HOUSTON — Human space travelers may have more than rising intraocular pressures to be concerned about when it comes to their eyesight, according to a NASA-funded study of mice that revealed profound changes in eye structure and gene expression after just 13 days in space.

Efforts resume to identify cause of helmet leak during July spacewalk

Startup World View Enterprises Inc. envisions a commercial high-altitude balloon experience for luxury-minded passengers and scientific researchers that will strive to deliver many of the prolonged experiences of spaceflight without the confinement, cost, risks or health limitations associated with rocket launches.

PARIS — The European Space Agency (ESA) has postponed the launch of its €940 million ($1.25 billion) Gaia star-mapping mission by at least one month after the spacecraft’s manufacturer identified a technical problem with a component flying on another satellite already in orbit, the agency said Oct. 23. “Gaia shares some of the components involved in this technical issue and prompt notification of this problem has allowed engineers working on the final preparations for Gaia’s launch to take additional precautionary measures,” ESA said.

NEW DELHI — The launch of India’s first Mars orbiter, which was postponed due to inclement weather in the Pacific, has been rescheduled for Nov. 5. The Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) will be boosted by a Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), which was also used for the Chandrayaan-1 Moon mission, on Nov. 5 at 2:36 p.m. local time from the Sriharikota spaceport in south India, Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) Chairman K. Radhakrishnan says.

HOUSTON — Orbital Sciences Corp.’s Cygnus demonstration resupply capsule departed the International Space Station (ISS) early Oct. 22, concluding a 24-day stay that brings the Dulles, Va.-based company’s participation in NASA’s Commercial Orbital Transportation Systems (COTS) program close to its conclusion. Orbital plans to begin regular cargo deliveries to the ISS in December under the terms of a $1.9 billion, eight-flight Commercial Resupply Services contract signed with NASA’s space station program in late 2008.

The launch of India’s first Mars orbiter, scheduled for Oct. 28, has been postponed for a week due to rough weather in the Pacific Ocean, a senior space scientist says. “The weather in the south Pacific Ocean has slowed things down as movement of two Indian ships, carrying terminals on board to track the rocket after it is launched, was delayed due to bad meteorological conditions,” Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) Chairman K. Radhakrishnan says.

The three 18-sided Spheres are free-flying software testbeds