Axiom-4 mission: Leak on ISS, not oxygen leak from launch vehicle behind indefinite delay
While problems in electricals, oxygen leak, and unfavourable weather conditions were initially behind the delays of Axiom-4 space mission, it was an issue related to pressurisation in one of the modules of the International Space Station (ISS) that has now led to the mission being delayed indefinitely. 'The revised launch schedule will be announced by Nasa and Axiom after the activities and technical reviews are satisfactorily completed,' the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) said in a statement.
Indian astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla is set to travel to space on board the Axiom-4 mission, making him the country's second astronaut in space and the first on the ISS. Shukla will spend nearly 14 days at the ISS, conducting science experiments.
On Friday, Isro provided a timeline of what led to the delays. The launch was initially targeted for May 29 but was deferred due to an 'observation in the electrical harness' of the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft — the module where the crew is seated for their journey to the ISS. The launch was then pushed to June 8 and then again by another day due to the delay in preparedness of the SpaceX Falcon 9 launch vehicle.
The space agency said the launch was again pushed for a day due to unfavourable weather conditions on the ascent path of the rocket.
In parallel, when the engines were test-fired on ground on June 8, an oxygen leak was observed in addition to an anomaly 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, adding that it had suggested that the repairs and replacements could be carried out without moving or disassembling the vehicle. The Indian space agency suggested a low temperature leak test — a test that could assess the integrity of the components at very low temperatures — to validate the performance before moving for the final launch.
On June 11, however, Nasa informed that it was working with the Russian space agency to evaluate a 'new pressure signature' that could indicate a leak in the back section of one of Russian modules of the space station — ISS Zvezda. This comes after a recent repair effort.
The leak in the Zvezda module was first detected in 2019 and the space agencies have been working for years trying to fix it. Now, cosmonauts on board the space station have conducted inspections of the pressurised interior surfaces of the module, sealed off some 'additional areas of interest', and measured the current leak rate. 'The segment now is holding pressure,' Nasa said in a statement.
The Axiom-4 mission was postponed, nonetheless, to provide additional time to Nasa and Roscosmos to evaluate the situation and determine if any additional troubleshooting might be needed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
New skink species discovered in Eastern Ghats adds to India's reptile diversity
1 2 Hyderabad: A new species of skink has been discovered in the hillscapes of the Eastern Ghats, marking a significant addition to India's reptile diversity. Researchers from the Zoological Survey of India along with scientists from the Natural History Museum, London, described the species as Riopa deccanensis, or the Deccan Gracile Skink. The finding was published in the peer-reviewed journal Zootaxa and is the first new Indian species in the Riopa genus to be described in over eight decades. Origin and Morphology The species was identified from the Seshachalam Biosphere Reserve in Andhra Pradesh and the Amrabad Tiger Reserve in Telangana. It is characterised by a slender body, semi-transparent lower eyelids, distinct longitudinal dorsal stripes, five fingers and five toes, and 108–109 paravertebral scale rows. It also exhibits eight or nine lamellae on the fourth toe, with the ear opening covered by scales and no enlarged preanal scales. The mitochondrial DNA analysis confirms its placement within the genus Riopa, revealing a genetic divergence of 4.1% to 9.2% from other known congeners. "This discovery sheds light on the cryptic reptile diversity of the Deccan landscape and underlines the importance of systematic field studies and molecular tools in unveiling cryptic species," said Dr. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Air conditioners without external unit. (click to see prices) Air Condition | Search Ads Search Now Undo Dhriti Banerjee, ZSI director. Biogeographic and Taxonomic Significance Riopa deccanensis is the ninth described species in its genus and only the sixth from India. It is the first of its kind to be recorded from the region in over 84 years. The species name reflects its origin in the Deccan Peninsula Biogeographic Zone and specifically from the Nallamala hill ranges, which straddle both the entral plateau and Deccan south provinces. "This is part of our broader effort under the programmes 'Fauna of the Deccan Peninsula Biogeographic Zone' and 'Fauna of Amrabad Tiger Reserve', supported by the chief wildlife wardens and forest departments of AP and Telangana," said Dr Deepa Jaiswal, Officer-in-Charge, ZSI-Freshwater Biology Regional Centre, Hyderabad. Currently, AP accounts for 14 known skink species and Telangana for eight. With this discovery, both states see an expansion in their known herpetofaunal records. Evolutionary Insight The study contributes to understanding limb and digit evolution in squamate reptiles. The genus Riopa showcases variability in digit configurations – some species such as R. lineata and R. vosmaerii – exhibit partial digit loss. This pattern aligns with global findings that demonstrate repeated digit loss and re-evolution across lizard lineages, as observed in genera such as Bachia (South America) and Lerista (Australia). "Among skinks in India, a striking morphological spectrum exists – from completely limbless snake-like forms to reduced limbs and digits," the study said. The research provides groundwork for further inquiry into developmental and evolutionary mechanisms underlying these traits. 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 .
