NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, stranded aboard the International Space Station (ISS) for eight months, will return to Earth on March 19, 2025. They were initially launched in June 2024 but faced delays due to spacecraft issues. The Crew-10 mission, launching on March 12, will replace them and facilitate their return after a week-long handover. Former US President Donald Trump had urged SpaceX to help, leading to a partnership with NASA. SpaceX's Crew Dragon capsule will bring Williams and Wilmore home, showcasing their resilient collaboration in spaceflight.

NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, who were originally meant to stay only 8-10 days in space, have been stuck for over eight months following their flight aboard Boeing's Starliner. The mission got postponed, and the astronauts were in a dilemma. In a recent twist, NASA announced that they would be flying back to Earth aboard a previously flown SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule as part of the Crew-10 mission to the ISS. This is a significant switch, as the Crew Dragon would be utilized to bring back the astronauts after their extended stay in space.  

NASA has activated emergency measures as asteroid 2024 YRF’s chance of hitting Earth on December 22, 2032, rises to 2.3%. Estimated between 40-90 meters wide, the asteroid could unleash energy equivalent to 15 megatons of TNT. The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) will conduct observations in March and May to refine its trajectory and impact risk. The International Asteroid Warning Network (IAWN) warns of “severe blast damage” in a potential collision. Scientists are assessing planetary defense options, including deflection strategies. The asteroid was first spotted by NASA’s ATLAS station in Chile last December.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit the ITER nuclear fusion project in Cadarache, France, on Wednesday. India has invested ₹17,500 crore, contributing 10% of the project’s ₹2 lakh crore cost. The world's largest cryostat, a key reactor component, was ‘Made in India’ by Larsen & Toubro. ITER, involving the US, Russia, China, and others, aims to generate 100% clean energy by replicating the Sun’s fusion process. However, India lags in staffing, with only 25-30 engineers instead of the allowed 100. Experts urge policy reforms to maximize India’s scientific gains from this historic collaboration. Operations are set for 2035.

The probability of asteroid 2024 YR4 striking Earth in 2032 has risen to 1 in 43, according to NASA’s Center for Near-Earth Object Studies. The 196-foot-wide asteroid was first discovered in December 2024. Renowned asteroid hunter David Rankin precovered it using Catalina Sky Survey data. Initially, the impact probability was 1 in 83, but the latest calculation suggests a 2.3% chance of a strike. Rankin, however, reassured that there remains a 97.7% chance of a miss. Scientists expect further observations to refine predictions, potentially lowering the risk. Experts emphasize continued monitoring but advise against panic.

ISRO's 100th rocket mission, launched on Wednesday, faced a technical glitch. The NVS-02 satellite, which was to be placed in a geostationary orbit, encountered an issue when the thruster valves failed to open for orbit raising. As a result, the satellite remains in an elliptical orbit, and its designated tasks may be delayed or abandoned. ISRO is working on alternative strategies for the satellite’s use. The NVS-02 is part of India’s NavIC system, which provides regional GPS services. This glitch follows a series of previous challenges faced by other NavIC satellites.

Astronaut Sunita Williams, after spending 7 months aboard the International Space Station (ISS), is struggling to walk upon returning to Earth. Originally set for a short mission, Williams and Butch Wilmore were stranded due to safety concerns with the Starliner spacecraft. “I’ve been trying to remember what it’s like to walk,” she admitted, highlighting the toll of prolonged weightlessness. NASA is now facing tough questions about astronaut health as it prepares for deep-space missions. SpaceX Crew-10 is scheduled to replace them in March or April, underscoring the complexities of space travel.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) achieved a historic milestone by successfully docking SpaDeX satellites SDX01 (Chaser) and SDX02 (Target) in space, positioning India among elite nations with docking technology. Conducted on January 16, 2025, the autonomous docking demonstrates ISRO’s advanced engineering. Launched on December 30, 2024, the satellites performed precise maneuvers from a 475-km orbit, closing a 1.5-km gap to dock within 3 meters. This breakthrough paves the way for Chandrayaan-4 and Gaganyaan missions and highlights India’s growing space ambitions, including the Bharatiya Antariksh Station.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched two lunar landers from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Wednesday. The mission includes Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost rover and Japan’s ispace's Resilience lander, both part of a rideshare program. Firefly’s rover will study the Moon’s magnetic field and collect samples, while ispace’s lander will deploy a rover and scoop up lunar regolith. NASA is backing this commercial endeavor, marking a significant step in private lunar exploration. Firefly’s rover is expected to reach the Moon in 45 days, while ispace’s lander will take up to five months.

Dr. S. Somanath, ISRO chairman, has stepped down, leaving a legacy of extraordinary accomplishments, including Chandrayaan-3’s historic Moon landing and Aditya-L1’s solar mission launch. Despite battling cancer during critical mission phases, Somanath’s leadership ensured India’s space exploration prominence. His tenure also advanced the Gaganyaan program for human spaceflight and innovative projects like the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle. Dr. V. Narayanan, ISRO’s new chief, plans ambitious missions like Chandrayaan-4, a space station by 2028, and navigation satellites. Narayanan’s extensive experience promises to uphold ISRO’s innovative streak and international collaboration, heralding a new era in India’s space exploration.