Daily Current Affairs- 21st December 2025

Daily Current Affairs- 21st December 2025

BHARAT STAGE EMISSION NORMS

In the News: The Delhi government enforced strict vehicular restrictions under GRAP Stage-IV (Graded Response Action Plan) to combat severe air pollution. Only BS-VI compliant vehicles registered outside Delhi are allowed entry into the city, with fuel stations mandated to deny fuel to vehicles without valid Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificates. The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) imposed these measures after Delhi's Air Quality Index (AQI) remained in the 'severe' category for three consecutive days, reaching levels above 400.

Key Points:

• What are Bharat Stage Norms: Bharat Stage (BS) emission standards are legally enforced regulations instituted by the Government of India to control air pollutants from compression ignition and spark-ignition engines, including motor vehicles. Based on European emission standards (Euro norms), these regulations set maximum permissible levels for pollutants such as carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NOx), hydrocarbons (HC), and particulate matter (PM). The standards are framed by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) and implemented by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
• Evolution and Timeline: India's emission control journey began in 1991-1992 with basic norms for petrol and diesel vehicles. The first Bharat Stage standard (BS-I/India 2000) was introduced in 1999-2000, mandating catalytic converters for petrol vehicles and unleaded petrol. BS-II was implemented in 2001 in major cities (Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata), followed by BS-III in 2005 and BS-IV in 2010 for select cities. BS-IV was extended nationwide in April 2017. In a significant leap, India skipped BS-V entirely and implemented BS-VI directly from April 1, 2020, to fast-track pollution control efforts.
• BS-VI Implementation (April 2020): BS-VI norms marked a revolutionary upgrade in India's emission standards, reducing nitrogen oxide emissions by 70% for diesel vehicles and 25% for petrol vehicles compared to BS-IV. Key features include ultra-low sulfur content in fuel (reduced to 10 ppm from 50 ppm), mandatory Diesel Particulate Filters (DPFs) and Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) systems in diesel vehicles, On-Board Diagnostics (OBD) for real-time emission monitoring, and Real Driving Emissions (RDE) testing to measure actual road performance rather than just laboratory conditions.
• BS-VI Phase 3 (August 2025): The third phase of BS-VI norms came into effect in August 2025, introducing enhanced measures including more rigorous real-world driving emission tests, improved on-board diagnostics with advanced emission monitoring technologies, and stricter enforcement of emission compliance throughout a vehicle's lifetime.
• Recent Delhi Enforcement (December 2025): Under GRAP Stage-IV measures implemented on December 18, 2025, Delhi banned entry of all non-BS-VI vehicles registered outside the city. The "No PUC, No Fuel" policy mandates that fuel stations verify valid Pollution Under Control certificates before dispensing fuel. Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras at entry points and fuel stations cross-reference vehicle data with the national VAHAN database to verify BS compliance. Violations attract fines up to ₹20,000 for non-BS-VI vehicles and ₹10,000 for BS-VI vehicles without valid PUC certificates. The Supreme Court also lifted protection against coercive action for BS-III and older vehicles in the national capital.

India shaping The Global Pecking Order

In the News: In 2025, India achieved a historic milestone by surpassing Japan to become the world's 4th largest economy with a nominal GDP of $4.19 trillion, as confirmed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in May 2025. This achievement marks India's rapid ascent in the global economic order and reinforces its position as a major power reshaping international influence.

Key Points:

