Axiom mission live updates: Axiom-4 mission carrying Shubhanshu Shukla to launch today from Kennedy Space Center; conditions remain favourable for take-off
Axiom mission live updates: NASA, Axiom Space, and SpaceX are targeting 2:31 a.m. EDT, Wednesday (4 pm IST), June 25, for launch of the fourth private astronaut mission to the International Space Station, Axiom Mission 4. Axiom mission live updates: NASA, Axiom Space, and SpaceX are targeting 2:31 a.m. EDT, Wednesday (4 pm IST), June 25, for launch of the fourth private astronaut mission to the International Space Station, Axiom Mission 4.The mission will lift off from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Centre in Florida. The crew will travel to the orbiting laboratory on a new SpaceX Dragon spacecraft after launching on the company's Falcon 9 rocket. The targeted docking time is approximately 7 a.m. Thursday, June 26.NASA had earlier stood down from a proposed launch date of June 22. According to the ISS, additional time is needed to evaluate station operations following recent repair work in the aft segment of the Zvezda service module. Due to the highly interconnected nature of the orbital laboratory's systems, NASA is reviewing relevant data to ensure readiness for the arrival of additional crew members.Highlighting the global significance of the mission, ISS noted that the agencies "appreciate the historic nature of this mission for the nations of India, Poland, and Hungary, as well as the world." Show more Axiom mission live updates: After multiple delays, Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla and three others are all set to travel to the International Space Station on Wednesday with SpaceX announcing that the weather was 90 per cent favourable for lift-off."All systems are looking good for Wednesday's launch of @Axiom_Space's Ax-4 mission to the @Space_Station and weather is 90% favorable for liftoff," SpaceX, which is providing transport for the space mission, said in a post on X.Peggy Whitson, former NASA astronaut and director of human spaceflight at Axiom Space, will command the commercial mission, while ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla will serve as pilot.The two mission specialists are ESA (European Space Agency) project astronaut Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski of Poland, and HUNOR (Hungarian to Orbit) astronaut Tibor Kapu of Hungary. Axiom mission live updates: A Group Captain in the Indian Air Force, Shukla was selected to be part of India's astronaut corps in 2019 along with fellow officers Prasanth Balkrishnan Nair, Angad Pratap and Ajit Krishnan for the Gaganyaan mission which is likely to be launched in 2027.Born on October 10, 1985, in Lucknow, Shukla did his schooling from City Montessori School before joining the National Defence Academy.He was commissioned into the Indian Air Force in 2006, and has over 2,000 hours of flying time on a wide range of aircraft including the Su-30 MKI, MiG-29, Jaguar, and Dornier-228.He holds an MTech in Aerospace Engineering from the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru.Shukla and the three other Gaganyaan astronaut designates underwent extensive training at Russia's Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre and ISRO's Astronaut Training Facility in Bengaluru.Shukla's crewmates on the Axiom-4 mission, commander Peggy Whitson and mission specialists Tibor Kapu from Hungary and Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski from Poland, describe him as "operational-savvy", "focussed" and "wicked smart" when it comes to space technologies. Axiom mission live updates: The Axiom-4 mission has run into multiple delays, first on account of inclement weather and then due to leaks detected on SpaceX's Falcon-9 rocket and later on the Russian module of the International Space Station.The launch opportunity comes after NASA and Roscosmos officials discussed the status of the recent repair work in the transfer tunnel at the aft (back) most segment of the orbital laboratory's Zvezda service module, NASA said."NASA and Roscosmos have a long history of cooperation and collaboration on the International Space Station. This professional working relationship has allowed the agencies to arrive at a shared technical approach and now Axiom Mission 4 launch and docking will proceed," said acting NASA Administrator Janet Petro.As part of a collaboration between NASA and ISRO, Axiom Mission 4 delivers on a commitment highlighted by President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to send the first ISRO astronaut to the station, the NASA statement said.The space agencies are participating in five joint science investigations and two in-orbit STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) demonstrations.Once docked, the private astronauts plan to spend about two weeks aboard the orbiting laboratory, conducting a mission comprising science, outreach, and commercial activities. Axiom mission live updates: Shukla is set to conduct exclusive food and nutrition-related experiments developed under a collaboration between the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), with support from NASA.The experiments aim to pioneer space nutrition and self-sustaining life support systems vital for future long-duration space travel.ISRO has lined up a set of seven experiments for Shukla, who will also participate in five joint studies planned by NASA for its human research program.It has drawn up plans to focus on India-centric food for carrying out experiments on the ISS, including sprouting methi (fenugreek) and moong (green gram) in microgravity conditions.Shukla will also expose the seeds to the macrobiotic conditions and bring them back to earth where they will be cultivated into plants not just once but over generations.Shukla's experience on the Axiom Mission 4 would be very well utilised on the ISRO's Gaganyaan space flight mission which is planned for 2027. ISRO is spending Rs 550 crore on the Axiom-4 mission. Axiom mission live updates: NASA, Axiom Space, and SpaceX are targeting 2:31 a.m. EDT, Wednesday (4 pm IST), June 25, for launch of the fourth private astronaut mission to the International Space Station, Axiom Mission 4.The mission will lift off from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Centre in Florida. The crew will travel to the orbiting laboratory on a new SpaceX Dragon spacecraft after launching on the company's Falcon 9 rocket. The targeted docking time is approximately 7 a.m. Thursday, June 26.
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(Photo: Nasa) He has been working on seven Indian studies in space that will bolster India's human spaceflight program, Gaganyaan Mission. Shukla has been conducting critical muscle health research inside the Kibo laboratory's Life Sciences Glovebox aboard the ISS. His work focuses on muscle stem cell cultures to understand how microgravity causes muscle degradation and how this loss might be prevented or mitigated. Shux, who considers Rakesh Sharma as his idol, had said befoe leaving for space that he is carrying something special for his mentor and will give it to him when he returns. "I owe much of my inspiration and guidance to India's first astronaut, Rakesh Sharma. He has been a mentor in every sense, supporting me from the early stages of selection to the Ax-4 mission preparation. As a fellow IAF test pilot, he understands the physical and mental readiness this journey demands. Although he won't be traveling to US due to certain constraints, he has been with me every step of the way," Shukla had said before launch. As Shux continues his two-week stay aboard the ISS, his record-breaking mission not only honours India's space heritage but also inspires a new generation of Indian scientists and explorers, reaffirming the nation's commitment to advancing human spaceflight. Join our WhatsApp Channel
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