NASA has announced astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are safely in orbit on the first crewed flight test of Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft heading for the International Space Station.

As part of NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test, the astronauts launched a ULA (United Launch Alliance) Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida at 10:52 a.m. EDT Wednesday for an end-to-end test of the Starliner system.

“Two brave NASA astronauts are well on their way to this historic first test flight of a brand-new spacecraft,” stated NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. “Boeing’s Starliner represents a new era of American exploration. Human spaceflight is a risky endeavor, but it is worth it. It is an exciting time for NASA, our commercial partners, and the future of space exploration. “Go Starliner, Butch, and Suni!”

The flight test is part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program and will help validate the transportation system, launch pad, rocket, spacecraft, in-orbit operations capabilities, and return to Earth with astronauts aboard as the agency prepares to certify Starliner for rotational missions to the space station. Starliner has already completed two uncrewed orbital missions, including a test to and from the space station, as well as a pad abort demonstration.

Boeing Starliner Makes Orbit

“With Starliner’s launch, separation from the rocket, and arrival in orbit, Boeing’s Crew Flight Test is right on track,” said Mark Nappi, vice president and program manager for Boeing’s Commercial Crew Program. “Everyone is focused on giving Suni and Butch a safe, comfortable, ride and performing a successful test mission from start to finish.”

Boeing’s mission control center in Houston will supervise a sequence of autonomous spacecraft maneuvers while Starliner is in flight. NASA teams will supervise space station activities from the Mission Control Center at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.

“Flying crew on Starliner represents over a decade of work by the Commercial Crew Program and our partners at Boeing and ULA,” said Steve Stich, Commercial Crew Program Manager at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. “For many of us, this is a career-defining occasion, ushering in a new crew transportation capacity for our agency and our country. We will take it one step at a time, putting Starliner through its paces and remaining watchful until Butch and Suni safely land back on Earth at the end of this test journey.”

At about 12:15 p.m., Starliner will dock autonomously to the forward-facing port of the station’s Harmony module. Thursday, June 6, and will remain at the orbital laboratory for almost a week.

Wilmore and Williams will help ensure that the spacecraft is functioning properly by testing the environmental control system, the displays and control system, and moving the thrusters, among other things, during flight.

Wilmore and Williams will join the Expedition 71 crew, which includes NASA astronauts Michael Barratt, Matt Dominick, Tracy C. Dyson, and Jeanette Epps, as well as Roscosmos cosmonauts Nikolai Chub, Alexander Grebenkin, and Oleg Kononenko.

NASA’s arrival and in-flight event coverage is as follows (all times Eastern and subject to change depending on real-time operations):

NASA Television channels will continue to broadcast the Starliner’s mission.

Thursday, June 6
9:30 a.m. – Arrival coverage begins on NASA+, the NASA app, and YouTube, and continues on NASA Television and the agency’s website.

12:15 p.m. – Targeted docking

2 p.m. – Hatch opening

2:20 p.m. – Welcome remarks

3:30 p.m. – Post-docking news conference at NASA Johnson with the following participants:

• NASA Associate Administrator Jim Free
• Steve Stich, manager, NASA’s Commercial Crew Program
• Jeff Arend, manager for systems engineering and integration, NASA’s International Space Station Office
• Mark Nappi, vice president and program manager, Commercial Crew Program, Boeing

Coverage of the post-docking news conference will air live on NASA+, NASA Television, the NASA app, YouTube, and the agency’s website.

To attend the post-docking briefing, U.S. media must contact the NASA Johnson newsroom at: jsccommu@mail.nasa.gov or 281-483-5111 by 1 p.m. Thursday, June 6. To join by phone, media must contact the NASA Johnson newsroom by 3 p.m. Thursday, June 6.

5:50 p.m. – NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy, Associate Administrator Jim Free, Associate Administrator for Space Operations Ken Bowersox, and Johnson Space Center Director Vanessa Wyche will speak with Wilmore and Williams about their launch aboard the Starliner spacecraft.

