Latest news with #InternationalSpaceStation
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Science
- Time of India
Ax-4 Pushed Back Again, No New Date Yet
Representative image BENGALURU: The launch of Axiom-4 mission (Ax-4), which will take India's Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla and three others to space, will not happen this Sunday or Monday. There's no fresh date announced as of Friday. Nasa, Axiom Space and SpaceX standing down from the launch as the space agency needs additional time to continue evaluating International Space Station (ISS) operations after recent repair work in the aft (back) most segment of the orbital laboratory's Zvezda service module. 'Because of the space station's interconnected and interdependent systems, Nasa wants to ensure the station is ready for additional crew members, and the agency is taking the time necessary to review data,' a statement read. Stating that they appreciate the historic nature of this mission for India, Poland, and Hungary, the statement added that the crew remains in quarantine in Florida, and the astronauts stand ready to launch when the station is ready to receive them. The launch, originally targeted for May 29, was deferred to June 8 following the detection of an issue in the electrical harness of the Crew Dragon module, Isro had said earlier. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Buy Brass Idols - Handmade Brass Statues for Home & Gifting Luxeartisanship Buy Now Undo It was then postponed by a day to June 9 — which was not publicly announced — and then rescheduled to June 10. The June 10 launch was rescheduled once again. During preparations for a hot fire test on June 8, SpaceX engineers detected a liquid oxygen (LOX) leak in Falcon-9. An anomaly was also found in one of the engine actuators, which was subsequently replaced along with its controller. Expecting a quick resolution of the LOX leak, the mission was initially rescheduled for June 11. Isro said it had stressed on crew safety in review meetings. Mission partners on late on June 10 decided to postpone the launch further to conduct a test to validate the corrections carried out. After postponements owing to liquid oxygen (LOX) leak in the Falcon-9 rocket, the wait for Axiom-4 mission launch and India's Shubhanshu Shukla going to space got extended further because of an issue at the International Space Station (ISS). The mission partners then announced June 19 as a probable date. And Nasa, earlier this week said it was continuing to work with Roscosmos (Russian space agency) 'to understand the most recent repair efforts to seal small leaks'. The leaks located in the aft segment of the space station's Zvezda service module, have been monitored by flight controllers for several years, Nasa said. 'Recent repair efforts by Roscosmos appear to have stabilised pressure in the transfer tunnel, though teams are still evaluating whether the leaks have been fully sealed or if air is flowing into the area from the main station,' it added. On June 18, another announcement said that the launch could happen on June 22 with a back-up date available on June 23. At present, Nasa, Axiom or SpaceX have not yet committed to a new launch date.
Times of Oman
8 hours ago
- Science
- Times of Oman
NASA postpones Axiom Mission 4 launch, new date to be announced soon
Washington: NASA has postponed the planned launch of Axiom Mission 4 to the International Space Station (ISS). The Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla-led mission was rescheduled for June 22 (Sunday). The ISS said on Friday morning that NASA is standing down from a launch on Sunday, and that it will target a new launch date in the coming days. "@NASA, @Axiom_Space, and @SpaceX continue reviewing launch opportunities for Axiom Mission 4. NASA is standing down from a launch on Sunday, June 22, and will target a new launch date in the coming days," the ISS wrote in a post on X. According to the ISS, additional time is needed to evaluate station operations following recent repair work in the aft segment of the Zvezda service module. Due to the highly interconnected nature of the orbital laboratory's systems, NASA is reviewing relevant data to ensure readiness for the arrival of additional crew members. Highlighting the global significance of the mission, ISS noted that the agencies "appreciate the historic nature of this mission for the nations of India, Poland, and Hungary, as well as the world." The four-member crew remains in quarantine in Florida and is prepared to launch once the station is cleared to receive them. Axiom Mission 4 will be commanded by Peggy Whitson, a former NASA astronaut and now Axiom Space's Director of Human Spaceflight. Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla from ISRO will serve as the mission's pilot. The mission specialists are ESA project astronaut Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski from Poland and Tibor Kapu from Hungary. SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft remain in good condition and are stationed at Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Earlier, Union Minister Jitendra Singh said that the Axiom-4 space mission -- which includes Indian astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla -- will not launch before June 22, as safety assessments are still underway before clearing the final launch timeline. "We have been told that it won't be before 22nd June. There is a safety angle also involved here," Singh said at a press conference. Following the rescheduling, Axiom Space had said in a statement earlier that NASA, Axiom Space, and SpaceX were targeting no earlier than Sunday, June 22, for the launch. The change allows NASA time to continue evaluating station operations after recent repairs in the Zvezda service module. 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 that further updates would be shared accordingly. On the 11th anniversary of the Modi government, Singh also highlighted the socio-economic impact of administrative reforms over the past decade. "The administrative reforms that happened in the last 11 years were not limited to governance. They had extreme socio-economic ramifications," he said. He emphasized the push toward digital governance aimed at enhancing ease of living for common citizens, and noted that reforms created a more automated system that helped the government achieve key milestones. "During the 11 years of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, not only has governance improved but also had significant socio-economic consequences," Singh said. He added that schemes and reforms were aimed at ensuring justice for marginalised groups.
