Published: September 23, 2025, 14:00 EDT

NASA has announced its newest group of astronauts, selecting 10 scientists, engineers, and pilots from a pool of more than 8,000 applicants. This elite team, the 24th class since the original Mercury Seven in 1959, represents a historic milestone with more women than men for the first time. These astronauts will support upcoming missions to the Moon under the Artemis program and potentially to Mars in the future.

A Historic Astronaut Selection

The newly chosen class includes six women and four men, reflecting growing gender diversity in the U.S. astronaut corps. Among them are a geologist with experience on NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover and an engineer who previously flew aboard a SpaceX mission, which included the world’s first private spacewalk last year.

NASA Acting Administrator Sean Duffy highlighted the significance of this selection during a Monday ceremony at the Johnson Space Center in Houston. “You are America’s best and brightest, and we’re going to need America’s best and brightest because we have a bold exploration plan for the future,” Duffy said. He emphasized that the United States aims to lead the second lunar race and eventually land astronauts on Mars.

Training and Preparation

The new astronauts will undergo two years of rigorous training before becoming eligible for spaceflight. This preparation includes technical simulations, spacewalk practice, robotics operation, and survival training.

Norm Knight, NASA’s flight operations director, described the competition as “stiff” and praised the class for its outstanding qualifications. “These astronauts are distinguished and exceptional,” Knight said, noting the group’s diverse expertise, which includes military pilots, engineers, and a medical doctor.

Personal Stories of Selection

Several members of the class shared their reactions to the life-changing news. Air Force Maj. Adam Fuhrmann received his acceptance call during rush hour traffic and immediately pulled over to ensure he heard correctly. Another Air Force pilot, Maj. Cameron Jones, learned of his selection just after moving across the country.

Navy Lt. Cmdr. Erin Overcash was at home when she received her call. “No way. I mean, I mean, yes, of course. But like no way,” she said. She noted that her experience living on a ship with thousands of crew members will help her adapt to the challenges of spaceflight.

Experienced Astronauts Among the New Class

Anna Menon, who flew with billionaire Jared Isaacman on a SpaceX mission last September, becomes the first NASA astronaut candidate in history to have already reached orbit. Her husband, a former SpaceX flight surgeon, was also selected in NASA’s previous class.

Lauren Edgar, a geologist with the U.S. Geological Survey, contributed to the Curiosity rover mission on Mars and has joined the Artemis program’s lunar science team. “I am so excited to be officially part of the NASA family,” Edgar said, highlighting the team’s enthusiasm for future exploration.

NASA’s Ongoing Mission and Future Goals

NASA has selected only 370 individuals as astronauts over more than six decades, making the corps a highly exclusive group. The new additions will join 41 active U.S. astronauts currently serving.

The class comes at a pivotal moment for the U.S. space program, as NASA prepares for Artemis missions aimed at returning humans to the Moon by 2027 at the earliest. These astronauts will play key roles in testing new technologies, conducting scientific experiments, and preparing for eventual human missions to Mars.

Promoting Diversity and Expertise

The selection of more women than men for the first time underscores NASA’s efforts to foster diversity in its astronaut program. With backgrounds ranging from spaceflight engineering to geoscience and military aviation, the new class embodies a wide array of skills necessary for long-duration missions in deep space.

This historic astronaut class represents both the culmination of years of rigorous selection and the promise of America’s next generation of space explorers.

Source: AP News – NASA introduces its newest astronauts: 10 chosen from more than 8,000 applicants

The post NASA Welcomes New Astronaut Class for Moon and Mars Missions appeared first on Journos News - Breaking News, World News, Top Stories, Todays Headlines and Flash Reports.

NASA’s Curiosity rover has stumbled upon something unexpected—and possibly game-changing—on Mars: mysterious “boxwork” patterns etched into the Martian surface, deep inside a region called Gale Crater. These strange geometric ridges may hold clues to how water once moved beneath the Red Planet’s surface—and why it eventually vanished.

And here’s the kicker: scientists have never seen anything quite like this on Mars before.

A Closer Look at the “Boxwork” Puzzle

The rover recently reached an area on Mount Sharp, a towering 3-mile-high peak Curiosity has been slowly climbing since 2014. There, it found crisscrossing ridges—some just a few inches tall—forming what geologists call boxwork patterns. These formations, carved into the Martian bedrock, are believed to have been created billions of years ago, when water still flowed beneath the planet’s surface.

Here’s how scientists think it happened:

• Groundwater slowly trickled through cracks in the rock.
• As the water moved, it left behind minerals, which filled the cracks and hardened.
• Over time, Martian wind eroded the softer surrounding rock, leaving behind a stubborn, fossil-like network of mineral ridges.

