Latest news with #AxiomMission4
Time of India
3 days ago
- Science
- Time of India
Indian intervention ensured safety of Axiom-4 astronauts: Isro chief
Trichy: Indian intervention led to the postponement of the Axiom Mission 4 launch originally scheduled for July 11, ensuring the safety of astronaut Shubanshu Shukla and three others, chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation ( Isro ) and secretary of the department of space, V Narayanan, has said. Speaking at the 21st convocation of the National Institute of Technology, Trichy (NIT-T) here on Saturday, Narayanan recalled the original launch of Axiom Mission 4 was scheduled for June 11, but on the morning of June 10, a liquid oxygen leak in the booster engine of the rocket was detected. "The rocket, which was supposed to take into space along with Shubanshu Shukhla and three other astronauts from different countries, had developed a problem. It was the Indian team that raised concerns and ensured the launch was called off on the evening of June 10 at 5.15pm, as the rocket was deemed unsafe to fly. The cracks were later fixed, and the rocket successfully lifted off on June 25, placing all the astronauts safely in orbit," he said. "Every Indian must be proud that, through our education system, knowledge, and the support of Isro, we were able to call off a mission in time to ensure the safety of the astronauts. Today, it is part of history that they were launched and brought back safely," he added. The Isro chairman also presented a model of the GSLV Mk-3 rocket to the institution. Praising India's space efforts, he said, "We have so far launched six rockets, with the heaviest being the GSLV Mark-3 vehicle, through which we placed Chandrayaan-2 and Chandrayaan-3 in orbit, completed commercial missions, and launched 72 foreign satellites. The same rocket is now set to lift a 6,500kg communication satellite of the USA into orbit. It will also carry Indian crew members to space in 2027." NIT-T director G Aghila presented a report about the academic, research accomplishments and reiterated its 9th ranking in NIRF and 31st among all higher education institutions. A total of 2,045 degrees were awarded which includes 175 Phd, 5 MS, 483 MTech, 18 M Arch, 95 MBA, 109 MCA, 90 17 M A, 995 B tech and 58 B Arch. Earlier, speaking to reporters at Trichy airport, Narayanan said, "On July 30, the NASA-Isro synthetic aperture radar satellite will be launched using GSLV mark 2 vehicle. The satellite is jointly realised by India, Isro and JPL (USA). This satellite is going to be useful for the global community in earth observation and disaster mitigation areas. It is an important satellite, and it will be the 102nd launch from Indian soil. "
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Next astronauts could be heading to the space station in week: What to know about Crew-11
The next group of astronauts could be heading to space in a week, where they will relieve a group of spacefarers at the International Space Station who played a critical role in bringing the Boeing Starliner saga to an end. The mission, known as Crew-11, is the latest in a series of joint ventures between NASA and SpaceX to send astronauts to the outpost, where they spend months at a time conducting scientific research only possible in orbit. The four-person crew, which includes two NASA astronauts, are the first humans to fly to space since a relatively brief private voyage known as Axiom Mission 4 came to an end earlier in July after 20 days. The arrival of the astronauts selected for the Crew-11 mission at the space station will also pave the way for four others to leave. Their Crew-10 predecessors arrived at the ISS in mid-March in a headline-grabbing mission that set the stage for the long-awaited departure of the NASA astronauts − Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams − who crewed the ill-fated Starliner space capsule the year before. Here's everything to know about the Crew-11 mission and its impending launch from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. What is the SpaceX Crew-11 mission? As the name suggests, Crew-11 is NASA and SpaceX's 11th science expedition to the International Space Station. The missions, most of which last about six months, are contracted under NASA's commercial crew program. The program allows the U.S. space agency to pay SpaceX to launch and transport astronauts and cargo to orbit aboard the company's own vehicles, freeing up NASA to focus on its Artemis lunar program and other spaceflight missions, including future crewed voyages to Mars. When was the first NASA, SpaceX Crew mission? What is the Dragon? The first of SpaceX's Crew missions ferrying