Here are today’s most important updates from the realm of Science and Space.
Gaganyaan Countdown Begins as Assembly and Integration Reach Final Stages
India’s ambitious human spaceflight programme, Gaganyaan, is moving closer
to a crucial milestone, with assembly and integration of its maiden uncrewed mission nearing completion. Union Minister of State for Science and Technology Dr Jitendra Singh informed Parliament that preparations for the G1 mission are in their final stages, marking a significant step toward India’s first crewed spaceflight. The Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) has completed rigorous testing of key systems required for human spaceflight. Propulsion elements and structural components of the Human-Rated Launch Vehicle, HLVM3, an upgraded version of the GSLV Mk-III, have undergone extensive qualification to meet stringent safety and reliability standards.
Mars Marathon Continues: Perseverance Rover Fit to Drive 60 Km More
After nearly five years traversing the Martian surface, Nasa’s Perseverance rover has covered almost 40 kilometres, gathering scientific data and enduring rigorous durability checks, and it has been cleared for another long drive. The rover, currently on its way to a new region known as “Lac de Charmes,” is set to further its search for rock samples in the coming year. Perseverance’s mission team remains focused on ensuring its mechanical components function optimally for long-term work on Mars. NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), which built and operates Perseverance, recently confirmed that key mechanical parts on the rover, specifically the rotary actuators responsible for turning its wheels, passed extensive testing.
Space Without Limits: Blue Origin to Fly First Wheelchair User on Suborbital Mission
Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket is set to lift off today from Launch Site One, carrying six passengers including Michaela "Michi" Benthaus, the first wheelchair user to reach space, in a landmark suborbital tourist flight. The NS-37 mission, the 37th flight of Blue Origin's reusable New Shepard vehicle and its 16th crewed outing, targets a window opening at 9:30 PM IST. Benthaus, an aerospace engineer at the European Space Agency (ESA), suffered a spinal cord injury in a 2018 mountain biking accident but has since advocated for space access, flying on a Zero-G research flight and completing an analog astronaut mission. Her plush hippo toy, a hospital companion, and symbols like a tennis ball for her wheelchair tennis passion adorn the mission patch, representing barrier-breaking inclusivity.
NASA Gets a Billionaire Leader: Astronaut Jared Isaacman Appointed Chief
Billionaire entrepreneur and astronaut Jared Isaacman was confirmed by the US Senate on Wednesday as the next administrator of Nasa, ending a long and politically fraught confirmation process. The Senate approved Isaacman's nomination by a vote of 67–30, clearing the way for his formal swearing-in as Nasa's 15th administrator. He will take over the agency amid global competition in space, budget uncertainty at home and increasing pressure to deliver on long-delayed exploration goals. Isaacman, 42, was first nominated for the role in December 2024 by Donald Trump. However, the nomination was abruptly withdrawn five months later after what Trump described as a "thorough review of prior associations".