• Military Power - 4th Strongest Globally: India secured 4th position in the Global Firepower Index 2025, maintaining its rank among 145 countries assessed. With a PowerIndex score of 0.1184, India ranks behind only the United States (1st, 0.0744), Russia (2nd, 0.0788), and China (3rd, 0.0788). India's military strength is attributed to 1.4 million active personnel (over 5 million including reserves and paramilitary), annual defense spending of approximately $75 billion, and achievement of nuclear triad capabilities (land, sea, air-based nuclear capabilities) including ICBMs and nuclear submarines.
• Indigenous Defense Capabilities: India's rise in military rankings is driven by the "Atmanirbhar Bharat" (Self-Reliant India) initiative focusing on indigenous defense production. Key achievements include INS Vikrant (India's first home-built aircraft carrier commissioned), BrahMos supersonic cruise missile program, Tejas Mk1A fighter jets, Arihant-class nuclear submarines, and S-400 advanced air defense systems. India's defense budget for 2025-29 is estimated at $415.9 billion, reflecting commitment to military modernization.
• G20 Leadership and Global South Champion: India hosted the G20 Summit in September 2023 with the theme "Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam" (One Earth, One Family, One Future), successfully securing consensus on the New Delhi Declaration despite geopolitical tensions. India achieved the historic inclusion of the African Union as a permanent G20 member in 2023, expanding representation for the Global South. At the November 2025 Johannesburg G20 Summit (hosted by South Africa), India continued advocating for Global South priorities including debt relief, climate finance, technology access, and UNSC reform.
• Space Technology - Elite Club Membership: India became the 4th country globally to achieve autonomous satellite docking capability with the SpaDEX mission (January 16, 2025), joining USA, Russia, and China. ISRO celebrated its 100th launch from Sriharikota with GSLV-F15/NVS-02 (January 29, 2025), strengthening NavIC Phase II navigation system providing strategic independence from GPS. India's Gaganyaan mission (human spaceflight program) progresses toward sending three astronauts to 400-km orbit, with Bharatiya Antriksh Station planned and human lunar landing targeted for 2035-2040.

INDIA–RUSSIA RELOS AGREEMENT

In the News: India and Russia are set to operationalise the Reciprocal Exchange of Logistics Support (RELOS) agreement in 2025, a comprehensive defence logistics arrangement that strengthens bilateral military cooperation by enabling reciprocal access to military bases and logistical support facilities across strategic regions spanning from the Arctic to the Indo-Pacific.

Key Points:

• RELOS Agreement Overview: The Reciprocal Exchange of Logistics Support (RELOS) agreement is a bilateral military logistics-sharing pact between India and Russia that will come into force after the formal exchange of instruments of ratification between both countries. The agreement was signed on February 18, 2025, in Moscow by India's Ambassador to Russia Vinay Kumar and Russia's then-Deputy Defence Minister Alexander Fomin, and was ratified by Russia's State Duma on December 3, 2025, just two days before President Putin's state visit to New Delhi for the 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit.
• Operational Scope and Coverage: RELOS governs the comprehensive movement of military units, warships, and military aircraft between India and Russia, establishing formal procedures for dispatching military forces and conducting port calls for naval vessels. It covers logistical support during joint military exercises (including the annual INDRA tri-service exercises), training activities, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) operations, and responses to natural or man-made disasters, with provisions for extension to other operational scenarios by mutual consent.
• Logistical Support Services: The agreement allows armed forces of both nations reciprocal access to each other's military bases, ports, airfields, and support facilities for essential services including refueling and replenishment of supplies, repairs and maintenance of military equipment, berthing facilities for naval vessels, spare parts provisioning, rations and other consumables, and technical servicing of aircraft and ships. The agreement is valid for an initial five-year term with provisions for automatic renewal unless either party chooses termination, and includes streamlined regulatory frameworks reducing bureaucratic hurdles and enabling rolling cost settlements for simplified financial transactions.
• Strategic Access for India - Arctic to Pacific: RELOS grants the Indian Navy and Air Force access to over 40 Russian naval and air bases spanning from the Pacific Ocean to the Arctic Circle, including strategically vital facilities such as Vladivostok and Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky in Russia's Far East Pacific region, and Murmansk and Severomorsk in the Arctic (Russia's Northern Fleet bases).
• Enhanced Indian Military Capabilities: The agreement significantly enhances the operational reach and endurance of the Indian Navy (which currently deploys 12-15 warships across Indo-Pacific chokepoints) and Air Force by enabling long-range maritime patrols and monitoring of strategic sea lanes carrying over 70% of India's maritime trade. RELOS provides sustainment without dedicated tanker vessels otherwise required for extended deployments, supports India's scientific ambitions in the Arctic including research stations and polar studies, and is particularly valuable for maintaining India's vast inventory of Russian-origin military hardware (constituting nearly 60% of India's defense equipment) including Su-30MKI fighters, MiG series aircraft, aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya, Kilo-class submarines, T-90 tanks, and S-400 air defense systems.

