Science

Shubhanshu Shukla, an Indian Air Force officer and ISRO astronaut, has been named the pilot for Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4), set to launch to the International Space Station (ISS) in spring 2025. This historic mission will make Shukla the first Indian astronaut to visit the ISS aboard a private spacecraft. The mission, launching from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, will be commanded by former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, with crew members from Poland and Hungary. The Ax-4 mission highlights the growing role of private companies in space exploration and the expanding opportunities for international cooperation in low Earth orbit.

On January 29, 2025, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) achieved a major milestone with its 100th launch from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. The launch of the GSLV-F15 rocket, carrying the NVS-02 satellite, successfully placed it into a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit. This mission is part of the Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC), India’s regional satellite navigation system, designed to provide accurate positioning and timing services over India and its surrounding regions. ISRO Chairman Dr. V. Narayanan, who recently took charge, celebrated the achievement, noting that ISRO has now launched 548 satellites and 120 tonnes of payload, including 433 foreign satellites. He highlighted the importance of the NVS-02 satellite in augmenting the NavIC system, which continues to enhance India’s satellite navigation capabilities. The successful launch underscores ISRO's growing expertise in space technology and its critical role in global satellite navigation.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) made history on Thursday by successfully docking the SpaDeX satellites, a milestone that places India among the select few nations to achieve space docking technology. This accomplishment follows a successful trial earlier in January and marks a significant step in ISRO's ambitious space missions. The SpaDeX mission, launched on December 30, 2024, demonstrates in-space docking using small spacecraft and sets the stage for future missions that require precise coordination of multiple spacecraft.

A new variant of Lenacapavir, a drug used to treat multi-resistant HIV, could be available in the world’s poorest countries by late 2025 or early 2026. The new formulation offers a year-long active potency and has shown promise in preventing HIV. Gilead Sciences is seeking approval for global distribution from the FDA and WHO. To make the drug affordable, the Global Fund is partnering with PEPFAR and foundations to ensure access in low-income countries. Gilead has also signed agreements with generic manufacturers to produce cheaper versions for 120 countries, though some, especially in Latin America, are excluded.

A group of 38 leading scientists, including Nobel laureates and renowned experts, has urged a halt to research on "mirror life" microbes due to concerns that these synthetic organisms could pose "unprecedented risks" to life on Earth. The experts warn that mirror bacteria, made from mirror-image molecules of those found in nature, could bypass immune defenses in humans, animals, and plants, potentially causing lethal infections. The group called for a global debate on the risks of mirror microbes and urged funding bodies to reconsider support for this research until a comprehensive risk assessment is conducted.