Latest news with #Harmony
Calgary Herald
3 days ago
- Calgary Herald
How are some Canadians in Edmonton feeling about July 1 Canada Day?
Postmedia in Alberta's capital of Edmonton spoke with a cross-section of the community about how they are feeling as Canada Day dawns Tuesday; the range of answers is almost as diverse as Canada itself. Here are a few of those we spoke to prior to Canada's 158th year. Article content Article content Article content Kae Neufeld was getting ready for Canada Day with a group taking part in an incremental walking challenge 'across Canada.' She's trod the Camino in Spain and Portugal, so the walk is right up her alley. Article content Article content 'This morning, I did about 11 kilometers. In May, I did 400 kilometres, and in June, I'll be over 400 again,' she said recently, adding her walking group reached their goal of a compiled 7,000 kilometers in three months, so they were enjoying additional mileage to be done by Canada Day. Article content Article content All her kilometres are accounted for in the Rutherford neighbourhod, where she traces a network of walking trails, taking in neighborhood ponds, duck families and birdsong, armed with walking poles. Article content 'I'm a great lover of nature. To me, Canada is this wonderful land which has these open skies on the prairies … Other countries, of course, have things that are beautiful for them. But to me, Canada is a beautiful, beautiful country.' Article content Neufeld's president of the resident advisory council at Harmony, an Edmonton independent living community, where she lives with husband Don. Article content Article content 'I think if you're truly Canadian and have the Canadian spirit, of sharing, of caring for one another, without getting caught up in a lot of politics and so on, I just can't see us separating or being part of the 51st state,' said Neufeld. Article content Article content Proud but reflective Article content At West Edmonton Mall in time for the Brick Invitational hockey tourney and a Pokemon event, Postmedia encountered Ray Lenes, who is bound for the University of Alberta to study art and design this fall. Article content For Lenes, Canada Day is a time for both cheers and reflection. Article content 'I think it's important to celebrate your country's independence while also recognizing all the mistakes and the things that have been done in the past, like, a lot of the crimes against Indigenous people and minority groups,' Lenes said.
New Indian Express
5 days ago
- Science
- New Indian Express
Shux scripts history, first Indian in International Space Station
BENGALURU: At 5.54 pm IST on Thursday, India's Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla (call sign 'Shux'), mission pilot on Axiom-4 (Ax-4), became the first Indian astronaut to enter the International Space Station (ISS) after the mission's DragonX spacecraft, named Grace, docked with the space laboratory at 4.01 pm IST, 29 minutes ahead of schedule. Immediately on docking, the mission commander Peggy Whitson of the USA, who is a former NASA astronaut and current director of Axiom Space (human space flight), sent a message to Mission Control Huston ground station and to the 11-astronaut team already on the ISS, 'Grace happy to be on Harmony' – Harmony being the module on the ISS which provides international docking adapters on its space-facing and forward ports for commercial crew vehicles, like Grace. Shukla was the second to enter the ISS after Peggy. The entire docking exercise, in slow capture mode, was completed autonomously by Grace, with mission pilot Shukla's services required only if any maneuvering glitches had occurred. All the four Ax-4 mission crew astronauts, including Ax-4 mission specialists Stawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski from Poland and Tibor Kapu from Hungary, were warmly greeted with hugs and cheers by Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and Roscosmos (Russian Space Agency) astronauts already aboard the ISS.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Crew docks at space station for 2-week commercial mission
An international crew of four in SpaceX's newest Crew Dragon capsule caught up with the International Space Station Thursday and moved in for a problem-free docking to wrap up an automated 28-hour rendezvous that began with blastoff Wednesday. The capture mechanism in the nose of the Crew Dragon Grace, the fifth and final such spacecraft in SpaceX's fleet, engaged its counterpart in the space-facing port of the forward Harmony module at 6:31 a.m. EDT as the two spacecraft sailed 260 miles above the mid Atlantic Ocean. With the initial "soft capture" confirmed, the capsule was pulled in and firmly locked in place, power and data umbilicals automatically connected and flight controllers began a series of leak checks to verify an airtight structural seal. Hatches were finally opened at 8:14 a.m., and Crew Dragon commander Peggy Whitson and her crewmates — Shubhanshu Shukla of India; Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski, a European Space Agency astronaut from Poland; and Hungarian engineer Tibor Kapu — floated into the station to hugs and handshakes from the lab's seven long-duration crew members. Whitson, a retired NASA astronaut, is the most experienced American space flier, logging 675 days in orbit during four previous missions. On her fifth flight, she is leading the fourth privately-financed commercial space station visit chartered by Houston-based Axiom Space. The company charges up to $70 million or so per seat to carry non-NASA astronauts, professional researchers and others to the space station. Whitson also commanded the company's second space station flight. Throughout their two-week Ax-4 mission, Whitson and her crewmates plan to carry out a full slate of science research and technology demonstrations, along with interactive educational events in the crew's home countries. They were trained for space station operations and will have full use of the U.S. segment of the orbital lab. "Peggy, welcome back," station commander Takuya Onishi said when the combined 11-member crew gathered for an official welcoming ceremony. "It's a great honor and privilege to have such a legendary astronaut like you on board with us. "And Tibor, Shux and Suave, congratulations on your first space flight. We've been waiting for you guys so long, and we are so happy to see your smiling faces. With your arrival, there are 11 astronauts from six countries and all of us are here in order to advance human space exploration and scientific research." Whitson thanked Onishi, saying "you guys are exceptional hosts and hopefully, you'll think we're exceptional guests at the end of a couple of weeks! We're