Latest news with #Nasa
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.
India Today
5 hours ago
- Science
- India Today
Longest day of the year on June 21: All about the summer solstice
As the Northern Hemisphere welcomes the arrival of summer, June 21, 2025, brings the year's longest day and shortest night—the summer astronomical phenomenon occurs when the Earth's tilt leans most directly toward the Sun, placing it at its highest point in the sky over the Tropic of solstice will officially occur at 8:12 am IST as most countries in the Northern Hemisphere will experience the longest daylight hours on June Countries like India, the United States, and much of Europe will enjoy extended sunshine, with the North Pole experiencing 24 hours of daylight. Photo: Nasa WHY WILL JUNE 21 BE THE LONGEST DAY OF THE YEAR?The solstice date varies slightly each year due to the fact that Earth's orbit around the Sun takes approximately 365.25 days. Leap years adjust for this, helping to keep our calendar aligned with the planet's the summer solstice highlights Earth's 23.5-degree axial tilt, the reason for our this day, the Sun's rays strike the Northern Hemisphere more directly and for a longer duration, providing the most sunlight of the contrast, the June solstice marks the shortest day of the year in the Southern Hemisphere. The farther a location is from the equator, the more noticeable this effect within the Antarctic Circle enter a period of polar night, during which the Sun doesn't rise above the horizon at all. Graphic: Nasa Beyond science, the solstice holds deep cultural and spiritual meaning. From ancient Egypt to modern England, people have observed this celestial event for thousands of remains a focal point, where crowds gather to witness the sunrise through the monument's ancient stones. In India, the solstice is closely followed by International Yoga Day, promoting harmony between body and summer solstice not only signals the beginning of astronomical summer but also invites reflection. As daylight begins to wane from June 22 onward, it shows nature's rhythms and the Earth's ceaseless Reel
India Today
5 hours ago
- Science
- India Today
Launch of Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla postponed for the 7th time. Here's why
Just over a day after announcing the launch of the Ax-4 mission to space on June 22, Nasa has pulled the plug again. This marks the seventh postponement of the much-awaited launch of the private mission with Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Ax-4 mission was initially planned to launch on May 29, 2025. However, technical snags, weather conditions and leaks aboard the Space Station have repeatedly pushed the mission beyond its timeline. advertisementThe 14-day mission was scheduled to liftoff on Sunday before Nasa announced an indefinite delay to the IS AX-4 LAUNCH POSTPONED THIS TIME? The latest postponement follows Nasa's concerns over a recent repair work in the aft (back) most segment of the orbital laboratory's Zvezda service module."The space agency needs additional time to continue evaluating International Space Station operations after recent repair work ," Nasa said in an update. It added, "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."The American space agency confirmed that the crew remains in quarantine in Florida, and the astronauts stand ready to launch when the station is ready to receive Whitson, former Nasa astronaut and director of human spaceflight at Axiom Space, will command the commercial mission, while Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla will serve as pilot. The two mission specialists are European Space Agency project astronaut Sawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski of Poland and Tibor Kapu of Hungary."It is not uncommon for the agency and its international partners to adjust launches around changes in operations aboard the space station. Teams are making progress evaluating the transfer tunnel configuration, resulting in an updated launch opportunity for the private astronaut mission," Nasa had said. The decision comes as Nasa requires more time to evaluate ISS operations. (Photo: Axiom) ISRO MONITORING CLOSELYWith the launch now delayed almost a month and no next date announced yet, the Indian space agency is rushing to replenish the biological samples planned for the Space Indian astronaut is scheduled to conduct seven space-based studies in the flying laboratory, while the entire mission will see over 60 such experiments to enhance our understanding of biological and physiological processes in space. The Axiom-4 (Ax-4) mission, originally scheduled for May 29, 2025, faced several delays due to technical and weather-related setbacks. It was first postponed to June 8 after issues with the Crew Dragon's electrical harness, then pushed to June 9 due to Falcon 9 readiness delays. Poor weather in the ascent corridor led to another slip to June pre-launch tests, an oxygen leak and an engine actuator anomaly were found on June 8. After replacing the faulty components, the launch was rescheduled for June 11 and then to June 12 before it was pushed to June 22 owing to leaks detected aboard the InMust Watch
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First Post
7 hours ago
- Science
- First Post
6 delays and counting: What's going wrong with Axiom-4 mission carrying Shubhanshu Shukla?
