International Space Stations

Nasa introduces new astronauts: 10 chosen from more than 8,000 applicants

NASA introduced its newest astronauts Monday, 10 scientists, engineers and test pilots chosen from more than 8,000 applicants to help explore the moon and possibly Mars. For the first time, there were more women than men in a NASA astronaut class. They included a geologist who worked on NASA's Curiosity Mars rover, a SpaceX engineer who flew on a billionaire-sponsored spaceflight that featured the world's first private spacewalk and a former SpaceX launch director. The group will undergo two years of training before becoming eligible for spaceflight. Acting Administrator Sean Duffy said one of them could become the first person to step on Mars. It is the 24th astronaut class for NASA since the original Mercury Seven made their debut in 1959. The previous class was in 2021. Only 370 people have been selected by NASA as astronauts, making it an extraordinarily small and elite group composed mostly of men. The latest additions revealed during a ceremony at NASA's Johnson Space Centre

PM Modi meets astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla after historic space mission

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday met Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla who became the first Indian astronaut to travel to the International Space Station (ISS). Shukla, who was part of the Axiom-4 commercial mission to the ISS from June 25-July 15, met the prime minister at his Lok Kalyan Marg residence. Modi welcomed Shukla, who was wearing an ISRO astronaut's jacket, with a warm hug and walked with him with his arm on the astronaut's shoulder. Shukla also gifted the prime minister the mission patch of the Axiom-4 mission. The Lucknow-born astronaut also shared pictures he had taken from the ISS with Modi. Shukla was part of the Axiom-4 private space mission that lifted off from Florida on June 25 and docked at the International Space Station on June 26. He returned to Earth on 15 July. Shukla returned to India on Sunday. Along with three other astronauts -- Peggy Whitson (US), Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski (Poland), and Tibor Kapu (Hungary) -- Shukla conducted over 60 experim

Next Indian astronaut will travel in indigenous spacecraft: Jitendra Singh

Shubhanshu Shukla's successful space odyssey has provided expertise for India's future voyages and the next Indian astronaut will travel in an indigenously built spacecraft, Union Minister Jitendra Singh has said In an exclusive video interview to PTI, Singh said Shukla's three-week stay at the International Space Station as part of the Axiom-4 mission has given India valuable insights and experience in handling space missions as it prepares for its own Gaganyaan project. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is preparing to launch its human spaceflight mission Gaganyaan that will take two astronauts to a low earth orbit sometime in 2027. "The next mission is going to be totally, totally indigenous, developed in India, right from the scratch. Indian astronauts going in for the first time in an Indian spaceship," the Union Minister for Science and Technology said. "It would also place us in that elite league of nations in the world which have actually been able to do so. A

Shubhanshu Shukla returns from ISS: Moment Dragon spacecraft splashes down in Pacific Ocean | Axiom

The Axiom-4 mission crew, which includes ISRO's Shubhanshu Shukla made a successful splashdown off California coast in the Pacific ocean at 3:01 PM.

PM Modi hails Shubhanshu Shukla's return after historic space mission

Shubhanshu Shukla and three other astronauts returned aboard the Dragon 'Grace' spacecraft, which splashed down off the coast of San Diego, California, after a 22.5-hour journey from space

Isro says Subhanshu Shukla's space mission will boost Gaganyaan project

This mission has been a major learning opportunity for us. Isro took up this mission to gather experience that will help us in our Gaganyaan programme, said Isro's Desai

Shubhanshu Shukla sets off on return journey as Dragon undocks from ISS | Axiom-4 mission

Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla and three others of the commercial Axiom-4 mission on Monday embarked on a journey back to Earth as their Dragon Grace spacecraft undocked from the International Space Stat

Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla showcases zero-gravity experiment aboard ISS

Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, the Axiom-4 mission pilot, has showcased a zero-gravity experiment aboard the International Space Station (ISS) involving water to illustrate how microgravity transforms everyday physics. The experiment, part of Axiom Space's outreach and scientific mission, highlighted the unique behaviour of water in space. After an 18-day stay at the ISS, Shukla and three others -- commander Peggy Whitson and mission specialists Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski of Poland and Tibor Kapu of Hungary -- of the commercial Axiom-4 mission set off on a return journey to Earth on Monday evening. Using surface tension to their advantage, Shukla formed a floating water bubble. I've become a water bender here in the station, he joked. Another astronaut Whitson further went on to press a plastic bag gently into the sphere, demonstrating how surface tension behaves like a magnet in microgravity by clinging to the object and distorting light like a lens. The astronauts also spoke abou

Shubhanshu Shukla to undock from ISS: When will he be back on Earth?

