
What is Foxbat? Deadly fighter jet could fly at the edge of space, was designed to counter..., not made in US, China or Israel, it is..., name is...
More than 50 years since it was introduced into the service, The MiG-25 could fly up to 123,000 feet (around 37 kilometers) into the sky. That's incredibly close to the edge of space, which many experts define as starting at 100 kilometers (328,000 feet) above Earth.
Even though it's an older jet, the MiG-25 is still known today for flying higher than most other aircraft ever built. It was a true high-speed, high-altitude beast of its time. MiG-25: The jet that almost reached space
How high did it go: In special test flights, some versions of the MiG-25 flew so high they reached the edge between Earth's atmosphere and space. It didn't officially enter space, but it got close enough that pilots could see the curve of the Earth and the black sky above something most aircraft will never experience.
Built for speed, not tricks: The MiG-25 wasn't made for dogfights or fancy flying but was built to fly very fast and very high to chase enemy planes. It had two powerful turbojet engines and a strong stainless-steel body, since aluminum would melt at such high speeds. It could fly at Mach 2.83—almost three times the speed of sound.
A Soviet machine that touched the sky: Even today, no US fighter jet in active service has flown higher than the MiG-25. Though it had its risks and was not easy to handle, it showed that the Soviet Union could build a jet that came shockingly close to space all without using rockets or help from NASA.

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NDTV
an hour ago
- NDTV
Dragon Undocks From ISS, Shubhanshu Shukla's 22-Hour Return To Earth Begins
India's Shubhanshu Shukla and three other astronauts of the Axiom-4 have begun their journey back to Earth after an 18-day stay at the International Space Station. The Dragon Grace spacecraft undocked from the orbital laboratory for the 22-hour journey to Earth. The splashdown is expected to take place off the coast of California at 3 pm IST on Tuesday. Earlier, Commander Peggy Whitson, Shubhanshu 'Shux' Shukla - the mission pilot - and Mission Specialists Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski and Tibor Kapu were seen entering the spacecraft all suited up for their journey back home. The hatch of the Dragon Grace spacecraft that connected it to the International Space Station (ISS) was closed at 2:37 pm, followed by final checks by the crew members (Shubhanshu Shukla's Return From Space Updates here). The mission's space odyssey began on June 25 when the Falcon-9 rocket carrying the Dragon space capsule blasted off from Florida towards the ISS. The mission marked the return to space for India, Poland and Hungary after more than four decades. Mr Shukla is the second Indian astronaut in space, after Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma, who spent a little over 7 days in space aboard the Soviet space station Salyut-7 in 1984. Yesterday, NASA's Expedition Crew organised a traditional farewell ceremony for the Axiom-4 crew. Speaking at the farewell ceremony, Mr Shukla said, "One thing that sticks with me is what humanity is capable of when all of us come together from different parts of the world and work for a common goal or a common objective. It is truly incredible." This mission, dubbed Akash Ganga, is a collaborative effort between Axiom Space Inc., NASA, and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), and represents a significant step forward in India's human spaceflight ambitions, including the upcoming Gaganyaan mission and the proposed Bhartiya Antariksha Station. During his stay aboard the ISS, Mr Shukla conducted seven India-specific microgravity experiments, showcasing India's growing capabilities in space science and technology. These experiments are designed to generate critical data for future planetary missions and long-duration space habitation.


