NASA has postponed the Axiom-4 mission to the ISS due to ongoing air leak investigations in the Russian segment, in collaboration with Roscosmos. Recent repairs showed initial success, but a new pressure anomaly requires further assessment. The delay impacts Axiom Space's mission, intended to transport four private astronauts via SpaceX, while prioritizing safety and structural integrity.

Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla will become the first Indian astronaut to reach the ISS since 1984, aboard the Axiom-4 mission. Accompanying him is ‘Joy’, a white plush swan serving as the crew’s zero-gravity indicator and a symbolic tribute to Indian culture. Representing the vahana of Goddess Saraswati, Joy blends spirituality with space tradition. The mission highlights India’s growing role in global space exploration, backed by ISRO and SpaceX, and underscores the soft power of cultural symbolism in scientific frontiers.

In a groundbreaking discovery, scientists have observed nematodes, tiny worms, forming 'living towers' in natural settings for the first time. Researchers in Germany witnessed these worms cooperating to build towers on decaying fruit, a behavior previously only seen in labs. This collective action, where worms act as a 'superorganism,' helps them escape harsh conditions and seek new habitats.

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has made a groundbreaking discovery in the YSES-1 system, 300 light-years away. It revealed gas giants, YSES-1 b and c, with atmospheres containing 'sand clouds' made of silicates. These clouds, composed of minerals like pyroxene and forsterite, offer insights into exoplanet chemistry. The young system, only 16.

Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla's anticipated space journey is delayed as SpaceX postpones the Axiom-4 launch indefinitely due to a liquid oxygen leak detected in the Falcon-9 rocket. Despite favorable weather conditions initially, engineers couldn't resolve the issue promptly. SpaceX is working to repair the leak and address a thrust vector control issue, prioritizing safety and precision before rescheduling the launch.

Indian-origin food scientist Professor Suresh Pillai is revolutionising space cuisine, ensuring astronauts enjoy nutritious and culturally relevant meals. As Shubhanshu Shukla prepares to be the first Indian astronaut on the ISS with Axiom Mission 4, Pillai's work takes center stage. His lab's eBeam technology sterilises food without heat, crucial for long-duration missions. NASA's meticulously crafted Indian-style barramundi fish curry exemplifies this innovation. Shukla will savor home-style Indian dishes alongside standard NASA fare, enhancing well-being in microgravity.

Greenland's ice sheet melted 17 times faster than the past average during a May heatwave that also hit Iceland, the scientific network World Weather Attribution (WWA) said in a report Wednesday. And in Greenland, "the melting rate of the Greenland ice sheet by, from a preliminary analysis, a factor of 17... means the Greenland ice sheet contribution to sea level rise is higher than it would have otherwise been without this heat wave," one of the authors of the report, Friederike Otto, told reporters.

The Axiom-4 mission, featuring Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, faces further delays due to a liquid oxygen leak detected in SpaceX's Falcon-9 rocket. This issue, stemming from a previous Starlink mission, coupled with unfavorable weather, has postponed the launch.

China has released the first image from its Tianwen 2 spacecraft. The spacecraft is on a mission to collect samples from a quasi-moon. The mission launched on May 29. The spacecraft is already millions of kilometers from Earth. Tianwen 2 will approach Kamo'oalewa in July 2026. Kamo'oalewa is a small asteroid. Scientists believe it may have originated from the Moon.

NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory has detected powerful black hole jets emanating from a galaxy 11.6 billion light-years away. These jets, formed during the universe's "cosmic noon," are illuminated by cosmic microwave background radiation. Analysis reveals particles in the jets travel at 92% to 99% the speed of light, offering insights into black hole behavior and galactic development.

Stargazers in the United States are in for a treat as the annual Strawberry Moon will grace the skies on June 10. This year's event is special because it coincides with a rare Major Lunar Standstill, a phenomenon not seen again until 2043. The best viewing spots are areas with minimal light pollution, offering a unique visual spectacle.

SpaceX has postponed the Axiom-4 mission launch to the International Space Station due to a Liquid Oxygen (LOx) leak discovered during post-static fire booster inspections. The launch, which was scheduled for Wednesday at 5:30 pm IST, was delayed to allow SpaceX teams time for repairs. A new launch date will be announced pending the completion of repairs and range availability.

Archaeologists in Spain have unearthed a groundbreaking discovery within the Treasure of Villena: two artifacts made from meteoritic iron. These 3,000-year-old objects, a bracelet and a hemisphere, predate the Iberian Iron Age by centuries. This finding reveals early humans' sophisticated use of extraterrestrial materials and redefines the timeline of Iberian metallurgy, showcasing a unique connection to 'metal from the heavens.'

Get ready for the Strawberry Moon in June 2025. This full moon, named after the strawberry harvest season, will be a sight to behold. It will be the lowest full moon in almost two decades. Skywatchers in India can view it after sunset on June 11. Find a spot away from city lights to enjoy the warm, golden glow.

Recent observations from NASA's James Webb Space Telescope indicate that asteroid 2024 YR4, initially a concern for Earth, now poses a potential collision risk to the Moon. While the probability is currently at 4.3% for lunar impact in 2032, scientists are closely monitoring its trajectory. Astronomers will restudy its orbit in 2028 to ensure humanity is prepared.