UN Celebrates Second World Meditation Day to Promote Inner Peace Worldwide

In the News: The United Nations celebrated the Second World Meditation Day, observed globally to promote inner peace, mental well-being, and harmony worldwide. The day, which was first declared by the UN General Assembly on December 6, 2024, through a resolution unanimously adopted by all 193 member states, falls on the Winter Solstice—a time traditionally associated with renewal, reflection, and introspection across cultures. India played a leading role as a core group member and co-sponsor of the historic resolution alongside Liechtenstein (which introduced the resolution), Sri Lanka, Nepal, Mexico, Andorra, and several other nations. The Second World Meditation Day 2025 featured major global events including a special celebration at UN Headquarters in New York's Trusteeship Council on December 19, 2025 (10:00 AM - 12:00 PM EST), featuring reflections from internationally recognized well-being experts followed by a guided meditation session led by Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, founder of The Art of Living organization.

Key Points:

• UN Resolution and India's Leadership Role: The United Nations General Assembly unanimously declared December 21 as World Meditation Day through a resolution adopted on December 6, 2024, with India playing an instrumental role in co-sponsoring and guiding the historic decision. The resolution was introduced by Liechtenstein and co-led by a core group of member states including India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Mexico, and Andorra, with additional co-sponsorship from Bangladesh, Bulgaria, Burundi, Dominican Republic, Iceland, Luxembourg, Mauritius, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Portugal, and Slovenia. Strategically, December 21 also falls exactly six months after the International Day of Yoga celebrated on June 21 (the Summer Solstice), creating a balanced six-month interval between two globally recognized UN observances dedicated to mental, physical, and spiritual rejuvenation.
• Meditation: Definition, Ancient Origins, and Universal Practice: Meditation is defined by the United Nations as an ancient practice centered on focusing one's attention on the present moment, where an individual uses techniques such as mindfulness, focused attention, or concentrated thought to train the mind and achieve a state of mental clarity, emotional calmness, and physical relaxation. Archaeological evidence suggests meditation dates back approximately 5,000 BCE (Before Common Era), with historical ties to ancient civilizations including Egypt and China. The UN Office at Geneva even maintains a meditation room that was opened in 1952 by then-Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld, standing as a physical symbol of silence, introspection, peace, and global harmony at the heart of the international organization.
• Second World Meditation Day 2025: Global Events and Participation: The Second World Meditation Day on December 21, 2025, featured extensive global celebrations designed to unite millions in synchronized meditation for peace, harmony, and collective well-being. UN Headquarters Event: The Permanent Mission of India, along with core group member states, hosted a special commemoration at the Trusteeship Council at UN Headquarters in New York on December 19, 2025 (10:00 AM - 12:00 PM EST), featuring reflections from internationally recognized experts on well-being, mental health, and meditation science, followed by a guided meditation session led by Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, the renowned Indian spiritual leader and founder of
• The Art of Living organization who has spent over four decades touching lives in 180+ countries with meditation and breathwork teachings. "Healing the World from Within" Event: The UN Office for Partnerships, in collaboration with the Chaka Khan Foundation, hosted a complementary special event on December 19, 2025 (12:00 PM - 2:00 PM), celebrating global well-being and mental health through music, guided meditation, and reflections from cultural and spiritual leaders honoring the transformative power of stillness. Record-Breaking 2024 Inaugural Celebration: The first World Meditation Day on December 21, 2024  6 additional World Records, establishing it as the largest meditation gathering in human history. 2025 Theme and Message: The observance emphasized the message: "Through the power of inner transformation, we can nurture the conditions for sustainable peace—within ourselves, within our communities, and within our shared global home," reaffirming shared global responsibility to focus on what unites humanity rather than what divides, building a world where every individual can live in peace, balance, and harmony.

