Washington
Elon Musk has raised strong concerns about the future safety of the International Space Station (ISS), pointing out that some of its components are aging and may pose risks over time. Despite SpaceX earning billions from ferrying astronauts and cargo to the ISS, Musk recommended on social media that the station be safely de-orbited within two years. He emphasized that continued operation could become increasingly dangerous.
Meanwhile, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is working with Axiom Space, NASA, and SpaceX to address an issue with the ISS’s Zvezda module, which has delayed the Axiom-4 (Ax-4) mission. ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan reaffirmed that safety and mission success remain the top priorities.
SpaceX announced on June 11 that the Falcon 9 launch of Ax-4 to the ISS has been postponed due to a liquid oxygen (LOx) leak found during booster checks. The company said repairs are underway and a new launch date will be shared soon.
The Ax-4 mission is especially significant for India, as it will send Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla to space, making him the second Indian to do so since 1984. This mission also marks the first time astronauts from India, Poland, and Hungary will visit the ISS. Axiom Space noted that Ax-4 represents each country's return to government-backed human spaceflight after more than four decades, highlighting international collaboration in space exploration.
