Why in the News?

The launch of Axiom-4 (Ax-4), a private mission to the International Space Station (ISS), has been postponed to June 11 due to weather conditions.

About Axiom-4 Mission

Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) is a private spaceflight organized by Axiom Space.
It aims to transport a crew to the International Space Station (ISS) for a 14-day mission.
This will be Axiom Space’s fourth mission to the ISS, following their previous missions (Ax-1, Ax-2, and Ax-3).
The mission will launch from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida using SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket.
The spacecraft for this mission is a SpaceX Crew Dragon, known for its advanced technology and safety features.
This mission is organised in collaboration with NASA, highlighting a strong partnership between private space companies and government space agencies to further space exploration and research.
Crew:
1. Peggy Whitson: A veteran astronaut with extensive experience, having completed multiple missions to the ISS.
2. Sławosz Uznanski: A Polish astronaut joining the mission, marking a significant milestone for Poland in space exploration.
3. Tibor Kapu: A Hungarian astronaut, adding to the diversity of the mission crew.
4. Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla: An Indian astronaut, making headlines as part of this international crew.

The mission is a collaborative effort resulting from an agreement between ISRO and NASA.
It provides ISRO with an early opportunity to test experiments in space, originally planned for Gaganyaan.
Key Indian Experiments on Axiom-4:
- Microgravity’s impact on muscle dysfunction.
- Use of computer screens in zero gravity and their effects on human cognition and vision.
- Growth of six varieties of crop seeds in space conditions.
- Tardigrade survival study—these microscopic creatures can endure extreme environments and may provide insight into life support systems in space.

The ISS, orbiting 430 kilometres above Earth, completes 16 orbits daily, witnessing 16 sunrises and sunsets.
The ISS orbits Earth every 90 minutes at 8 km per second.
Spanning 109 meters, it’s almost as long as an American football field.
The ISS includes 6 sleeping areas, 2 bathrooms, a gym, and a panoramic view bay window.
Its solar array wingspan is 109 meters, and the station houses about 13 km of electrical wiring.
The ISS’s journey began on November 20, 1998, with Russia’s Zarya Control Module.
The US added the Unity Node 1 module on December 4, 1998, marking the start of a functional space lab.
The station evolved into its current form after 42 assembly flights.

[2019] What is India’s plan to have its own space station and how will it benefit our space programme?