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By Space Force
The visit marked Bentivegna’s first official multi-nation tour of the EUCOM AOR since assuming the top enlisted position in the U.S. Space Force.
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By NASA
NASA Astronaut Kate RubinsNASA NASA astronaut and microbiologist Kate Rubins retired Monday after 16 years with the agency. During her time with NASA, Rubins completed two long-duration missions aboard the International Space Station, logging 300 days in space and conducting four spacewalks.
“I want to extend my sincere gratitude to Kate for her dedication to the advancement of human spaceflight,” said Steve Koerner, acting director of NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. “She is leaving behind a legacy of excellence and inspiration, not only to our agency, but to the research and medical communities as well. Congratulations, Kate, on an extraordinary career.”
Rubins’ first mission to the orbiting laboratory began in July 2016, aboard the first test flight of the new Soyuz MS spacecraft. As part of Expedition 48/49, she contributed to more than 275 scientific experiments, including molecular and cellular biology research, and she was the first person to sequence DNA in space. Her work enabled significant advances with in-flight molecular diagnostics, long-duration cell culture, and the development of molecular biology tools and processes, such as handling and transferring small amounts of liquids in microgravity. Rubins also led the integration and deployment of biomedical hardware aboard the space station, supporting crew health and scientific research in space and on Earth.
She again launched in October 2020, aboard a Soyuz spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, taking part in Expedition 63/64. Alongside her crewmates, Rubins spent hundreds of hours working on new experiments and furthering research investigations conducted during her mission, including heart research and multiple microbiology studies. She also advanced her work on DNA sequencing in space, which could allow future astronauts to diagnose illness or identify microbes growing aboard the station or during future exploration missions.
“From her groundbreaking work in space to her leadership on the ground, Kate has brought passion and excellence to everything she’s done,” said Joe Acaba, chief of the Astronaut Office at NASA Johnson. “She’s been an incredible teammate and role model. We will miss her deeply, but her impact will continue to inspire.”
In addition to her flight assignments, Rubins served as acting deputy director of NASA’s Human Health and Performance Directorate, where she helped guide strategy for crew health and biomedical research. More recently, she contributed to developing next-generation lunar spacesuits, helping prepare for future Artemis missions to the Moon.
Before her selection as an astronaut in 2009, Rubins received a bachelor’s degree in molecular biology from the University of California, San Diego, and a doctorate in cancer biology from Stanford University Medical School’s Biochemistry Department and Microbiology and Immunology Department. After returning from her second space mission, Rubins commissioned as a major in the U.S. Army Reserve, serving as a microbiologist in the Medical Service Corps. She currently holds the role of innovation officer with the 75th U.S. Army Reserve Innovation Command’s MedBio Detachment, headquartered in Boston.
A frequent keynote speaker at scientific, educational, and industry events on space biology, biomedical engineering, and human exploration, Rubins has advocated for NASA’s scientific and exploration missions. As she transitions from government service, she remains committed to advancing innovation at the intersection of biology, technology, and space.
“It has been the honor of a lifetime to live and work in space,” said Rubins. “I am grateful for the extraordinary advances at NASA, and it was a privilege to serve and contribute to something so meaningful. The mission of exploration continues, and I can’t wait to watch this nation do what once seemed impossible.”
Learn more about how NASA explores the unknown and innovates for the benefit of humanity at:
https://www.nasa.gov/
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Raegan Scharfetter
Johnson Space Center, Houston
281-910-4989
raegan.r.scharfetter@nasa.gov
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By USH
3I/ATLAS as an interstellar visitor, discovered on July 1. Estimated to be up to 15 miles (24 kilometers) wide, it’s barreling toward the Sun at over 130,000 mph. Fortunately, it won’t come closer to Earth than 1.6 astronomical units — about 150 million miles (240 million kilometers) according to NASA.
NASA insists there's no reason for concern — it’s just a comet, end of story. But here's where things get interesting: 3I/ATLAS is the third known interstellar object to enter our solar system, following the enigmatic ‘Oumuamua in 2017 and comet Borisov in 2019. And like those two, it behaves in ways that deviate from what we expect of natural comets.
A newly published paper on the preprint server arXiv (July 16) challenges NASA’s official explanation. The study, co-authored by three scientists, including Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb, suggests that 3I/ATLAS might not be a comet at all. Instead, the team proposes it could be an artificial object: a surveillance probe sent by an unknown extraterrestrial intelligence, possibly even one with hostile intent.
Loeb, warns that if this hypothesis turns out to be accurate, the consequences for humanity could be profound. He suggests that preparing defensive countermeasures might be necessary if this object poses a real threat.
What makes 3I/ATLAS so unusual?
According to Loeb, the object’s trajectory is so rare that the odds of a natural comet following the same path are less than 0.005%.
It will pass unusually close to three planets — Venus, Mars, and Jupiter — raising further suspicion.
Most telling of all: 3I/ATLAS lacks a coma, the cloud of gas and dust that typically surrounds comets.
"When analyzed with an open mind, the data offers compelling evidence that 3I/ATLAS may be technological in nature," Loeb explained.
In fact, Loeb outlines eight specific reasons why this object likely isn't a natural interstellar visitor — and why it may be of artificial origin. (You can read his full breakdown (here).
The idea that this mysterious object might be an alien craft, possibly one preparing for closer contact with Earth, is unsettling to say the least. For now, we can only wait, watch... and wonder. View the full article
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