Family of Group Captain Subhanshu Shukla expresses pride on Axiom-4 launch; wishes for safe return
The family of astronaut Subhanshu Shukla, who is piloting the Axiom-4 mission, watched the lift off from Lucknow with immense pride and 'tears of joy'.
Speaking with ANI, the sister of Shubhanshu Shukla, Shuchi Mishra, wished for his safe return
'We hope everything will go well. We are relaxed and waiting for him to return home safely after 15 days. Our hopes are rising now, we want him to do more missions and make us proud,' Shuchi Mishra said.
Additionally, Nidhi Mishra, the sister of Shubhanshu Shukla, hoped for the successful completion of the mission.
'The experience was good. As of now, all the stages have been completed successfully. I want the mission to be completed successfully,' Nidhi Mishra said.
Meanwhile, Asha Shukla, mother of Group Captain and astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, got emotional during the lift off and said, 'Everyone is happy. These are tears of joy.'
Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla's father, Shambhu Dayal Shukla, said, 'It feels great. This was all God's blessings...'
The Axiom Mission 4 or Ax-4, launched aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Centre in Florida at 2:31 am Eastern Time (12 Noon IST).
In his remarks from onboard the Dragon spacecraft, Shukla said, 'Namaskar, my dear countrymen, what a ride. We are back in the space once again after 41 years. It's an amazing ride. We are revolving around the Earth at a speed of 7.5 kilometres per second. The Tiranga embossed on my shoulders tells me that I am with all of you. This journey of mine is not a beginning to the International Space Station (ISS) but to India's Human Space Programme. I want all of you to be part of this journey. Your chest, too, should swell with pride. You all also show excitement. Together, let's initiate India's Human Space Programme. Jai Hind! Jai Bharat!'
For Group Captain Shukla, this will be an opportunity to emulate fellow Indian Air Force Officer Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma, who flew aboard Soyuz T-11 on 3 April 1984 as part of the Soviet Interkosmos programme. Sharma spent seven days in space on board the Salyut 7 space station.
This is the fourth private astronaut mission to the International Space Station. The crew is travelling to the orbiting laboratory on a new SpaceX Dragon spacecraft. The targeted docking time is approximately 7 am Eastern Time (4 pm IST) on Thursday, June 26. (ANI)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
2 hours ago
- Business Standard
Astronaut 634 Shubhanshu Shukla: Shux blends science, sweets and space
Shubhanshu Shukla'S first seven days on the Ax-4 have combined science, ceremony, and moments of levity Shine Jacob Chennai Listen to This Article The name 'Shux'. Orbital flight number 634. Sleeping quarters: Dragon. And on the menu: Gajar ka halwa, moong dal halwa, and aam ras. These personal details, both technical and cultural, could soon take their place in history books as symbols of India's return to human spaceflight, after a 41-year break. Orbiting some 400 kilometres above Earth's surface at a speed of 8 kilometres per second, completing 16 orbits a day, Shubhanshu Shukla — 'Shux' to his crewmates — is now firmly embedded in the rhythms of life aboard the International Space Station (ISS). His first seven days on the Axiom
The Hindu
2 hours ago
- The Hindu
Axiom-4 will provide valuable inputs for Gaganyaan mission: ISRO
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has said that the Axiom-4 (Ax-04) mission which Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla is part of will provide valuable inputs for India's upcoming Gaganyaan mission. 'The Ax-04 mission will provide valuable inputs for ISRO's upcoming Gaganyaan mission. It offers hands-on experience in the nuances of international crew integration, medical and psychological preparation, real-time health telemetry, experiment execution, and crew–ground coordination,' ISRO said. It added that these insights will directly influence mission planning, safety validation, and astronaut readiness for India's first indigenous human spaceflight mission. 'This is one small step in orbit, but a giant leap in India's pursuit of human spaceflight and scientific discovery,' it added. ISRO said that preparations are also in progress for abort missions of the Gaganyaan mission and the first uncrewed test flight is targeted for the fourth quarter of 2025. It added that the first crewed flight of the Gaganyaan mission is expected by the first quarter of 2027. The space agency also said that as a tribute to India's rich cultural heritage, Group Captain Shukla is carrying a selection of the finest of Indian handicrafts to the International Space Station (ISS). 'These symbolic items, designed by students of the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, reflect the diversity, craftsmanship, and timeless beauty of India's traditional art forms, carefully curated to represent different regions and materials. These pieces serve as cultural ambassadors in space. Their journey aboard the ISS not only celebrates India's artistic legacy but also honours the generations of artisans who continue to keep these traditions alive,' the space agency said.
NDTV
2 hours ago
- NDTV
Why Is Mars Barren, Uninhabitable? NASA's Curiosity Rover Offers New Clue
Why is Mars barren and uninhabitable, while life has always thrived here on our relatively similar planet Earth? A discovery made by a NASA rover has offered a clue for this mystery, new research said Wednesday, suggesting that while rivers once sporadically flowed on Mars, it was doomed to mostly be a desert planet. Mars is thought to currently have all the necessary ingredients for life except for perhaps the most important one: liquid water. However the red surface is carved out by ancient rivers and lakes, showing that water once flowed on our nearest neighbour. There are currently several rovers searching Mars for signs of life that could have existed back in those more habitable times, millions of years ago. Earlier this year, NASA's Curiosity rover discovered a missing piece in this puzzle: rocks that are rich in carbonate minerals. These "carbonates" -- such as limestone on Earth -- act as a sponge for carbon dioxide, pulling it in from the atmosphere and trapping it in rock. A new study, published in the journal Nature, modelled exactly how the existence of these rocks could change our understanding of Mars's past. Brief 'oases' Lead study author Edwin Kite, a planetary scientist at the University of Chicago and a member of the Curiosity team, told AFP it appeared there were "blips of habitability in some times and places" on Mars. But these "oases" were the exception rather than the rule. On Earth, carbon dioxide in the atmosphere warms the planet. Over long timescales, the carbon becomes trapped in rocks such as carbonates. Then volcanic eruptions spew the gas back into the atmosphere, creating a well-balanced climate cycle supportive of consistently running water. However Mars has a "feeble" rate of volcanic outgassing compared to Earth, Kite said. This throws off the balance, leaving Mars much colder and less hospitable. According to the modelling research, the brief periods of liquid water on Mars were followed by 100 million years of barren desert -- a long time for anything to survive. It is still possible that there are pockets of liquid water deep underground on Mars we have not yet found, Kite said. NASA's Perseverance Rover, which landed on an ancient Martian delta in 2021, has also found signs of carbonates at the edge of dried-up lake, he added. Next, the scientists hope to discover more evidence of carbonates. Kite said the best proof would be returning rock samples from the Martian surface back to Earth -- both the United States and China are racing to do this in the next decade. Are we alone? Ultimately, scientists are searching for an answer to one of the great questions: how common are planets like Earth that can harbour life? Astronomers have discovered nearly 6,000 planets beyond our Solar System since the early 1990s. But only for Mars and Earth can scientists study rocks which allow them to understand the planet's past, Kite said. If we do determine that Mars never hosted even tiny micro-organisms during its watery times, that would indicate it is difficult to kick-start life across the universe. But if we discover proof of ancient life, that would "basically be telling us the origin of life is easy on a planetary scale," Kite said. dl/giv