Coverage of the Earth to space call will air live on NASA+, NASA Television, the NASA app, YouTube, and the agency’s website.

Saturday, June 8

8:50 a.m. – NASA astronauts Wilmore and Williams will provide a tour of Starliner.

Coverage of the in-orbit event will stream live on NASA+, NASA Television, the NASA app, YouTube, and the agency’s website.

Monday, June 10

11 a.m. – Williams will speak to students from Sunita L. Williams Elementary School in Needham, Massachusetts, in an event aboard the space station.

Coverage of the Earth to space call will air live on NASA+, NASA Television, the NASA app, YouTube, and the agency’s website.

Tuesday, June 11

3:15 p.m. – Wilmore will speak to students from Tennessee Tech University in an event aboard the space station.

Coverage of the Earth to space call will air live on NASA+, NASA Television, the NASA app, YouTube, and the agency’s website.

The United States’ national debt has been a growing concern over the years, reaching a staggering $34 trillion. This excessive debt poses a significant burden on taxpayers, and it is a direct result of the failure of politicians to manage the country’s finances responsibly.

The Daily Treasury Statement for Friday showed that the total public debt outstanding rose to $34.001 trillion from $33.911 on Thursday.

The debt that counts toward the federal debt ceiling rose to $33.89 trillion on Friday from $33.794 trillion on Thursday. 

This “debt subject to limit” category excludes the unamortized discount on Treasury bills and zero coupon bonds, debt issued by the Federal Financing Bank and guaranteed debt of certain other agencies.

The milestone comes shortly after the federal debt topped $33 trillion in September amid rising federal deficits fueled by falling tax revenues and rising federal expenditures.

Congress returns to Washington next week to tackle the Jan. 19 and Feb. 2 deadlines for settling government spending through September amid Republican demands to reduce fiscal 2024 discretionary spending below caps agreed in June. 

Political Leader Failures

Lawmakers hope to pass emergency aid for Ukraine and Israel, with unrelated U.S. border security provisions attached. Failure to approve the one-dozen fiscal 2024 spending bills would plunge Washington agencies into shutdown mode. 

But reaching a compromise could become more difficult with the November presidential and congressional elections coming quickly into focus.

Maya MacGuineas, president of the Congressional Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, a fiscal watchdog group, called the $34 trillion federal debt figure “a truly depressing achievement,” attributing it to political leaders’ unwillingness to make difficult fiscal choices.

“We remain hopeful that policymakers will take further measures to reduce our borrowing either by raising taxes, reducing spending, or creating a fiscal commission – or ideally by doing all of the above,” MacGuineas said in a statement.

White House spokesperson Michael Kikukawa said the debt increases were “trickle-down debt” driven by Republican-passed tax cuts in 2017 that benefited corporations and wealthy Americans.

“Congressional Republicans want to double down on MAGAnomics with more than $3 trillion in giveaways skewed to the wealthy while forcing hardworking Americans to pay the price by cutting Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid,” Kikukawa said in a statement.

Politicians have consistently created more debt

He added that Biden plans to reduce U.S. deficits by $2.5 trillion over 10 years by increasing taxes on big corporations and wealthy Americans and cutting pharmaceutical spending and tax breaks for oil companies.

Politicians have consistently overspent, leading to a significant accumulation of debt. The reliance on deficit spending has become a norm, as the government consistently spends more than it generates through revenue. 

This reckless behaviour and failure to address fiscal responsibility have ballooned the national debt.

The lack of fiscal restraint and accountability among politicians has exacerbated the debt crisis. Earmarks, or pork-barrel spending, have been common, allowing politicians to allocate funds for pet projects without proper oversight. 

Miss use of Taxpayers Money

This misuse of taxpayer money has contributed to the growing debt burden, further highlighting the irresponsible actions of elected officials. Essential programs, such as Social Security and Medicare, represent a significant portion of government spending. 