astronauts to the orbital outpost on its Dragon capsule began in 2020. Standing nearly 27 feet tall and about 13 feet wide, Dragon capsules can carry up to seven astronauts into orbit, though most of SpaceX's Crew missions feature a crew of four. The Dragon is also the only U.S. spacecraft capable of carrying astronauts to and from the space station. For that reason, NASA selected the Dragon to bring home Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, the two NASA astronauts who rode the Boeing Starliner capsule to the space station in June 2024 for the vehicle's inaugural human spaceflight test. Certifying the Starliner capsule for operation would eventually give NASA a second vehicle in addition to Dragon for regular human spaceflights to orbit. Who are the astronauts on the Crew-11 mission? The Crew-11 mission includes four spacefarers: Mission commander , a NASA astronaut from Virginia making her first spaceflight Pilot , a NASA astronaut from Pennsylvania making his fourth trip to space Mission specialist , a Japanese astronaut with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut making his second trip to the space station Mission specialist Oleg Platonov, a Russian Roscosmos cosmonaut making his first spaceflight Crew-11 astronauts reassigned after Boeing Starliner failure In an interesting twist, Cardman, Fincke and Yui all experienced major spaceflight assignment changes as a result of the Boeing Starliner debacle. Fincke and Yui were both originally selected to fly on the Starliner's crew rotation mission had the spacecraft's inaugural human flight test in June 2024 been a success. Fincke was also the backup astronaut on a flight test for which Wilmore and Williams were ultimately selected. As for Cardman, she would have flown on the Crew-9 mission in September 2024 before she and NASA astronaut Stephanie Wilson were bumped from the mission. Instead of a full contingent, only NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov traveled to the space station to leave two seats for Wilmore and Williams on the return flight. The decision was made when NASA opted to undock the troubled Starliner capsule without its crew, leaving Wilmore and Williams in need of a ride home. When will NASA, SpaceX launch Crew-11 for ISS? The Crew-10 mission is due to get off the ground no earlier than 12:09 p.m. ET Thursday, July 31, from near Cape Canaveral, Florida, according to NASA. SpaceX uses its Falcon 9 rocket – one of the most active in the world – to launch the crew missions from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. Once in orbit, the SpaceX Dragon capsule that the astronauts are aboard then separates from the rocket, using its own thrusters to continue onto the space station. When will the Crew-10 astronauts depart space station, return to Earth? The arrival of Cardman, Fincke, Yui and Platonov will ultimately pave the way for their predecessors, the Crew-10 contingent, to depart the space station and head back to Earth. NASA astronauts Nichole Ayers and Anne McClain arrived March 16 at the station with JAXA astronaut Takuya Onishi and Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov as part of the Crew-10 mission. That mission made headlines for its role in paving the way for the NASA astronauts who crewed the doomed Boeing Starliner to depart with the Crew-9 mission. But the Crew-10 astronauts won't leave right away. What follows upon the arrival of any astronauts is a brief handover period in which the new crew members are familiarized with the orbital laboratory and station operations. McClain, Ayers, Onishi and Peskov will then depart a few days later on the same Dragon capsule that transported them to the space station. Mission teams will also have to review weather conditions off the coast of California, where the Dragon will eventually make a water landing. Who else is at the International Space Station? Another three spacefarers are also living and working about the International Space Station as members of Expedition 73. That includes NASA astronaut Jonny Kim, who reached the outpost in April 2025 with cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritsky. Contributing: Brooke Edwards, Florida Today Eric Lagatta is the Space Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at elagatta@ This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What is Crew-11? SpaceX astronauts prepare for space station mission
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Crew-11 to replace astronauts at ISS who helped 'stuck' Starliner crew return home
