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NS-28: Blue Origin Launches 6 Civilians To Space In Company's 9th Human Flight
November 23, 2024
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Blue Origin's first of two human-rated spacecraft, New Shepard NS-28 lifted off at 1531 UTC on Friday Nov. 22 from Launch Site One in West Texas. Aboard the gumdrop-shaped spacecraft for the 10-minute suborbital flight, are civilian astronauts Emily Calandrelli, Sharon Hagle, Marc Hagle, Austin Litteral, James (J.D.) Russell, and Henry (Hank) Wolfond.

Following main engine cutoff(MECO) and separation from crew capsule, the New Shepard's propulsion module or booster returned to the landing pad, making an engine-assisted vertical touchdown about 7 minutes after liftoff.

The crew capsule continued skyward, and reached an apogee of 106 kilometers, flying 4.8 km above the Kármán line that serves as the internationally accepted border between Earth's atmosphere and outer space. The astronauts spent about four minutes in space, before the spacecraft descended back to Earth, making a parachute-assisted "soft" touchdown just over 10 minutes after liftoff.

"This is my dream," Calandrelli, who adopted her online persona long before she booked a trip with Blue Origin, wrote on social media when it was announced she was going to be on the NS-28 mission. "I studied aerospace engineering for nearly a decade, then became the first woman in the U.S. with a national science [TV] show. It became my mission to bring representation to girls in STEM [science, technology, engineering and mathematics]."

"Now, I'll become one of the first 100 women in space, showing girls everywhere that they too can reach the stars," she said.

A native of West Virginia, Calandrelli is the first woman and third person to represent her home state in space (after NASA astronauts Jon McBride and Drew Morgan).

"I can't believe that [a] girl from Morgantown, West Virginia, gets to represent the 100th woman in history to fly to space." wrote Calandrelli.

The first woman to fly into space (and first woman to enter orbit) was Soviet-era cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova, who launched in 1963. NASA astronaut Karen Nyberg became the 50th woman to leave Earth's atmosphere in 2008.

Among the personal items that Calandrelli took with her to space was a montage showing photos of the 99 women who flew before her. "I wanted to honor how they paved the way for women like me and how they've made it possible for the next generation of girls who want to reach for the stars to actually grab a few," she said.

Friday's mission was Blue Origin's ninth human spaceflight. NS-28's crewmembers Marc and Sharon Hagle, a married couple are on their second spaceflight, after flying on the NS-20 mission in 2022.

NS-28 crew also includes Litteral, whose seat was sponsored by the livestream shopping platform Whatnot; Russell, an entrepreneur and former federal marine, fish and wildlife game warden; and Wolfond, the CEO of a Canadian investment firm and a private pilot.

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U.S. Military Airstrike In Southern Caribbean Targets Vessel Allegedly Operated By Venezuelan Tren de Aragua Gang

The U.S. military on Tuesday, conducted a precision strike in the southern Caribbean against a vessel that had departed from Venezuela and was allegedly operated by the Tren de Aragua gang, a transnational criminal organization designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization by the U.S. government.

President Donald Trump announced the operation on Truth Social, stating that 11 individuals, whom he referred to as "narcoterrorists" or "terrorists," were killed in the strike while the boat was transporting illegal narcotics in international waters. The strike was described as a "kinetic" operation carried out in the U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) area of responsibility.

The U.S. military confirmed a "precision strike" against the vessel. Trump shared a 29-second video clip on Truth Social showing a small, multi-engine speedboat traveling at sea before a bright flash and flames engulfed it. The video is largely in black and white, and Venezuela's Communications Minister Freddy Ñáñez falsely suggested it was artificially generated.

No U.S. military personnel were injured in the operation Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed the "lethal strike" on X stating it targeted a drug vessel operated by a designated narco-terrorist organization.

The Tren de Aragua gang originated over a decade ago within the notoriously violent prison system of Venezuela's Aragua state. It has since expanded its operations across Latin America, including to Chile, Colombia, and the United States, where it is involved in drug smuggling, kidnapping, extortion, sex trafficking, and acts of extreme violence such as beheadings.

