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NASA's 2 Stuck Astronauts Take their 1st Spacewalk Together

In this image, made from NASA TV, US astronaut Suni Williams works outside the International Space Station during a spacewalk, Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/NASA TV)
In this image, made from NASA TV, US astronaut Suni Williams works outside the International Space Station during a spacewalk, Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/NASA TV)
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NASA's 2 Stuck Astronauts Take their 1st Spacewalk Together

In this image, made from NASA TV, US astronaut Suni Williams works outside the International Space Station during a spacewalk, Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/NASA TV)
In this image, made from NASA TV, US astronaut Suni Williams works outside the International Space Station during a spacewalk, Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/NASA TV)

NASA’s two stuck astronauts took their first spacewalk together Thursday, exiting the International Space Station almost eight months after moving in.

Commander Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore removed a broken antenna and wiped the station’s exterior for evidence of any microbes that might still be alive after launching from Earth and escaping through vents.

After some initial trouble unbolting the balky antenna, the astronauts finally pried it off nearly four hours after popping out the hatch. Mission Control urged them to watch for any floating parts from the antenna removal.

During the job 260 miles (420 kilometers) up, Williams set a new spacewalking record for female astronauts, The Associated Press reported.

The pair expected to stay just a week when they arrived at the space station last June. But their brand new ride, Boeing’s Starliner capsule, encountered so much trouble that NASA decided to return it empty.

That left the two test pilots, both retired Navy captains, in orbit until SpaceX can bring them home. That won’t happen until late March or early April, extending their mission to 10 months because of a SpaceX delay in launching their replacements.

Williams performed a spacewalk two weeks ago with another NASA astronaut. It marked Wilmore's first time outside this trip. Both racked up spacewalks during previous space station stays.

With nine spacewalks, Williams set a new record for women: the most time spent spacewalking over a career. Retired astronaut Peggy Whitson held the old record of 60 hours and 21 minutes, accumulated over 10 spacewalks.

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Massive Fire Destroys 100 Homes in Norway and Forces Hundreds to Evacuate

17 July 2026, Norway, Drammen: Smoke rises from a major residential fire that destroyed row houses and forced mass evacuations in Krokstadelva, Drammen. Photo: Thomas Fure/NTB/dpa
17 July 2026, Norway, Drammen: Smoke rises from a major residential fire that destroyed row houses and forced mass evacuations in Krokstadelva, Drammen. Photo: Thomas Fure/NTB/dpa
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Massive Fire Destroys 100 Homes in Norway and Forces Hundreds to Evacuate

17 July 2026, Norway, Drammen: Smoke rises from a major residential fire that destroyed row houses and forced mass evacuations in Krokstadelva, Drammen. Photo: Thomas Fure/NTB/dpa
17 July 2026, Norway, Drammen: Smoke rises from a major residential fire that destroyed row houses and forced mass evacuations in Krokstadelva, Drammen. Photo: Thomas Fure/NTB/dpa

A major fire in southern Norway destroyed more than 100 homes Friday and forced hundreds of people to evacuate the area, according to police and the country's public broadcaster.

The blaze started in a townhouse in the city of Drammen around 3:30 p.m. Friday, police said.

It then spread through the area and into nearby forests.

Firefighters continued their efforts Saturday morning to bring the blaze under control.

The Associated Press quoted NRK, Norway's public broadcaster, as saying that hundreds of people went to an evacuation center.

No residents have been reported missing, police said. It was not immediately clear what caused the fire.

Drammen is roughly 34 kilometers (21 miles) southwest of Oslo.

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India Successfully Launches 1st Private Orbital Rocket

Indian space startup Skyroot Aerospace launched its Vikram-1 rocket, marking the first attempt by an Indian private company to place a satellite in orbit, from the Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, India, July 18, 2026. REUTERS/Priyanshu Singh
Indian space startup Skyroot Aerospace launched its Vikram-1 rocket, marking the first attempt by an Indian private company to place a satellite in orbit, from the Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, India, July 18, 2026. REUTERS/Priyanshu Singh
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India Successfully Launches 1st Private Orbital Rocket

Indian space startup Skyroot Aerospace launched its Vikram-1 rocket, marking the first attempt by an Indian private company to place a satellite in orbit, from the Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, India, July 18, 2026. REUTERS/Priyanshu Singh
Indian space startup Skyroot Aerospace launched its Vikram-1 rocket, marking the first attempt by an Indian private company to place a satellite in orbit, from the Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, India, July 18, 2026. REUTERS/Priyanshu Singh

India's first privately built orbital rocket took its maiden flight on Saturday, its company said, marking a significant step for the South Asian giant as it eyes a bigger slice of the global space economy.

