Chennai, June 8 (UNI) The prestigious Axiom-4 (AX-4) mission to be piloted by an Indian
Astronaut Subhanshu Shukla for the International Space Station (ISS) is all set for take off
from US on June 10 Tuesday morning.
The mission will take place at 0612 hrs Indian time.
The Ax-4 crew will launch aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft to the International Space
Station from LC-39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center on June 10 at 8:22 a.m. ET (0612
IST).
It will carry four astronatus from US, India, Poland and Hungary for a 14-day docking mission
in Low Earth Orbit for conducting various experiments, that included seven by ISRO.
The Ax-4 mission will “realize the return” to human spaceflight for India, Poland, and Hungary,
with each nation’s first government-sponsored flight in more than 40 years.
While Ax-4 marks these countries' second human spaceflight mission in history, it will be the
first time all three nations will execute a mission on board the ISS.
This historic mission underscores how Axiom Space is redefining the pathway to Low-Earth
orbit and elevating national space programs globally.
Axiom Space said "With a culturally diverse crew, we are not only advancing scientific knowledge
but also fostering international collaboration. Our previous missions set the stage and with Ax-4,
we ascend even higher, bringing more nations to low-Earth orbit and expanding humanity’s reach
among the stars”, according to Peggy Whitson, Ax-4 Mission Commander.
The Ax-4 crew includes members from India, Poland, and Hungary, marking each nation’s first mission to the space station in history and second government-sponsored human spaceflight mission in over 40 years.
The decorated IAF captain Shubhanshu Shukla will be India’s second national astronaut to go to space since 1984 (the year Shukla was born) after Rakesh Sharma, who flew on a Soviet Mission.
Sławosz Uznański, European Space Agency (ESA) project astronaut, will be the second Polish astronaut since 1978, while Tibor Kapu will be the second national Hungarian astronaut since 1980.
Peggy Whitson will command her second commercial human spaceflight mission, adding to her standing record for the longest cumulative time in space by an American astronaut.
Ax-4 will be the second commercial spaceflight mission made up of government and ESA-sponsored national astronauts.
The Ax-4 mission stands as a beacon of opportunity for India, Poland, and Hungary, each poised to leverage this mission to advance their national space programs.
The Ax-4 research complement includes around 60 scientific studies and activities representing 31 countries, including the U.S., India, Poland, Hungary, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, Nigeria, UAE, and nations across Europe.
This will be the most research and science-related activities conducted on an Axiom Space mission aboard the International Space Station to date, underscoring the mission's global significance and collaborative nature to advance microgravity research in low-Earth orbit (LEO).
The mission emphasizes scientific portfolios led by the U.S., India, Poland (in partnership with ESA), and Hungary. It aims to boost participation in these countries by involving diverse stakeholders, showcasing the value of microgravity research, and fostering international collaboration. The studies will enhance global knowledge in human research, Earth observation, and life, biological, and material sciences, demonstrating the space research capabilities of the crew's home nations.
Ahead of the mission, an 18-member delegation led by ISRO Chairman and Secretary Department of Space Dr V Narayanan is in the US, ahead of Shubhanshu Shukla's spaceflight which is scheduled for liftoff from Kennedy Space Centre, Florida, .
The delegation visited various facilities of Axiom, the American firm that is facilitating Shukla's spaceflight training and space travel.
The four-member crew will be flying on the SpaceX Falcon9 rocket which carries the Crew Dragon capsule.
While ISRO is gearing for its first human flight mission Gaganyaan from the spaceport of Sriharikota, the experience gained from Shukla's flight would prove crucial for ISRO. In simple terms, Shukla's flight can be considered a precursor or stepping stone to Gaganyaan.
According to reports, in a pre-launch media briefing, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla said that he is excited about all aspects of the Axiom-4 spaceflight. "As I stand at the threshold of a 14-day mission to the Space Station, I reflect on the path that has brought me here. From diverse systems to advanced platforms across continents and cultures, this training has been intense and deeply rewarding. Behind every minute in space likes months, years of preparation," he remarked. For the fortnight-long mission, I carry with me not just instruments and equipment, but the hopes and dreams of a billion hearts, he added.
Shukla will be also carrying a special gift as a tribute to India's first astronaut Rakesh Sharma. "I will be carrying something for him... I haven't revealed it to him. I will hand it over to him personally," he added. Both Shukla and Sharma(now retired) are Indian Air Force test pilots. Interestingly, Shukla was born in the year 1984, when Sharma became the first and only Indian to fly to space.
Thanks to Shukla, the crew aboard the International Space Station will get a taste of Indian delicacies.
Shukla said that he would be carrying sweets- carrot halwa, moong dal halwa, and mango nectar, for all the International crew members to taste.
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