Samantha Harvey Wins Booker Prize with 'Orbital': A First in Five Years for Women Authors

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Samantha Harvey has become the first woman since 2019 to win the prestigious Booker Prize.** Her book, 'Orbital', tells the story of astronauts looking down at Earth and was named the winner at a ceremony in London. The novel explores the beauty of space and the challenges of isolation, resonating with many during the pandemic. Harvey dedicated the prize to those who work for peace and the dignity of all life. This is a significant win for women authors, as they have been underrepresented in the Booker Prize's history. The shortlist this year featured five women, the largest number in its 55-year history. Harvey is the 19th woman to win the award since 1969, compared to 36 male winners. The Queen was among the first to congratulate the author, describing the novel as 'brilliant'.

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President Biden Honors Liz Cheney and Bennie Thompson with the Presidential Citizens Medal

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In a ceremony at the White House, President Joe Biden honored 20 Americans with the Presidential Citizens Medal, including Liz Cheney and Bennie Thompson, the leaders of the congressional investigation into the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. Biden praised Cheney and Thompson for their 'steadfast commitment to truth' and 'exemplary deeds of service for their country.' The medal is the country's second-highest civilian honor after the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Trump and Musk's Friendship on Full Display at SpaceX Starship Launch

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Donald Trump and Elon Musk recently attended the sixth flight test of SpaceX's Super Heavy-Starship in Texas. This burgeoning friendship played a key role in Trump's reelection, with Musk now set to run a government efficiency agency in the coming months. The Super Heavy-Starship is designed to be reusable, and its first stage super heavy booster was successfully captured last month. Trump and Musk are co-leading a new Department of Government Efficiency, aiming to dismantle government bureaucracy and cut wasteful expenditures. The Super Heavy-Starship is the centerpiece of Musk's drive to make humanity 'multi-planetary' and potentially advance SpaceX's plans for the Artemis moon program.

NASA Astronauts' Mysterious Hospitalization: Updates and Details

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Billionaire Astronaut Completes First Private Spacewalk

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Title: **Billionaire Astronaut Completes First Private Spacewalk
Summary:
American billionaire Jared Isaacman has become the first person to perform a private spacewalk, reaching 460 miles above Earth.
The Polaris Dawn mission, operated by SpaceX, carried four private citizens, including SpaceX engineers Anna Menon and Sarah Gillis.
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Jared Isaacman, a tech entrepreneur and founder of Shift4 Payments, called Earth 'a perfect world' during the mission.

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Billionaire Makes History With First Private Spacewalk

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Jared Isaacman, the billionaire entrepreneur, just made history as the first non-professional astronaut to walk in space.** Launching aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon spaceship, Isaacman and three others went into space as part of the Polaris Dawn mission. Isaacman, who made his fortune from payment processing company Shift4 Payments, is no stranger to space travel, having previously led the first private, all-civilian team to orbit the Earth in 2021. **This latest mission marks the first time a non-professional has ever performed a spacewalk, a major milestone for private space travel.

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