India's Space Odyssey: Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla Set to Make History
India's space aspirations soar as Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla leads Axiom Mission 4 to the ISS. This historic mission, featuring groundbreaking experiments and international collaboration, marks India's first astronaut journey in 41 years, inspiring future generations. n18oc_indiaWatch
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Hans India
22 minutes ago
- Hans India
IAF asks Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla to ‘touch the sky with glory'
Ahead of the Axiom Space Mission 4, the Indian Air Force (IAF) on Tuesday wished Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, to 'touch the sky with glory'. With the success of the flight, Shukla will become the first Indian to set foot on the International Space Station (ISS). He will also be the second to go to space after Rakesh Sharma flew to space station Salyut 7 in 1984. The US-based Axiom Space is scheduled to carry Shukla along with three others, to the ISS from the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on June 11 at 8 a.m. ET (5.30 p.m. IST). The mission was initially scheduled for launch on May 29, but was later deferred to June 8 and then June 10. 'As Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla prepares to embark on the Axiom-4 space mission tomorrow, the 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,' the Indian Air Force - Media Co-ordination Centre, shared in a post on social media platform X. 'This will add a new chapter to the Indian Space Odyssey. Touch the sky with glory!' the post added. Shukla will pilot the mission alongside Commander Peggy Whitson from the US. Other crew members include mission specialists Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski (Poland), and Tibor Kapu (Hungary). Air Vice Marshal Sanjay Bhatnagar VM VSM (Retd) called Shukla an inspiration. The IAF officer is the youngest astronaut-designate under India's Gaganyaan mission -- the country's first human spaceflight mission. 'Highly inspiring story of IAF Gp Capt Shubanshu Shukla, Mission Pilot for Axiom 4,' Bhatnagar wrote on X. Ahead of his much-awaited lift-off, his family called it a moment of "immense pride" for the nation as well as for his loved ones. "We are definitely feeling proud; our son has done something that brings pride in itself...", Shukla's mother told IANS from Lucknow. Shukla's hometown is also celebrating with posters and car stickers. Cutouts are also being displayed proudly at his residence. 'From the land of Lord Shri Ram to space! Heartiest congratulations to Uttar Pradesh's son, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla is now going to create history – he will set out on a journey to space carrying the dreams of India. This is a proud moment for every Indian and every family of Uttar Pradesh,' Yogi Adityanath, UP Chief Minister said earlier on X. After reaching the ISS, the Group Captain is expected to conduct exclusive food and nutrition-related experiments. The experiments -- developed under a collaboration between the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), with support from NASA -- aim to pioneer space nutrition and self-sustaining life support systems vital for future long-duration space travel He will also 'study physical, cognitive and physiological responses in space, as also the cognitive impact of continuous electronic displays in microgravity,' said Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology, Jitendra Singh.
India Gazette
32 minutes ago
- India Gazette
Axiom-4 Mission is part of ISRO's astronaut training program ahead of Gaganyaan mission: Indian scientist Tapan Mishra
Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], June 10 (ANI): Ahead of Indian Air Force Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla launch to the International Space Station (ISS) from the US on Tuesday as part of the human space flight mission with the private company Axiom Space, scientist Tapan Mishra said that it is part of ISRO's ongoing astronaut training program ahead of the country's Gaganyaan mission. Misra, Former Director of Space Applications Centre and Physical Research Laboratory in ISRO, said, 'The Indian government has planned to launch the Gaganyaan mission with our own astronaut from India by next year. As part of that initiative, four astronauts have been selected. Among them, one primary astronaut and one backup astronaut have been sent to participate in the Axiom-4 Mission--a commercial mission to the ISS, operated by private space company Axiom Space, which charges around $65 million per astronaut.' He further said that they would stay at the International Space Station for another two to three weeks. Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla will carry out experiments on muscle fatigue, muscle atrophy, and neurological degeneration in free space and also on the growth of certain crops and plants in free space. 'As a backup to Shubhanshu Shukla, another astronaut, Prasanth Nair, is also ready. India will be going through its maiden human space launch next year. Prior to that the pilot, captain, will have a first-hand exposure to a real-life launch scenario (Human space flight) and he will have experience of all the instrumentation required in the spacecraft and all the precautions to be taken and one can consider it as a training session and if any lacuna is there in our mission, we can have enough time to correct them and ensure that we'll have a safe Indian astronaut mission through Gaganyaan,' he further said. Scientist Misra said that it is a proud moment for India as it is after 41 years after Rakesh Sharma went to space another Indian astronaut is headed there. 'This is part of ISRO's ongoing astronaut training program. These astronauts were initially trained extensively in Russia, and now they are also being exposed to training and operational environments in the US, giving them experience with different types of launch systems. This dual exposure will help us identify and incorporate necessary precautions and best practices into our own Gaganyaan mission. With nearly a year to go before the launch, this opportunity serves as a valuable learning experience for ISRO to ensure a successful and safe human spaceflight mission.' The Axiom-4 mission launch was postponed to June 11, 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. ISRO wrote on X, 'Launch of Axiom-4 mission to International Space Station: Due to weather conditions, the launch of Axiom-4 mission for sending Indian Gaganyatri to International Space Station is postponed from 10th June 2025 to 11th June 2025. The targeted time of launch is 5:30 PM IST on 11th June 2025: Dr V Narayanan, Chairman, ISRO/ Secretary, DOS / Chairman, Space Commission.' Shukla will be led by the mission commander, Peggy Whitson, a former NASA astronaut and an Axiom employee, and joined by the European Space Agency astronaut Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski, of Poland, and Tibor Kapu, of Hungary. It will be the fourth private astronaut mission to the International Space Station, Axiom Mission 4. The mission will lift off from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Centre in Florida. The crew will travel to the orbiting laboratory on a new SpaceX Dragon spacecraft after launching on the company's Falcon 9 rocket. As part of a collaboration between NASA and ISRO, Axiom Mission 4 delivers on a commitment highlighted by US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to send the first ISRO astronaut to the station. The space agencies are participating in five joint science investigations and two in-orbit science, technology, engineering, and mathematics demonstrations. NASA and ISRO have a long-standing relationship built on a shared vision to advance scientific knowledge and expand space collaboration. ISRO is planning to launch its own human spaceflight mission, called Gaganyaan, in 2027. The Gaganyaan Programme envisages undertaking the demonstration of human spaceflight to Low Earth Orbit (LEO) in the short term and will lay the foundation for a sustained Indian human space exploration programme in the long run. (ANI)
India Gazette
32 minutes ago
- India Gazette
Air Chief Marshal AP Singh wishes Group Captain Shubahanshu Shukla ahead of Axiom-4 space mission
New Delhi [India], June 10 (ANI): 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'. 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. 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. (ANI)