NASA says these hardened ridges have stood the test of time thanks to what it poetically calls “eons of sandblasting” from windstorms.

A Discovery Unlike Anything Else on Mount Sharp

Curiosity has seen many formations during its journey, but scientists say these particular patterns are unusual—not just for their appearance, but because they’ve only been found in this specific spot.

“A big mystery is why the ridges were hardened into these big patterns and why only here,” said Ashwin Vasavada, Curiosity’s project scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

So far, no orbiting spacecraft and no previous rover stops have captured anything similar elsewhere on the mountain.

Time Travel Through Mars’ Climate History

What makes this discovery even more intriguing is where the rover is currently exploring—a layer of rock rich in magnesium sulfates, a salty mineral that typically forms as water evaporates.

This region represents a transitional period in Mars’ ancient climate, when the planet was slowly drying out. Yet, the boxwork ridges suggest that even during this drying phase, underground water was still present—and reshaping the landscape.

NASA notes that these layered rocks essentially serve as a Martian timeline, allowing scientists to “travel through time” as the rover ascends from older to younger rock formations.

A Surprising Comeback of Salty Veins

Another clue is giving scientists reason to pause: veins of calcium sulfate, a salt left behind by groundwater, are making a return in the bedrock.

“These calcium sulfate veins used to be everywhere, but they more or less disappeared as we climbed higher up Mount Sharp,” said Abigail Fraeman, Curiosity’s deputy project scientist. “The team is excited to figure out why they’ve returned now.”

Until now, these mineral veins hadn’t been seen in sulfate-rich layers—making their reappearance a tantalizing mystery.

A Mission That Keeps Delivering

Launched in 2011 and landing on Mars in 2012, Curiosity’s mission has been nothing short of historic. From the very beginning, its goal has been to find out whether Mars ever had the right conditions to support life.

And early on, it did just that—uncovering chemical and mineral evidence of ancient, potentially habitable environments. Now, over a decade later, the rover is still unearthing new surprises, raising fresh questions, and giving us a better picture of what Mars may have once looked like: a planet shaped by rivers, lakes, and maybe even oceans.

As Curiosity continues its slow climb up Mount Sharp, one thing is certain: Mars isn’t done telling its story.

Source: FOX News – NASA’s Curiosity rover discovers unusual ‘boxwork’ patterns on Mars linked to ancient waterways

The post NASA’s Curiosity Rover Discovers Strange ‘Boxwork’ Patterns on Mars appeared first on Journos News - Breaking News, World News, Top Stories, Todays Headlines and Flash Reports.

SpaceX fired up its massive Starship rocket for the ninth time Tuesday evening, hoping to build on recent progress after two explosive demo flights. But despite a powerful launch, the mission fell short when the spacecraft tumbled out of control and broke apart before completing its main objectives.

The 403-foot (123-meter) Starship blasted off from SpaceX’s Starbase launch facility in southern Texas — a community that recently voted to officially become a city. The launch marked the first time SpaceX flew a Starship with a recycled booster, pushing the hardware to its limits.

What Went Wrong?

SpaceX aimed to release a series of mock satellites after liftoff, but the plan hit a snag when the spacecraft’s cargo door failed to open fully. Soon after, the rocket began spinning uncontrollably as it ascended, eventually heading toward an unplanned, uncontrolled splashdown in the Indian Ocean.

SpaceX confirmed the spacecraft suffered a “rapid unscheduled disassembly” — a polite way of saying it broke apart mid-flight. The company said it will analyze flight data and work toward improving the next test.

Elon Musk Sees Progress Amid Setbacks

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk acknowledged on X (formerly Twitter) that this flight was a “big improvement” over the previous two, which ended in fiery crashes over the Atlantic. He pledged to ramp up the testing pace, with Starship launches planned every three to four weeks for the next several flights.

Unlike previous attempts, SpaceX did not try to catch the booster upon return with its giant mechanical arms—sometimes called “chopsticks.” Instead, the booster was allowed to crash into the Gulf of Mexico in pieces after losing communication mid-flight. Meanwhile, the main Starship continued on its unstable trajectory.

Technical Challenges and What’s Next

Fuel leaks apparently caused the spacecraft’s loss of control. SpaceX flight commentator Dan Huot admitted, “Not looking great with a lot of our on-orbit objectives for today,” referring to the failure to test the spacecraft’s heat shield during a controlled reentry.

Communication with the rocket ended shortly before it crashed, and SpaceX ended its live webcast soon after.

Background and Bigger Picture

This launch follows two previous Starship demo flights earlier this year, both of which failed minutes after liftoff, sending wreckage raining down in the Caribbean. Thankfully, no injuries or serious damage were reported, though airline traffic was disrupted.

