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NASA has postponed the launch to the International Space Station of an Axiom Space commercial crew mission, Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4), that was planned to launch on or after June 22 to allow more time to assess the readiness of the station’s configuration. The station is undergoing inspections following recent repair operations on the end of the Zvezda service module. Because the station’s life support systems and other onboard subsystems are interrelated, NASA is scrutinising all available data, including these dates, as the agency considers a new target launch date to ensure that the station has some tasks to remain operable before beginning to support more crew.

NASA Delays Historic Axiom Mission 4 to Ensure ISS Systems Are Ready for International Crew

As per a NASA update, the decision to stand down was made as part of standard operations to validate the readiness of all systems onboard the ISS to accommodate additional crew. The Zvezda module on board, which is central to sustaining life and propulsion, had been recently serviced. Because the space station is such a conjoined system, the agency is being extra cautious, requiring more time than usual to pore over technical data before giving the mission a green light.

Former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson is serving as Axiom’s Director of Human Spaceflight, leading the remarkably important orbital mission. She is part of the crew accompanying Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla as pilot and two mission specialists – Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski (Poland) and Tibor Kapu (Hungary). It is a great operation in space, international co-operation, and it’s a great credit to all the countries involved.

While the astronauts remain in quarantine at NASA’s Kennedy Space Centre in Florida, SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft are reported to be in excellent condition at Launch Complex 39A and ready for flight whenever a new launch date is established. Postponing is a precaution, but one that underscores NASA’s prioritisation of crew safety and mission success.

NASA and its collaborators have stressed the symbolic and scientific significance of the mission — its effect on not only the nations involved but on the future of commercial space travel as well. A new date and time for launch will be determined once ongoing evaluations are complete on the station’s readiness to host the incoming crew.

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China’s Dragon Man Skull Found to Belong to Denisovan Lineage

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June 21, 2025

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China’s Dragon Man Skull Found to Belong to Denisovan Lineage

Dragon Man, a long-buried skull discovered in China’s Harbin, has been found to have its roots in the Denisovans, an elusive ancient human group identified in 2010. It was found by a labourer in the year 2010 and deliberately hidden in the well, and was later recovered in 2018. Its preservation led to the DNA and proteins to provide more insights into the ancient human species link of this skull. It is the most complete fossil of a Denisovan ever found, which dates back to approximately 146,000 years.

Hidden in Plain Sight

The skull was found hidden in a well by the labourer who discovered it during Japanese-occupied bridge construction. It remained there until he died in 2018, and later his family handed it over to Hebei GEO University. The preservation of the cranium led the scientists to analyse its proteins and DNA in the dental plaque, which overcame the previous challenges of extracting the genetic material.

Proteins and Plaque Reveal Origins

The DNA and proteins were analysed from dental calculus and petrous bone, respectively. Both sources matched the Denisovan specimens from Tibet, Taiwan and Siberia. These coinciding pieces of evidence confirmed that the Dragon Man is from the Denisovan lineage, marking a near-complete skull for this ancient human group.

A Denisovan Face at Last

Through its massive brow ridge, large brain and wide eye sockets, comparable to both modern humans and Neanderthals, Dragon Man has given Denisovans something that was impossible in the past because of the scarce fossil record found. The skull belonged to a robust male geographically adapted to colder climates. This gives an idea of Denisovan presence across the vast swaths of Asia at the time of the Middle Pleistocene.

Evolutionary Impact and Future Questions

Through this discovery, the critical gap in knowing human evolution in Asia is now occupied. It also proved that Denisovans were powerful physically and not just a distant lineage. Still some researchers wants to be more prcised in analysing the specific classification of whether Homo longi or broad Denisovan framework.

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Is Mars Really Red? A Physicist Explains the Science Behind Its Colour and More

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Is Mars Really Red? A Physicist Explains the Science Behind Its Colour and More

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June 21, 2025

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Is Mars Really Red? A Physicist Explains the Science Behind Its Colour and More

Mars has been inspiring human imagination for millennia, mainly because it has a reddish colour, which earned it the title “Red Planet”. Its colour was associated by the ancient Romans with blood and war; thus, they named it after their god of war. The redness is the result, scientifically, of iron oxide — rust that coats the surface of Mars. Yet images of the surface produced by robotic probes have shown a more subtle spectrum. Much of the terrain appears more like dusty tan or rusty brown. Even the poles defy the planet’s nickname, presenting as bright white due to water ice and frozen carbon dioxide that expand and contract with seasonal sunlight.

Mars Is Not Just Red: Telescopes Reveal a Complex Palette of Colors, Ice Caps, and Hidden Features

As per a recent article published by The Conversation and republished on Space.com, the iron-rich minerals of Mars have rusted, which is why it looks rusty. Like how iron and oxygen give blood its colour, Martian dust also rusts naturally. The polar caps, which are composed of frozen water and carbon dioxide and have a clearly different colour, are generally white. The sunshine prompts the layer of dry ice to sublimate and refreeze, making these caps expand and contract with the seasons.

Images taken by previous missions and rovers reveal Mars’s palette, but telescopes and spacecraft equipped with ultraviolet and infrared cameras capture false colour images, leading to some confusion about the true colour of Mars.

Spectral observations, infrared and ultraviolet images, and the broader array of the electromagnetic spectrum are assisting scientists in investigate Mars’ appearance, history, composition and potential past habitability.

Mars might still look red in the sky, but its actual narrative is rather more complex. Thanks to science and high-resolution cameras, our understanding of this neighbouring world is still unfolding.

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Massive Distant Comet C/2014 UN271 Detected Spewing Gases in Deep Space

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June 21, 2025

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Massive Distant Comet C/2014 UN271 Detected Spewing Gases in Deep Space

Scientists have found the largest comet from the Oort Cloud, a covering of icy bodies at the edge of the solar system, releasing chemical activity. With the help of the Atacama Large Millimetre/submillimeter Array (ALMA) in Chile, the team of scientists found this comet, which is located halfway between Neptune and the Sun. This is the second most distant comet, which originated from the Oort Cloud and was found to have chemical outbursts of gases. The observations are the first direct evidence of what leads to the cometary activity when ice bodies are located far from the Sun.

Chemically Active Comet

As per NASA, the comet named C/2014 UN271 was observed during March 2025, with the help of ALMA. It was reported to be at a distance of 137 km from the solar solar system and around 10 times larger than the size of an average comet. This is also named Bernardinelli-Bernstein and found to have exploding jets of gas, mainly carbon monoxide.

How Could It be Spotted

C/2014 UN271 is reported to be the second-most distant comet originating from the Oort Cloud, which is an outburst of gas. ALMA could see it despite being far from the Sun through carbon monoxide and thermal emissions. The sensitivity of this instrument is made of an array of 66 radio antennas placed in the Atacama desert region in Chile led the scientists to know the size of the nucleus core of this comet.

What Will Happen to It

The clear picture was painted when outgassing of C/2014 UN271 was observed through ALMA. This helped the scientists in identifying the rare look at icy bodies’ chemistry from the very periphery of the solar system. It is reaching the Sun, and as it happens, it will start to heat up, and the frozen material inside will turn into a gaseous state, further erupting from the icy shell.

Future Scope of the Observation

Comets are predicted to be made of unspoiled remaining material from the formation of the solar system around 4.6 billion years ago. This could let the scientists know about the formation of the Earth and other planets.

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Samsung Galaxy Buds Core Listed on Company Site; Design, Specifications Revealed

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