Latest news with #Axiom4
India Today
15 hours ago
- Science
- India Today
Air India cancels multiple flights, cites enhanced maintenance and operational reasons
45:56 NASA has again delayed the launch of the Axiom 4 mission to the International Space Station, originally set for Sunday. This is the seventh postponement since the initial May 29 target. The latest delay stems from a pressure leak on the ISS that needs further assessment. A new launch date hasn't been set, and moving into July could cause scheduling conflicts with an upcoming Russian cargo mission.
India Gazette
3 days ago
- Science
- India Gazette
Axiom-4 launch not expected before June 22 due to safety concerns: Union Minister Jitendra Singh
New Delhi [India], June 18 (ANI): Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Wednesday said that the much-anticipated Axiom-4 space mission, which includes participation by Indian astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, is not expected to launch before June 22, citing safety as a key factor in finalising the launch date. On the Axiom 4 mission, Singh told reporters, 'We have been told that it won't be before 22nd June. There is a safety angle also involved here.' Following the rescheduling of the launch, Axiom Space said in an official statement that NASA, Axiom Space, and SpaceX are now targeting no earlier than Sunday, June 22, for the launch of the fourth private astronaut mission to the International Space Station, Axiom Mission 4. The change in the targeted launch date allows NASA time to continue evaluating space station operations after recent repair work in the aft (rear) segment of the International Space Station's Zvezda service module, the statement added. Peggy Whitson, former NASA astronaut and now Director of Human Spaceflight at Axiom Space, will command the mission, while ISRO astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla will serve as the pilot. The two mission specialists will be ESA project astronaut Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski of Poland and Tibor Kapu of Hungary. The crew will launch aboard the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft on a Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Centre in Florida.' In a post on X, Dr Jitendra Singh confirmed the updated launch timeline, writing: 'Axiom Mission 04 to the International Space Station (ISS)... After assessing key parameters, including module fitness, crew health, and weather, @Axiom_Space has indicated that June 22, 2025, may be the next likely launch date of Axiom-04 Mission carrying, among others, the Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, to the ISS.' He added, 'Further updates, if any, shall be shared accordingly.' During a press conference, Singh also reflected on broader administrative reforms introduced under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership. 'You have to prove that you know the skills for which you are applying for the job. That provides the pivotal field, and I'm glad and proud that the Prime Minister announced this from the ramparts of the Red Fort during his Independence Day speech,' he said. He recalled that within three months of the PM's announcement, all necessary administrative exercises were completed, and from January 1, 2016, new recruitment rules were implemented across India -- except in Jammu and Kashmir, where they were enforced after the abrogation of Article 370. Singh also spoke about the need to end outdated bureaucratic practices and hierarchies. 'There was a practice that Srinivasan ji was referring to -- the personal management of officers. We managed to break the hierarchy. I started calling all officers directly and saved their mobile numbers. There used to be confusion over who should come in line first. I also refrained from using the phone after 10 PM,' he said. He noted that such changes created an environment that functioned like an automated system, helping the government achieve key administrative milestones. Singh added that since taking office, PM Modi's primary focus has remained on the welfare of the poor. 'In his very first speech, the Prime Minister said that his government is dedicated to the poor, the deprived, and those who never got their due. We too have tried to follow that basic mantra in governance,' he said. He also mentioned reforms aimed at transparency and integrity. 'One of them was about removing attachments and sending a message to the common man. The second was related to the interview process. The third was the prevention of corruption, which was a common complaint against officers in the discharge of their duties,' Singh said. The Union Minister concluded that these steps laid the foundation for a new governance model that prioritises transparency, efficiency, and inclusion. (ANI)
Arabian Post
3 days ago
- Science
- Arabian Post
Axiom 4 Grounded as ISS Air Leak Exposes Structural Limits
