not reflect their views,” Shotwell wrote. “We have too much critical work to accomplish and no need for this kind of overreaching activism.”
The incident occurred weeks after a flight attendant accused Musk of exposing himself to her several years ago, touching her, and offering to buy her a horse in exchange for an erotic massage. Shotwell likewise <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/spacex-president-tells-employees-she-does-not-believe-elon-musk-sexual-misconduct-allegations">dismissed the allegations</a> to the company.
“Personally, I believe the allegations to be false; not because I work for Elon, but because I have worked closely with him for 20 years and never seen nor heard anything resembling these allegations,” Shotwell said.
The letter also came as Musk made headlines for announcing that he <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/elon-musk-tips-hat-toward-ron-desantis-to-be-next-president-of-the-united-states">cast his ballot</a> for Mayra Flores — a Mexican-American Republican congressional candidate who won a historically Democratic district in southern Texas — after earlier announcing that he would vote Republican in this year’s midterm elections. When asked online about who he was leaning toward supporting in the 2024 presidential election, Musk pointed to “DeSantis.”
Musk has been critical of other technology firms for their tendency toward radical progressivism. When Netflix shares plummeted earlier this year, Musk <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/get-woke-go-broke-elon-musk-says-woke-mind-virus-makes-netflix-unwatchable-as-shares-plummet-20">pinned the blame</a> on the “woke mind virus” and affirmed that it represents “the biggest threat” to civilization.
Musk is also in the midst of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/freedom-of-speech-and-freedom-of-reach-elon-musk-tells-twitter-employees-users-should-be-able-to-tweet-pretty-outrageous-things">purchasing Twitter</a> for $44 billion and taking it private. He told the social media giant’s employees in a Thursday meeting that users should be able to post “pretty outrageous things” as the platform prioritizes “freedom of speech,” but not necessarily “freedom of reach.”
Musk has frequently encouraged Silicon Valley — and the United States at large — to reaffirm a commitment to free expression.
“I also want to make Twitter better than ever by enhancing the product with new features, making the algorithms open source to increase trust, defeating the spam bots, and authenticating all humans,” Musk <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/elon-musk-torches-mainstream-institutions-for-extreme-antibody-reaction-to-free-speech">said</a> in April, noting that the “extreme antibody reaction from those who fear free speech says it all.”

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