What to Read in Indian Express Editorial( Topic and Syllabus wise)

Editorial 1 : How astronauts reach International Space Station

Context

The Axiom-4 Mission to the International Space Station (ISS) will launch from the Kennedy Space Centre in Cape Canaveral, Florida, on Wednesday.

The mission

• The mission will take a crew of four astronauts — American Peggy Whitson, Indian Shubhanshu Shukla, Polish Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski, and Hungarian Tibor Kapu— to the ISS aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft which will be launched by the company’s Falcon 9 rocket.
• Shukhla is set to become only the second Indian to venture into space.

Planning the flight

• Before launching any mission to space, scientists first have to first select a launch window, that is, a time slot in which the spacecraft must be launchedso it can reach its intended destination, be it a space station like the ISS or a celestial body like the Moon or Mars.
• Since everything in space — including the ISS — is in constant motion, it is not viable for a mission to be launched at just any time.
• Celestial alignment is essential for any mission to be viable. Scientists make complex calculations to ensure that the trajectory of the spacecraft aligns with the trajectory of the intended destination.
• In case of missions to the ISS, spacecraft orbit around Earth multiple times to align with the orbit of the space station. Such a trajectory also makes any mission viable in terms of the fuel needed.
• If a spacecraft were to travel to its destination in a straight trajectory, it would have to continuously accelerate to counteract gravitational forces, which would be inefficient in terms of the fuel needed.
• Spacecraft usually travel in a curved trajectoryupon reaching a certain altitude and velocity, which minimises the energy they need to expend to counteract the force of gravity.

The rocket & capsule

• Falcon 9 is a partially reusable rocket manufactured by SpaceX.
• It is used to transport satellites, cargo and the Dragon spacecraft to low Earth orbit (an altitude of 2,000 km or less) and beyond.
• The rocket has two stages. The first stage or booster stage comprises nine Merlin engines(a family of rocket engines developed by SpaceX), and aluminium-lithium alloy tanks containing liquid oxygen and rocket-grade kerosene propellant. The second stage consists of a single Merlin engine.
• After the lift-off, as Falcon-9 reaches the edge of the atmosphere, it typically cuts off its main engines.
• Once the rocket is beyond the atmosphere, the first stage separates from the second stage.
• While the first stage re-enters the atmosphere and lands vertically, the second stage continues its journey towards the targeted orbit with the help of its Merlin engine.Soon after, the Dragon capsule separates from the second stage.

Dragon’s path to the ISS

• Given that the ISS is 400 km above Earth and is a moving target at the speed of about 28,000 kmph, the Dragon spacecraft has to raise its altitude gradually, and align its trajectory with the space station.
• The spacecraft does so by performing a series of phasing manoeuvres— they enable the Dragon to change its orbit — with the help of 16 Draco thrusters. Each thruster is capable of generating 90 pounds of force in the vacuum of space.
• While Dragon spacecraft typically takes 28 hours to reach from the launchpad to the ISS, other spacecraft such as Russia’s Soyuz take up to just eight hours to cover the same journey.
• One of the reasons why the Dragon is sloweris that it is a relatively newer spacecraft compared to, let’s say, Soyuz, which has a long and proven flight history.

The docking

• When the Dragon capsule gets close enough to the ISS, it establishes communication with the space station and performs its final phase manoeuvre.
• Then, the spacecraft enters an imaginary 200 metres bubblearound the ISS known as the “keep-out sphere”, and aligns with the space station’s docking port.
• At this point, the Dragon capsule initiates its autonomous docking system and slowly moves towards the ISS to finally dock with it. This happens while both are moving at great speeds but are almost at rest relative to each other.
• The spacecraft carries out autonomous docking with the help of GPS sensors, cameras and imaging sensors such as Lidar(laser ranging) on its nosecone.
• All these sensors feed data back to the flight computer which then uses algorithms that determine — based on this information — how to fire the thrusters to most effectively get to the docking target.
• If needed, the astronauts on board can also take over manual control of the spacecraft. Once docked, final checks are completed before the crew joins the station.

Conclusion

The Axiom-4 mission showcases the complexity and precision of modern space travel. From careful launch timing and energy-efficient trajectories to advanced docking technology, every step ensures the safe arrival of astronauts at the ISS.

 

Editorial 2 : Old continent rising

Context

Trump-era volatility has drawn India and Europe closer.

Delhi and Europe ties

• Delhi’s new focus on Europe acknowledges the old continent’s emerging role as a potential swing state in the shifting dynamic among major powers — the US, Russia, and China.
• Equally significant are the new possibilities for deeper India-Europe strategic cooperation.
• Jaishankar’s visit aims to accelerate strategic dialogue with the EU while reinforcing the longstanding partnership with France and strengthening ties with Belgium.
• PM’s G7 summit attendance goes beyond resetting troubled bilateral ties with Canada— it offers a chance to recalibrate relations with a Western world experiencing a rare upheaval.

G7 Summit and the dynamics change

• The G7 has long been the voice of the collective West, establishing norms for global economic governance, security, and political values.
• This elite club of industrial democracies — the US, Canada, the UK, Germany, France, Italy, and Japan —has arguably been far more consequential than the UNSC. The 2025 summit convenes amid deepening divisions within the G7.
• Since the last summit hosted by Canada in 2018, when his European colleagues confronted a defiant Donald Trump, these divisions have intensified.
• India needs to put Trump’s equivocation in its recent conflict with Pakistan in perspective.
• Trump dismisses NATO — which America established in 1949 after spending much blood and treasure in the World Wars — and shows little regard for the Five Eyes, the historically close-knit Anglo-American alliance that predates NATO.
• Trump’s return to the White House has thrown the G7 into disarray.While the US remains central to the group, its leadership of the West has come under a cloud.
• Trump’s reluctance to defend Ukraine’s sovereignty and eagerness to deal with Russian leader Vladimir Putin have alarmed European allies — particularly Germany, France, and the UK — creating a fundamental rift within the G7.
• Prime Minister Mark Carney’s invitation to Modi is part of a new effort to diversify Canada’s international relations. So is his courtship of Europe.
• Even as they take greater responsibility for European security, Britain, France, Germany, and Poland seek an expanded presence in Asia and the Indo-Pacific.
• Japan, the G7’s sole Asian member, has long advocated for European engagement in Asian security amid China’s assertiveness.
• Despite its ambivalence toward China, Europe is spreading its bets with deeper ties to ASEAN, Australia, India, Japan, and South Korea.

Benefits for India

• The India-Europe relationship has begun to move from the margins to the centre of major-power relations for both Delhi and Brussels.
• Europe’s push for strategic autonomy aligns with India’s worldview. The once-improbable India-Europe Free Trade Agreement now looks within reach.
• The proposed India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridoraims to reshape Eurasian connectivity and secure alternative supply chains amid the US-China rivalry.
• The EU-India Trade and Technology Council (TTC),established in 2023, advances cooperation in AI, quantum computing, outer space, and green technologies.
• Europe’s ReArm Plan (2025),targeting €800 billion for defence modernisation by 2030, creates opportunities for security collaboration with India. India’s participation in EU defence mechanisms marks a shift from transactional arms deals to co-development.

Conclusion

For Europe, India has become an important part of its economic and military diversification strategy. For Delhi, Europe offers a much-needed depth to India’s great-power relations. Together, they can enhance the prospects for a multipolar global order amid increasing signs of a bipolar domination by the US and China.