WASHINGTON (AFP) - Four astronauts left the International Space Station on Saturday (May 1) aboard a SpaceX vessel, after more than 160 days in space which will culminate in a splash landing off the Florida coast. The Crew Dragon capsule undocked from the ISS as scheduled at 8.35pm (8.35am Sunday Singapore time). With the flight back to Earth expected to take six-and-a-half hours, the crew was scheduled to splash down in the dark of night off Panama City, Florida, in the Gulf of Mexico at 2.57am (10.57am Singapore time). "Dragon separation visually confirmed," a Nasa commentator said after two sets of six hooks tying the capsule to the ISS retracted. The capsule then fired a series of short bursts with its thrusters to gently ease away from the ISS. Nasa livestream footage showed the Crew Dragon capsule moving off into the dark as it began its journey back to Earth, its rear engines lighting up in small flashes. Seven astronauts remained on the ISS including a new crew of four who arrived on a different SpaceX craft last week. "Thanks for your hospitality," Michael Hopkins, one of the departing US astronauts, said as the
NAIROBI (BLOOMBERG) - Kenya expects to get its first Covid-19 vaccines by the end of this month and inoculate 16 million of its roughly 53 million people by June next year, according to Health Secretary Mutahi Kagwe. The country will procure vaccines made by AstraZeneca Plc, Pfizer Inc and Johnson & Johnson, and any others in the Covax facility, an initiative for developing countries to access doses, Mr Kagwe said Friday (Feb 12) in a statement. East Africa's biggest economy targets 24 million doses from Covax and will buy another 11 million shots from other mechanisms. The first vaccination phase covering 1.25 million people will prioritise health, security and immigration workers. Kenya will decide by the of next week whether to approve vaccines from China's Sinovac Biotech Ltd and AstraZeneca, and a Russian version known as Sputnik V, Fred Siyoi, head of the country's drug regulatory authority, said by phone. Related Stories:Â
Tunisia’s president issued decrees sacking a long list of senior government officials, including the army’s chief prosecutor.Tunisia has lurched further into political uncertainty after...
