The official ball for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Trionda, took an extraordinary journey to the International Space Station. Astronauts studied its movement and balance in microgravity as part of a NASA experiment. This research aims to enhance football performance and understand how embedded technologies, like the ball's motion sensor, impact the game, offering a unique blend of sports and space science.

NASA faces criticism for selecting an all-male crew for the upcoming Artemis III mission, despite the program's stated commitment to diversity. While the agency defends the choice based on mission requirements and astronaut expertise, critics argue it undermines the goal of landing the first woman on the Moon. The mission itself is a crucial test phase for future lunar landings, not a landing mission.