The next group of astronauts could be heading to space in a week, where they will relieve a group of spacefarers at the International Space Station who played a critical role in bringing the Boeing Starliner saga to an end. The mission, known as Crew-11, is the latest in a series of joint ventures between NASA and SpaceX to send astronauts to the outpost, where they spend months at a time conducting scientific research only possible in orbit. The four-person crew, which includes two NASA astronauts, are the first humans to fly to space since a relatively brief private voyage known as Axiom Mission 4 came to an end earlier in July after 20 days. The arrival of the astronauts selected for the Crew-11 mission at the space station will also pave the way for four others to leave. Their Crew-10 predecessors arrived at the ISS in mid-March in a headline-grabbing mission that set the stage for the long-awaited departure of the NASA astronauts − Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams − who crewed the ill-fated Starliner space capsule the year before. Here's everything to know about the Crew-11 mission and its impending launch from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. What is the SpaceX Crew-11 mission? As the name suggests, Crew-11 is NASA and SpaceX's 11th science expedition to the International Space Station. The missions, most of which last about six months, are contracted under NASA's commercial crew program. The program allows the U.S. space agency to pay SpaceX to launch and transport astronauts and cargo to orbit aboard the company's own vehicles, freeing up NASA to focus on its Artemis lunar program and other spaceflight missions, including future crewed voyages to Mars. When was the first NASA, SpaceX Crew mission? What is the Dragon? The first of SpaceX's Crew missions ferrying astronauts to the orbital outpost on its Dragon capsule began in 2020. Standing nearly 27 feet tall and about 13 feet wide, Dragon capsules can carry up to seven astronauts into orbit, though most of SpaceX's Crew missions feature a crew of four. The Dragon is also the only U.S. spacecraft capable of carrying astronauts to and from the space station. For that reason, NASA selected the Dragon to bring home Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, the two NASA astronauts who rode the Boeing Starliner capsule to the space station in June 2024 for the vehicle's inaugural human spaceflight test. Certifying the Starliner capsule for operation would eventually give NASA a second vehicle in addition to Dragon for regular human spaceflights to orbit. Who are the astronauts on the Crew-11 mission? The Crew-11 mission includes four spacefarers: Mission commander , a NASA astronaut from Virginia making her first spaceflight Pilot , a NASA astronaut from Pennsylvania making his fourth trip to space Mission specialist , a Japanese astronaut with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut making his second trip to the space station Mission specialist Oleg Platonov, a Russian Roscosmos cosmonaut making his first spaceflight Crew-11 astronauts reassigned after Boeing Starliner failure In an interesting twist, Cardman, Fincke and Yui all experienced major spaceflight assignment changes as a result of the Boeing Starliner debacle. Fincke and Yui were both originally selected to fly on the Starliner's crew rotation mission had the spacecraft's inaugural human flight test in June 2024 been a success. Fincke was also the backup astronaut on a flight test for which Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams were ultimately selected. As for Cardman, she would have flown on the Crew-9 mission in September 2024 before she and NASA astronaut Stephanie Wilson were bumped from the mission. Instead of a full contingent, only NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov traveled to the space station to leave two seats for Wilmore and Williams on the return flight. The decision was made when NASA opted to undock the troubled Starliner capsule without its crew, leaving Wilmore and Williams in need of a ride home. When will NASA, SpaceX launch Crew-11 for ISS? The Crew-10 mission is due to get off the ground no earlier than 12:09 p.m. ET Thursday, July 31, from near Cape Canaveral, Florida, according to NASA. SpaceX uses its Falcon 9 rocket – one of the most active in the world – to launch the crew missions from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Once in orbit, the SpaceX Dragon capsule that the astronauts are aboard then separates from the rocket, using its own thrusters to continue onto the space station. When will the Crew-10 astronauts depart space station, return to Earth? The arrival of Cardman, Fincke, Yui and Platonov will ultimately pave the way for their predecessors, the Crew-10 contingent, to depart the space station and