A minor yet persistent air leak inside the Zvezda service module of the International Space Station has led NASA to indefinitely postpone Axiom Mission 4, highlighting widening concerns over the station's ageing infrastructure and safety. Though currently stable, pressure readings in the affected segment continue to require close monitoring by NASA and Roscosmos, reinforcing questions over the ISS's longevity and future viability. The anomaly was detected in the transfer tunnel between Zvezda and the aft docking port. Cosmonauts aboard the ISS carried out targeted inspections and sealed several identified areas; current readings suggest pressure has stabilised, though further diagnostics are underway. NASA characterised the risk as manageable but deemed it prudent to delay the launch of Axiom 4, citing the need for additional evaluation before adding new crew members to the orbital complex. Axiom Mission 4 was expected to lift off aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 and Dragon capsule, carrying a private four-person crew including veteran astronaut Peggy Whitson, Indian Air Force pilot Shubhanshu Shukla, and two ESA mission specialists. Shukla would have been the first member of India's astronaut corps to reach the ISS. The delay follows two earlier setbacks: one due to adverse weather, another linked to a propellant leak in the booster. ADVERTISEMENT Though there is no immediate threat to the seven crew members currently aboard, NASA's own Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel has flagged this as the ISS entering its 'riskiest period of its existence'. The station—first deployed in 1998—has experienced escalating leaks since 2019; the current air loss rate in Zvezda has increased from roughly one pound per day to about 3.7 pounds, according to a 2024 NASA inspector general report. Chinese activity has intensified scrutiny. Elon Musk, founder of SpaceX, urged that the ISS be de-orbited within two years, citing the station's age and mounting operational challenges. He emphasised that although SpaceX continues to generate significant revenue from ISS operations, the structural deterioration in key segments like Zvezda warrants prompt retirement. Experts echo caution. Dr Sarath Raj, director at Amity University Dubai's satellite ground station, warned that these leaks are symptomatic of material fatigue, long-term exposure to micrometeoroids, and the stresses of more than a quarter-century in orbit. Restorative efforts—such as hatch closures, glue applications, and internal patches—have so far kept issues contained, but have not eliminated uncertainty. Despite these warning signs, NASA retains plans to sustain ISS operations until 2030 before transitioning research and crewed missions to commercially operated platforms like Axiom Space, Blue Origin, Sierra Nevada, Voyager and Vast. The agency is also accelerating development of a dedicated deorbit capability to ensure safe retirement of the billion-dollar station. Agencies are acting jointly: NASA and Roscosmos are collaborating on real-time monitoring and structural assessments while limiting access and performing on-board tests in the Russian segment. An upcoming meeting in Moscow is expected to intensify dialogue around investigative findings, risk mitigation strategies, and necessary repairs. With the pressure anomaly contained for now, attention shifts to rescheduling Axiom 4 and timing its launch to coincide with thorough safety sign‑off from both agencies. Meanwhile, the ISS safety review—focusing on leak sources, weld integrity, deorbit planning, and spare parts shortages—signals an urgent need to reconcile scientific ambition with the realities of ageing space hardware.
NDTV
5 days ago
- Science
- NDTV
NDTV Exclusive: Close Call For Musk's SpaceX Rocket: How ISRO Helped Avert Space Disaster
The timely detection of a "crack in an oxidizer line" in the first stage of the Falcon-9 rocket - which will take four astronauts, including India's Shubhanshu Shukla, to the International Space Station - averted a major disaster. The fault was observed following a demand for due diligence from the Indian Space Research Organisation Chairman, Dr V Narayanan. The Falcon-9 rocket will carry four astronauts - part of the Axiom 4 mission - to the International Space Station, where they will spend 14 days and conduct several experiments. The "leak" has been fixed, and the ISRO has confirmed a new launch date for the mission - June 19. The back-and-forth between the ISRO and Axiom Space continued for several days. The mission was postponed five times before getting a new launch date. How ISRO Played A Big Role Experts who assessed the safety told NDTV that had the crack not been detected, the rocket could have suffered a major failure at lift off since liquid oxygen can be a cause of fire. A day before the lift off on June 10, William Gerstenmaier, Vice President for Build and Flight Reliability, SpaceX said "We found a LOX (liquid oxygen) leak that was previously seen on the