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HYDRO, Okla. — It’s apt that a maze cut into an Oklahoma cornfield featuring the likeness of a former NASA astronaut can be seen from space — and has been photographed by a satellite orbiting Earth. The image of Oklahoma-born Thomas P. Stafford is cut into a 10-acre field at P Bar Farms in Hydro, about 60 miles west of Oklahoma City. The maze was created in partnership with the Stafford Air and Space Museum, named for the astronaut, in nearby Weatherford. A satellite photographed the tribute from its orbit 400 miles away.

The display comes weeks after the country announced an ambitious timeline to launch its first crewed mission by 2022 in time to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the country's independence. The human-spaceflight program is called Gaganyaan and will build on the legacy of India's first astronaut, Rakesh Sharma, who flew in 1984. But this time, India is developing every aspect of the program, which means tackling problems like spacesuit design. The spacesuits, which have been in the works for two years, are each equipped with an oxygen cylinder that can support an astronaut for an hour, local reports added. The...

Next time you want an astronaut to comment on the new Space Force, why don't you try a Republican, Martha McCallum? Do you expect Gabbi Giffords’ brother-in-law to be supportive of anything Trump??

June 3, 2018 — A Russian spacecraft carrying three crew members home from a five month stay on the International Space Station returned to Earth on Sunday (June 3). Russian cosmonaut Anton Shkaplerov, Norishige "Neemo" Kanai of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and astronaut Scott "Maker" Tingle of NASA touched down aboard Russia's Soyuz MS-07 spacecraft on the steppe of Kazakhstan. Descending under a parachute, the gumdrop-shape capsule was further slowed by braking thrusters and landed southeast of the town of Dzhezkazgan at 8:39 a.m. EDT (1239 GMT or 6:39 p.m. local Kazakh time). "That was a good ride!"...

An inspiration and idol to countless girls, Kalpana Chawla was the first Indian woman to fly in space. Born on 17 March 1962, in Karnal, Haryana. She acquired her Bachelor of Engineering degree in Aeronautical Engineering from Punjab Engineering College in Chandigarh in 1982. After completing her graduation in Engineering, she moved from India to the US in 1982 and made her first space trip aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia in 1997. During her first space mission, she also spoke to the then Prime Minister of India Inderjit K Gujral from the orbit. Chawla's second space trip in 2003 ended...

“Scott’s telomeres (endcaps of chromosomes that shorten as one ages) actually became significantly longer in space,” NASA researchers wrote in a statement. The space agency added that Kelly had hundreds of “space genes” activated by the year-long flight which reportedly altered the astronaut’s “immune system, DNA repair, bone formation networks, hypoxia, and hypercapnia.” While Scott Kelly’s height and 93 percent of his DNA returned to normal after returning to Earth, NASA confirmed that seven percent of his genes have remained changed and may stay that way. “This is thought to be from the stresses of space travel, which can cause...

(Reuters) - Veteran U.S. astronaut John Young, who walked on the moon and even smuggled a corned beef sandwich into orbit during one of his six missions in space, has died at age 87, NASA said on Saturday.

NASA's record-breaking astronaut Peggy Whitson returned home on the Soyuz from an extended 288-day mission to the International Space Station (ISS). During her stay, she set a new record for the most cumulative time in space by an American with 665 days accrued. Her crewmates, NASA astronaut Jack Fischer and Russian cosmonaut Fyodor Yurchikhin both spent 136 days aboard the orbiting laboratory. Landing occuured at 9:21 p.m. EDT (0121 Sept. 3 GMT), though it was Sunday morning local time at the touchdown site. ... They successfully touched down on target in a remote area near the town of Dzhezkazgan, Kazakhstan....

NASA Astronaut Peggy Whitson set the endurance record for time in space by a U.S, astronaut today, Monday, April 24, during her current stint of living and working aboard the International Space Station (ISS) along with her multinational crew of five astronauts and cosmonauts. Furthermore Whitson received a long distance phone call of exuberant congratulations from President Donald Trump, First Daughter Ivanka Trump, and fellow astronaut Kate Rubins direct from the Oval Office in the White House to celebrate the momentous occasion. “This is a very special day in the glorious history of American spaceflight!” said President Trump during the...