head back to Earth. NASA astronauts Nichole Ayers and Anne McClain arrived March 16 at the station with JAXA astronaut Takuya Onishi and Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov as part of the Crew-10 mission. That mission made headlines for its role in paving the way for the NASA astronauts who crewed the doomed Boeing Starliner to depart with the Crew-9 mission. But the Crew-10 astronauts won't leave right away. What follows upon the arrival of any astronauts is a brief handover period in which the new crew members are familiarized with the orbital laboratory and station operations. McClain, Ayers, Onishi and Peskov will then depart a few days later on the same Dragon capsule that transported them to the space station. Mission teams will also have to review weather conditions off the coast of California, where the Dragon will eventually make a water landing. Who else is at the International Space Station? Another three spacefarers are also living and working about the International Space Station as members of Expedition 73. That includes NASA astronaut Jonny Kim, who reached the outpost in April 2025 with cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritsky. Contributing: Brooke Edwards, Florida Today Eric Lagatta is the Space Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at elagatta@ This article originally appeared on Florida Today: When does Crew-11 launch? SpaceX to send 4 astronauts to space station Solve the daily Crossword
Cision Canada
5 days ago
- Science
- Cision Canada
Mumm Cordon Rouge Stellar takes champagne into space
The first champagne crafted for conditions of zero gravity celebrates a historic mission into space REIMS, France, July 24, 2025 /CNW/ -- Mumm Cordon Rouge Stellar is back on Earth after its debut flight into space. On 25 June 2025, the first champagne adapted to space launched on an Axiom Space mission from Florida, returning to Earth 15 July 2025 in perfect condition in its specially designed, state-of-the-art bottle. This historic event represents the culmination of nine years of research and experimentation, during which Maison Mumm, in collaboration with a community of experts, once again pushed the boundaries, continuing the explorations it began when it was founded in 1827. Beyond the technological achievement of this brilliantly executed mission, Mumm Cordon Rouge Stellar is a powerful symbol of the spirit of celebration and conviviality, which – having united people on Earth for centuries – will in future extend into space. An unprecedented mission, nine years in the making The project that took Mumm Cordon Rouge Stellar into space began in 2017, when Maison Mumm assembled an expert team: Octave de Gaulle, founder of SPADE, which specializes in designing products and experiences for human life beyond Earth; the CNES (Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales), France's national space agency; and Jean-François Clervoy, an astronaut with the European Space Agency, and the veteran of three NASA space missions. The first prototype of Mumm Cordon Rouge Stellar was presented in 2018, resulting in an initial set of observations, both technical and oenological. These were integrated into the design of a second prototype, produced in 2022, which also conformed to CNES specifications for safety and tasting in conditions of zero gravity. That same year, Maison Mumm announced its collaboration with Axiom Space, which would carry Mumm Cordon Rouge Stellar on a future, real-life mission. The final, crucial step before the mission could go ahead was a zero-gravity test flight, which was successfully completed in March 2025. And so, after nine years, on 25 June, Mumm Cordon Rouge Stellar blasted off from Florida, as part of Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4). The Ax-4 Commander Peggy Whitson, former NASA astronaut and biochemistry researcher, was accompanied by an international crew. The mission returned to Earth on 15 July, with Mumm Cordon Rouge Stellar in apparently flawless condition. In approximately five months' time, Yann Munier, Cellar Master of Maison Mumm, will be authorized to open the bottle and taste the world's first champagne to have voyaged into space. A new frontier The unique feat achieved by Mumm Cordon Rouge Stellar perpetuates Maison Mumm's heritage of exploration, and once again demonstrates its capacity – in this case quite literally – to open new frontiers. The House's pioneering spirit has long been epitomized by Mumm Cordon Rouge, which – over a century before it launched into space – accompanied Commandant Charcot, the first Frenchman to lead an Antarctic expedition, on his historic quest to the Polar Circle in 1904. From the