Israel’s Cabinet approves 19 new Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank

In the News: Israel's Cabinet approved a proposal for 19 new Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank, according to an announcement by far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, marking a significant escalation in Israel's settlement expansion agenda that further threatens the possibility of a Palestinian state. The Cabinet approval, which actually occurred on December 11, 2025, but remained classified until the public announcement on December 21, brings the total number of new settlements established over the past three years to a record-breaking 69 settlements, representing an unprecedented construction binge in the occupied territory.

Key Points:

• Cabinet Approval Details and Record Settlement Expansion: Israel's Cabinet approved the establishment of 19 new Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank on December 11, 2025, though the decision remained classified for 10 days until Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich publicly announced it on December 21, 2025.
• Historical Context and International Legal Status: Israel captured the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip—territories that Palestinians claim for a future independent state—during the 1967 Six-Day War, and has since established an extensive network of settlements across the West Bank and East Jerusalem despite near-universal international condemnation. Israel has settled over 500,000 Jewish Israelis in more than 130 settlements across the West Bank proper, in addition to over 200,000 more Jewish Israelis in contested East Jerusalem, which Israel annexed in 1980 but which Palestinians envision as the capital of their future state. Approximately 15% of West Bank settlers are American citizens who have immigrated to Israel and chosen to live in settlement communities. Settlements are widely considered illegal under international law, specifically the Fourth Geneva Convention which prohibits an occupying power from transferring its own civilian population into occupied territory. Numerous United Nations Security Council resolutions have explicitly called on Israel to halt all settlement activity, including Resolution 2334 (passed in December 2016) which condemned settlements as having "no legal validity" and constituting "a flagrant violation under international law
• Current Government's Far-Right Composition and Settlement Ideology: Israel's current coalition government, formed in late 2022 under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, is dominated by far-right nationalist and religious parties that are ideologically committed to expanding Jewish settlements throughout the West Bank and preventing the establishment of a Palestinian state. Key figures driving settlement expansion include Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who leads the Religious Zionism party and explicitly advocates for Israeli annexation of the entire West Bank while offering Palestinians the choice to either accept permanent non-citizen status under Israeli rule, emigrate voluntarily with financial incentives, or face forcible transfer; and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who heads the Jewish Power party, oversees Israel's police force, and has a long history of settler activism and provocative actions.
• Surge in Settler Violence Against Palestinians: The expansion of settlements has been accompanied and compounded by an alarming surge of attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinian civilians in the West Bank, reaching unprecedented levels of frequency and severity. During October 2025's olive harvest season (a critical period for Palestinian agricultural livelihoods when families gather crops that represent a significant portion of annual income), settlers across the territory launched an average of eight attacks per day against Palestinians—the highest rate of settler violence since the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) began systematically collecting data in 2006. These attacks continued through November 2025, with the U.N. recording at least 136 additional settler attacks by November 24 alone.
• Timing Amid Gaza Ceasefire and International Reactions: The approval of 19 new settlements comes at a particularly sensitive moment, as the United States actively pushes Israel and Hamas to implement the second phase of a Gaza ceasefire agreement that took effect on October 10, 2025. The U.S.-brokered ceasefire plan explicitly calls for establishing a possible "pathway" to a Palestinian state as part of a broader diplomatic framework for ending the Gaza conflict and addressing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict comprehensively—yet Finance Minister Smotrich has stated openly that the settlements are specifically "aimed at preventing" the establishment of a Palestinian state, making clear that settlement expansion is a deliberate effort to create irreversible "facts on the ground" that would render a viable, contiguous Palestinian state geographically impossible. Arab countries condemned the settlement expansion strongly and swiftly.

Winter Solstice 2025 Observed on Sunday, Bringing the Year’s Shortest Day

In the News: The Winter Solstice occurred at 10:03 A.M. EST (15:03 UTC/3:03 PM Greenwich Mean Time), marking the astronomical start of winter in the Northern Hemisphere and bringing the shortest day and longest night of the year to billions of people across North America, Europe, and Asia. This annual astronomical phenomenon happens when Earth's North Pole reaches its maximum tilt of 23.5 degrees away from the Sun, causing the Sun to appear at its southernmost point in the sky and positioning it directly overhead at noon for observers on the Tropic of Capricorn (23.5 degrees south latitude). The Winter Solstice represents a pivotal turning point in Earth's annual journey around the Sun, as daylight hours reach their minimum in the Northern Hemisphere—ranging from just 8-9 hours in most of North America to barely a few hours in Arctic regions—while simultaneously the Southern Hemisphere experiences its Summer Solstice with the longest day of the year.

