One Giant Leap for ₹548 Crore: Shukla’s Space Saga Ignites India’s Next Frontier

Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla has come back to Earth after spending 18 days on the International Space Station (ISS), a massive achievement for Indian space efforts. As the first Indian to go to the ISS and the second Indian to go to space after Rakesh Sharma in 1984, Shukla's Axiom-4 mission was fully funded by ISRO at a cost of nearly ₹548 crore.

Key Takeaways

- ISRO had invested ₹548 crore in astronaut training at NASA and Axiom Space, launch logistics, travel, accommodation, and scientific research
- Shukla did not receive any mission compensation since ISRO funds were invested in mission operations and the development of future programs
- Axiom-4 was a commercial flight with Axiom Space, NASA, and SpaceX, India having booked a seat on the Crew Dragon spacecraft
- Shukla conducted seven India-specific experiments, such as microalgae, cyanobacteria, seed germination in space, and human-computer interaction in space
- His voyage will also influence astronaut training, life support systems, and experiment design for India's future Gaganyaan mission in 2027
- The mission also incorporated mental health studies, zero-gravity physics demonstrations, and pioneering brain-computer interface experiments
- ISRO will perform three test missions before Gaganyaan's launch, and Shukla's advice played a crucial role in determining the mission guidelines.

Prospects
The strategic investment of India in Shukla's vision is no symbolic gesture—it's a calculated move towards developing indigenous human spaceflight capability. The ₹548 crore investment is a down payment on India's space exploration destiny. 

Sources: CNBC TV18, Financial Express, Hindustan Times, IndiaTimes, MSN, The Daily Jagran, BBC.