ISS leak halts Axiom-4, Musk wants station de-orbited: Now here's what ISRO is doing about Shubhanshu Shukla's mission
ISRO prioritizes safety as the Axiom-4 mission to the ISS faces delays. NASA and Axiom Space are addressing a leak issue. Elon Musk raises concerns about the ISS's long-term safety. He suggests de-orbiting it within two years. India's Shubhanshu Shukla is part of the delayed Axiom-4 crew. The mission aims to mark India's return to human spaceflight.
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The Indian Space Research Organisation ( ISRO ) on Friday said that the safety of astronauts and mission success remain its top priority. This comes as NASA and Axiom Space confirmed they are working to fix a leak on the International Space Station (ISS). Meanwhile, SpaceX founder Elon Musk raised concerns about the ageing space lab and suggested it should be taken down within two years.India's astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla is one of four astronauts selected for the Axiom-4 mission to the ISS. However, the launch has now been postponed indefinitely as space agencies deal with technical problems.'Safety and mission integrity remain our top priorities,' said ISRO Chairman V Narayanan in a post on X. He added that ISRO is working closely with Axiom Space, NASA, and SpaceX as they deal with the issue in the ISS's Zvezda module.Elon Musk voiced concern, saying parts of the ISS are becoming too old and pose a risk. 'There are potentially serious concerns about the long-term safety of the @Space_Station,' Musk wrote. 'Even though @SpaceX earns billions of dollars from transporting astronauts and cargo to the ISS, I recommend that it be de-orbited within two years.'NASA has planned to retire the ISS by 2031 and de-orbit it shortly after. Private companies like Axiom Space are working to build a new space station to replace the ISS.India's participation in Axiom-4 marks a major return to human spaceflight. But the mission has faced several delays. It was originally set to launch on 29 May, then moved to 8 June, 10 June, and 11 June due to a liquid oxygen leak in the Falcon-9 rocket used by SpaceX.The mission will be commanded by former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson. Shubhanshu Shukla will serve as the pilot. Two other astronauts, Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski from Poland and Tibor Kapu from Hungary, will join as mission specialists.The 14-day mission is significant as it will mark a return to human spaceflight for India, Poland, and Hungary.'Setbacks and delays are a normal part of spaceflight. Our Ax-4 crew remains upbeat and looking forward to a safe and successful flight to the Space Station,' Whitson posted on X.Inputs from PTI
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