A private astronaut mission is scheduled to launch on Thursday to the International Space Station. But unlike on earlier such flights, none of the passengers are wealthy space tourists paying their own way to orbit. Instead, three nations — Italy, Sweden and Turkey — are taking advantage of new commercial possibilities to send astronauts from

Back in the 1980s, it seemed as if everyone with a spare quarter was playing the arcade game Donkey Kong, scooting up ramps and climbing ladders while avoiding barrels hurled by a giant ape. For most players, the video game provided a few minutes of excitement before inevitable defeat. But a handful of top players