India’s Big Leap: ISRO astronaut to join NASA’s private space mission

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) on Saturday (local time) said that as part of a collaboration with ISRO, Axiom Mission 4 will be launched on June 10, the fourth private astronaut mission from Axiom Space, which will be piloted by Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla. Axiom Mission 4 delivers on a commitment highlighted by US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to send the first ISRO astronaut to the station.

The space agencies are participating in five joint science investigations and two in-orbit science, technology, engineering, and mathematics demonstrations. NASA and ISRO have a long-standing relationship built on a shared vision to advance scientific knowledge and expand space collaboration, a statement by NASA said.

NASA, Axiom Space, and SpaceX are targeting 8:22 am (local time), Tuesday, June 10, for launch of the fourth private astronaut mission to the International Space Station, Axiom Mission 4.

The mission will lift off from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The crew will travel to the orbiting laboratory on a new SpaceX Dragon spacecraft after launching on the company’s Falcon 9 rocket. The targeted docking time is approximately 12:30pm, Wednesday (local time), June 11, as per NASA.

NASA’s mission responsibility is for integrated operations, which begins during the spacecraft’s approach to the space station, continues during the crew’s approximately two-week stay aboard the orbiting laboratory while conducting science, education, and commercial activities, and concludes once the spacecraft exits the station.

Peggy Whitson, former NASA astronaut and director of human spaceflight at Axiom Space, will command the commercial mission, while ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla will serve as pilot. The two mission specialists are ESA (European Space Agency) project astronaut Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski of Poland and Tibor Kapu of Hungary.

The private mission also carries the first astronauts from Poland and Hungary to stay aboard the space station.

In a post on X, the International Space Station said, “Axiom Mission 4, the fourth private astronaut mission from Axiom Space, is targeted to launch at 8:22am ET, Tuesday, June 10, from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center to the orbital outpost.” 

India’s digital forensics market to triple global growth, hit USD 1.39 billion by FY30: Report

New Delhi [India], June 8 (ANI): 

India’s digital forensics market is expected to grow more than triple the global average of 11 per cent to hit USD 1.39 billion (Rs 11,829 crore) by the financial year 2029-30, according to a joint report by Deloitte-DSCI.

As per the report, the Indian digital forensic market will grow at a Compounded Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 40 per cent.

The digital forensics market refers to the collection and analysis of digital evidence for legal or investigative purposes.

The report said that the rise of the forensic market signals a pivot in India’s digital crime and cybersecurity readiness approach.

Mobile forensics now dominates the sector, accounting for about 51 per cent of the market, driven by the boom in smartphone usage, digital payments and mobile-centric cybercrime.

With 81 per cent of demand coming from the public sector, particularly law enforcement, the report highlights the growing reliance on forensic tech to combat sophisticated digital threats.

“As India’s digital economy rapidly expands, so too does the scale and complexity of cyber threats. In this evolving landscape, from financial fraud and data breaches to sophisticated cross-border attacks, digital forensics has moved from a reactive tool to a strategic capability,” said Nikhil Bedi, Leader, Risk, Regulatory & Forensic, Deloitte India.

“With growing public sector demand and emerging private sector participation, the potential to shape a globally competitive forensic industry is within reach. While we are witnessing the cyber security industry ecosystem maturing, we need to emulate similar for the digital forensics industry,” said Vinayak Godse, CEO, Data Security Council of India (DSCI).

The report recommended a strategic roadmap centred on boosting Indigenous Research & Development (R&D). The R&D, as per the report, is critical to reducing import dependence. Expansion of education and certification programmes will bridge the projected shortfall of 90,000 forensic professionals.

The report also recommended modernisation of national infrastructure with advanced labs and regional Centres of Excellence.

Strengthening public-private partnerships, streamlining procurement and introducing unified regulatory standards will be critical to improving cross-border investigation capabilities and digital crime response, the report recommended.