Joann Davis had a moon rock. Yes, it was real. A gift, she said, from Neil Armstrong to her late husband. She also had an ill son and the Lake Elsinore resident wanted to help with his medical care. So she contacted NASA about her intention to sell it. That led to a nightmare situation on May 19, 2011, when Davis stood in the parking lot of a Denny’s restaurant in pants soaked in urine, answering questions from a federal agent about a rice-sized piece of moon. “He kept saying, ‘You will be going to federal court, you will be...

"...America's challenge of today has forged man's destiny of tomorrow," Cernan said. "And, as we leave the Moon at Taurus- Littrow, we leave as we came and, God willing, as we shall return, with peace and hope for all mankind. Godspeed the crew of Apollo 17."

FULL TITLE: Farewell to a hero: Former astronaut John Glenn - the first American man to orbit the earth - dies aged 95 Former senator John Glenn, a war hero who went on to become the first American astronaut to orbit the Earth, has passed away at the age of 95. Glenn passed away on Thursday afternoon surrounded by family at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus, over a week after he was first hospitalized for an unknown illness. Glenn is survived by his wife of 73 years, Annie; his son John Glenn Jr.; his daughter Carolyn;...

Fox News just announcing.

Whitson will be celebrating her 57th birthday aboard the ISS in February 2017. On completion of her 179-day stint aboard the ISS, she will rewrite several space record books. She is already the oldest woman to orbit the earth. She will hold the record as the woman with the most time in space. She will also become the American astronaut with the most time in space, 556 days, beating the existing record, 534 days, of astronaut Jeff Williams. Among the other crew members, the 45-year-old Novitskiy is on his second flight into space, having already spent 144 days on an...

BE A MARTIAN! Mars needs YOU! In the future, Mars will need all kinds of explorers, farmers, surveyors, teachers . . . but most of all YOU! Join us on the Journey to Mars as we explore with robots and send humans there one day.

A former NASA astronaut suspected of drunken driving was charged with the murders of two young girls killed in a crash early Monday. Enlarge James Halsell Jr., 59, of Huntsville was charged with the murders of two young girls killed in a crash early Monday. Alabama State Troopers arrested James Halsell Jr., 59, after a preliminary investigation of the two-vehicle crash. Naomi Deona James, 13, and Jayla Latrice Parler, 11, were killed, said Alabama Law Enforcement Agency spokesman Senior Trooper Reginal King. Brent Mayor Dennis Stripling said that the girls live in Texas. He had picked them up and was...

Nigerian astronaut lost in space needs $3m to get home - could be a scam The Anorak Inbox features this plea: Nigerian Astronaut is lost in space needs $3Million to come home ... Subject: Nigerian Astronaut Wants To Come Home Dr. Bakare Tunde Astronautics Project Manager National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) Plot 555 Misau Street PMB 437 Garki, Abuja, FCT NIGERIA Dear Mr. Sir, REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE-STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL I am Dr. Bakare Tunde, the cousin of Nigerian Astronaut, Air Force Major Abacha Tunde. He was the first African in space when he made a secret flight to the...

Never let a day go by without learning something new if you can. For instance, I glanced through the news this morning and discovered something amazing: Hillary Clinton wanted to be an astronaut. This came as a bit of a shock, because from all the previous reporting I’d noticed regarding the presumptive Democrat nominee’s childhood dreams, I thought she wanted to be a Marine. (Before The Man crushed her hopes and dreams because she was a girl, that is.) But as it turns out, before she longed to storm the beaches at Iwo Jima, the future First Lady wanted to...

It’s been four years since NASA put out a recruitment call for more astronauts, but on Wednesday the U.S. space agency said it would be hiring again soon. A two-month application period opens Dec. 14. The agency hired just eight astronaut candidates during its last recruitment. Applicants who didn’t make the cut were in good company – nearly 6,400 people applied for the job. NASA currently has 47 astronauts available for flight assignments – less than one-third the size of the corps in 1999 at the peak of the shuttle program. Typically, crews of six or seven flew on the...