The Vikram-1 rocket, built by Skyroot Aerospace and designed to carry small satellites into low-Earth orbit, took off from the Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota amid loud cheers.

"Hello space, we have arrived!" Skyroot Aerospace said in a post on X.

"Vikram-1's Test Flight-1 has completed its mission. The first ever Indian private sector launch has been successfully completed."

Vikram-1 is about as tall as a seven-story building and capable of carrying payloads weighing up to 350 kilograms (771 pounds).

Pawan Goenka, chairman of the government's Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Center, said the achievement went "way beyond expectation for the very first orbital launch ever taken by an Indian private company".

Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the endeavor as "a defining moment in India's space journey".

"The growing participation of our private sector is opening new frontiers and accelerating innovation," AFP quoted Modi as saying.

"This achievement will encourage countless youngsters to dream bigger and innovate fearlessly."

The rocket is carrying a diverse range of payloads, including a lab-grown diamond and robotic arms capable of removing space debris.

A miniature 18-karat gold rocket that has mini sculptures of Indian physicists Vikram Sarabhai, CV Raman and former Indian president and noted aerospace engineer APJ Abdul Kalam is also aboard the vehicle.

India's space ambitions, built on decades of investment by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), have gathered pace in recent years.

The country's space economy -- valued at around $8.4 billion -- has rapidly expanded since the sector opened up to private players in 2020, and is now home to more than 400 space startups.

"India's space ambitions soar to new heights!" Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar said after the successful launch.

In August 2023, India became only the fourth country to successfully land an unmanned spacecraft on the Moon, after Russia, the United States and China.

Former ISRO chairman K. Sivan hailed the work done by space startups, adding that the country was witnessing the "fruits of the seeds sown" when it opened up the sector to private players.

"With Skyroot especially, the rocket is one of the most challenging and complex technologies in the space system... It is going to motivate many people," he told AFP.

Sivan added that "there is no doubt" the launch will have a global impact.

"If an Indian startup can make one of the most challenging things in the space industry, then it gives a huge boost to India's reputation globally."

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UK Sculpture Designed to Attract Visiting Insects

'Penleigh Queen Bee' will raise awareness of declining bee populations (Brendon Murless/BBC)
'Penleigh Queen Bee' will raise awareness of declining bee populations (Brendon Murless/BBC)
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UK Sculpture Designed to Attract Visiting Insects

'Penleigh Queen Bee' will raise awareness of declining bee populations (Brendon Murless/BBC)
'Penleigh Queen Bee' will raise awareness of declining bee populations (Brendon Murless/BBC)

A new sculpture, designed to raise awareness of the world's declining bee population, will help host visiting insects inside its structure, according to BBC.

The new piece of art will be installed at Penleigh Park in Westbury, Wiltshire.

Brendon Murless, an artist from Bridport in Dorset, will use clay, steel and logs to create a 220 cm sculpture called 'Penleigh Queen Bee' which will sit on an oak plinth and be full of holes for bees to live in.

His aim is to create a “moment of calm” for visitors to Penleigh Park but also “inspire, and offer a moment of reflection on the wonder of bees and how we are connected to them in different ways.”

His design was chosen after a public vote in Westbury, which sought to find a nature-inspired statue for Penleigh Park.

Murless said: “I was lucky enough to win and I'm on it [ the sculpture] as we speak."

“The piece is called Queen Bee to highlight the plight of these pollinators. Wild bee populations are in decline globally, which directly impacts nature as a whole and our food security,” he added.

In the back of the Queen Bee's head there will be a stack of mixed logs and stones with holes drilled into them to help encourage homes for masonry bees and solitary bees.

Murless continued: “In folklore, bees are also associated with family, protection and teamwork, which I think connect perfectly with this community project.”

Westbury Town Council has worked with Penleigh residents and local schoolchildren on the project to improve the park with additional funding from Wiltshire Council.

Benjamin Griffiths, business development manager at the Town Council, said the sculpture “will be an incredible addition to an already beautiful and much deserving space in Penleigh Park.”

He added: “The whole group have worked really hard to make this happen.”

Wiltshire Council's public art officer, Ella-mai Robey said the “brilliant” idea to transform Penleigh Park all stemmed from local people.

“Using public art developer contributions to create such a great art project for the community is really exciting,” she added.