Elon Musk's SpaceX successfully launched its Starship rocket in front of President-elect Donald Trump in Texas, but the mission faced a setback. The massive 400ft rocket, intended for future lunar and Mars missions, saw its first stage, Super Heavy, splash down in the Gulf of Mexico instead of landing on the launchpad. SpaceX called off the booster catch after four minutes, citing unmet criteria. Despite the failure, the sixth test flight demonstrated progress in reusable rocket technology, with NASA set to use Starship for its upcoming lunar missions, securing SpaceX over $4bn in funding.

SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket successfully launched the Indian Space Research Organisation's (ISRO) GSAT-20 satellite from Cape Canaveral on November 19, 2024. Weighing 4,700 kg, the GSAT-20 will enhance India's communication infrastructure, offering internet connectivity to remote areas and in-flight services. The satellite, also known as GSAT-N2, features 32 user beams and has a mission lifespan of 14 years. This launch marks the first-ever commercial collaboration between ISRO and SpaceX, as the GSAT-20's weight exceeded the capacity of ISRO’s own rockets, necessitating the partnership.

SpaceX will launch India’s GSAT-20 communications satellite next week, marking a groundbreaking collaboration with ISRO. The 4,700-kg satellite is too heavy for India’s rockets, prompting the choice of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 from Cape Canaveral, USA. Radhakrishnan Durairaj, NSIL Chairman, stated, “We got a good deal on this maiden launch with SpaceX.” Previously reliant on Arianespace, ISRO faced limited options due to global geopolitical constraints. The GSAT-20 will enhance internet connectivity, particularly in remote Indian regions. Estimated at $60-70 million, this deal underscores SpaceX’s global space leadership while fostering ties for future ventures, including sending an Indian astronaut to the ISS.

Indian-origin NASA astronaut Sunita Williams, currently commanding the International Space Station (ISS), addressed recent health rumors, assuring she maintains the same weight despite physical changes. After spending nearly 150 days in space, Williams’ "sunken" appearance led to speculation about rapid weight loss. She explained that fluid shifts in microgravity often alter astronauts' appearances, making heads seem larger. Williams described her workout routine, including treadmill, bike, and weightlifting exercises designed to support bone density. Williams, along with astronaut Barry Willmore, will return to Earth in February after NASA deemed their original Starliner capsule unsafe for reentry due to technical issues.

NASA has issued an alert for asteroid 99942 Apophis, known as the "God of Chaos," which will pass close to Earth on November 13 at about 19,000 miles (31,000 km) away. Although scientists assure a safe distance, Apophis’ proximity and immense size, comparable to the Empire State Building, have sparked global interest. If it were to strike, it could unleash energy equivalent to hundreds of nuclear bombs, causing massive destruction. Discovered in 2004, Apophis is classified as a near-Earth object (NEO) and continues to be closely tracked to understand potential risks and refine future planetary defense technologies.

A small asteroid, designated 2024 UQ, struck Earth on October 22, just hours after its detection by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) in Hawaii. Measuring only 3 feet in diameter, it disintegrated in the atmosphere over the Pacific Ocean, off California. The asteroid was the third "imminent impactor" of 2024, with impact monitoring systems failing to fully track its trajectory in time. While the event posed no significant threat, it highlights the need for continued advancements in early space surveillance and impact detection technology.

NASA astronaut Sunita Williams, initially set for an eight-day mission, has spent six months in space due to a Starliner malfunction. Her prolonged stay has sparked health concerns, with recent images showing weight loss and a gaunt appearance. Dr. Vinay Gupta, a Seattle-based pulmonologist, noted signs of calorie deficit and strain from space’s unique challenges. Despite NASA’s assurances of routine health monitoring, concerns linger as no immediate rescue is available until February, when a Dragon capsule is scheduled for retrieval. NASA’s spokesperson emphasized that Williams and fellow astronaut Barry Wilmore are closely monitored by flight surgeons.

As Americans vote in the 2024 elections, NASA has made arrangements for astronauts in space, including Indian-origin astronaut Sunita Williams, to participate remotely. Williams, along with fellow astronaut Butch Wilmore, is currently on the Boeing Starliner and is expected to return to Earth only in February. NASA’s voting-from-space initiative ensures that these astronauts can fulfill their civic duty despite their location. Williams expressed her excitement about voting from space, emphasizing the importance of this right as a citizen.

NASA's 47-year-old Voyager 1 spacecraft, currently 15 billion miles away in interstellar space, experienced a brief communication interruption on October 16. Engineers at Jet Propulsion Laboratory re-established contact on October 24 using a radio transmitter last used in 1981. The outage occurred when Voyager 1's fault protection system switched to a lower-power transmitter. Signals take 23 hours to travel between Earth and the spacecraft. Investigation revealed the system's automatic power-down triggered the shutdown. Successful reconnection ensures continued transmission of vital data from the historic spacecraft.

India's space agency, ISRO, has launched its first analog space mission in Leh, Ladakh, to study the challenges of extraterrestrial conditions. The mission includes a compact, inflatable habitat named Hab-1, simulating life in an interplanetary habitat to tackle challenges of a base station beyond Earth. This groundbreaking project, developed in collaboration with ISRO's Human Spaceflight Centre, the University of Ladakh, IIT Bombay, and Aaka Space Studio, will help understand challenges future astronauts may face on missions beyond Earth. Key objectives include testing human endurance, advanced habitat designs, biometric data collection, and life support systems.