Latest news with #Shubhanshu"Shux"Shukla
Yahoo
19-07-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Private Ax-4 astronauts splash down aboard SpaceX capsule to conclude ISS mission (video)
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Welcome home! Four astronauts have returned to Earth following more than two weeks living aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Axiom Space's fourth crewed mission to the ISS, known as Ax-4, concluded early this morning, with the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule "Grace" splashing down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California at 5:32 a.m. EDT (0932 GMT; locally, 2:32 a.m. PDT). Grace undocked from the ISS yesterday (July 14) at 7:15 a.m. EDT (1115 GMT), beginning the 22-hour final leg of the crew's journey in space. On the mission, Ax-4 commander Peggy Whitson, a former NASA astronaut and currently Axiom's director of human spaceflight, extended her record for cumulative days spent by an American in space to 695. Whitson was joined by a trio of first-time astronauts from three different countries, none of which had ever sent a citizen to the ISS before. Shubhanshu "Shux" Shukla, who served as Ax-4's pilot, hails from India. He is a pilot in the Indian Air Force and one of four astronauts selected for the Indian Space Research Organisation's (ISRO) first human spaceflight mission, Gaganyaan, expected sometime in 2027. Ax-4 mission specialist Sławosz "Suave" Uznański-Wiśniewski, from Poland, is a member of the European Space Agency's (ESA's) astronaut reserve program, and Tibor Kapu, a mission specialist from Hungary, is a member of HUNOR, Hungary's orbital astronaut program. Axiom-4 Crew: Commander Peggy Whitson Pilot Shubhanshu "Shux" Shukla Mission Specialist Sławosz "Suave" Uznański-Wiśniewski Mission Specialist Tibor Kapu Ax-4 launched on June 26 from storied Launch Complex-39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The crew aboard Grace lifted off atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and docked with the space station a day later. Their mission was expected to last about two weeks but was extended by four days to achieve favorable orbital phasing during their return. While aboard the ISS, the Ax-4 crew carried out a record number of science investigations and public outreach events. With contributions from a total of 31 different countries, Ax-4 astronauts completed more than 60 experiments and technology demonstrations — more than any previous Axiom mission. Starship Die Cast Rocket Model Now $47.99 on Amazon. If you can't see SpaceX's Starship in person, you can score a model of your own. Standing at 13.77 inches (35 cm), this is a 1:375 ratio of SpaceX's Starship as a desktop model. The materials here are alloy steel and it weighs just Deal Related Stories: — SpaceX launches historic private Axiom-4 astronaut mission to the ISS (video) — Axiom Space: Building the off-Earth economy — Axiom-4 astronauts on SpaceX Crew Dragon welcomed aboard International Space Station (video) Ax-4's splashdown this morning followed about 22.5 hours on orbit after their departure from the ISS. After nearly a full day flying their return trajectory, the crew's final minutes before splashdown passed relatively quickly. Grace began its atmospheric descent at approximately 5:18 a.m. EDT (0918 GMT; locally, 2:18 am PT). Having survived the char of the most unforgiving layers of Earth's upper atmosphere, the spacecraft's drogue parachutes deployed to stabilize its plummet. Shortly thereafter, the Dragon's four main chutes unfolded to slow the capsule's descent even further. The Ax-4 spacecraft splashed down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California, where it was met by the SpaceX Dragon recovery vessel "Shannon." Once safely hoisted aboard "Shannon," the Ax-4 crew will disembark Grace to begin acclimating to Earth's gravity once again. This is only SpaceX's second West Coast crew recovery, after the Crew-9 mission to the ISS came down this past March. SpaceX has shifted permanently Pacific Ocean spacecraft recoveries to avoid possible instances of pieces of Dragon's trunk surviving atmospheric reentry and crashing back to Earth, which were reported during some Atlantic Ocean and Gulf returns. The empty space station docking port left behind after Ax-4's undocking won't remain so for long. The next astronauts launching to the ISS are slated for liftoff no earlier than July 31. That mission, SpaceX's Crew-11, will launch a crew rotation for NASA that's expected to last between six and eight months. Solve the daily Crossword
India.com
04-07-2025
- Science
- India.com
Axiom 4 mission: Shubhanshu Shukla Completes One Week Aboard ISS, Speaks With Family During Off-Duty Day
Pilot Shubhanshu "Shux" Shukla, part of the international Axiom Mission 4 crew aboard the International Space Station, completed a week in orbit on Wednesday, spending the day off-duty speaking with family back on Earth and preparing to resume his packed research schedule the next day, Axiom Space said in its official blog The Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) crew, Commander Peggy Whitson, Pilot Shubhanshu "Shux" Shukla, and Mission Specialists Slawosz "Suave" Uznanski-Wisniewski and Tibor Kapu, has now spent a full week aboard the International Space Station, as per a blog by Axiom Space. By the end of Wednesday, since docking on June 26, the astronauts will have completed approximately 113 orbits around Earth, covering over 2.9 million miles. To put that into perspective, that's nearly 12 times the distance between Earth and the Moon, the blog further read. On Wednesday, the crew enjoyed a well-earned off-duty day, giving them a chance to recharge and connect with family and friends back on Earth. On Thursday, they'll dive back into a packed schedule of