‘ISRO Averted Axiom-4 Disaster, Ensured Safety Of Shubhanshu Shukla': V Narayanan Reveals How

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ISRO chief V Narayanan said, "On the evening of June 10, we informed SpaceX team to call off the launch. My team was not confident about the rocket's integrity.'
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chief Dr V Narayanan recently revealed that the space agency's decisive stand played a crucial role in the success of Axiom 4, through which Shubhanshu Shukla became the first Indian astronaut to visit the International Space Station (ISS) and the second Indian in orbit after Rakesh Sharma in 1984.
The launch, originally scheduled for June 11, was called off on the evening of June 10 after Isro's team detected a leak and later a crack in the Falcon 9 booster.
Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the IEEE International Conference at Presidency University Bengaluru, Narayanan said, he said, 'I was leading the team, and after thorough discussions, we decided not to accept the takeoff. On the evening of June 10, we informed the SpaceX team to call off the launch. My team was not confident about the rocket's integrity and refused to participate."
While some dismissed Isro's concerns initially, SpaceX engineers, too, the next day, confirmed the presence of a crack in the Falcon 9 rocket. 'It was a fantastic job of saving the mission," said Narayanan, adding, 'Today, astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla and the entire mission are safe. India is second to none," he said, praising the teamwork that averted potential disaster.
Axiom Mission-4 & Shubhanshu Shukla
Executed by Axiom Space, in partnership with NASA, ISRO and SpaceX, a four-member crew lifted off aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The 14-day mission was rescheduled multiple times due to technical issues, including the Falcon 9 leak and problems aboard the ISS.
It aimed to conduct major research, including 60 scientific studies and activities representing 31 countries, including the US, India, Poland, Hungary, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, Nigeria, UAE, and nations across Europe. The research will cover space agriculture (e.g. methi, moong daal), tardigrade biology, muscle loss prevention, glucose regulation (Suite Ride diabetes study), cognitive/computer interaction, and more.
This will be the most research and science-related activities conducted on an Axiom Space mission aboard the International Space Station to date. These studies include examining muscle regeneration, growth of sprouts and edible microalgae, survival of tiny aquatic organisms, and human interaction with electronic displays in microgravity.
The crew will return on July 14.
With PTI Inputs
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