A new phase in the global space race is taking shape, with both the United States and China announcing plans to build nuclear reactors on the Moon to support long-term human presence.

After nearly five months on the International Space Station, the five astronauts from the United States, Japan and Russia began their return to Earth on Friday onboard a SpaceX Dragon capsule. At 2215 GMT, the spacecraft separated from the orbiting station. It is scheduled to splash down off the coast of California at 1533 GMT on Saturday, following a 17-hour descent.

In a fascinating development, NASA has reportedly discovered a new planet, described as a "Super Earth," just 154 light-years away that is sending out a strange, repeating signal that has caught the attention of scientists.

Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla and three others of the commercial Axiom-4 mission are on track to return to Earth with a splash down off San Diego in California on Tuesday, capping a 22.5-hour journey after an 18-day stay at the International Space Station.

New Delhi: India looks full of ambition, fearless, confident and full of pride from space, astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla said on Sunday.

Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla will undergo a seven-day rehabilitation programme after his splashdown off the California coast on July 15 as he returns to the Earth from an 18-day sojourn at the International Space Station (ISS).

New Delhi: Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla and three other crew members of the Axiom-4 mission are set to return to earth from the International Space Station on July 14, NASA said on Thursday.

In the final leg of his space sojourn, Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla turned into a farmer, taking photos of 'moong' and 'methi' seeds sprouting in petri dishes and inserting them into a storage freezer on the International Space Station (ISS) as part of a study on how microgravity influences germination and early plant development.