booster during its (Falcon-9) entry on the last mission and discovered that we had not fully repaired the booster during refurbishment, or we didn't find the leak and didn't get not correct it. We have now gone out to the launch pad. We're continuing to troubleshoot that," the SpaceX official said. "We should complete it today, and we will have that back in configuration. We are installing a purge that will essentially mitigate the leak if it we will be fully ready to go fly," Mr Gerstenmaier added. Despite admitting to a propellant leak, the SpaceX team decided to launch the ailing rocket on June 11. However, after learning of the "leak", ISRO chief, Dr Narayanan, strongly disagreed with the decision and demanded full correction, with validation by proper tests, including low-temperature leak tests. His insistence on due diligence to rectify the leak forced the SpaceX team to call off the launch on June 11. SpaceX teams went back to the launch pad and carried out inspections, which led to a surprise and shocking detection of a "weld crack" - A big flaw in one of the liquid oxygen lines. This crack had gone unnoticed, even though the first stage is a recycled and refurbished one. The cracked portion has been replaced after Dr Narayanan's insistence, and adequate tests have been carried out on the health of the repaired system. Today, ISRO said, "During a follow-on coordination meeting between ISRO, Axiom Space, and SpaceX, it was confirmed that the liquid oxygen leak observed in the Falcon 9 launch vehicle has been successfully resolved." NDTV requested a response from SpaceX, asking several questions via email, which remain unanswered. NDTV even tweeted to SpaceX, seeking answers to the questions emailed to them, but got no response. Emails sent to Axiom Space seeking more clarity remained unanswered, too. However, in an oblique admission and acknowledgement of the role played by ISRO in averting a near disaster while ensuring safety, Mr Kam Ghaffarian, Executive Chairman, Axiom Space, on Thursday said, "We appreciate all the incredible work of our customers, NASA, and SpaceX on this Mission. This is the right thing to do for Axiom Space, for NASA, and our customers. We will continue to work with all of our partners to finalise a new launch date and look forward to flying the Ax-4 Mission soon." Earlier, ISRO stated that "During the appraisal of technical issues by Axiom and SpaceX to the ISRO delegation on June 10, ISRO recommended to carry out in-situ repairs or replacement and conduct a low-temperature leak test to validate system performance and integrity, before proceeding with launch clearance." A highly qualified 13-member ISRO team, stationed at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, was not convinced by the "band-aid-like" solution of a 'purge' offered by SpaceX on the oxidiser line leak. ISRO has a highly qualified 13-member team stationed at the Kennedy Space Center to keep an eye on the safety of the Axiom-4 mission. Photo Credit: Axiom Space In a statement, ISRO Chairman, Dr V Narayanan, stated, "As part of launch vehicle preparation to validate the performance of the booster stage of the Falcon-9 launch vehicle, a seven-second hot test was carried out on the launch pad. It is understood that LOX leakage was detected in the propulsion bay during the test. Based on the discussion on this topic by the ISRO team with the experts of Axiom and SpaceX, it has been decided to correct the leak and carry out necessary validation tests before clearing for the launch." The ISRO chief is a top expert on liquid engines and was part of the team that helped India build a cryogenic engine. He is aware of the risks of a liquid oxygen leak. Sources told NDTV that the Hungarian and Polish teams supported the stand taken by the Indian delegation. The leadership of Axiom Space is also relieved by the 'Safety-first, Launch-later' stand taken by ISRO. The Indian space organisation's handling of the situation is appreciated by many at Cape Canaveral. The cracked line has since been replaced, but Dr Narayanan asserts that "safety and mission integrity remain our top priorities". Experts say the crack could have fractured the fuel line since massive vibrations take place at liftoff. Observers, not party to the Axiom-4 mission, told NDTV, it is probably the first time someone has taken on the formidable SpaceX. The American aerospace expert suggested that SpaceX did not realise that India's space agency was headed by a technical expert and not a politician. Axiom-4 Mission And India's Stake India is a stakeholder in the mission after it purchased a seat on the Axiom-4 mission for Rs 550 crores. It seeks to mitigate all risks for the crew of Commander Peggy Whitson from the US, pilot Shubhanshu Shukla from India, and mission specialists, Slawosz Uzananski-Wisniewski from Poland and Tibor Kapu from Hungary. An expert from Florida said, "All four lives are equally important; a human-rated rocket has to