scientific research and technology demonstrations that will continue through the weekend. In just seven days, the Ax-4 astronauts have already made significant contributions to scientific research. Peggy has been involved in cancer research using microgravity to study how tumour cells behave in space, work that is helping develop new therapeutic targets for metastatic cancers, the Axiom blog added further. "Shux" has been conducting experiments that explore how microgravity affects the growth and genetic behaviour of algae and how tardigrades, hardy microscopic creatures, survive and reproduce in space. The findings could reveal new insights into the molecular mechanisms of cellular resilience which could translate into clinically relevant knowledge on Earth. Suave has been testing a wearable acoustic monitoring device designed to improve how sound levels are tracked aboard the space station. This technology could enhance astronaut health and inform the design of future spacecraft. Meanwhile, Tibor has been monitoring radiation levels using a Hungarian-developed dosimeter, while also leading a project to grow microgreens on orbit -- a step toward sustainable food production in space. This mission is historic for its international significance. It marks the first time astronauts from India, Poland, and Hungary have conducted a mission aboard the space station and represents these nations' return to human spaceflight after more than four decades. The Ax-4 crew is conducting over 60 experiments during their two-week stay, highlighting the growing role of commercial and international partnerships in space exploration. With more than a hundred sunrises and sunsets witnessed from orbit, the Ax-4 mission is advancing science progress in space and inspiring a new generation of explorers. After a day of rest, the crew will be ready to resume their packed research and outreach agendas. Axiom Mission 4 was launched at noon IST on June 25 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Centre in Florida. The Dragon spacecraft successfully docked with the ISS on June 26 at 4:05 pm IST, ahead of schedule, connecting to the space-facing port of the station's Harmony module.
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Business Standard
04-07-2025
- Science
- Business Standard
Axiom 4 mission: Shubhanshu Shukla completes a week in orbit aboard ISS
Shukla has been conducting experiments that explore how microgravity affects growth and genetic behaviour of algae and how tardigrades, hardy microscopic creatures, survive and reproduce in space ANI US Pilot Shubhanshu "Shux" Shukla, part of the international Axiom Mission 4 crew aboard the International Space Station, completed a week in orbit on Wednesday, spending the day off-duty speaking with family back on Earth and preparing to resume his packed research schedule the next day, Axiom Space said in its official blog The Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) crew, Commander Peggy Whitson, Pilot Shubhanshu "Shux" Shukla, and Mission Specialists Slawosz "Suave" Uznanski-Wisniewski and Tibor Kapu, has now spent a full week aboard the International Space Station, as per a blog by Axiom Space. By the end of Wednesday, since docking on June 26, the astronauts will have completed approximately 113 orbits around Earth, covering over 2.9 million miles. To put that into perspective, that's nearly 12 times the distance between Earth and the Moon, the blog further read. On Wednesday, the crew enjoyed a well-earned off-duty day, giving them a chance to recharge and connect with family and friends back on Earth. On Thursday, they'll dive back into a packed schedule of scientific research and technology demonstrations that will continue through the weekend. In just seven days, the Ax-4 astronauts have already made significant contributions to scientific research. Peggy has been involved in cancer research using microgravity to study how tumour cells behave in space, work that is helping develop new therapeutic targets for metastatic cancers, the Axiom blog added further. "Shux" has been conducting experiments that explore how microgravity affects the growth and genetic behaviour of algae and how tardigrades, hardy microscopic creatures, survive and reproduce in space. The findings could reveal new insights into the molecular mechanisms of cellular resilience which could translate into clinically relevant knowledge on Earth. Suave has been testing a wearable acoustic monitoring device designed to improve how sound levels are tracked aboard the space station. This technology could enhance astronaut health and inform the design of future spacecraft. Meanwhile, Tibor has been monitoring radiation levels using a Hungarian-developed dosimeter, while also leading a project to grow microgreens on orbit -- a step toward sustainable food production in space. This mission is historic for its international significance. It marks the first time astronauts from India, Poland, and Hungary have conducted a mission aboard the space station and represents these nations' return to human spaceflight after more than four decades. The Ax-4 crew is conducting over 60 experiments during their two-week stay, highlighting the growing role of commercial and international partnerships in space exploration. With more than a hundred sunrises and sunsets witnessed from orbit, the Ax-4 mission is advancing science progress in space and inspiring a new generation of explorers. After a day of rest, the crew will be ready to resume their packed research and outreach agendas. Axiom Mission 4 was launched at noon IST on June 25 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Centre in Florida. The Dragon spacecraft successfully docked with the ISS on June 26 at 4:05 pm IST, ahead of schedule, connecting to the space-facing port of the station's Harmony module.
