Latest news with #ShubanshuShukla
Hindustan Times
5 days ago
- Science
- Hindustan Times
Why Shubhanshu Shukla's Axiom-4 mission has been postponed five times
The launch of Axiom-4 mission, carrying Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla and three others to the International Space Station (ISS), has been postponed to June 22 for the fifth time. The Axiom-4 mission, which marks the return to space for India, Hungary, and Poland, was earlier scheduled to blast off from NASA's Kennedy Space Centre (KSC) in Florida on June 19 onboard SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket. "Nasa, Axiom Space, and SpaceX are now targeting no earlier than Sunday, June 22, for launch of the fourth private astronaut mission to the International Space Station, Axiom Mission 4," Axiom Space said in a statement. The mission was originally scheduled for lift-off on May 29 but was then put off to June 8, then June 10 and June 11. The mission has been rescheduled five times due to multiple issues, including delay in Falcon 9 vehicle preparedness, weather conditions, liquid oxygen leak on Falcon 9 rocket and a fault in the service module aboard the ISS. Also Read: Shubhanshu Shukla's Axiom Mission 4 launch deferred; NASA, SpaceX release new date The Axiom-4 mission launch was originally targeted on May 29, but was postponed to June 8 due to observation in electrical harness in Crew Dragon Module, ISRO said in a statement. However, there was delay in the preparedness of the SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket delayed the launch to June 9. On June 9, the launch was postponed to June 11 over bad weather conditions. "Due to weather conditions, the launch of Axiom-4 mission for sending Indian Gaganyatri to International Space Station is postponed from 10th June 2025 to 11th June 2025. The targeted time of launch is 5:30 PM IST on 11th June 2025," ISRO said in a post on X. Also Read: When will Axion-4 mission carrying Indian astronaut Shubanshu Shukla lift off? Launch time, crew and other details During a technical review with Axiom and SpaceX on June 10, ISRO recommended in-situ repairs or replacement and a low-temperature leak test, before clearing the launch. On June 11, the launch was postponed again when engineers detected a liquid oxygen leak in the boosters of the Falcon-9 rocket and NASA detected leaks in the ageing Russian module of the International Space Station. The latest postponement would allow NASA to evaluate the operations on the orbital lab after the recent repairs in the Russian section. "The change in a targeted launch date provides NASA time to continue evaluating space station operations after recent repair work in the aft (back) most segment of the International Space Station's Zvezda service module," , Axiom Space said on Wednesday. The Axiom-4 mission is significant for India due to several reasons. The mission, with Captain Shubhanshu Shukla on board, will make him the second Indian to travel to space after Rakesh Sharma's 1984 mission. Moreover, Shukla is part of Axiom Space's fourth private astronaut mission, marking a historic moment for India's space collaboration with NASA. Also Read: Moong Dal Halwa to Aamras, know what Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla is carrying for Axiom Space's Ax-4 mission During the 14-day stay at the ISS, ISRO will conduct seven microgravity research experiments proposed by several national R&D laboratories and academic institutions, according to a report in The Hindu. The experiments include impact of microgravity radiation on Edible Microalgae, sprouting salad seeds in space and the survival, revival, reproduction and transcriptome of Tardigrades in space. Apart from the seven experiments, NASA and ISRP will conduct five more experiments focused on human research programmes.
Hindustan Times
5 days ago
- Science
- Hindustan Times
Why Shubhanshu Shukla's Axiom-4 mission has been postponed five times?
