Shubhanshu Shukla to Make India Proud with Axiom-4 ISS Mission

Image Source: India Today

India is on the brink of a historic moment as Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla prepares to launch into space as the pilot of the Axiom-4 (Ax-4) mission to the International Space Station (ISS) on June 10. This marks the first time in 41 years that an Indian will travel to space, following Rakesh Sharma’s iconic 1984 mission.

Key Highlights:

Shubhanshu Shukla, an accomplished Indian Air Force pilot, will serve as Ax-4’s pilot, joining mission commander Peggy Whitson (USA), Tibor Kapu (Hungary), and Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski (Poland).
The crew will launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Centre in Florida. Docking at the ISS is scheduled for June 11 at 10 pm IST, after a 28-hour journey.
The Ax-4 crew will spend 14 days aboard the ISS, conducting scientific experiments and outreach activities.

Shukla’s mission is a strategic leap for India’s human spaceflight program, providing valuable experience ahead of ISRO’s Gaganyaan mission and future plans for an Indian space station.

He will conduct seven experiments designed by ISRO and the Department of Biotechnology, focusing on food and nutrition in microgravity, including sprouting Indian seeds like methi and moong.

The mission is a collaboration between Axiom Space, NASA, ISRO, and other international partners, highlighting India’s growing role in global space exploration.

Shukla has called on all Indians to support the mission, saying he carries the hopes and dreams of a billion people as he heads to space.

Source: Hindustan Times