The Federal Aviation Administration recently gave SpaceX clearance for this flight, expanding the safety hazard zone and scheduling launches outside peak air traffic times.

In preparation for future missions, SpaceX modified the spacecraft’s thermal protection tiles and installed catch fittings designed to enable future recovery of Starships back on the launch pad—similar to how they recover boosters.

Why It Matters: NASA and the Moon Mission

Starship is the largest and most powerful rocket ever built, and NASA is counting on SpaceX to make significant progress in the next year. The goal? To use Starship for upcoming moon missions, including a 2026 flight carrying four astronauts that will orbit the moon (but not land).

Landing astronauts on the lunar surface won’t happen until at least 2027, and it will require Starship to safely transport crew from lunar orbit to the surface and back.

SpaceX’s Starship program continues to push boundaries with each test flight — even when the rocket doesn’t land as planned. With improvements in the pipeline and an aggressive launch schedule, the journey to Mars and beyond is still very much underway.

Source: AP News – SpaceX launches another Starship rocket after back-to-back explosions, but it tumbles out of control

The post SpaceX Launches Starship Again but Rocket Loses Control and Breaks Apart appeared first on Journos News - Breaking News, World News, Top Stories, Todays Headlines and Flash Reports.

Blue Origin’s highly anticipated New Glenn rocket made a successful debut Thursday, reaching orbit during its first test flight. The massive 320-foot (98-meter) rocket, named after the first American to orbit Earth, John Glenn, launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida. The rocket sent a prototype satellite into orbit thousands of miles above Earth, marking a significant achievement for the company founded by Amazon’s Jeff Bezos.

A Historic Launch

The New Glenn rocket lifted off from the same launch pad that was used for NASA’s Mariner and Pioneer missions more than 50 years ago, showcasing Blue Origin’s commitment to space exploration. The launch was the culmination of years of development and substantial investment from Bezos, with Blue Origin pouring over $1 billion into rebuilding the historic Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

All seven engines of the New Glenn rocket ignited as it soared into the predawn sky, thrilling spectators along Florida’s beaches. The mission was a success, as the rocket reached orbit just 13 minutes after launch, earning praise even from SpaceX founder Elon Musk.

A Partial Success: Landing Failure

While the mission was a major milestone, the first-stage booster missed its landing on a barge in the Atlantic Ocean. However, Blue Origin emphasized that the primary goal—reaching orbit—was achieved. Blue Origin CEO Dave Limp expressed his excitement on X (formerly Twitter), saying, “We did it! On to spring and trying again on the landing.”

The satellite on board remained inside the rocket’s second stage while it orbited Earth. In line with NASA’s practices to minimize space debris, the second stage was placed into a high orbit, where it will remain safely out of the way.

A Delayed Start and Big Plans Ahead

Originally scheduled for Monday, the test flight was delayed due to ice buildup in critical plumbing, which caused a brief setback. Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket is designed to carry not only satellites but also spacecraft and eventually astronauts to orbit and the moon.

This test flight represents a significant leap forward for Blue Origin, which has been launching paying passengers to the edge of space since 2021 using smaller rockets named after Alan Shepard, the first American in space. In contrast, the New Glenn rocket—named after John Glenn—is five times taller.

Bezos and Blue Origin’s Vision

Bezos, who founded Blue Origin 25 years ago, has long advocated for the expansion of space exploration. Despite the high cost and competition from other private companies like SpaceX, Bezos remains optimistic about the future of the space industry. He emphasized that there is “room for lots of winners” in the space race, stressing the importance of collaboration to reduce the cost of access to space.

Looking ahead, Blue Origin plans to conduct six to eight New Glenn flights this year, with the next launch expected in the spring.

Competing with SpaceX and Other Major Rockets

New Glenn’s successful flight comes amid the rise of other big rockets in recent years. SpaceX’s Starship, the largest rocket at approximately 400 feet (123 meters), is also poised to make waves in the space industry. Starship is slated to be used by NASA for the Artemis program, which aims to land astronauts on the Moon. Elon Musk’s company also recently demonstrated catching the returning booster with giant mechanical arms, an innovative approach to rocket reusability.

Additionally, United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan rocket and Europe’s Ariane 6 are expected to make their mark in upcoming space missions. Blue Origin, meanwhile, is focused on further development of New Glenn, which was initially slated to send twin spacecraft to Mars for NASA. However, NASA delayed the mission and pulled the spacecraft, Escapade, from last October’s flight. The spacecraft, which will study Mars’ atmosphere and magnetic environment, will now launch no earlier than spring 2025.

