A team of astronauts, led by billionaire commander Jared Isaacman, is preparing for the first privately funded spacewalk in SpaceX's Polaris Dawn mission. The mission, considered highly risky, involves a spacewalk in orbit and is part of a broader effort to push the boundaries of private space exploration. Final checks are underway as the crew prepares for this groundbreaking event. Polaris Dawn aims to set new milestones in space exploration, with live updates available to follow the mission's progress in real-time. This marks another significant step for SpaceX and private space ventures.

The crew of the privately-funded Polaris Dawn mission is set to attempt the first spacewalk by non-professional astronauts today. Commander Jared Isaacman and a crewmate will exit the SpaceX Dragon capsule, more than 400 miles above Earth, for several minutes in space. Unlike professional astronauts, the crew lacks traditional training and will be using an experimental spacesuit. Notably, the spacewalk will be conducted without the safety of an airlock, a first since the early days of space exploration. Despite the risks, Isaacman, who is also funding the mission, stated the mission's challenges are "worth it."

India’s Chandrayaan-3 mission has recorded over 250 seismic signals on the Moon’s south polar region, including 50 unexplained signals potentially linked to Moonquakes. This marks the first seismic data collection from this area since the Apollo missions. The Instrument for Lunar Seismic Activity (ILSA) aboard the Vikram lander detected these signals, with 200 correlating to the rover's movement and 50 categorized as ‘uncorrelated events.’ The findings, published in the journal ICARUS, provide new insights into lunar seismic activity and highlight the need for further research to understand these unexplained events.

NASA astronaut Sunita Williams, currently aboard the International Space Station (ISS), will celebrate her 59th birthday on September 19. Due to technical issues with the Boeing Starliner spacecraft, Williams, who has been in space since June 6 with Barry Wilmore, will mark her birthday in orbit for the second time. Williams first celebrated a birthday in space during Expedition 32/33 in 2012. Set to return to Earth in February 2025 via SpaceX’s Dragon Crew capsule, she has accumulated 322 days in space. NASA has configured the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft as an emergency return option.

SpaceX's Polaris Dawn mission has launched, sending four civilians, including SpaceX engineers and billionaire Jared Isaacman, on a historic journey. The crew aims to break records by flying higher than NASA's 1966 Gemini 11 mission and conducting the first-ever commercial spacewalk. The mission, which took off from Kennedy Space Center, is also significant as the crew will explore the hazardous Van Allen radiation belts and test the limits of human space exploration. SpaceX's reusable Falcon 9 rocket was used for the mission, with the crew scheduled to spend five days in orbit before returning to Earth.

Nasa astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore are set to address the public for the first time since the empty return of the Boeing Starliner spacecraft, September 13 from the International Space Station (ISS). Their mission took an unexpected turn when technical issues forced the early return of the Boeing Starliner spacecraft, leaving them to extend their stay on the ISS until February 2025. The news conference will provide a unique opportunity to hear about their experiences and challenges during their extended time in space. Williams and Wilmore will share insights into their daily life and work on the ISS.

Boeing's Starliner has made history as the first spacecraft to launch with crew and return to Earth without them. The spacecraft, part of NASA's Commercial Crew Program, launched on June 5, 2024, with astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore. After docking with the ISS, technical issues, including helium leaks and thruster problems, led NASA to bring Starliner back uncrewed. The spacecraft landed at White Sands, New Mexico, on September 7, 2024. Williams and Wilmore will stay aboard the ISS and return on a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft. The mission underscores the challenges in human spaceflight.

Boeing's Starliner space capsule landed safely in New Mexico on Saturday after undocking from the International Space Station (ISS). The capsule returned without NASA test pilots Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, who will remain on the ISS until February. Technical issues, including thruster failures and helium leaks, prevented the astronauts from returning in the capsule. Despite the challenges, the Starliner completed its six-hour return journey successfully, landing at White Sands Space Harbour. 

Scientists have discovered 1,700 ancient virus species, including 1,200 previously unknown, in melting glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau. The viruses, frozen for 41,000 years, were found in ice cores from the Guliya Glacier. Researchers aim to understand how these ancient viruses adapted to past climate changes, hoping to predict how modern viruses may respond to ongoing environmental shifts. The study, published in Nature Geoscience, provides insights into the connection between viruses and climate change, shedding light on potential impacts on modern viruses.

The Boeing Starliner capsule departed the International Space Station (ISS) on Friday, heading back to Earth without its crew after facing safety issues. NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, initially set to be on board, stayed behind at the ISS, where they will remain until next year. The capsule undocked smoothly, with springs gently pushing it away from the station. The return flight to Earth is expected to take six hours, with a nighttime landing in the New Mexico desert. Before departure, Williams wished Boeing’s Mission Control good luck. This marks another significant step for Boeing's troubled Starliner program.