Key Points:

• Astronomical Significance and Timing: The Winter Solstice 2025 occurred at precisely 10:03 A.M. Eastern Standard Time on Sunday, December 21 (15:03 UTC), marking the exact instant when Earth's Northern Hemisphere reached its maximum axial tilt of 23.5 degrees away from the Sun, the greatest possible angular distance for our planet's current orbital configuration. This astronomical event represents the moment when the Sun reaches its southernmost point in Earth's sky for the year, appearing directly overhead at solar noon for observers positioned along the Tropic of Capricorn (the latitude line at 23.5 degrees south that runs through southern Brazil, northern Argentina, southern Africa, Madagascar, central Australia, and several Pacific island nations). The solstice itself lasts only an instant—a single moment in time occurring simultaneously worldwide, though local clocks show different times depending on timezone (9:03 A.M. CST, 8:03 A.M. MST, 7:03 A.M. PST, etc.).
• Shortest Day and Daylight Variations Across Latitudes: December 21, 2025, brought the shortest period of daylight and the longest night of the year to the entire Northern Hemisphere, though the specific duration of daylight varied dramatically depending on latitude, ranging from approximately 8-9 hours in mid-latitudes to complete 24-hour darkness in the Arctic Circle. In most parts of North America, cities experienced only 8-9 hours of sunlight depending on location: southern cities like Miami, Houston, Atlanta, and Los Angeles saw approximately 10-11 hours of daylight, experiencing 3-4 hours less sunlight compared to their summer peak; mid-latitude cities such as New York City and Chicago received only about 9 hours of daylight, roughly 6 hours less than at the Summer Solstice; while northern cities including Minneapolis, Portland, and Seattle endured merely 8 hours or less of daylight, experiencing approximately 7 hours less sunlight than their longest summer days, with sunset arriving before 4:30 PM and complete darkness settling by 5:00 PM.
• Earth's Axial Tilt and the Cause of Seasons: The Winter Solstice and all seasonal variations on Earth occur exclusively because our planet orbits the Sun with its rotational axis tilted at 23.5 degrees relative to the plane of its orbit around the Sun (the ecliptic plane), rather than spinning "upright" perpendicular to its orbital path. If Earth had no axial tilt and instead rotated with its axis perpendicular to its orbit, every location on Earth would experience approximately 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness every single day of the year, with no seasons whatsoever—tropical regions would remain perpetually warm, polar regions would remain perpetually frozen in twilight, and temperate regions would experience constant moderate conditions year-round.
• Cultural, Historical, and Spiritual Significance: The Winter Solstice has held profound cultural, spiritual, and practical significance for human civilizations across virtually every continent for thousands of years, representing not merely an astronomical curiosity but rather a pivotal moment in the annual cycle that directly affected survival, agriculture, and spiritual worldviews. Archaeological evidence demonstrates that Neolithic (New Stone Age) societies dating back to approximately 3000 BCE recognized and celebrated the Winter Solstice, as evidenced by carefully aligned stone monuments constructed specifically to mark this astronomical event.

Michaela Benthaus to Make History as First Wheelchair User in Space

In the News: German aerospace engineer Michaela "Michi" Benthaus made history by becoming the first wheelchair user to travel to space aboard Blue Origin's NS-37 suborbital mission. The New Shepard rocket lifted off at 8:15 a.m. CT from Blue Origin's Launch Site One near Van Horn, Texas, carrying Benthaus and five other crew members past the Kármán line (100 kilometers or 62 miles above Earth), the internationally recognized boundary of space. The milestone represents a breakthrough moment for inclusion, accessibility, and diversity in human spaceflight, demonstrating that space exploration can extend beyond physical limitations.