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Birds sing at sunrise to defend their territory and communicate about food: Study
Pune: Birds in the Western Ghats begin their day with a chorus of songs, mainly to protect their space and share important messages like food locations, a study has found. The study conducted in Valparai plateau in the Western Ghats by scientists Vijay Ramesh, Pavithra Sundar, and Meghana Srivathsa from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Project Dhvani showed that highly territorial birds sing loudly at dawn to warn others to stay away. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Some birds also use their morning songs to help their groups stay connected and informed, especially those that eat a mix of insects and fruits. The researchers placed audio recorders at 43 different rainforest sites to capture bird sounds and studied them between March 2020 and January 2021. The team listened closely to bird calls at dawn and dusk. Of the 120 species recorded, they focused on 69 commonly heard species. Among the birds most active at dawn were the Indian blackbird, little spiderhunter, oriental magpie-robin, and purple sunbird. These birds were often heard in the morning and, to a lesser extent, in the evening. The study was published in the Royal Society journal Philosophical Transactions on June 12. Ramesh said, "Bird species vary widely in their diurnal vocalisation patterns, and the drivers of this variation are not well understood. Using passive acoustic monitoring, we examined species-specific vocal activity patterns at dawn and dusk for a tropical bird community in the Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot in India." The scientists tested whether environmental factors such as signal transmission conditions, ambient light, and resource availability, and social factors such as territoriality, best explained patterns of diurnal variation in vocal activity. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Using multiple autonomous recording units collecting data across numerous locations simultaneously, they can now obtain large amounts of species-specific acoustic data for an entire community. The Western Ghats is home to hundreds of bird species, several of which are rare, endangered, and endemic to this region. The Valparai plateau is situated in the Anamalai hill range within the Western Ghats and primarily consists of mid-elevation tropical wet evergreen rainforests. The plateau is a typical example of a human-modified biodiverse landscape in India and is home to hundreds of species of rare and endemic flora and fauna and supports the livelihoods of thousands of people. Sundar, another scientist who was part of this study, said, "We found that highly territorial birds and omnivorous species were much more likely to be active singers during dawn hours." The authors of the research paper stated that early morning hours were important for territorial species to protect their locations. Species that eat insects and fruit—that is, omnivores—also showed a prevalence for singing more at dawn. Sundar said these species were often members of mixed species foraging flocks, in which vocal communication was essential for finding food and for warning group members about potential predators nearby. However, additional research that includes visual observations is needed to confirm this speculation, Ramesh said. The researcher stated that this study helped them understand how birds communicated and how changes in the environment could affect their natural behaviour. "By listening carefully to nature, researchers are learning not just when birds sing, but why it truly matters," stated Ramesh. Acoustic signals of four species were detected only at dawn—the Indian blackbird (Turdus simillimus), the little spiderhunter (Arachnothera longirostra), oriental magpie-robin (Copsychus saularis), and the purple sunbird (Cinnyris asiaticus). Twenty species had vocal activity that was substantially higher at dawn. Notable representatives include the grey-headed canary-flycatcher (Culicicapa ceylonensis), greater coucal (Centropus sinensis), large-billed leaf warbler (Phylloscopus magnirostris), and puff-throated babbler (Pellorneum ruficeps). The dark-fronted babbler (Rhopocichla atriceps) was the only species with significantly higher vocal activity at dusk.
Time of India
7 hours ago
- Time of India
IIT-I's new CoE to develop tech solutions to enhance agri practices
Indore: IIT-Indore's newly launched Agri Hub, a Centre of Excellence (CoE) dedicated to developing technological solutions aimed at enhancing agricultural practices in India, has already attracted 11 projects from various organisations. The CoE, specialising in Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and deep learning, aims to bridge the gap between data generation and actionable insights for farmers, ensuring that advancements in technology benefit the agricultural sector. Professor Aruna Tiwari, principal investigator of the AgriHub Project, said, "Huge data is generated across the country by agriculture scientists, but it remains underutilised due to limited access for computer scientists. By centralising this data, we can develop algorithms to create innovative solutions that directly benefit farmers and stakeholders." The CoE serves as a collaborative platform, bringing together stakeholders from academia, industry, non-governmental organisations, Krishi Vikas Kendras, and farmers' producer organisations (FPOs) to tackle the challenges faced by agriculture today. Professor Suhas S. Joshi, director of IIT Indore, expressed pride in the launch of the AgriHub, stating, "This initiative is a significant step towards making a societal impact through technological innovation. With its advanced infrastructure and collaborative framework, the AgriHub Technology Centre is poised to become a national model for technology-driven agricultural transformation." Equipped with a state-of-the-art smart rack configuration, the Technology Centre hosts the latest NVIDIA DGX systems, optimised for AI workloads, alongside a high-capacity Storage Node. This facility promises enhanced computational performance and scalable storage solutions capable of handling extensive agricultural datasets. The AgriHub will work to deploy advanced machine learning, deep learning, and data analytics models to explore innovative solutions and address the complex challenges of Indian agriculture. By facilitating a network of collaboration and data sharing, the CoE is committed to advancing agricultural practices and improving the livelihoods of farmers across the nation. 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 .
