
NASA puts off Sunday's launch of Axiom-4 mission to International Space Station
New Delhi, Jun 20 (PTI) NASA has put off Sunday's launch of the Axiom-4 mission carrying Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla and three others to the International Space Station and a new date will be announced in the coming days.
'NASA has made the decision to stand down from a launch on Sunday, June 22, and will target a new launch date in the coming days,' Axiom Space said in a statement.

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Time of India
30 minutes ago
- Time of India
In a first, Indian firm bags rocket tech from Isro; HAL wins SSLV ToT
Indian firm bags rocket tech from Isro; HAL wins SSLV ToT BENGALURU: In a first, an Indian company will receive the complete technology to build a rocket from Isro . Space regulator-cum promoter, the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) Friday said that defence PSU Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has bagged the transfer of technology (ToT) for Isro's Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) at a cost of Rs 511 crore. This first-of-its-kind ToT is a milestone for the Indian Space sector. Unlike in the case of the PSLV, where a manufacturing contract was awarded to a consortium, in the case of SSLV, the launch vehicle is being entirely offered to HAL. The firm will own the rocket and will be able to build, market and launch it. 'IN-SPACe had a two-stage selection process. Six out of the nine industries were shortlisted in the first stage. In stage two, the techno-commercial bids of three of the six were reviewed by a committee and we finally arrived at HAL,' Rajiv Jyoti, IN-SPACe director-technical said. IN-SPACe chairman Pawan Goenka said the committee headed by former principal scientific advisor to govt Prof Vijaya Raghavan and co-headed by former Isro director Suresh, after careful evaluation found all three bidders qualified technically. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Free P2,000 GCash eGift UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo 'And then we opened the commercial bids in which HAL's Rs 511 crore emerged as the highest bidder,' Goenka said. While HAL bid as a standalone company, the other two shortlisted bidders were consortia, one led by Alpha Design in Bengaluru and the other by Bharat Dynamics Limited (Hyderabad). Once the technology is transferred, HAL is aiming to build around 6-10 in a year, based on demand. 'The payment will be done in phases. The ToT will take two years. 'HAL will make at least two SSLV rockets (prototypes) with complete help and hand-holding by Isro and after two years, they will be on their own. The initial ToT agreement will be for the first two years and then another contract will be signed between HAL and Isro,' Goenka said. He said once HAL is on its own, it will be free to even change the design of the rocket and choose its partners. India's Space PSU NewSpace India Limited (Nsil), IN-SPACe, Isro and HAL will now sign a contract. The commercial part of the contract will be handled by Nsil and IN-SPACe will handle the transfer of technology in collaboration with multiple Isro centres. Goenka said: 'I think this is one of the most complex ToTs carried out in India and I think the technology is going to a very capable hands in HAL. They are very familiar with launch vehicles and they have been part of several projects with Isro. Hopefully, we will create a new space company in India with HAL now entering as an owner-marketer of a rocket.' Barenya Senapati, HAL director-finance, while welcoming the decision by IN-SPACe, said winning the bid was in line with HAL's larger goal of entering the space sector in a larger way than it has been doing in the past. He also said that adding a new portfolio will not affect its other operations. On who will bear the liability, Goenka, said: 'The state has the responsibility of the launch vehicle as per international norms. It is up to GoI to decide how much of the liability rests with it and how much will be transferred to the owner of the rocket. Once the contract is signed, HAL will follow whatever the rule of the land is.' '...When Skyroot launched, we had asked them to take launch liability insurance… We are currently debating what we'll do in the future. Either as part of the Space Law or other means, the details will be worked out,' he added.


Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Are we living inside a black hole? NASA's James Webb findings stun scientists
A latest discovery by NASA 's James Webb Space Telescope has reignited one of the most astonishing theories in modern physics: the possibility that our entire universe exists inside a giant black hole. After closely analysing hundreds of ancient galaxies, researchers observed something deeply puzzling. A majority of them appear to spin in the same direction, which contradicts long-standing beliefs about the universe's early formation. This unusual finding is forcing scientists to question the very structure and origin of the cosmos. It could reshape our understanding of space, time, and reality itself. While more evidence is needed, the idea that our universe could exist inside a black hole is no longer confined to science fiction. James Webb Telescope observes rotating galaxies hinting black hole theories Using its incredibly sensitive instruments, the James Webb Space Telescope studied 263 ancient galaxies, some dating back to just 300 million years after the Big Bang . These galaxies are among the oldest and farthest we have ever observed. Surprisingly, about 60% of them appear to rotate in the same direction, mostly clockwise. This finding contradicts the previously accepted belief that galaxy spin directions should be random, especially across such vast stretches of space. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Das entspannendste Farmspiel. Keine Installation Taonga Jetzt spielen Undo Galaxy spin pattern challenges chaos theory, hints at hidden order In the standard model of the universe, galaxies are thought to have formed from chaotic matter distributed randomly after the Big Bang. So their spin directions, clockwise or counter-clockwise, should also be random. But the James Webb findings suggest otherwise. If a large number of galaxies are rotating in a coordinated way, it hints at some sort of underlying order or force that influenced them early in the universe's history. This unexpected uniformity has led scientists to revisit some radical ideas, including one that proposes we might be living inside a black hole. What does it mean to live inside a black hole This idea might sound like science fiction, but it is based on real physics. A black hole is a region of space where gravity is so strong that nothing, not even light, can escape. At its core is a point called a singularity, surrounded by a boundary called the event horizon. Some physicists propose that if a massive star collapsed in a certain way, it could create a black hole that forms an entirely new, enclosed space, possibly a whole universe. In this theory, our own universe could be what is inside the event horizon of a much larger black hole that exists in another "parent" universe. Why are scientists taking this seriously now The synchronised spinning of galaxies seen by James Webb hints at large-scale patterns or forces that are hard to explain with current models. If the early universe was influenced by the properties of a black hole, such as its rotation or shape, it might explain why so many galaxies today still spin the same way. The idea of a universe inside a black hole also helps solve other puzzles, like why the universe appears so uniform and why space-time seems to behave the way it does. What are the limitations of this theory Of course, not everyone is convinced. Some experts suggest that what we are seeing could be due to observational bias. In other words, how we interpret distant light might be skewed by effects like the Doppler shift or the limits of our telescopes. The researchers themselves admit that more data and deeper analysis are needed before drawing firm conclusions. But even if the "black hole universe" idea turns out to be wrong, this discovery still opens exciting new doors in our understanding of space. What can be happen next Scientists will continue to observe more galaxies across various regions of the sky to see if the pattern holds. If similar spin alignments are found elsewhere, it could point to a universal force or condition that existed in the very earliest moments after the Big Bang. Theorists are revisiting their models, trying to fit this new piece into the cosmic puzzle. At first glance, these kinds of discoveries might seem abstract, far removed from everyday life. But they get to the heart of a deeper question: What is the universe, really? And how did we get here? By exploring ideas like a "black hole universe," we are not just studying space. We are learning about our own cosmic origins, our place in the grand scheme of things, and perhaps even what lies beyond.


Time of India
an hour ago
- 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.