NASA Delayed Launch and Barnard Star Discoveries: A Cosmic Update

NASA and SpaceX are postponing a mission to swap astronauts stuck on the ISS due to rocket issues. Also, NASA must soon submit a mass layoff plan. Meanwhile, astronomers found four rocky planets orbiting Barnard's star, our nearby stellar neighbor, but sadly, these planets are too hot to host life.

NASA and SpaceX have rescheduled a significant mission aimed at swapping astronauts on the International Space Station due to unforeseen ground system issues with the rocket. The mission, known as Crew-10, intends to bring home astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who have spent nine months on the ISS. Initially set for Wednesday, the launch faced delays, demonstrating the unpredictable nature of space travel.

As NASA juggles its intensive schedule of astronaut missions, it has been granted an extra week to develop a plan addressing mass layoffs, under a federal initiative spearheaded by Elon Musk and the Trump administration to streamline governmental operations. The deadline extension comes amidst high-priority space endeavors undertaken by the agency this month.

In astronomical news, researchers observing Barnard's star, one of the closest stellar neighbors to our solar system, confirmed the presence of four rocky exoplanets. Despite the excitement of this discovery, scientists reported the planets' proximity to the star makes them inhospitable, akin to the solar system's Mercury.

(With inputs from agencies.)