Air Chief Marshal AP Singh wishes Group Captain Shubahanshu Shukla ahead of Axiom-4 space mission
New Delhi: Chief of the
Air Staff
Air Chief Marshal AP Singh on Tuesday interacted via video conference with
Group Captain
Shubahanshu Shukla, who is set to embark on the Axiom-4 space mission, an official statement from the
Indian Air Force
(
IAF
) said.
Air Chief Marshal Singh extended wishes to
Group Captain Shukla
, who will be India's second astronaut to go to space since 1984.
In a post on X, IAF said, "As Group Captain Shubahanshu Shukla prepares to embark on the Axiom-4 space mission tomorrow, Chief of the Air Staff and all Air Warriors of IAF wish him and the entire crew of Axiom-4 all the best for a safe and successful trip to the
International Space Station
. This will add a new chapter to the Indian Space Odyssey".
https://x.com/IAF_MCC/status/1932256145248309481
Group Captain
Shubhanshu Shukla
is part of
Axiom Space
's fourth private astronaut mission (Ax-4), marking a historic moment for India's space collaboration with NASA.
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In a video message shared by Axiom Space, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla shared a stirring message ahead of his departure. The video by Axiom Space praised his technological prowess and described him as a fighter pilot for 15 years.
In the video message, he said, "I'm Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla. The first Indian astronaut, Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma, travelled to space in 1984. I grew up reading about him in textbooks and listening to his stories from space. I was deeply, deeply impressed by him. This journey that I'm on has been a long one for me. I didn't know that this was the path I was going to finally take. I would say that I have been extremely fortunate and extremely lucky to have gotten the opportunities to first, fly all my life, which was a dream job for me, and then have the opportunity to apply to the astronaut course, and now, consequently, be here. The way this worked out for me was that probably a week before we arrived at Axiom was the time I came to know that I would be going. I was extremely excited to be here. I was very, very happy because this was a possibility for me to fly to space. "
Earlier, the Axiom-4 mission launch was postponed to June 11, 2025, due to unfavourable weather conditions. The
Indian Space Research Organisation
(ISRO) announced that the mission, carrying Indian astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla to the International Space Station (ISS), will now lift off at 5:30 PM IST on June 11.
The Ax-4 crew includes members from India, Poland, and Hungary, marking each nation's first mission to the space station in history and the second government-sponsored human spaceflight mission in over 40 years, according to Axiom Space. Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla will be India's second national astronaut to go to space since 1984.
Earlier, SpaceX Vice President of Build and Flight Reliability, William Gerstenmaier, highlighted the company's focus on safety and reliability in its Dragon capsule missions, saying the "design changed several propulsion components to make them reliable and more useful."
"So this isn't just the same Dragon capsule you're flying. We've actually made some improvements and actually made it better to continue to keep flying safe," Gerstenmaier said on Tuesday (local time) in an Axiom 4 post-launch readiness review press conference.
"So far this year, SpaceX teams have long spring drag missions, two of which were human spaceflight missions, with all of them launching within 38 days of one another. And while we were working on those, the teams were also looking ahead and preparing for action," he added.
Notably, SpaceX is on track to achieve a record-breaking year, but it still has a significant number of launches left to reach its ambitious target of 170 orbital missions in 2025. With several launches already completed, the company has around 100 more missions to go to meet its goal.
