Science News Roundup: SpaceX rocketship launches 4 astronauts on NASA mission; China eyes asteroid defense system, comet mission and more

Following is a summary of current science news briefs. SpaceX rocketship launches 4 astronauts on NASA mission to space station NASA and Elon Musk's commercial rocket company SpaceX launched a new four-astronaut team on a flight to the International Space Station early on Friday, the first crew ever propelled toward orbit by a rocket booster recycled from a previous spaceflight. China eyes asteroid defence system, comet mission China will hold discussions on building a defence system against near-Earth asteroids, a senior space agency official said on Saturday, as the country steps up its longer term space ambitions.

Following is a summary of current science news briefs.

SpaceX rocketship launches 4 astronauts on NASA mission to space station

NASA and Elon Musk's commercial rocket company SpaceX launched a new four-astronaut team on a flight to the International Space Station early on Friday, the first crew ever propelled toward orbit by a rocket booster recycled from a previous spaceflight.

China eyes asteroid defense system, comet mission

China will hold discussions on building a defense system against near-Earth asteroids, a senior space agency official said on Saturday, as the country steps up its longer-term space ambitions. Zhang Kejian, head of the China National Space Administration, did not provide further detail in his opening remarks at a ceremony for China's space day in the eastern city of Nanjing.

Astronauts arrive at space station aboard SpaceX Endeavour

A four-astronaut team arrived at the International Space Station on Saturday aboard the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule Endeavour, NASA said, after becoming the first crew ever to be propelled into orbit by a rocket booster recycled from a previous spaceflight. The Endeavour capsule, also making its second flight, was launched into space on Friday atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. SpaceX is Elon Musk's commercial rocket company.

Costa Rica unveils radar that tracks space objects from a farm

Surrounded by clear blue skies and fields of sugar cane crops on the Pacific coast, a farm in the northwest of Costa Rica is now home to a giant radar capable of tracking small objects in space that threaten the safety of astronauts and satellites. Costa Rican President Carlos Alvarado and U.S. and Costa Rican astronauts on Thursday unveiled the four large reflective panels that make up the commercial radar, which is connected to the servers of aerospace company LeoLabs in San Francisco.

Third-trimester vaccination appears safe; Pfizer/BioNtech vaccine effective in those with chronic illnesses

The following is a roundup of some of the latest scientific studies on the novel coronavirus and efforts to find treatments and vaccines for COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus. Third-trimester vaccination appears safe in early data

(With inputs from agencies.)