The launch of Axiom-4 mission, carrying Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla and three others to the International Space Station (ISS), has been postponed to June 22 for the fifth time. The Axiom-4 mission, which marks the return to space for India, Hungary, and Poland, was earlier scheduled to blast off from NASA's Kennedy Space Centre (KSC) in Florida on June 19 onboard SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket. "Nasa, Axiom Space, and SpaceX are now targeting no earlier than Sunday, June 22, for launch of the fourth private astronaut mission to the International Space Station, Axiom Mission 4," Axiom Space said in a statement. The mission was originally scheduled for lift-off on May 29 but was then put off to June 8, then June 10 and June 11. The mission has been rescheduled five times due to multiple issues, including delay in Falcon 9 vehicle preparedness, weather conditions, liquid oxygen leak on Falcon 9 rocket and a fault in the service module aboard the ISS. Also Read: Shubhanshu Shukla's Axiom Mission 4 launch deferred; NASA, SpaceX release new date The Axiom-4 mission launch was originally targeted on May 29, but was postponed to June 8 due to observation in electrical harness in Crew Dragon Module, ISRO said in a statement. However, there was delay in the preparedness of the SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket delayed the launch to June 9. On June 9, the launch was postponed to June 11 over bad weather conditions. "Due to weather conditions, the launch of Axiom-4 mission for sending Indian Gaganyatri to International Space Station is postponed from 10th June 2025 to 11th June 2025. The targeted time of launch is 5:30 PM IST on 11th June 2025," ISRO said in a post on X. Also Read: When will Axion-4 mission carrying Indian astronaut Shubanshu Shukla lift off? Launch time, crew and other details During a technical review with Axiom and SpaceX on June 10, ISRO recommended in-situ repairs or replacement and a low-temperature leak test, before clearing the launch. On June 11, the launch was postponed again when engineers detected a liquid oxygen leak in the boosters of the Falcon-9 rocket and NASA detected leaks in the ageing Russian module of the International Space Station. The latest postponement would allow NASA to evaluate the operations on the orbital lab after the recent repairs in the Russian section. "The change in a targeted launch date provides NASA time to continue evaluating space station operations after recent repair work in the aft (back) most segment of the International Space Station's Zvezda service module," , Axiom Space said on Wednesday. The Axiom-4 mission is significant for India due to several reasons. The mission, with Captain Shubhanshu Shukla on board, will make him the second Indian to travel to space after Rakesh Sharma's 1984 mission. Moreover, Shukla is part of Axiom Space's fourth private astronaut mission, marking a historic moment for India's space collaboration with NASA. Also Read: Moong Dal Halwa to Aamras, know what Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla is carrying for Axiom Space's Ax-4 mission During the 14-day stay at the ISS, ISRO will conduct seven microgravity research experiments proposed by several national R&D laboratories and academic institutions, according to a report in The Hindu. The experiments include impact of microgravity radiation on Edible Microalgae, sprouting salad seeds in space and the survival, revival, reproduction and transcriptome of Tardigrades in space. Apart from the seven experiments, NASA and ISRP will conduct five more experiments focused on human research programmes.
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First Post
14-06-2025
- First Post
This Week in Explainers: Bird hit, engine failure? What could have caused Air India plane crash?
Air India flight AI171 took off from Ahmedabad airport and crashed in 30 seconds, ramming into a medical college hostel. What could have gone wrong? We analyse in our weekly roundup of the stories from around India read more Wreckage of a Boeing 787 Dreamliner lies at the site where the Air India plane crashed in Ahmedabad, India, June 12. The death toll has mounted to 274, Including 241 onboard and those on the ground. Reuters It's been a tragic week for India. The Ahmedabad plane crash, which killed 241 on board, is one of the worst aviation disasters in India's history. It was a double tragedy as the aircraft rammed into a medical college hostel, killing at least 30 on the ground. As the city grappled with the disaster, there came news of a miracle survivor. Now, two days on, many questions remain unanswered. What caused the flight to go down? Is the Boeing Dreamliner faulty? We have been tracking this story. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Before the flight crash, the big story that grabbed headlines was the Meghalaya honeymoon murder. In a shocking twist, it turned out that the wife, Sonam Raghuvanshi, had planned her husband's killing along with her boyfriend. The case has come with many twists and turns. In another tragedy, four commuters died while falling off an overcrowded local train in Mumbra, on the outskirts of Mumbai, on Monday (June 9). Packed trains have become synonymous with the city. Why does the problem continue to persist? In other news, Modi 3.0 has completed its first year. Earlier in the week, all eyes were on India's Shubanshu Shukla, who was set to become the first India to travel to the ISS. However, the Axiom-4 mission has been deferred following a technical glitch . We talk about all this and more in our weekly roundup. 1. It seemed business as usual at Ahmedabad's Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on Thursday afternoon. But a horror that unfolded in 30 seconds changed that. A London-bound Air India flight crashed soon after takeoff, ramming into a medical hostel. There were 242 people on board, including the pilot, and the cabin grew; only one miraculously survived. At least 20 people were killed on the ground. Here's how the tragedy unfolded . Prime Minister Narendra Modi visits the site where an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, bound for London's Gatwick Airport, crashed during take-off from Ahmedabad on the previous day, in Ahmedabad, India, June 13, 2025. PIB via Reuters 2. So what brought down the Air India plane? Was it a bird hit, or did the engines of the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner fail? While an investigation has been launched, here's what aviation experts say . 