be handled differently and not with quick fixes that are not fully validated, as was being provided by SpaceX." At one stage, the Indian delegation was ready to pull out Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla from the mission if SpaceX had not carried out the corrections. India's Science Minister, Dr Jitendra Singh, supported ISRO's decision and said, "Safety, precision, commitment to excellence were paramount since a liquid oxygen (LOX) leak was detected during a seven-second hot test of Falcon 9's booster. After a joint review by ISRO, Axiom & SpaceX teams, it was decided to rectify the issue & revalidate before lift-off." Yesterday, SpaceX said, "Falcon 9 wet dress rehearsal is complete. We'll continue to work closely with NASA and Axiom Space to determine the best launch opportunity for Dragon and the Ax-4 crew to the Space Station." A source in Axiom Space said, "A wet dress rehearsal is a pre-launch test where the Falcon-9 is fully fuelled with liquid propellants, simulating a launch countdown, but without actual engine ignition. We are still standing by for a launch date. This is just ensuring readiness for the vehicle." Meanwhile, NASA has said that it was reviewing launch opportunities no earlier than June 19. SpaceX said that it has completed 500 launches of the Falcon-9 rocket, which has a 99.6% success record, but others point out that the Falcon rocket has had just 10 human space flights, all successful, but still a tiny legacy compared to the Russian Soyuz rockets and the Space Shuttle. The Falcon-9 rocket stands tall on Pad 39-A, the same pad used by Astronaut Neil Armstrong for his moon landing. India's Astronaut Group Captain Shukla and three other crew members are still in quarantine awaiting the launch date. Meanwhile, in a separate headache of a 'pressure issue' on the International Space Station, ISRO said, "Axiom Space informed that they are working closely with NASA to assess the pressure anomaly in the Zvezda Service Module on board the International Space Station." If the launch does not happen on June 19, then the window is still open till June 30.
NDTV
5 days ago
- Science
- NDTV
"Dangerous": India's Science Chief Flags Liquid Oxygen Leak On Axiom 4
New Delhi: India's second astronaut, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, is set to embark on the Axiom 4 mission from Kennedy Space Center aboard SpaceX's Falcon 9 Crew Dragon. The 14-day journey to the International Space Station (ISS) marks a significant milestone in India's human spaceflight ambitions. In an exclusive conversation, Professor Ajay Kumar Sood, Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government of India, offered insights into the technical challenges and safety imperatives of this high-stakes mission. Professor Sood reaffirmed the complexity of rocket science, especially when human lives are involved. "It is indeed rocket science," he said, emphasizing that the integration of hundreds of thousands of components, particularly those involving liquid propellants, saying it is "far from trivial'. "It is not something which you can just say that once you put together everything, it works like charm. It does not work like charm," he explained. The recent delay in the launch, caused by a leak in the liquid oxygen line, brought these challenges into sharp focus. Professor Sood described such leaks as "unpredictably dangerous", noting that even minor breaches can escalate under high temperatures. "Everything is very measured. So, there is no question that the leak can be tolerated," he said, stressing that there is no room for compromise when human safety is at stake. The leak was detected and resolved by the SpaceX team, and the decision to postpone the launch was made collectively by SpaceX, ISRO, and other stakeholders in the mission. Professor Sood praised this collaborative approach, calling it a model of international coordination. "This is what it means when we talk of collaboration and co-development," he said. "It is not to say that one is doing more than the other. It's a collective decision." The Gaganyaan mission, which aims to send Indian astronauts into space, represents a leap forward for India's space programme. Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla's participation in Axiom 4 is a testament to India's growing capabilities and commitment to global partnerships in space exploration. The mission also highlights the importance of rigorous safety protocols and technical precision in human spaceflight. As the launch date approaches, the focus remains on ensuring that all systems are functioning flawlessly. Professor Sood expressed confidence in the mission's success, saying, "I'm very certain that with all difficulties under control, we will have a successful mission." Professor Sood reassured the Indian public that every delay and decision has been made with safety as the top priority with "Safety first, safety always" being the guiding principle.