Deccan Herald
10 hours ago
- Science
- Deccan Herald
NASA puts off Sunday's launch of Axiom-4 mission to International Space Station
The space agency needs additional time to continue evaluating International Space Station operations after recent repair work in the aft (back) most segment of the orbital laboratory's Zvezda service module, it said.
Indian Express
10 hours ago
- Science
- Indian Express
Shubhanshu Shukla's Axiom-4 mission delayed again, NASA to announce new date soon
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) on Friday announced that the Axiom-4 mission, set to carry Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla to space, has been delayed once again. This is the sixth time the Axiom-4 mission is being delayed. The mission was rescheduled for June 22 after technical snags, and NASA will announce the new date for the launch shortly. The International Space Station (ISS) said in a statement, 'NASA, Axiom Space and SpaceX continue reviewing launch opportunities for Axiom Mission 4. NASA is standing down from a launch on Sunday, June 22, and will target a new launch date in the coming days.'
Newsweek
a day ago
- Science
- Newsweek
Mexican Sewage Flooding Into California Can Be Seen From Space
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A NASA instrument aboard the International Space Station has detected contamination from Mexican sewage that spilled into the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Southern California. Why It Matters The Tijuana River flows from Mexico into California and drains into the Pacific Ocean, transporting millions of gallons of untreated sewage along with it. This long-standing issue has raised alarms over its impact on both public health and the environment. What To Know The instrument, known as the Earth Surface Mineral Dust Source Investigation (EMIT), was originally used to map minerals in desert regions but is now offering insights into water quality. In a recent study, EMIT was able to identify phycocyanin—a pigment found in cyanobacteria—within a massive wastewater plume off the mouth of the Tijuana River. A plume spreads out to sea in this image captured off San Diego by the Sentinel-2 satellite on March 24, 2023. A plume spreads out to sea in this image captured off San Diego by the Sentinel-2 satellite on March 24, 2023. SDSU/Eva Scrivner/NASA Cyanobacteria are an organism capable of causing illness in humans and animals through ingestion or inhalation, NASA said. EMIT operates by analyzing light reflected from Earth's surface, breaking it down into hundreds of visible and infrared color bands. Each material, including pollutants, has a unique spectral signature that allows scientists to identify it. Researchers matched EMIT's satellite data of the Tijuana River plume with results from ground-tested water samples. Both methods identified a spectral signature indicating the presence of phycocyanin. The findings come as Southern California beaches near the United States-Mexico border have repeatedly faced closures due to contamination. Millions of gallons of wastewater enter the Tijuana River annually, emptying into the ocean and posing a health hazard to swimmers and military personnel stationed in the area. San Diego County beaches have seen 1,000 days' worth of closures in recent years, and a report from the Department of Defense's Office of Inspector General documented 1,100 cases of illness among Navy SEALs and other service members exposed to polluted waters. What People Are Saying Christine Lee, a scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and a co-author of the study, said: "From orbit you are able to look down and see that a wastewater plume is extending into places you haven't sampled. "It's like a diagnostic at the doctor's office that tells you, 'Hey, let's take a closer look at this.'" Eva Scrivner, a doctoral student at the University of Connecticut and the study's lead author, said that the findings "show a 'smoking gun' of sorts for wastewater in the Tijuana River plume." What Happens Next Lee Zeldin, the administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, stated in May that the U.S. International Boundary and Water Commission was expediting an expansion of the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant, which treats sewage and wastewater from Tijuana, by 10 million gallons per day in an effort to mitigate the crisis.
