Watch: SpaceX AX-4 mission postponed, EAM Jaishankar in EU, U.S. China tradewar
From SpaceX postponing Falcon 9's launch of Ax-4 to U.S., China saying they have agreed on framework to resolve their trade disputes to the Cabinet approving two multitracking projects in Jharkhand, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, here are the top headlines in this edition of The Hindu's News Wrap.
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Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
First civic polls for Besa-Pipla, Godhani nagar panchayats after upgrade
Nagpur: The State Election Commission (SEC) has released the official ward formation schedule for all nagar parishads and nagar panchayats in Nagpur district, setting in motion the groundwork for upcoming civic elections. Among the most closely watched local bodies will be Besa-Pipla and Godhani, both newly upgraded in 2022 from gram panchayats to nagar panchayats. These areas are now expected to hold their first-ever nagar panchayat elections after this upgrade, likely by late September or October this year. The detailed schedule lays out key stages of the ward formation process, including population data compilation, draft ward mapping, public objections and suggestions, and final approval — all of which are to be completed by early September. Once this timeline is met, the process of voter list finalisation and poll date announcements will follow swiftly. A senior official from the administration said, "Besa-Pipla nagar panchayat collects one of the highest revenues as a nagar panchayat in the state. It collects approximately Rs3-4 crore per month in revenue, but compared to this huge amount it collects, the basic amenities like sports complexes etc are a work in progress. Approach roads to smaller housing societies have not yet been constructed completely. In general, the new nagar panchayat has a lot of potential considering the amount of revenue it makes. Since becoming a nagar panchayat, the revenue collected goes to the nagar panchayat and can be spent on a concentrated and smaller area, and more development can be done in Besa-Pipla." For Besa-Pipla and Godhani, this election marks a significant shift in local governance. As nagar panchayats, these areas will now elect a full-fledged leadership to oversee panchayat-level infrastructure, development, and services — decisions that were previously handled at the gram panchayat level. Residents will now gain formal representation with elected ward members and a panchayat head, giving them a stronger voice in civic matters. Samir Deshpande, a resident of Godhani, said, "Our biggest concern is basic infrastructure. Roads are in poor condition, there are no public gardens, and power cuts are constant. We need real change, not just promises." The upgrade to nagar panchayat status reflects the rapid urbanisation and population growth in these rural zones of the city. With more structured governance, both areas are poised to benefit from streamlined administration and eligibility for additional state and central development schemes. Follow more information on Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad here . Get real-time live updates on rescue operations and check full list of passengers onboard AI 171 .
Hindustan Times
4 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Axiom-4 launch: Space station leak concerns can further delay lift-off of mission carrying Indian Gaganyatri
The Axiom-4 (Ax-4) mission, which is expected to carry four astronauts to the International Space Station, has already faced postponement four times. Now, a new concern has emerged for India's Shubhanshu Shukla, former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, Poland's Sławosz Uznański and Hungary's Tibor Kapu. Shukla will be only the second Indian astronaut in space, after Rakesh Sharma's 1984 mission. The launch of Axiom-4 has been postponed indefinitely owing to concerns of a leak reported from the International Space Station. Owing to the issue, NASA said Thursday that it would monitor the cabin pressure on the Russian side of the ISS before the mission is launched. However, NASA assured that the seven astronauts already in the ISS were safe, adding that operations on the space station can not be affected following the leak. The cabin pressure leak on the Zvezda service module is being handled by the country's space agency. However, recent repairs to resolve the issue led to 'a new pressure signature', according to NASA. However, no other details on the issue have been provided yet. However, the delay of Axiom-4 opens up time for NASA and the Russian Space Agency to carry out evaluations and see whether there is a need for more repairs. The three Russian astronauts who are currently on the space station had already inspected the walls of the service module, sealing a few areas and finding out the current leak rate. The mission was postponed for the fourth time on Wednesday evening. It will carry a four-member crew on a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft to the ISS. This includes Indian Air Force (IAF) pilot Shubhanshu Shukla, who is the mission pilot, Peggy Whitson, the mission commander, and mission specialists Sławosz Uznański and Tibor Kapu. The launch was initially scheduled for May 29. Speaking on the delay, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chairman V Narayanan said that a leakage had been detected in the propulsion bay.
NDTV
5 hours ago
- NDTV
Shubhanshu Shukla's Axiom Mission Postponed Due To Glitch At Space Station
New Delhi: A glitch on the International Space Station, where astronauts of the Axiom-4 mission would spend 14 days, has postponed the lift-off to space. Earlier, four postponements on the Axiom 4 mission were reported due to weather and technical problems on the Falcon 9 rocket. The glitch at the International Space Station, where NASA says "A pressure signature" on the Russian module has been noticed, is the next cause of the delay. What NASA Said "NASA and Axiom Space are postponing the launch of Axiom Mission 4 to the International Space Station. As part of an ongoing investigation, NASA is working with Roscosmos to understand a new pressure signature, after the recent post-repair effort in the aft most segment of the International Space Station's Zvezda service module," NASA said in a statement. "Cosmonauts aboard the space station recently performed inspections of the pressurized module's interior surfaces, sealed some additional areas of interest, and measured the current leak rate. Following this effort, the segment now is holding pressure. The postponement of Axiom Mission 4 provides additional time for NASA and Roscosmos to evaluate the situation and determine whether any additional troubleshooting is necessary. NASA defers to Roscosmos to answer specific questions about the Zvezda module," they said. "A new launch date for the fourth private astronaut mission will be provided once available." "Peggy Whitson, former NASA astronaut and director of human spaceflight at Axiom Space, will command the commercial mission, while ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla will serve as pilot. The two mission specialists are ESA (European Space Agency) project astronaut Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski of Poland and Tibor Kapu of Hungary." "The crew will lift off aboard the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft on Falcon 9 from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida," NASA said. Yesterday, the mission was deferred for the fourth time, due to a technical glitch in its Falcon 9 rocket that is being used for the launch. Fuel Leak Issue And ISRO It is unclear whether SpaceX resolved the fuel leak issue on the rocket or is still working to repair it. A leak of liquid oxygen (LoX) was detected, and SpaceX was working to fix it. ISRO had objected to the 'band-aid' like solution being offered by SpaceX. Indian space agency played a big role in making sure the launch is postponed till the oxygen leak is fixed on the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket to ISRO's full satisfaction. ISRO chairman Dr V Narayanan told NDTV, "He was happy with the decision to postpone flight on June 11, 2025, as human crew were involved and safety was paramount." The ISS has a contingent of seven global crew members onboard, with a Japanese astronaut as the commander of the station. The ISS is a football field-sized orbiting laboratory inhabited by humans continuously for the last 25 years. Axiom-4 Mission The Axiom-4 mission is a commercial space flight being spearheaded by a Houston-based private company, Axiom Space. India has purchased a seat on the Axiom-4 mission at the cost Rs 550 crores and so, India has a full stake in ensuring the safety of its own astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla and the other crew members from US, Hungary, and Poland he is piloting on a 14-day mission to the International Space Station (ISS). There are many opportunities till June 30 this year, when the Axiom-4 mission can still lift off, and further, there could be opportunities in the middle of July. Subsequently, the traffic to the International Space Station would be high.
