The United States embassy in India has issued a new advisory urging all visa applicants to strictly adhere to the updated appointment dates communicated through recent rescheduling emails. The mission clarified that individuals who arrive on their previously scheduled dates will not be granted entry into any embassy or consulate facility. The reminder follows a series of appointment modifications across multiple visa categories prompted by internal adjustments to scheduling systems, and aims

Russia has launched 75 mice aboard its Bion-M No.2 biosatellite for a month-long mission in low-Earth orbit, making a significant step in advancing our understanding of how spaceflight affects living organisms. The mission, which took place on August 20, 2025, is a pivotal research experiment aimed at gathering critical data that will aid in the preparation for human space missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond. The

James Lovell, the iconic Apollo 13 commander whose leadership and quick thinking turned a near-disaster into one of NASA’s greatest examples of problem-solving, has died at the age of 97. He passed away on Thursday in Lake Forest, Illinois, as confirmed by NASA in an official statement on Friday. Lovell’s remarkable career in space exploration spanned some of the most pivotal missions in the early years of the United States space program, and his a

India is preparing for a historic milestone as Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, a highly accomplished pilot of the Indian Air Force, readies himself to become the second Indian ever to venture into space. Slated for launch on June 10 aboard the Axiom-4 mission, his journey to the International Space Station (ISS) comes nearly 41 years after Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma made his mark in 1984. As the designated mission pilot, Shukla will fly aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9 Crew Drago

Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, the two American astronauts who spent an unexpected nine months aboard the International Space Station following issues with Boeing's Starliner capsule, are gradually transitioning back to life on Earth. After their return in March, the duo has been undergoing a rigorous rehabilitation phase to recover from the physical toll of extended microgravity exposure. Now, they’re emerging stronger, participating in post-mission responsibilities with both N

The streets of San Francisco’s Mission District came alive with vibrant colors, rhythmic beats, and joyful energy as thousands of people gathered to celebrate the 47th annual Carnaval San Francisco. This two-day cultural celebration transformed the neighborhood into a living mosaic of heritage and community, as dancers, musicians, families, and visitors joined together for one of the city’s most iconic events. With the theme “Afro Mundo,” the 2025 edition of the festival

 Detailed new images of the sun, taken in early December by the Inouye Solar Telescope, reveal complex sunspot activity during the current solar maximum, a phase in the sun's 11-year cycle when magnetic activity peaks. These dark sunspots mark regions where intense magnetic disturbances occur, often triggering solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs)—massive eruptions of ionized gas, or plasma, from the sun's outer atmosphere. Such events can significantly impact Earth&#

In a spectacular display of cosmic alignment, NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) captured rare and stunning images of a solar eclipse visible only from space. This event, known as a "lunar transit," took place on Sunday, April 27, 2025. Unlike solar eclipses witnessed from Earth, this particular event was not visible to ground-based observers. The moon passed between the SDO and the sun, covering approximately 23% of the sun’s surface, creating a dramatic yet serene

Eid-ul-Fitr is one of the most significant festivals for Muslims across the globe. It marks the end of Ramadan, a month of fasting, prayer, and reflection. The festival is celebrated on the first day of Shawwal, the tenth month of the Islamic calendar (Hijri), and its exact date depends on the sighting of the crescent moon.   Eid-ul-Fitr 2025 Date in India In India, Eid-ul-Fitr is likely to be observed either on March 30 (Sunday) or March 31

NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry "Butch" Wilmore have returned safely to Earth after spending over nine months aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Their mission, originally scheduled for just eight days, extended unexpectedly due to technical issues, subjecting them to prolonged exposure to microgravity and other space-related conditions. The Crew-9 capsule successfully splashed down near the coast of Florida, USA, concluding their extended stay. The mission, whic

NASA has confirmed that astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, who have been stranded aboard the International Space Station (ISS) for over nine months, are finally set to return to Earth. The two astronauts initially embarked on a 10-day mission but remained in space far longer than planned due to propulsion malfunctions in their Boeing Starliner spacecraft. The much-anticipated return journey will now be carried out using the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft, which successfully docked a

The much-awaited Blood Moon graced the skies across several regions in the Americas, Western Europe, and Africa as skywatchers witnessed a mesmerizing total lunar eclipse. Enthusiasts on X (formerly Twitter) shared breathtaking photographs that showcased the Moon’s stunning transformation into a deep red shade, capturing this rare celestial event beautifully. The Moon’s red appearance occurred during the totality phase of the eclipse, a result of Rayleigh scattering. In this optic

Washington, DC: After an unexpected 10-month extended mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS), NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore are finally set to return to Earth. NASA officials have confirmed that the duo will be brought back as early as March 16 aboard SpaceX’s Crew-9 spacecraft following the successful launch of Crew-10 this week.   Delayed Return After Boeing Starliner Malfunction Williams and Wilmore

India’s Chandrayaan-3 mission has made groundbreaking discoveries about the presence of lunar ice, indicating that frozen water deposits may be more abundant and accessible than previously believed.The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully landed Chandrayaan-3 near the Moon's South Pole on August 23, 2023, marking a significant achievement in lunar exploration. New data from the mission has provided crucial insights into temperature variations that affect ice format

Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost lunar lander is on track to achieve a historic landing on the Moon, marking a significant milestone in NASA’s lunar exploration efforts. As part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program, Blue Ghost will play a key role in gathering scientific data to support future lunar missions under the Artemis program.The spacecraft has been steadily lowering its orbit around the Moon, performing a crucial engine burn to reduce its altitud

On the eve of Republic Day, Wing Commander Akshay Saxena of the Indian Air Force was conferred the Vayu Sena Medal (Gallantry) for his remarkable leadership and courage during a high-stakes mission off the Somali coast. The operation, which took place on March 16, 2024, involved rescuing 17 crew members from the MV Ruen, a merchant ship that had been seized by pirates. The pirates had previously attacked merchant vessels in the Arabian Sea and even fired at the Indian Navy’s INS Kolkata

ISRO's Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) has successfully completed the integration of the liquid propulsion system for the Crew Module of Gaganyaan, India's first human spaceflight mission. On January 21, 2025, ISRO dispatched the Crew Module to the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota for further processing and integration. This uncrewed mission, known as Gaganyaan (G1), is a crucial step in ISRO's efforts to acquire human spaceflight capabilities. The Crew

A groundbreaking new theory suggests that Pluto's moon Charon may have been captured in a "kiss and capture" scenario billions of years ago, offering a fresh perspective on the formation of planetary systems. Led by NASA postdoctoral fellow Adeene Denton at the U of A Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, this study challenges long-standing models of moon formation. Instead of the traditional collision model, the researchers propose that Pluto and Charon had a brief, icy encounter, wh

Tonight, skywatchers will be treated to a rare and exciting astronomical event: a black moon, which is the second new moon to occur in December. While blue moons, or two full moons in a month, are relatively well-known, black moons are much rarer and are often misunderstood. A black moon occurs when the second new moon of the month takes place, and the new moon’s natural invisibility is further enhanced. As a result, this phenomenon makes it difficult to spot with the naked eye, but it

NASA has announced delays to its Artemis program, which aims to return humans to the Moon. The first crewed lunar mission, Artemis 2, will now take place in April 2026, pushed back from its original launch window in September 2025. The second mission, Artemis 3, which seeks to land astronauts on the Moon for the first time in over 50 years, has been rescheduled from late 2026 to mid-2027. The delays, revealed on December 5, are attributed to technical issues discovered during the Ar