3. Who was on that ill-fated Flight AI171? Among those killed was former Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani , who was heading to London to meet his family. There are several other heartbreaking stories – of a pilot who was set to retire , a young flight attendant from Manipur , a doctor couple and their children . STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Daksha Patni mourns for her relative Akash Patni, 14, who died when an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft crashed during take-off from an airport, outside the postmortem room at a hospital, in Ahmedabad. Reuters 4. This week, we saw a major twist in the case of the Indore couple who went missing in Meghalaya during their honeymoon. Days after the husband, Raja Raghuvanshi's body was found, the police arrested his wife, Sonam. Turns out, she planned the murder with her boyfriend and his three friends. Here's how the case was cracked . 5. The case continues to unravel. It was only days after her marriage that Sonam and her boyfriend, Raj Kushwaha, planned Raja's murder. While Sonam led her husband to the killers , it was Raj who instructed them over the phone from Indore. Sonam Raghuvanshi plotted the murder of her husband Raja Raghuvanshi during their honeymoon in Meghalaya 6. Overcrowded local trains in Mumbai are not news… unless there is a tragedy. On Monday (9 June), four people died after they fell off the train. It has put a spotlight on a shocking statistic – on average, seven people die every day in this commute. Are there not enough locals? Why are so many travellers forced to risk their lives? This story takes a look . STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Panic-stricken people at Mumbra Railway Station after several passengers reportedly fell from a moving train, resulting in four deaths and multiple injuries, in Thane, on June 9. PTI 7. Believe it or not, Indian women are having fewer babies than required to maintain a stable population. Yes, the fertility rate has declined to 1.9 births per woman, below the replacement level of 2.1, according to a recent United Nations demographic report. But is this a reason for concern for the world's most populous nation? We explain . Patients wait outside a primary health care centre in Belwa village, Kishanganj district, Bihar. India's fertility rate has fallen to 1.9, which is below the replacement level of 2.1. File photo/Reuters 8. India's Shubhanshu Shukla was set to make history this week. He would have been the first Indian to travel to the ISS for the Axiom-4 mission. But the space launch was delayed, first because of the weather and then an oxygen leak. While we wait for a new date from SpaceX, let's look at Shukla's journey, from test pilot to astronaut . Axiom-4 astronauts, commander Peggy Whitson of US, pilot Shubhanshu Shukla of India, mission specialist Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski of Poland and mission specialist Tibor Kapu of Hungary, are pictured on the countdown video clock, as the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket stands at Launch Complex 39-A after a delay of its mission to the International Space Station, in Cape Canaveral, Florida, US, June 9. Reuters 9. Moving on to politics. Modi 3.0 turned one on June 9. So, what did the third term of the Modi government achieve? A lot. From Operation Sindoor to economic development, India has many reasons to cheer. Here is our report card . STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD That's all from us for now. Here's hoping the coming week is less gloomy. Have a good Sunday.
The Hindu
13-06-2025
- Science
- The Hindu
KAU sending seeds to space on NASA's Axiom Mission 4
In a collaboration, the Kerala Agricultural University (KAU) is joining NASA's Axiom Mission 4, marking a significant milestone for Indian agricultural science in space research. The mission will carry seed varieties developed by the KAU to the International Space Station (ISS) as part of a collaborative research initiative. The project is a joint effort involving the European Space Agency (ESA), Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST), and the KAU's College of Agriculture, Vellayani. The seeds selected for the space experiment include six high-yielding locally developed crop varieties: Jyothi, Uma (rice varieties); Kanakamani (horse gram); Thilakathara (sesame); Soorya (brinjal/eggplant); Vellayani Vijay (tomato). These seeds will undergo rigorous scientific evaluation in the unique microgravity environment of space, according to KAU sources. The primary goal of the study is to examine how space conditions, especially microgravity, affect germination, growth, and viability of food crop seeds. After spending time at the ISS, the seeds will be brought back to earth, planted in controlled environments, and monitored closely for changes in growth, resilience, and productivity. Indian Air Force Group Captain Shubanshu Shukla, one of the astronauts aboard the Axiom Mission 4, will play a supportive role in conducting the experiment in space. Among six Indian-led experiments selected for the mission, KAU's microgravity-focussed agricultural research stands out as a key scientific contribution, the KAU sources said.
Hindustan Times
11-06-2025
- Science
- Hindustan Times
When will Axion-4 mission carrying Indian astronaut Shubanshu Shukla lift off? Launch time, crew and other details
SpaceX postponed the Axiom-4 mission due to a liquid oxygen leak, delaying the launch of Indian astronaut Shubanshu Shukla and crew to the International Space Station. The mission, featuring astronauts from India, Poland, Hungary, and the US, awaits a new launch date.
