Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla of the Indian Air Force has embarked on a historic journey to the International Space Station (ISS) as part of the Axiom-4 (Ax-4) mission. The launch, which took place from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, marks India's return to space after a gap of over 40 years, since Rakesh Sharma's mission in 1984.
Shukla's mission is not only a moment of national pride but also a significant step forward for India's ambitious space program. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has congratulated Shubhanshu Shukla and the entire Ax-4 crew on their successful launch, acknowledging that Shukla carries the hopes and aspirations of 1.4 billion Indians.
The Ax-4 mission, a collaboration between NASA, ISRO, and Axiom Space, had faced multiple delays due to weather conditions and technical issues, including a leak on the Falcon 9 rocket and a problem with a Russian module on the ISS. Eventually, the mission finally took off at 12:01 PM IST on June 25, after a minor glitch involving wind data upload was resolved.
Shukla, along with mission commander Peggy Whitson (Axiom Space), mission specialist Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski (ESA), and Tibor Kapu (Hungary), will spend approximately two weeks on the ISS. The mission is described as Axiom's most science-intensive to date, involving over 60 research experiments representing 31 countries. These experiments will cover diverse fields, including space nutrition and self-sustaining life support systems, essential for future long-duration space travel. ISRO has also planned seven experiments for Shukla, including studies on India-centric food and the cultivation of fenugreek and green gram in microgravity.
Shukla's participation in the Ax-4 mission is strategically important for India's human spaceflight ambitions, especially the Gaganyaan mission, which aims to send an Indian crew into space by 2027. He underwent rigorous training at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Russia and ISRO's Astronaut Training Facility in Bengaluru. His expertise as a combat leader and seasoned test pilot with over 2,000 hours of flying experience on various aircraft makes him a valuable asset to the mission.
The Ax-4 mission also highlights the growing international cooperation in space exploration. NASA and ISRO are jointly participating in five science investigations and two STEM demonstrations during the mission. This collaboration fulfills a commitment made by the leaders of the United States and India to send an ISRO astronaut to the ISS.
Shubhanshu Shukla, born in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, in 1985, has expressed his hope that his mission will inspire a new generation of young people in India, much like Rakesh Sharma's journey did decades ago. His message from space, carrying the Indian tricolor, emphasized that his journey is not just his own but also the beginning of India's human spaceflight program, inviting every citizen to be a part of it.