Axiom Space has announced that Nasa has once again deferred the launch of the Axiom-4 mission, which was set for Sunday, June 22. This is the sixth delay for the mission that is to carry Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, along with three other crew members, to the ISS. The mission was originally scheduled for liftoff on May 29. The current launch window remains open until June 30. If the mission does not launch by then, the next available window will be in mid-July read more Once again, the launch of the Axiom-4 mission, which includes Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla and three others, has been pushed back. This is the since the mission was first scheduled to lift off on May 29. It will now not take place on June 22 as previously planned. A new launch date is expected to be announced soon. ALSO READ | What is Shubhanshu Shukla carrying to space? Aam ras, halwa and more STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The current launch window remains open until June 30. If the mission does not take off by then, the next possible window will come up in mid-July. Why has the mission been delayed so many times? What caused each of the six postponements? Let's take a look at the answers: Axiom-4 mission: What's behind the repeated delays? Axiom Space has said that Nasa has once again called off the planned launch of the Axiom-4 mission , which was scheduled for Sunday, June 22. A new launch date will be shared in the coming days. The delay comes as the space agency continues to assess ongoing operations on board the International Space Station (ISS), following recent repair work in the rear section of the station's Zvezda service module. Axiom Space said in a statement, 'Given the space station's complex and interdependent systems, Nasa is taking the necessary time to review data and ensure it is ready to support additional crew members.' This is now the sixth delay since the mission was first scheduled to launch on May 29. The mission crew includes Commander Peggy Whitson, along with specialists Tigor Kapu from Hungary and Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski from Poland, apart from Shukla. X/@NASASpaceOps Here's a breakdown of what happened each time: May 29: The launch was called off after an 'observation in the electrical harness' of the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, where the crew is seated for their journey to the ISS. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD June 8: The launch was delayed by a day as the SpaceX Falcon 9 launch vehicle was not ready. June 9: Bad weather along the rocket's ascent path led to another 24-hour delay. June 10: An oxygen leak was found, along with an issue in one of the actuators. 'Anticipating the quick resolution of LOx (liquid oxygen) leak issue, the launch was rescheduled to June 11, 2025,' the space agency said. June 11: Nasa said it was working with Russia's space agency to look into a 'new pressure signature,' which could point to a leak in the rear section of one of the Russian modules on the ISS. June 19: The launch was pushed to June 22. Axiom Space said the change was to give Nasa more time to continue checks on the ISS after repairs in the Zvezda module. June 22: The most recent delay was also linked to 'operational and safety concerns' being worked on at the ISS. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD This is now the sixth delay since the mission was first scheduled to launch on May 29. Image: Nasa Axiom Space said in a statement that the space agency needs more time to assess operations on the International Space Station following recent repairs in the rear section of the Zvezda service module. As the space station's systems are closely linked and rely on one another, Nasa wants to make sure it is fully prepared to support more crew members and is reviewing all necessary data, the statement added. Axiom-4 mission: What is it? Who are the crew members? The Axiom-4 mission will see its crew conducting nearly 60 scientific experiments during their time on the International Space Station. Axiom Space has said that the research is specifically designed for microgravity conditions and is being carried out on behalf of organisations from around the world. Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla will lead food and nutrition-related studies, developed in collaboration with the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) and the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), with support from Nasa. These experiments aim to find better ways to improve space nutrition and develop self-sustaining life support systems, both essential for future long-duration missions. The crew includes Commander Peggy Whitson, along with mission specialists Tigor Kapu from Hungary and Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski from Poland, in addition to Shukla. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD This mission is India's return to human spaceflight after 41 years. The last Indian to travel to space was Rakesh Sharma, who flew aboard Soviet Russia's Soyuz spacecraft in 1984. With inputs from agencies
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Business Standard
9 hours ago
- Science
- Business Standard
Axiom-4 mission carrying India's Shubhanshu Shukla delayed for 6th time
Nasa has once again postponed the launch of the Axiom-4 mission to the International Space Station (ISS). The mission, which includes Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla as part of its four-member crew, was rescheduled for Sunday, June 22. It will now take place on a date to be announced later. Axiom Space said Nasa has decided to stand down from the planned launch of Axiom Mission 4 on Sunday, June 22, and will announce a new launch date in the coming days. The space agency requires additional time to continue assessing operations aboard the International Space Station following recent repair work in the aft-most section of the orbital laboratory's Zvezda service module, it said. . @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. — International Space Station (@Space_Station) June 19, 2025 'Given the space station's complex and interdependent systems, Nasa is taking the necessary time to review data and ensure it is ready to support additional crew members,' Axiom Space said in a statement. Nasa mission delayed for sixth time This is the sixth time the mission has been postponed. Originally scheduled for launch on May 29, it was subsequently delayed to June 8, then to June 10, June 11, June 19, and later to June 22 before the most recent deferment. Ax-4 mission marks historic milestone for India, Poland, Hungary The Ax-4 crew comprises astronauts from India, Poland, and Hungary, marking each nation's first mission to the International Space Station and their first government-sponsored human spaceflight in over 40 years, according to Axiom Space. Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla will become India's second astronaut to go to space, following Rakesh Sharma's mission in 1984. His participation in Axiom Space's fourth private astronaut mission (Ax-4) marks a key milestone in India's space collaboration with Nasa. Axiom Space stated that the Ax-4 mission would 'realise the return' to human spaceflight for India, Poland, and Hungary, signalling a historic revival of government-sponsored space missions for all three countries. Ax-4 crew continues to remain in quarantine in Florida, in line with all established health and safety protocols.