After an 18-day stint aboard the International Space Station, Shubhanshu Shukla will undock today at 4:30 pm

Time for feasts, farewells for Shubhanshu Shukla, Axiom-4 astronauts

After 18 days of intense science experiments at the International Space Station, it is time for farewells and feasts for Shubhanshu Shukla and three other astronauts of the Axiom-4 mission who are set to begin their return journey to Earth on Monday. The Axiom 4 (Ax-4) crewCommander Peggy Whitson, Pilot Shubhanshu "Shux" Shukla, and Mission Specialists Slawosz "Suave" Uznanski-Wisniewski and Tibor Kapuare nearing the completion of their research and preparing to undock no earlier than at 7:05 am ET (4:35 pm IST) on Monday. "Arrival back to earth.... splash down scheduled for 15th July at 3:00 PM IST," Science and Technology Minister Jitendra Singh said in a post on X. A formal farewell for the Axiom-4 crew is scheduled for Sunday evening, India time. As the Axiom-4 mission drew to a close, astronauts on board the ISS gathered for a feast with a diverse menu from the six nations they represent. Currently, there are 11 astronauts on the ISS, seven of Expedition 73 and four of the ..

'Furthest from motherland, closest to hearts': PM Modi to Shubhanshu Shukla

PM Modi congratulated Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla aboard the ISS during Axiom-4, as India returned to space after more than four decades

Elon Musk raises concerns over ISS safety, urges de-orbiting within 2 years

Elon Musk has voiced serious concerns over the long-term safety of the International Space Station (ISS), citing the ageing condition of its components, and called for its de-orbiting within two years despite SpaceX's ongoing involvement."There are potentially serious concerns about the long-term safety of the @Space_Station. Some parts of it are simply getting too old, and that risk grows over time."Even though @SpaceX earns billions of dollars from transporting astronauts & cargo to the ISS, I nonetheless would like to go on record recommending that it be de-orbited within 2 years," Musk posted on X.Meanwhile, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is working closely with Axiom Space, NASA, and SpaceX to responsibly address the ISS Zvezda module observation causing the Ax-4 delay, reflecting growing collaboration between India and leading global space agencies, including Musk's companies.V Narayanan, the Secretary DOS/ Chairman ISRO and Chairman Space Commission, said ..

Axiom-4 mission carrying Shubhanshu Shukla delayed as SpaceX detects leak

In a statement, SpaceX announced that it was 'standing down' from the Falcon 9 launch of the Axiom-4 mission, which will be carrying Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla and three others

NASA's cleanrooms reveal 26 new types of bacteria that could survive space

NASA's scientists have discovered 26 new types of bacteria that could survive space in cleanrooms - the place where spacecraft are made

India to conduct first biological experiments aboard ISS: Jitendra Singh

India is set to conduct its first-ever biological experiments aboard the International Space Station (ISS) to study the sustainability of human life in space, Science and Technology Jitendra Singh said on Thursday. An important initiative under the BioE3, these unique experiments, spearheaded by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in collaboration with the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), will be carried out as part of the upcoming International Space Station (ISS) mission AXIOM-4, with Indian astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla as a crew member. Singh said the first experiment at the ISS will examine the impact of microgravity and space radiation on the growth of edible microalgae, a nutrient-rich potential food source for long-duration space missions. This project is a joint initiative of ISRO, NASA, and DBT and aims to analyse key growth parameters and changes in transcriptomes, proteomes, and metabolomes of different algal species in space, as compared to ...

Ax-4 delayed, India's Shubhanshu Shukla to now travel to ISS on June 8

Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla's upcoming mission aboard SpaceX's Dragon marks a milestone for India, coming nearly 40 years after Rakesh Sharma's 1984 mission on Russia's Soyuz spacecraft

Shubhanshu Shukla set to become first Indian to fly to ISS on May 29

Indian Air Force's Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla is set to make history on May 29 as the first Indian to fly to the International Space Station, piloting the Axiom Mission 4

Soyuz rocket launches US-Russian crew of 3 to International Space Station

NASA astronaut Jonny Kim and two Russian crewmates launched successfully to the International Space Station on Tuesday on board a Russian spacecraft. A Soyuz booster rocket lifted off as scheduled from the Russia-leased Baikonur launch facility in Kazakhstan to put the Soyuz MS-27 carrying the trio in orbit. They are set to dock at the station just over three hours later. Kim and Russia's Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritsky are scheduled to spend about eight months at the space outpost. NASA said Kim will conduct scientific investigations and technology demonstrations to help prepare the crew for future space missions and provide benefits to people on Earth. A native of Los Angeles, Kim is a US Navy lieutenant commander and dual-designated naval aviator and flight surgeon. Kim, Ryzhikov and Zubritsky will join NASA astronauts Don Pettit, Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's astronaut Takuya Onishi and Russian cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin, Ivan Vagner

Sunita Williams returns to Earth, dolphins welcome her home. VIDEO

After almost nine months in space, Nasa astronaut Sunita 'Suni' Williams and Barry 'Butch' Willmore returned to Earth, where dolphins greeted their capsule in a viral moment during recovery

Why Sunita Williams may have returned taller from space after 288-day stay

From puffy face, fragile skin, to muscle and bone loss - what happens to the human body in space? Here's all we know