Indian Express
2 hours ago
- Indian Express
Shubhanshu Shukla returning to Earth soon. Here's a recap of his 18 days onboard ISS
Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla has begun his journey back to Earth from space, marking a significant phase in the country's space program. Shukla, was the second Indian to have travelled to space, succeeding Rakesh Sharma in 1984. The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, with Shukla and three other astronauts on the Axiom-4 Mission, undocked from the Harmony module of International Space Station (ISS) approximately 7.05 am EDT (4.35 pm IST) on Monday. The splashdown off the coast of California, US, is expected at 5.30 am EDT (3 PM IST) on Tuesday. As his space expedition concludes, here's a recap of his 18-day-long journey onboard ISS. On Sunday, the eve of the commencement of the Axiom-4 crew's return journey to Earth, Shukla evoked fellow astronaut Rakesh Sharma's line during the 1984 space odyssey and said today's India still looks 'saare Jahan se acha' and added 'India looks ambitious from space, today's India looks fearless, today's India looks confident, today's India looks full of pride.' During the farewell speech along with fellow astronauts, he said, 'Our journey ahead into space exploration may be long and arduous, but it has begun.' Shukla, who conducted experiments on space microalgae, was live for the second and final time on ham radio on July 8 and remarked it was a privilege to be amongst the few who have had the chance to see the Earth from a vantage point. In a video posted on X handle, Shukla highlighted the significance of the mission and how it was expanding access to low Earth orbit (LEO) for countries to achieve their space exploration goals, leading to advancements for Earth. He also said how physical fitness is key to astronauts while at the ISS and that the orbiting observatory offers a mini gym for the astronauts. Shukla shared that his body, too, faced space sickness soon after reaching the ISS. As Shukla called V Narayanan, Chairman of Indian Space Research Organisation, he acknowledged the efforts of team ISRO in ensuring his safe travel to ISS. While Narayanan expressed his keen interest in Shukla's well-being, he shared updates on the progress of the experiments and activities carried out on the space station. In his first interaction with students from Thiruvananthapuram and Lucknow on ham radio on July 4, Shukla had a light-hearted conversation with the students he and narrated how difficult it was to sleep — not just because he was in space but owing to the excitement and wanting to do more and more experiments. Shukla, who showed students his sleeping bag, said, 'I am doing a lot of experiments and these are challenging and exciting. All of these experiments have been planned by ISRO-NASA. But there are a few that I particularly like, especially the one on stem cells. We know there is limited time (onboard the ISS) but we want to do more and more (experiments). But we need to get rest to do the experiments.' Before that, his smiling photographs emerged from the cupola or the Earth-viewing vantage point and the Indian Air Force's (IAF) test pilot reiterated that looking back at the earth was beautiful and that it was an amazing experience. Three days after Shukla ventured into space along with three other astronauts, Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacted with him and Shukla aka Shux discussed everything from pride he took in putting up the national flag on ISS, experiments onboard ISS, challenges of living in microgravity, in detail. PM Modi said he is close to the heart of his countrymen. 'Your name has the word 'shubh' in it and your journey is the 'shubharambh' of a new age,' he said. The Air Force Group Captain also informed the Prime Minister that he had shared the 'gajar ka halwa', 'moong daal halwa', and 'aamras' with his fellow astronauts. 'I wanted others to taste and experience the rich culinary heritage of India. And they really enjoyed it,' he said. Pilot Shukla — along with the commander Peggy Whitson and mission specialists Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski of Poland and Tibor Kapu of Hungary — entered the ISS on June 25. The Axiom-4 mission carrying the astronauts lifted off from Florida's Kennedy Space Centre, after facing several delays due to technical problems, inclement weather, and a leak on the ISS. Themed 'Realise the Return', this is the first stint of the astronauts from three countries on the ISS. More than a month before the expedition, Shukla's family in Lucknow had an unusual company for dinner: Israeli astronaut Eytan Stibbe and he narrated everything on the space journey to his parents, alleviating their fears. Over a three-course dinner that lasted 3-4 hours at a hotel in Lucknow's Gomti Nagar, Stibbe — who was part of the historic Axiom-1 (Ax-1) mission to the ISS in 2022 – told Shukla's parents Shambhu Dayal Shukla and Asha, and sister Suchi, everything they needed to know: how astronauts lived, what they ate, how they slept, what they did, and how they spent their time at the ISS.


Hans India
2 hours ago
- Hans India
Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla undocks from ISS, begins journey back home
After spending 18 days on the International Space Station (ISS), Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla on Monday has begun his journey towards Earth. On June 26, Shukla became the first Indian to reach the orbital lab. He also became the second Indian astronaut to travel to space after Rakesh Sharma's 1984 odyssey. The 14-day mission was extended to 18 days, and Shukla boarded SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft, named 'Grace' at 03:30 am CT (2 pm IST). The hatch closed between the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft and the International Space Station "at 5:07 a.m. EDT," NASA said in a blog post. Shukla along with fellow astronauts Peggy Whitson (US), Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski (Poland), and Tibor Kapu (Hungary) undocked from the ISS's Harmony module at about 7:15 a.m. ET (4:45 pm IST). "Dragon is GO to undock from the Space_Station," SpaceX said in a post on X. "Dragon separation confirmed!" the post added. "After a 22.5-hour journey back to Earth, the crew is expected to splash down off the coast of California at approximately 4:31 am CT (3:01 pm IST, Tuesday)," said Axiom Space in a statement. In a heartfelt farewell message from space on Sunday, Shukla described his time aboard the ISS as 'an incredible journey,' and thanked ISRO, Axiom Space, NASA, and SpaceX for their support. "India still looks better than the whole world,' he said. 'Today's India looks ambitious from space, today's India looks brave, today's India looks confident, today's India looks full of pride,' the IAF Group Captain added. Even as Shukla's successful mission marks a historic milestone, his family, filled with joy and pride, is also anxiously awaiting his safe landing. "We're feeling superbly excited and nervous, just like it felt on the first day of his lift-off. There's a sense of nervousness because this is such a crucial stage, it's the final one. Once he splashes down safely, only then will we feel relieved and relaxed," Shukla's sister Shuchi Mishra told IANS. Residents of Varanasi were also seen performing a special 'yagya-havan' for the safe return of Group Captain Shukla. The ceremony, marked by devotion and patriotic pride, saw priests chanting Vedic mantras as flames of the sacred fire rose towards the sky --mirroring the celestial heights from which Shukla is now returning. On the orbital post, Shukla carried out seven India-specific experiments, taking a major step in advancing India's Gaganyaan human space flight mission. These included experiments to decode muscle loss, developing a brain-computer interface, and sprouting green gram and fenugreek seeds in space, among others. The experiments represent a significant leap in space science and technology, contributing critical knowledge to support Gaganyaan, India's human spaceflight mission, and the setting up of Bhartiya Antariksha Station, and other future planetary missions. After landing, Shukla, along with other crew members, will undergo a rehabilitation programme (about seven days) under the supervision of the Flight Surgeons to adapt back to Earth's gravity.