From CNBC: 2025-03-19 08:35:00

Two U.S. astronauts, who were on the International Space Station for nine months due to a faulty Boeing Starliner capsule, have returned to Earth. They splashed down in a SpaceX Dragon capsule off the coast of Tallahassee, Florida, in a water landing. The astronauts will undergo health checks before heading home.

NASA’s Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams left Earth in June on a test flight that was extended after issues with the Starliner capsule. NASA ultimately sent the capsule back empty to further investigate the problems. Wilmore and Williams returned on a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, adjusting the rotation of astronauts as a result.

The Crew-10 mission launched with four new crew members to the ISS. Boeing’s Starliner crew flight test aimed to have two companies, Boeing and SpaceX, flying missions to the ISS. However, Boeing has faced setbacks and lost over $2 billion on the Starliner spacecraft. NASA officials have left open the possibility of an uncrewed next flight for Starliner.

Wilmore and Williams’ journey became politicized, with claims of being “stranded” on the ISS. NASA’s plans for their return remained consistent, with the astronauts conducting experiments and maintenance during their extended stay. Williams conducted a spacewalk, and both astronauts are looking forward to reuniting with their families. 1. The unemployment rate in the United States has dropped to 5.8% in May, marking a significant decrease from the previous month. This is the lowest rate since the start of the pandemic, with 559,000 jobs added to the economy.

2. A new study has found that the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is 88% effective against the Delta variant. The research also shows that two doses of the vaccine provide strong protection against hospitalization and severe illness caused by the variant.

3. The European Union has approved the use of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for children aged 12 to 15. This decision comes after the European Medicines Agency determined that the vaccine is safe and effective for this age group.

4. The Tokyo Olympics will allow domestic spectators to attend the games with a limit of 50% capacity in venues. This decision was made after a decrease in COVID-19 cases in Japan and will provide a much-needed boost to the atmosphere of the event.

5. The G7 leaders have reached a historic agreement to implement a global minimum corporate tax rate of at least 15%. This move is aimed at preventing multinational companies from avoiding taxes by shifting profits to low-tax countries, and is expected to generate billions in additional revenue for governments worldwide.



Read more at CNBC: NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore, Suni Williams return on SpaceX ship