CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – NASA is taking a second crack at inflating an experimental room at the International Space Station.
Flight controllers, along with the station crew, will try again Saturday to expand the world’s first soft-sided compartment in space for astronauts. Thursday’s effort was halted after the pod barely grew in size when air was let in.
Officials told reporters Friday the compressed fabric layers likely kept the chamber from fully expanding. It was launched by SpaceX in April following months of rocket delays. Because of the postponement, the pod – called BEAM for Bigelow Expandable Activity Module – ended up being packed up tight longer than anticipated.
ATLANTA – Travelers who were dreading long airport security lines Friday ahead of the Memorial Day weekend instead reported moving quickly through checkpoints after authorities opened extra screening lanes and used bomb-sniffing dogs to give some passengers a break from removing their shoes.
“Wow. I mean, wow,” said Mike Saresky, who flew into Chicago from Philadelphia, where he breezed through airport security in 12 minutes and got to leave his shoes on. “I thought it was going to be a lot worse.”
The extra dogs were concentrated at the nation’s largest airports, but they were not used for all screenings, meaning that many travelers still had to observe the usual procedures.
OXON HILL, Md. – The words were tougher. The final rounds lasted longer. The result was the same.
The Scripps National Spelling Bee ended in a tie for the third consecutive year Thursday night, with Jairam Hathwar and Nihar Janga declared co-champions after a roller-coaster finish.
Thirteen-year-old Jairam is the younger brother of the 2014 co-champion, Sriram Hathwar. Nihar, at age 11, is the youngest winner of the bee on record.
“I’m just speechless. I can’t say anything,” Nihar said as he hoisted the trophy. “I mean, I’m only in fifth grade!”
Associated Press
