Science News Roundup: Astronauts arrive at space station aboard SpaceX Endeavour; Genetic study offers good news for endangered Sumatran rhinoceros and more

The deal gives Polyakov an anchorpoint in the booming but fiercely competitive market for small-satellite technology, and a potential revenue source for rocket maker Firefly Aerospace, which is majority-owned by Polyakov's Noosphere Ventures investment fund. 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.


Devdiscourse News Desk | Updated: 27-04-2021 02:30 IST | Created: 27-04-2021 02:27 IST
Science News Roundup: Astronauts arrive at space station aboard SpaceX Endeavour; Genetic study offers good news for endangered Sumatran rhinoceros and more
Representative Image Image Credit: Max Pixel

Following is a summary of current science news briefs.

Exclusive: Space entrepreneur Max Polyakov acquires South Africa's Dragonfly satellite maker

Max Polyakov, an ultra-wealthy entrepreneur with ambitions of building a space transportation empire, has acquired South African satellite maker Dragonfly Aerospace, he told Reuters. The deal gives Polyakov an anchorpoint in the booming but fiercely competitive market for small-satellite technology, and a potential revenue source for rocket maker Firefly Aerospace, which is majority-owned by Polyakov's Noosphere Ventures investment fund.

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 the Elon Musk's commercial rocket company.

Genetic study offers good news for endangered Sumatran rhinoceros

A genome study involving the last remaining populations of the Sumatran rhinoceros - a solitary rainforest dweller - is providing what scientists called good news about the prospects of saving this critically endangered species from extinction. The researchers said on Monday that their study found that the two existing wild populations of this rhino on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra boast unexpectedly good genetic health and surprisingly low levels of inbreeding.

(With inputs from agencies.)

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