Science News Roundup: SpaceX launches its eighth long-duration crew to orbit for NASA; Italy to host main control centre for EU satellite constellation and more

The limestone block is about 3.8 metres (12.5 feet) high and depicts a seated Ramses wearing a double crown and a headdress topped with a royal cobra, Bassem Jihad, head of the mission's Egyptian team, said in a statement.

Following is a summary of current science news briefs.

Italy to host main control centre for EU satellite constellation

A space centre in the heart of Italy is set to host the main control site for the low-orbit IRIS² (pronounced 'Iris squared') EU satellite constellation, Italy's industry minister said on Monday. The Fucino Space Centre, close to the town of l'Aquila and one of the world's largest space centres for civilian use, will be expanded to include control operations for IRIS², Adolfo Urso told a press conference.

SpaceX launches its eighth long-duration crew to orbit for NASA

A SpaceX rocket lifted off from Florida on Sunday night carrying a crew of three U.S. astronauts and a Russian cosmonaut on their way to the International Space Station (ISS) to begin a six-month science mission in Earth orbit. The two-stage Falcon 9 rocket topped with an autonomously operated Crew Dragon capsule dubbed Endeavor was launched from NASA's Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral, along Florida's Atlantic coast, at 10:53 p.m. EST (0353 GMT Monday).

Scientists reveal secrets of Earth's magnificent desert star dunes

They are among the wonders of our deserts: star dunes, the vaguely pyramid-shaped sand formations up to about 1,000 feet (300 meters) tall with arms stretching out from a central peak to give them a star-like appearance when viewed from above.

Scientists on Monday unveiled the first in-depth study of a star dune, revealing the internal structure of these geological features and showing how long it took for one of them to form - more quickly than expected but still a process unfolding over many centuries.

Archaeologists in Egypt unearth section of large Ramses II statue

A joint Egyptian-U.S. archaeological mission has uncovered the upper part of a huge statue of King Ramses II during excavations south of the Egyptian city of Minya, Egypt's tourism and antiquities ministry said on Monday. The limestone block is about 3.8 metres (12.5 feet) high and depicts a seated Ramses wearing a double crown and a headdress topped with a royal cobra, Bassem Jihad, head of the mission's Egyptian team, said in a statement.

(With inputs from agencies.)