Key Points:

• Who is Michaela Benthaus: Michaela "Michi" Benthaus is a 33-year-old German aerospace and mechatronics engineer currently working as a Young Graduate Trainee at the European Space Agency (ESA), a position she joined in 2024. At ESA, she studies Mars' atmosphere and develops guidance, navigation, and control algorithms required to land spacecraft and rocket boosters. Benthaus has maintained her professional trajectory in aerospace engineering despite life-altering challenges, reflecting resilience, adaptability, and dedication to advancing space technology and exploration.
• Life-Changing Accident and Recovery: In 2018, Benthaus sustained a spinal cord injury following a downhill mountain biking accident, which left her paralyzed from the waist down and dependent on a wheelchair. Before the accident, she had grown up loving intense sports including parkour, where she scaled walls, jumped from trees, and performed backflips. After losing the ability to walk, she initially struggled with the loss of these activities but channeled her energy into earning a master's degree in aerospace engineering and pursuing her childhood dream of space travel, which she had held since age 10.
• Space Training and Preparation: Benthaus has significant experience relevant to human spaceflight that prepared her for this historic mission. In 2022, she participated in a parabolic zero-gravity flight (also known as the "Vomit Comet") arranged through AstroAccess, a project dedicated to paving the way for spacefliers with disabilities. This experience simulated weightlessness and demonstrated the feasibility of space travel for wheelchair users. In 2023, she served as mission commander during a two-week analog astronaut mission at the wheelchair-accessible Lunares Research Station in Poland, where crews simulate space activities on Earth.
• How the Mission Came Together: The unprecedented opportunity materialized after a chance encounter between Benthaus and Hans Koenigsmann, a former SpaceX executive and vice president of build and flight reliability, during an event in Munich in 2024. When Benthaus wondered aloud whether she would ever be able to realize her spaceflight dream despite her spinal cord injury, Koenigsmann, who is also German, began quietly conspiring to make it happen. Since Blue Origin offers brief trips to suborbital space (unlike SpaceX's multimillion-dollar orbital flights), Koenigsmann contacted his former competitor to arrange the mission. His efforts were instrumental in securing Benthaus' seat on NS-37.
• The NS-37 Mission Details: NS-37 was Blue Origin's 37th New Shepard mission and the 16th to carry human passengers since the program began in July 2021. The mission launched on December 20, 2025, carrying six crew members who nicknamed themselves the "Out of the Blue" crew. The entire flight lasted approximately 10 minutes, reaching a peak altitude of slightly more than 65 miles (above the 62-mile Kármán line), where passengers experienced three to four minutes of microgravity before returning to Earth. Including this flight, Blue Origin has now launched 86 individuals (80 unique persons, with six flying twice) to space. The mission was originally scheduled for December 18 but was delayed after flight teams observed an issue with built-in pre-flight checks.
• Accessibility Accommodations: Blue Origin made specific accommodations to ensure Benthaus' safe and comfortable participation. A patient transfer board was added to allow her to scoot between the capsule's hatch and her seat. The launch tower was already equipped with an elevator to ascend the seven stories to the capsule perched atop the rocket. During the flight, Benthaus used a special strap to keep her legs bound together, preventing them from splaying wildly in microgravity—a technique that worked "quite well" according to her post-flight assessment.
• The Crew of NS-37: The six-member crew included: Michaela Benthaus (aerospace engineer, ESA); Hans Koenigsmann (German-American aerospace engineer and former SpaceX executive who arranged Benthaus' flight and served as her designated emergency helper); Joey Hyde (physicist, quantitative investor, and retired hedge fund partner from Florida); Neal Milch (business executive); Adonis Pouroulis (entrepreneur); and Jason Stansell (local space enthusiast from Texas). Koenigsmann and Milch assisted Benthaus out of the capsule and down the short flight of steps after landing, as she was unable to evacuate independently in emergency scenarios.
• Fundraising for Spinal Cord Research: As part of her space journey, Benthaus is using the mission to raise money for Wings for Life, a spinal cord injury research nonprofit foundation. The initiative reflects her commitment to advancing research that could benefit others with similar injuries and her broader advocacy for accessibility and inclusion. By leveraging the high-profile nature of her spaceflight, she aims to draw attention and resources to spinal cord injury research while demonstrating what is possible for people with disabilities.