ends of the earth to the outer reaches of space… "Over and above its contribution to space exploration, the significance of this project lies in what champagne represents – shared values, an enduring art de vivre, a symbol of our culture – and in the possibility of recreating it in an entirely new environment," comments César Giron, CEO of Maison Mumm. While Mumm Cordon Rouge is synonymous with earthly celebrations, Mumm Cordon Rouge Stellar preserves, beyond the boundaries of our planet, the memory of a terroir, a climate, a savoir-faire and a ritual of conviviality – in short, a symbolic link to life on Earth. Sébastien Barde, Deputy Director of Exploration and Human Spaceflight at CNES, adds: "The Mumm Cordon Rouge Stellar project is a concrete example of the importance of considering conviviality and shared rituals in space. For CNES, these human dimensions are essential to the success of long-duration missions. By supporting projects like this one, we are exploring ways to improve the psychological well-being of crews and address the cultural challenges of human space exploration." Pushing the boundaries of design and winemaking Mumm Cordon Rouge Stellar represented a two-fold challenge: of design and of winemaking. The design had not only to respect the stringent safety standards of a space mission, but also to preserve and ensure the precious champagne bottle remained intact. Futuristic in conception, it features a glass half-bottle secured by an opening and closing mechanism of stainless steel – the same material used by Maison Mumm for its vats in Reims. The bottle is protected within a sleek outer casing of aeronautical-grade aluminum, emblazoned with the iconic red ribbon of Mumm Cordon Rouge. The casing's long neck, ending in a cork secured by a metal ring, was designed to allow the champagne to be served in conditions of zero gravity. The second, and equally important, aspect of the challenge involved the champagne itself. In order to counteract the dulling of the senses of smell and taste that occurs in space, the blend of Mumm Cordon Rouge had to be subtly tweaked. "The freshness and power of Mumm Cordon Rouge were retained, while the intensity of the aromas was heightened by extended aging and the addition of a dosage liqueur made from wines raised in oak casks," explains Yann Munier. Mumm Cordon Rouge Stellar is a way of encapsulating our culture, the memory of the terroir and tasting ritual that make champagne what it is. ABOUT G.H. MUMM G.H. Mumm – named after its founder Georges Hermann Mumm – has chosen Pinot Noir to define the style of its champagnes since its creation in 1827. For almost two centuries, its expertise has been dedicated to revealing the rich nuances of its signature grape variety. From the iconic Mumm Cordon Rouge to Mumm Blanc de Noirs, G.H. Mumm is an expert in selecting and blending the finest terroirs to express the diversity of Champagne's Pinot Noir grapes. G.H. Mumm champagnes are distinguished by their exacting quality standards and singular aromatic personality: intense freshness, generous fruit and elegant structure, achieved after between two and five years' aging in the cellars in Reims, France. +33 6 33 66 55 05
The Hindu
7 days ago
- Health
- The Hindu
Surprised to observe the pace with which our body can adjust to new settings, says astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla
Indian astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, who is undergoing a week-long rehabilitation programme to mitigate any adverse effect of microgravity, has shared an update of his rehabilitation and said that he was 'surprised to observe the pace with which our body can adjust to new settings.' 'Received many messages' In a post on social media platform Instagram, Group Captain Shukla, who returned to earth on July 15 after spending 18 days in the International Space Station as part of the Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) mission, said that he received a lot of messages regarding his health and wishing him a speedy recovery. 'Experiencing microgravity our body goes through several changes like fluid shift, heart rate, balance readjustment, muscle loss. These are adaptations to the new environment. Once the body gets used to this and we return to gravity, these adjustments happen once again,' he said. 'Though it varies for all astronauts, the body soon starts adapting to its new environment. I was surprised to observe the pace with which our body can adjust to new settings,' he further added. After the splashdown off the coast of San Diego in the U.S. he was flown to Houston for a week-long rehabilitation programme to mitigate any adverse effect of microgravity.
