International
NASA rolls Moon rocket out to Kennedy Space Center launch pad
| By AFP
NASA rolled out its largest-ever rocket to a launch pad in Florida on Friday and will try again 10 days from now to blast off on a much-delayed uncrewed mission to the Moon.
After two launch attempts were scrubbed this summer because of technical problems, the rocket returned to the Vehicle Assembly Building to protect it from Hurricane Ian.
The US space agency used the time to carry out minor repairs and to recharge the batteries that power systems on the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket.
The SLS rocket’s four-mile (six-kilometer) journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building to the Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Pad 39B took nearly nine hours, NASA said.
The 322-foot (98-meter) rocket was rolled out slowly on a giant platform known as the crawler-transporter designed to minimize vibrations.
The next launch attempt is scheduled for 12:07 am Eastern Time (0407 GMT) on November 14 with backup dates on November 16 at 1:04 am and November 19 at 1:45 am.
“We’re comfortable launching at night,” NASA associate administrator Jim Free said at a briefing on Thursday.
Free said radar and infrared camera imaging will provide the necessary data to track the rocket’s performance.
If the rocket blasts off on November 16, the mission would last a little more than 25 days with the crew capsule splashing down in the Pacific Ocean on December 9.
The highly anticipated uncrewed mission, dubbed Artemis 1, will bring the United States a step closer to returning astronauts to the Moon five decades after humans last walked on the lunar surface.
The goal of Artemis 1, named after the twin sister of Apollo, is to test the SLS rocket and Orion crew capsule that sits on top.
Mannequins equipped with sensors are standing in for astronauts on the mission and will record acceleration, vibration and radiation levels.
The Orion capsule is to orbit the Moon to see if the vessel is safe for people in the near future. At some point, Artemis aims to put a woman and a person of color on the Moon for the first time.
And since humans have already visited the Moon, Artemis has its sights set on another lofty goal: a crewed mission to Mars.
During the trip, Orion will follow an elliptical course around the Moon, coming within 60 miles (100 kilometers) at its closest approach and 40,000 miles at its farthest — the deepest into space ever by a craft designed to carry humans.
International
U.S. strike in Caribbean kills three suspected drug traffickers
A U.S. strike on a suspected drug-smuggling vessel in the Caribbean killed three people on Saturday, according to Pentagon Chief Pete Hegseth, marking the latest in a series of attacks in international waters.
The United States has deployed ships to the Caribbean and sent fighter jets to Puerto Rico as part of a large military force that Washington says is aimed at curbing drug trafficking.
“This vessel, like all the others, was known to our intelligence for being involved in illicit narcotics smuggling,” Hegseth stated on X. “Three narcoterrorists were aboard the vessel during the attack, which took place in international waters,” he added.
Experts argue that the attacks, which began in early September, amount to extrajudicial executions, even if the targets are known traffickers.
Washington has yet to publicly provide evidence that the targeted individuals were actively smuggling drugs or posed a threat to the United States.
Hegseth said the U.S. would continue “hunting… and killing” suspected traffickers. He also shared video footage of the strike, showing the vessel being hit and engulfed in flames. As in previous videos, sections of the ship were blurred, making it impossible to verify the number of people on board.
The United Nations called on Friday for Washington to halt its attacks.
International
At least 23 killed in Sonora supermarket blast, including minors
At least 23 people were killed and 11 others injured in an explosion at a supermarket in Hermosillo, in the northern Mexican state of Sonora, local authorities reported on Saturday.
“So far, there are 23 confirmed deaths and 11 injured, including minors,” said Sonora Governor Alfonso Durazo in a video message. He added that the injured are receiving treatment in various hospitals across the city.
“I have ordered a thorough and transparent investigation to determine the causes of the incident and assign responsibility where appropriate,” Durazo said.
The explosion occurred at a Waldo’s store in downtown Hermosillo. Local authorities confirmed that the incident was not an attack nor related to any violent act against civilians.
Meanwhile, Mexico City Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum expressed her condolences on X, offering sympathy to the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives.
International
Floods in Central Vietnam leave 28 dead, thousands displaced
The death toll from heavy rains and flooding in central Vietnam has risen to 28, with six people reported missing and 43 injured, local newspaper VnExpress reported Friday night.
More than 22,100 homes remain flooded, primarily in the cities of Hue and Da Nang. Floods and landslides have destroyed or swept away 91 houses and damaged another 181, the report added.
Around 245,000 households are still without electricity, particularly in Da Nang, where over 225,000 homes are affected.
Additionally, 80 stretches of national highways are blocked or disrupted due to landslides. Authorities expect the flooding to continue for another day or two in the region.
U.S. strike in Caribbean kills three suspected drug traffickers
At least 23 killed in Sonora supermarket blast, including minors
Floods in Central Vietnam leave 28 dead, thousands displaced
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
Defense Minister commends salvadoran soldier for Central American Cross Country victory
Extension of the state of emergency approved in southern Chile
-
International3 days agoHurricane Melissa kills over 30, leaves thousands displaced in the Caribbean
-
International4 days agoMelissa leaves path of destruction in Caribbean, 735,000 evacuated in Cuba
-
International3 days agoHurricane Melissa leaves Jamaican residents homeless as recovery efforts begin
-
International2 days agoU.S. considering airstrikes on military sites in Venezuela, reports say
-
International2 days agoFloods in Central Vietnam leave 28 dead, thousands displaced
-
International4 days agoArgentina’s Milei opens dialogue with parties to push “Second-Generation Reforms”
-
International3 days agoUS Deputy Secretary criticizes Mexico’s call to end Cuba trade embargo at UN
-
International3 days agoTrump orders immediate U.S. nuclear testing, ending 30-year moratorium
-
International3 days agoVenezuela warns citizens who call for invasion risk losing nationality
-
International3 days agoTrump sets historic low refugee cap at 7,500, prioritizes white South Africans
-
International3 days agoBrazilian president defends coordinated anti-drug operations after deadly Rio raid
-
International3 days agoMexico advances continental shelf claims at UN Commission in New York
-
International3 days agoUNICEF: Over 700,000 children affected by Hurricane Melissa in the Caribbean
-
International2 days agoFBI foils ISIS-Inspired attack in Michigan, arrests five teens
-
International2 days agoPope Leo XIV revives Global Compact on Education to confront cultural crisis
-
International2 days agoU.S. warns China over Taiwan during high-level defense talks in Kuala Lumpur
-
International3 days agoSimeón Pérez Marroquín, ‘El Viejo,’ detained for role in Miguel Uribe Turbay assassination plot
-
International5 hours agoAt least 23 killed in Sonora supermarket blast, including minors
-
International5 hours agoU.S. strike in Caribbean kills three suspected drug traffickers