In a momentous achievement for India's space program, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla has become the first Indian astronaut to be part of a space mission in over four decades. The Axiom-4 (Ax-4) mission launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Wednesday morning, taking Shukla and a diverse international crew towards the International Space Station (ISS). As the spacecraft docks with the ISS in just over 26 hours, Shukla will make history as India’s first astronaut to reach the laboratory in the sky.
This year marks the 41st anniversary of Rakesh Sharma's pioneering journey into space as the first Indian, a flight that was facilitated aboard a Russian Soyuz spacecraft in 1984. The current Ax-4 mission, aimed at scientific research and international collaboration, is a commercial venture operated by Axiom Space, in partnership with NASA, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), the European Space Agency (ESA), and SpaceX. The four-member crew, which includes astronauts from Poland and Hungary, coalesce an exciting blend of expertise.
Shukla, a 39-year-old veteran of the Indian Air Force, expressed his pride and responsibility just minutes after launch, carrying the Indian flag with him, and highlighted how he represents "the hopes and dreams of a billion hearts." Accompanied by experienced former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, who commands the mission, Shukla’s journey will contribute to a broader understanding of human spaceflight, setting the pace for India's ambitious plans, including a potential human spaceflight in 2027, and future endeavors like establishing a space station by 2035 and going to the Moon by 2040.
As excitement builds in India, ISRO is facilitating various activities for Shukla, including engaging with students and answering their queries from orbit. The crew will conduct over 60 scientific experiments, including several significant studies from India, such as examining the effects of microgravity on vegetation growth and biological organisms.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has hailed this accomplishment, indicating that Shukla embodies the aspirations of the 1.4 billion citizens of India. In Lucknow, Shukla's hometown, celebrations erupted as his family and students gathered to witness this historic moment, marked by live broadcasts of the launch. The experience both educates and inspires, rekindling a national interest in space exploration, as India ventures into a new space age.
This year marks the 41st anniversary of Rakesh Sharma's pioneering journey into space as the first Indian, a flight that was facilitated aboard a Russian Soyuz spacecraft in 1984. The current Ax-4 mission, aimed at scientific research and international collaboration, is a commercial venture operated by Axiom Space, in partnership with NASA, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), the European Space Agency (ESA), and SpaceX. The four-member crew, which includes astronauts from Poland and Hungary, coalesce an exciting blend of expertise.
Shukla, a 39-year-old veteran of the Indian Air Force, expressed his pride and responsibility just minutes after launch, carrying the Indian flag with him, and highlighted how he represents "the hopes and dreams of a billion hearts." Accompanied by experienced former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, who commands the mission, Shukla’s journey will contribute to a broader understanding of human spaceflight, setting the pace for India's ambitious plans, including a potential human spaceflight in 2027, and future endeavors like establishing a space station by 2035 and going to the Moon by 2040.
As excitement builds in India, ISRO is facilitating various activities for Shukla, including engaging with students and answering their queries from orbit. The crew will conduct over 60 scientific experiments, including several significant studies from India, such as examining the effects of microgravity on vegetation growth and biological organisms.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has hailed this accomplishment, indicating that Shukla embodies the aspirations of the 1.4 billion citizens of India. In Lucknow, Shukla's hometown, celebrations erupted as his family and students gathered to witness this historic moment, marked by live broadcasts of the launch. The experience both educates and inspires, rekindling a national interest in space exploration, as India ventures into a new space age.
