Latest news with #CrewDragonModule
Time of India
10 hours ago
- Science
- Time of India
NASA-ISRO joint mission Axiom-4 set to launch on June 22 after multiple delays
After a series of postponements caused by technical issues, weather conditions, and safety concerns, the much-anticipated Axiom-4 mission to the International Space Station (ISS) has been rescheduled to launch on June 22, 2025, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) confirmed. The announcement followed extensive discussions between ISRO and space agencies from Poland and Hungary, whose astronauts will participate in the mission, along with India's Gaganyatri Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla and Peggy Whitson, the former NASA astronaut who will serve as mission commander. The mission, a collaboration between Axiom Space, NASA, SpaceX, and ISRO, has faced multiple delays since its original launch target in May. Axiom-4 Mission's postponements so far The mission was initially targeted for May 29, but that date was deferred to June 8 after engineers detected issues in the electrical harness of the Crew Dragon Module . A series of subsequent delays followed, caused by weather concerns, incomplete readiness of the Falcon-9 launch vehicle, and technical faults, including an oxygen leak and anomalies in an engine actuator identified during hot fire tests. International collaboration and crew composition 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 The Axiom-4 mission represents a unique international partnership. Along with astronauts from India, Poland, and Hungary, the crew is led by Peggy Whitson, a seasoned spacefarer and former NASA astronaut. The 14-day manned mission is designed to conduct scientific experiments aboard the ISS, advancing human spaceflight and microgravity research. Safety concerns on the ISS One of the critical reasons for the latest delay involved an air leak in the Zvezda Service Module of the ISS. On June 11, ISRO and NASA flagged concerns to Roscosmos, the Russian space agency, and recommended in-situ repairs followed by low-temperature leak tests to validate the module's integrity before launch. New target and readiness conditions According to ISRO, the new date of June 22 was finalized based on the readiness of SpaceX's Falcon-9 rocket , the Dragon spacecraft, ascent weather conditions, crew health during quarantine, and the completion of necessary repairs aboard the ISS. A backup launch window is available on June 23 if needed. The Axiom-4 mission underscores the growing role of private and international cooperation in space exploration. With safety checks completed and technical hurdles addressed, the mission is now poised to lift off from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, taking another step toward a more globally connected presence in space.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Science
- Time of India
Axiom-4 to launch on Thursday; ISRO refreshes samples for astronaut Shukla's experiments
The Indian Space Research Organisation ( ISRO ) on Monday said it is working closely with US-based Axiom Space to refresh time-sensitive experimental specimens, following the rescheduling of the Axiom-4 (Ax-4) mission to the International Space Station (ISS) for June 19. The Ax-4 Mission will fly Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla and three other members to the ISS for 14 days. So far, the launch has been postponed four times due to issues in the electrical harness in the Crew Dragon Module , unpreparedness of the launch vehicle Falcon 9, weather conditions, and oxygen leakage in the engine bay of the ISS. ISRO will conduct seven experiments as part of Ax‑4. These will be in the areas of biological processes, crop growth, and use of technology in microgravity—more specifically, crop seed and microalgae growth, where the Indian astronaut will test moong, methi, and microalgae for food and sustainability. Experiments on muscle stem cells in weightlessness and how astronauts interact with screens in microgravity will also be conducted. While some experiments do not need a refresh, many involve live organisms or biological samples such as microbes, seeds, and cells. These degrade or change if left unused for too long pre-launch. To avoid failure, ISRO will replace or re-prepare samples to ensure they remain scientifically valid once aboard the ISS. Union minister of state for science and technology Jitendra Singh on Sunday said the Axiom team has conveyed that all the issues have been addressed and that India's representative Shukla will conduct all the experiments in space. 'The Axiom mission has a lot of components from the department of biotechnology, and Shukla will conduct exclusive experiments,' he said, emphasising the importance of needing to boost space activities for research. Live Events