Looking to the Moon and Beyond

Blue Origin’s ambitions extend beyond Earth orbit. The company’s Blue Moon lander is expected to play a significant role in NASA’s lunar missions, helping astronauts land on the Moon as part of the Artemis program. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson has been a vocal advocate for competition in the space industry, promoting the idea of multiple companies developing lunar landers for the agency’s missions.

As the space race intensifies, Bezos and Blue Origin are making significant strides toward realizing their vision for space exploration. New Glenn’s successful launch is just the beginning of what promises to be an exciting new chapter in the history of space travel.

Source

The post Jeff Bezos’ New Glenn Rocket Successfully Reaches Orbit on First Test Flight appeared first on Journos News - Breaking News, World News, Top Stories, Todays Headlines and Flash Reports.

In 2011, a unique Martian meteorite known as “Black Beauty” was discovered in the Sahara Desert. This extraordinary space rock, officially named NWA 7034, has now unveiled one of its most groundbreaking secrets: evidence of ancient water on Mars, dating back 4.45 billion years. The discovery, centered on a zircon grain within the meteorite, suggests that Mars’ ancient environment may have supported life, similar to early Earth.

A Window Into Mars’ Watery Past

The zircon grain found in Black Beauty offers the oldest direct evidence of water on Mars, revealing traces of hot water that might have created habitable environments like hot springs. Such conditions are closely linked to the emergence of life on Earth, opening new possibilities for understanding Mars’ potential habitability in its ancient past.

Jack Gillespie, lead author of the study published in Science Advances, stated, “Our data suggests the presence of water in the crust of Mars at a comparable time to the earliest evidence for water on Earth’s surface, around 4.4 billion years ago.” This discovery highlights Mars as a planet that once had warm, wet environments capable of supporting life.

The Significance of Black Beauty

Black Beauty, ejected from Mars 5 to 10 million years ago by a cosmic impact, has been a critical source of information about the red planet. The meteorite contains hundreds of rock and mineral fragments, each representing different aspects of Mars’ 4.5-billion-year history. Among these fragments are some of the oldest known pieces of Martian crust, including ancient zircons that serve as “time capsules” for understanding the planet’s evolution.

Dr. Aaron Cavosie, study coauthor and planetary scientist at Curtin University, explained, “The Black Beauty meteorite is the only source of pieces for the geological puzzle of pre-Noachian Mars.” This period, dating from 4.5 to 4.1 billion years ago, is critical for understanding Mars’ early history and the potential for life.

Unlocking Secrets Through Zircon

Zircon, a durable mineral used in various Earth-based applications like jewelry and ceramics, plays a pivotal role in studying Mars’ past. The zircon in Black Beauty remained unaltered during its fiery journey to Earth, providing pristine insights. By analyzing the uranium-to-lead ratio within the zircon grain, scientists determined its age and discovered unusual amounts of iron, sodium, and aluminum — elements typically associated with water-rich environments.

“We could tell by the patterns of how these elements are found inside the zircon that they were incorporated as the grain grew, like layers in an onion,” Cavosie noted. These findings suggest that hydrothermal systems, powered by volcanic activity, may have existed on Mars 4.45 billion years ago, creating liquid water environments beneath the surface.

Implications for Life on Mars

Hydrothermal systems on Earth, such as hot springs and deep-sea vents, are known to support diverse ecosystems and are believed to have fostered early life. If similar systems existed on ancient Mars, they might have created habitats capable of supporting life. “Our new study shows that the crust of Mars was warm and wet in the pre-Noachian period, meaning that habitable environments may have existed at that time,” Cavosie said.

Looking Forward: Future Exploration

While Black Beauty has provided remarkable insights, scientists are eager to gather more data directly from Mars. The Perseverance rover, currently exploring Jezero Crater, is collecting rock samples that could offer further evidence of ancient hydrothermal activity and microbial life. These samples, once returned to Earth, will enable even more detailed analysis than what meteorites like Black Beauty can provide.

Briony Horgan, planetary scientist and co-investigator on the Perseverance mission, emphasized the importance of this research: “As much as the meteorites can tell us, we can do even better with a carefully selected and intact rock sample from a known location on Mars with good geologic context.”

A New Chapter in Mars Exploration

Black Beauty’s secrets continue to fuel scientific curiosity and pave the way for future exploration. The evidence of ancient water and hydrothermal systems provides a strong foundation for the hypothesis that Mars once had conditions suitable for life. With ongoing missions and advanced technology, the red planet’s history is slowly being pieced together, offering a glimpse into its potential to harbor life billions of years ago.

Source

The post Black Beauty Meteorite: Unlocking Mars’ Ancient Secrets appeared first on Journos News - Breaking News, World News, Top Stories, Todays Headlines and Flash Reports.