The Biden administration designated it a transnational crime organization in 2024. President Trump, upon returning to office, escalated the designation, formally declaring Tren de Aragua a "Foreign Terrorist Organization" in February 2025, a move that is unusual for a criminal gang.

The strike on the vessel occurred amid a significant U.S. military deployment in the southern Caribbean. In recent weeks, the U.S. has sent at least seven warships, including the nuclear-powered submarine USS Virginia, and over 4,500 Marines and sailors to the region.

This build-up, which includes Aegis guided-missile destroyers like the USS Gravely and USS Jason Dunham, is part of the Trump administration's broader strategy to combat drug trafficking from Latin America. The administration has also increased surveillance flights with P-8 spy planes over international waters.

The deployment has been met with strong condemnation from Venezuela, with President Nicolás Maduro calling it an "extravagant, unjustifiable, immoral and absolutely criminal and bloody threat" and vowing to "declare a republic in arms" if attacked. Maduro has ordered troops to the border with Colombia and urged civilians to join militias in response.

The strike represents a dramatic escalation in the U.S. approach to drug cartels, signaling a willingness to use military force in the Americas.

The U.S. has also offered a $50 million reward for information leading to Maduro's arrest on drug-trafficking charges. Despite the military action, the administration has not signaled plans for a land invasion of Venezuela.

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September 03, 2025
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This capability, introduced on the SpaceX CRS-33 mission, is part of NASA's strategy to reduce reliance on Russian vehicles and build fuel reserves for the station's eventual controlled deorbit, a process that will be managed by a future SpaceX-built deorbit vehicle. The Dragon's ability to perform these burns is a significant step towards the station's long-term operations and safe retirement.

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September 03, 2025
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Comedian Graham Linehan Arrested In UK Over Critical Transgender Posts On X

Comedy writer Graham Linehan was arrested at Heathrow Airport on Monday, upon his arrival from Arizona, U.S., by five armed police officers on ridiculous suspicion of 'inciting violence' related to three posts he made on X in April 2025.

The posts that prompted his detention included one from April 20 stating: "If a trans-identified male is in a female-only space, he is committing a violent, abusive act. Make a scene, call the cops and if all else fails, punch him in the balls."

Another post from April 19 showed an image of a trans rally with the caption: "A photo you can smell."

He subsequently wrote: "I hate them. Misogynists and homophobes. Fuck em."

The 57-year-old was taken to a police station, questioned about the posts, and subsequently hospitalized due to a severe spike in blood pressure, which he described as "stroke territory," before being released on bail with a condition prohibiting him from posting on X until a further interview in October.

The Metropolitan Police confirmed the arrest and stated that officers became concerned for his health, resulting in the hospital visit, but claimed his condition was neither life-threatening nor life-changing. The arrest was carried out by armed officers from the MPS Aviation Unit.

Linehan described being met by five armed officers immediately after disembarking from his American Airlines flight, escorted to a private area, and informed of his arrest. He was placed in a cell and questioned about the tweets, during which his blood pressure reportedly reached over 200, leading to his transfer to the emergency department at a hospital for observation.

The arrest comes days before Linehan is scheduled to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on September 4, 2025, facing two charges: one of harassing transgender activist Sophia Brooks on social media and another of damaging her mobile phone during an October incident. He has denied these charges.

Linehan, is the Irish comedy writer best known for creating the sitcoms Father TedThe IT Crowd, and Black Books. He has become a prominent and outspoken critic of transgender rights movements since around 2018.

The comedian's arrest has sparked significant political and public reaction, with UK opposition politicians, including Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick and Labour backbencher Jonathan Hinder, criticizing the use of five armed officers for an arrest over social media posts, calling it a "ridiculous" waste of police time. Author JK Rowling also condemned the arrest, calling it "totalitarianism" and "deplorable."

Critics on social media slammed UK government for descending into tyranny, especially since the enactment of Britain's controversial Online Safety Act.

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