16-07-2025
What Shubhanshu Shukla came back to Earth with: A beautiful view and knowledge to boost India's space mission
Written by Mila Mitra
The Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4), which returned to Earth on July 15, heralded a pivotal moment in India's space exploration journey. Launched on June 25, this international collaboration mission carried astronauts from the US, India, Hungary and Poland, marking the return to space for the latter three after decades. Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, the mission pilot, became the first Indian astronaut to live and work on the International Space Station (ISS), and the second Indian in space since Rakesh Sharma's 1984 mission. The Ax-4 mission generated a lot of excitement in the country, but was not merely inspirational. It was also invaluable for India's aspirations as India gained real human spaceflight experience, validated crucial experiments in space, strengthened global partnerships and advanced commercial space collaboration.
While at ISS, Shukla and the astronauts worked on 60 experiments, seven of which were proposed by India and ISRO. What makes the ISS a unique space lab? ISS is placed at 400 km, low-Earth orbit, so its proximity to Earth makes it habitable as crews and supplies can be easily ferried. It is an ideal space laboratory as it operates in 'microgravity' and comprises trained astronauts — this enables research not possible on Earth. It helps simulate deeper space conditions, without going that far.
Pictures of astronauts floating around in space wrongly suggest there is no gravity on the ISS. At this altitude, the Earth's gravity decreases but still exists, by about 10 per cent of that of Earth's. 'Microgravity' conditions are achieved because the astronauts and everything within ISS travel with the space station at the same speed, leading to a 'free fall'. It's like falling in an elevator if the cables snap — you and the elevator are falling together and accelerating downward at the same rate, so you feel weightless.
Experiments in microgravity yield important results as the effects of gravity are removed so one can see the effects of other forces that are hard to reveal on Earth. Matter behaves differently than on Earth. For example, fluids do not display buoyancy (floating) and sedimentation. Microgravity research spans several fields, including the study of fluids, materials science, combustion, biology — the lack of gravity and change in fluid behaviour affect cell growth, gene expression, and plant development. Human physiology and how the body adapts to microgravity, and possible solutions are also studied.
Notably, India has contributed to seven out of the 60 microgravity experiments on Axiom-4. The results will contribute to long-term space exploration. Additionally, the Indian human-crewed mission Gaganyaan may also take these experiments forward.
The Indian experiments included studying the effects of space exposure on microalgae and cyanobacteria, which are being explored as sustainable food sources in long-duration missions, while germination and the genetic yield of crops like moong, fenugreek and seven other seed types will be evaluated to understand the effects of space exposure on plants. Studying the behaviour of tardigrades, tiny microorganisms that can withstand extreme conditions on Earth, will help understand extreme resilience in space. Metabolic supplements to combat muscle atrophy have been studied for astronaut health and can also suggest therapies for Earth-based muscle deterioration, such as osteoporosis. Interestingly, one of the experiments involved cognitive performance in space. Studying how microgravity affects gaze, eye movement and stress when astronauts use screens in space may influence ergonomic spacecraft systems designs, reducing stress for future crews.
Shukla carried back experiment samples to Earth where scientists will further explore the effects of space exposure. He also participated in outreach and connected to students in his own school in Lucknow. Notably, Shukla found a favourite perch on an ISS cupola and talked about the beautiful view of Earth from space. This kind of interaction can really inspire the next generation.
What does this very successful and widely followed mission mean for India's space aspirations?
India has lofty plans for space exploration. The Gaganyaan Mission, slated for 2027 plans to send a manned mission to the Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) of 400 km with a crew of three members and bring them back to Earth. As announced by the Prime Minister, India's own space station, Bharatiya Antariksh Station is also planned for 2035.
Shukla and his backup Group Captain Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair, both selected as astronauts for Gaganyaan, have now completed astronaut training. Shukla, as the mission pilot, has gained hands-on experience in spacecraft navigation, docking and crew coordination aboard the ISS. His insights can help refine mission planning for Gaganyaan. ISS operations will also serve as a template for India's space station plans. The experience gained will suggest strategies for future Moon and deep space exploration missions.
The Axiom-4 mission, a multinational collaboration between NASA, Axiom Space, Space-X, European Space Agency and ISRO, reinforced India-US-Europe relations in the space sector, opening doors for future joint missions and collaborations. 'As space becomes a key arena for commercial and scientific efforts,' said Matt Ondler, president of Axiom Space, 'India, with its rich history in space exploration and clear leadership in technology and entrepreneurship, will be crucial in shaping the domain and advancing humanity's presence in space.'
The Ax-4 mission was not merely symbolic, it was a strategic launchpad for India's continued success in space.
The writer is co-founder, STEM & Space