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Time of India
8 minutes ago
- Time of India
From earth to orbit: How Axiom-4 will reach the space station
CAPE CANAVERAL (FLORIDA): When India's Shubhanshu Shukla and his three crewmates lift off aboard the Axiom-4 (Ax-4) mission on June 10, they'll travel in a previously used SpaceX's Falcon-9 rocket and a new Dragon spacecraft—the crew will give it a name in the coming days. But the journey from the launch pad to the International Space Station (ISS), where they'll spend up to a fortnight, is a finely choreographed sequence of events that plays out over 28 hours. TOI explains how: Ready for liftoff The process begins at the historic Launch Complex 39A at Nasa's Kennedy Space Centre in Florida. To refresh your memory, this is the complex from where Neil Armstrong lifted off to land on Moon! Hours before launch, the four Ax-4 astronauts, suited in custom flight gear, are driven to the pad and board the Dragon capsule—right now designated as 'C213'. Once inside, they complete a series of pre-launch checks alongside teams from SpaceX and Nasa. Roughly 35 minutes before liftoff, Falcon-9's fuelling begins post clearance from the Launch Director and once the crew's emergency escape system is powered on. Rocket is loaded with supercooled liquid oxygen and RP-1, a highly refined rocket-grade kerosene. Dragon switches to internal power at T-5 minutes. By the time the countdown reaches zero, every system must be in perfect alignment. Launch & ascent As the clock approaches T-0, Falcon-9's nine Merlin engines roar to life, lifting the rocket off the pad and into the sky. In just over a minute, it surpasses the speed of sound. At around 57 seconds into flight, it passes the phase known as 'Max Q'—the point of maximum aerodynamic pressure on the vehicle. It's one of the most critical moments where the rocket endures its peak mechanical stress. The climb continues as the rocket steers itself along a precise path to low-Earth orbit (LEO). The crew inside Dragon experience increasing g-forces as Earth's gravity fights their upward momentum. First stage separation Approximately two-and-a-half-minutes after launch, the main engines shut down, and the first stage — the lower part of the rocket — will separate. This stage has done its job and now heads back to Earth. Using cold gas thrusters and grid fins, it manoeuvres for a vertical landing on a floating drone ship stationed in the Atlantic Ocean. Meanwhile, the second stage engine ignites, pushing Dragon even higher and faster. Atop this stage, the capsule remains attached until it reaches a stable orbit. Entering orbit About 10 minutes after liftoff, Dragon separates from the second stage. Now in orbit, the spacecraft begins flying on its own. Its nose cone opens to reveal navigation instruments and docking sensors, essential for the next phase: catching up with the space station. Dragon is now travelling at more than 27,000 km/hr, circling Earth roughly once every 90 minutes. But the ISS is not in the same orbit just yet, and getting there requires a series of carefully-timed manoeuvres. Chasing the space station The journey to the ISS is not a straight line. It's more like a gradual orbital ballet. Over the course of the next 20 to 24 hours, Dragon executes a series of engine burns using its onboard thrusters. These raise and adjust its orbit, allowing it to phase into alignment with the space station's path. These manoeuvres are planned down to the second. Even a slight delay could affect the rendezvous window. Dragon uses GPS data, radar, and its own sensors to continuously track both its position and that of the ISS. Final approach & docking Once Dragon is within range, it begins a slow and measured approach. It halts at several pre-set points —called waypoints — starting from 400 metres out and moving progressively closer. At each stage, ground controllers and onboard systems assess whether to proceed. At around 20 metres, Dragon makes its final approach. Using a suite of laser-based sensors and cameras, it aligns precisely with the docking port on the station's Harmony module. The spacecraft then moves forward at just a few centimetres per second until it makes contact. The first stage is a soft capture, where magnets gently pull the capsule into position. This is followed by a hard capture: mechanical latches and hooks secure the spacecraft, and a pressure-tight seal is formed between Dragon and the ISS. Welcome aboard With docking complete, the crew is not immediately allowed to exit their vehicle and enter the station. Engineers on the ground conduct a series of leak checks and confirm that the pressure inside the docking vestibule is stable. Once verified, the hatches between Dragon and the ISS are opened. The Ax-4 astronauts then float into the space station, greeted by its current residents. Over the next two weeks, they will conduct a range of scientific experiments, including biomedical studies that could inform treatments for diseases like diabetes. For Shukla, the mission pilot, it marks not just a personal milestone but a proud moment for India's expanding role in global space exploration .
Time of India
31 minutes ago
- Time of India
From IISc To ISS: Shubhanshu Shukla to carry postcards as mementoes
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