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Northern Star

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The Student News Site of Northern Illinois University

Northern Star

The Student News Site of Northern Illinois University

Northern Star

Pioneering black NASA mathematician Katherine Johnson dies

By BEN FINLEY | February 24, 2020

Katherine Johnson, a mathematician who calculated rocket trajectories and earth orbits for NASA’s early space missions and was later portrayed in the 2016 hit film “Hidden Figures,” about pioneering black female aerospace workers, has died. She...

‘Black in Space’ looks at final frontier of civil rights

By RUSSELL CONTRERAS | February 20, 2020

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — In 1959, Ronald Erwin McNair walked into a South Carolina library. The 9-year-old aspiring astronaut wanted to check out a calculus book, but a librarian threatened to call the police if he didn't leave. McNair was black.Years...

Russia will replace 2 cosmonauts set for launch to space

February 19, 2020

MOSCOW (AP) — Russia's space agency said Wednesday that two cosmonauts scheduled to launch to the International Space Station will be replaced with alternates for medical reasons.Roscosmos said crew members Nikolai Tikhonov and Andrei Babkin will be...

Candy, cheese soar to space station to satisfy crew cravings

By MARCIA DUNN | February 15, 2020

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — A cargo ship rocketed toward the International Space Station on Saturday, carrying candy and cheese to satisfy the astronauts' cravings.Northrop Grumman launched its Cygnus capsule from the Virginia seashore. The nearly 4-ton...

EU chief unveils budget plan setting scene for tense summit

By LORNE COOK | February 14, 2020

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Council president unveiled Friday his proposal for the EU’s next long-term budget, but the figure falls far short of the demands of Europe’s parliament, which must ratify the spending package, setting the scene for tense...

Solar Orbiter blasts off to capture 1st look at sun’s poles

By MARCIA DUNN | February 10, 2020

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Europe and NASA's Solar Orbiter rocketed into space Sunday night on an unprecedented mission to capture the first pictures of the sun's elusive poles.“We're on the way to the sun. Go Solar Orbiter!” said Cesar Garcia...

Space station delivery from Virginia nixed at last minute

By MARCIA DUNN | February 9, 2020

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Northrop Grumman delayed a space station delivery from Virginia on Sunday because of trouble with ground equipment.The company came within two to three minutes of launching a cargo ship from Wallops Island to the International...

NASA’s record-setting Koch, crewmates safely back from space

By VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV | February 6, 2020

MOSCOW (AP) — NASA astronaut Christina Koch, who spent nearly 11 months in orbit to set a record for the longest spaceflight by a woman, landed safely Thursday in Kazakhstan along with two International Space Station crewmates.The Soyuz capsule carrying...

NASA shutting down space telescope, infrared eyes to cosmos

By MARCIA DUNN | January 29, 2020

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — NASA is pulling the plug on one of its great observatories -- the Spitzer Space Telescope -- after 16 years of scanning the universe with infrared eyes.The end comes Thursday when ground controllers put the aging spacecraft...

Astronaut craves salsa and surf after record 11 months aloft

By MARCIA DUNN | January 28, 2020

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — After nearly 11 months in orbit, the astronaut holding the record for the longest spaceflight by a woman can't wait to dig into some salsa and chips, and swim and surf in the Gulf of Mexico.NASA astronaut Christina Koch told...