Science News Roundup: Virgin Orbit to launch first satellite in Europe within six weeks; Europe plans first Ariane 6 rocket launch in Q4 of 2023 and more

McDivitt, who was selected for NASA's second astronaut class in 1962, was the commanding pilot for the U.S. space agency's Gemini 4 mission in 1965 and Apollo 9 in 1969, a mission that helped pave the way for the first human lunar landing. Genetic findings from Siberian caves give glimpse into Neanderthal life Bone and tooth remnants from two Siberian caves are helping scientists for the first time decipher the social organization of our cousins the Neanderthals through genetic sleuthing, including on the remains of a father and his teenage daughter.

Following is a summary of current science news briefs.

Apollo, Gemini astronaut James McDivitt dies at age 93

James McDivitt, a former U.S. astronaut who commanded some of NASA's earliest and most ambitious missions in space, died in his sleep last week at age 93, NASA said in a statement on Monday night. McDivitt, who was selected for NASA's second astronaut class in 1962, was the commanding pilot for the U.S. space agency's Gemini 4 mission in 1965 and Apollo 9 in 1969, a mission that helped pave the way for the first human lunar landing.

Genetic findings from Siberian caves give glimpse into Neanderthal life

Bone and tooth remnants from two Siberian caves are helping scientists for the first time decipher the social organization of our cousins the Neanderthals through genetic sleuthing, including on the remains of a father and his teenage daughter. Researchers on Wednesday described genomic findings from the remains of 13 Neanderthals - 11 from Chagyrskaya cave and two from Okladnikov cave in the Altai Mountains of Russia - in one of the largest genetic studies of a Neanderthal population to date. The Paleolithic remains date to about 54,000 years ago.

Virgin Orbit to launch first satellite in Europe within six weeks - Branson

Richard Branson's small satellite service provider Virgin Orbit Holdings Inc will be doing its first launch from European soil within the next six weeks, its founder said on Tuesday. "Virgin Orbit can launch satellites into space from anywhere in the world into any orbit at a days notice," Branson said during a press conference in Milan.

Europe plans first Ariane 6 rocket launch in Q4 of 2023

Europe plans to launch the first Ariane 6 rocket, its next-generation space launcher, in the fourth quarter of 2023, the European Space Agency (ESA) said on Wednesday. The 22-nation agency had previously said it was delaying the first launch from 2022 to 2023 without giving details.

(With inputs from agencies.)