Despite the impending fiscal challenges these programs pose, politicians still need to address the long-term sustainability of these entitlements. Their inaction has perpetuated the growth of the national debt, leaving taxpayers to bear the brunt of the financial consequences.

The astronomical national debt directly impacts taxpayers, who are ultimately responsible for financing the government’s overspending. 

The burden of servicing the debt falls on current and future generations, jeopardizing the country’s economic stability and prosperity.

Furthermore, debt accumulation diminishes the government’s ability to allocate resources to critical areas such as infrastructure, education, and healthcare.

Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) has strongly condemned Israel for showing a video clip depicting the horrific decapitation of a victim, claimed to be a Thai person, during a United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) meeting.

According to the MFA, such atrocities have sparked outrage not only among Thais, but definitely among people all over the world. The group “disapproves of the display of such footage, which does not afford the proper respect and due consideration for the deceased and his family” , according to a statement issued by the company.

It refers to a short video clip broadcast by Israel’s permanent envoy to the United Nations, Gilad Erdan, during his speech to the UNGA’s special session on the Hamas-Israeli conflict on October 26. The Israeli ambassador showed video of a foreign national being decapitated with a garden tool during Hamas attacks on October 7. The victim was allegedly a Thai worker.

Horrific Hamas Attack in Israel

The Wall Street Journal published an editorial over the weekend about the screening in New York of raw film of Hamas atrocities during its October 7 invasion of Israel. “Why did the Hamas men start cheering when they saw the dead body of a teenage girl?” Why did they fight over who would be the first to decapitate a Thai guest worker they had shot, then cry ‘Allahu akbar’ with every swing at his neck?” the writer wondered in horror.

The MFA stated that it condemns the slaughter of innocent civilians, regardless of nationality, group, or motive. It also called for the immediate release of all hostages and arrested nations. As of October 28, the number of Thai nationals killed in the Hamas-Israel war stood at 32, with 19 injuries and 19 abductions. With the violence on the rise, the administration is calling with all Thais living in Israel to return for their own safety.

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said the administration is gathering data about the tape and that such footage should not have been shown to the public. “It’s not appropriate.” War is a nasty thing to do, and it’s best not to throw fuel to the fire. Thailand is not involved in the conflict. “All we ask is for the safety of all Thais and the release of all hostages,” he stated.

Concerning the plight of Thais taken hostage by Hamas, he stated that talks are underway to ensure their safety and release, and that a cabinet minister will fly to the Middle East to resolve the hostage situation.

Farm Worker from Thailand Hide from Hamas

Mr Srettha reiterated his request for all Thai workers in Israel to come home, claiming that combat is intensifying and that internal travel and evacuation will be hampered. He stated that repatriation capacity has now been expanded, while assuring Thai workers of support and help once their return. “The cabinet is expected this week to approve a set of measures including low-interest long-term loans to alleviate debt problems for Thai workers in Israel,” the minister added. He was also concerned about the safety and well-being of Thai officials in Israel.

Meanwhile, House Speaker Wan Muhamad Noor Matha said on Sunday that the team he sent to Iran to negotiate the release of Thai captives would meet an adviser to Iran’s president and a major Palestinian leader. “Things are going well, and we’re coordinating information.” They assert that all Thai captives are safe and well-cared for. “Their release is under negotiation,” he stated.

Mr Wan stated that the delegation will hold talks to gain the release of the Thai hostages, led by former Narathiwat MP Areepen Uttarasin and Lerpong Syed, brother of Saiyid Sulaiman Husaini, leader of a Shia Muslim community in Thailand. Meanwhile, the Royal Thai Air Force dispatched an A-340 aircraft on Sunday to pick up Thai people evacuated to the UAE, with the flight set to arrive at Wing 6 in Bangkok at 2.20 a.m. Monday.