looking forward to getting a lot of work done with you guys." All told, researchers from 31 countries will be helping evaluate data from the Ax-4 experiments and technology demonstrations. Whitson said before launch the mission "opens up access to countries that might not normally get access to space. So this is very exciting." Before they reached the space station, the Ax-4 crew beamed down televised comments describing the flight and their expectations. "Welcome, earthlings, from Grace," Whitson radioed. She revealed the name of the new Crew Dragon moments after reaching orbit Wednesday. "We are in the newest Dragon capsule, and we are very happy with her," Whitson said. "She's got a little bit of a new-spacecraft smell, and we're loving her a bunch. It's so much fun to be up in space again, always fun to be in space, but it's really fun to be in space with three new astronauts." Uznański-Wiśniewski said "it's an amazing feeling to be in orbit for the first time. When I unbuckled for the first time, I didn't feel 100 percent, but then everything settled and when I looked out the window, the view was just stunning." Shukla, a test pilot in the Indian air force, said of the launch atop a Falcon 9 rocket, "wow, what a night it was." "When the flight started, it was something, you get pushed back in the seat, it was an amazing flight. And then suddenly, nothing, everything silenced, and you were just floating ... it was an amazing feeling." Tibor added the crew's thanks "to everyone around the world and every person on the team that made this beautiful day happen." Young Cuban girl asks Trump to lift travel ban stopping her from joining mom in U.S. White House says no date set for Iran meeting Lawyers describe L.A. ICE detention centers as a "ticking time bomb"
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First Post
6 days ago
- Science
- First Post
Axiom 4 mission: Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla becomes first Indian onboard ISS
The four astronauts were welcomed with warm hugs and handshakes as the Dragon spacecraft docked to the orbital laboratory after a 28-hour journey around Earth read more Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla was the pilot of Axiom 4 mission to the International Space Station (ISS) that launched on Wednesday, June 25, 2025. He is only the second Indian ever to go to space. (Photo: Axiom) Indian astronaut and Air Force Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, alongside three other astronauts, entered the International Space Station (ISS) on Thursday (June 26) evening. They were welcomed with warm hugs and handshakes as the Dragon spacecraft docked to the orbital laboratory after a 28-hour journey around Earth. Gp Capt Shukla has now become the first time an Indian astronaut has travelled to the ISS. The fifth spacecraft in the Dragon series, named Grace, achieved a soft capture with the Harmony module of the space station at 4:01 pm IST. It then took another two hours to establish communication, power links, and pressure stabilisation. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD With inputs from agencies
Hans India
6 days ago
- Science
- Hans India
Shubhanshu Shukla enters space station, a giant leap for India
New Delhi: In a giant leap for India, IAF Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla on Thursday scripted history by becoming the first from the country to enter the International Space Station (ISS). After a long and ardent wait of 41 years, India now has an astronaut in space. Lucknow-born Shukla is also the second Indian in space after Rakesh Sharma, who flew to space in 1984. "#Ax4 have entered the the Space_Station," said Axiom Space in a post on social media platform X, more than hour after docking. The mission-4 carrying Shukla, along with three others from the US, Poland, and Hungary, had docked to the Harmony module's space-facing port at 6:30 a.m. ET (4:00 pm IST). SpaceX Dragon spacecraft named 'Grace' is carrying Ax-4 Commander Peggy Whitson, Pilot Shubhanshu Shukla, and Mission Specialists Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski and Tibor Kapu. NASA added that the crew have "emerged from the Dragon spacecraft and are getting their first look at their home in low Earth orbit". The AX-4 crew were welcomed onboard the orbital post by seven Expedition 73 crew members, namely, Anne McClain, Nichole Ayers, Kirill Peskov, Jonny Kim, Sergey Ryzhikov, Alexey Zubritsky, and Takuya Onishi. 'The world watches as India scales the skies...' said Dr. Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology in a post on social media platform X. 'It is heartening to see how India's scientific ecosystem is quietly and confidently scripting its own chapter in space research. With #ShubhanshuShukla onboard, India is not just a passenger on this ride. We are a partner, a participant, and a future ready crew. His presence will significantly bolster our #Gaganyaan mission, adding experiential depth to planning, life science payloads and long duration spaceflight goals,' added Dr S Somanath, former ISRO chief. The crew had launched to the ISS at 2:31 a.m. EDT (12 noon IST), from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Centre in Florida, aboard a new SpaceX Dragon spacecraft on the company's Falcon 9 rocket. "Hello everyone, namaskar from space. I am thrilled to be here with my fellow astronauts. Wow, what a ride it was. When I was sitting in the capsule on the launchpad, the only thought in my mind was: let's just go," Group Captain Shukla said. "When the ride started, it was something - you getting pushed back in the seat. It was an amazing ride. And then suddenly nothing. You are floating in a vacuum," he added while recounting his space experience. "I am learning like a baby; how to walk and eat in space," he added. Earlier, he said that the mission 'is the journey of India's human space flight". Shukla is also carrying carrot halwa, moong dal halwa, and mango nectar with him to satiate his cravings for homemade food in space. The Axiom-4 Mission is not just a scientific feat but a testament to India's rising stature as a global technology powerhouse. It reinforces the nation's capability to lead space innovation, promote sustainability, and contribute meaningfully to global missions. Once aboard the ISS, Shukla will conduct pioneering experiments related to food and space nutrition. The research will also study the effects of microgravity and space radiation on edible microalgae -- a nutrient-rich, high-potential food source for future space missions. The experiment will evaluate key growth parameters and examine transcriptomic, proteomic, and metabolomic changes in different algal species in space compared to their behaviour on Earth.
