Indian enters International Space Station: Shubhanshu Shukla & crew dock successfully
SpaceX Dragon
spacecraft carrying four
Axiom Mission 4
(Ax-4) crew members including Mission Pilot Group Captain
Shubhanshu Shukla
docked at the
International Space Station
on Thursday.
Dragon was also carrying Ax-4 Commander Peggy Whitson, and Mission Specialists Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski and Tibor Kapu docked to the Harmony module's space-facing port.
— SpaceX (@SpaceX)
NASA
Flight Engineers Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers will be on duty at the beginning of their shift, monitoring Dragon during its automated approach and rendezvous manoeuvres.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Villas For Sale in Dubai Might Surprise You
Dubai villas | search ads
Get Deals
Undo
Meanwhile, McClain and Ayers, along with the rest of the station crew, worked a normal shift on Wednesday, keeping up with microgravity research and lab maintenance.
A big opportunity for Shubhanshu Shukla
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.
Live Events
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 I am with you all. 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!"
The astronauts plan to spend up to 14 days aboard the orbiting laboratory, conducting a mission that will include science, outreach, and commercial activities.
This will be the most research and science-related activities conducted on an Axiom Space mission aboard the International Space Station.
NASA and
ISRO
(Indian Space Research Organisation) are collaborating to launch several scientific investigations. These studies include examining muscle regeneration, growth of sprouts and edible microalgae, survival of tiny aquatic organisms, and human interaction with electronic displays in microgravity. The first private astronaut mission to the station, Axiom Mission 1, lifted off in April 2022 for a 17-day mission aboard the orbiting laboratory.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Shux, Ax-4 crew carry out multiple studies on brain
More than halfway through their journey aboard the International Space Station (ISS), Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla (Shux) and the Axiom-4 (Ax-4) crew have plunged deep into a battery of neuroscience experiments designed to decode how spaceflight alters memory, perception, speech, and even the body's stress response. From virtual reality headsets to voice analysis and functional brain scans, the crew's research is laying the foundation for safer, smarter, and longer human missions beyond Earth, while also holding the potential to yield insights for life on Earth. Inside the weightless lab, crew members donned a VR headset for the Neuromotion VR study, navigating attention-based tasks while wearing a cap lined with fNIRS (functional near-infrared spectroscopy) sensors. As per Axiom Space, these sensors track blood flow in the brain, offering real-time insight into how microgravity affects focus, planning, and movement. To triangulate these findings, astronauts also provided saliva and tear samples—biological markers that may reveal stress and neurochemical shifts in space. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Free P2,000 GCash eGift UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo Adding another layer to brain research, the team participated in the Voice in Space experiment, which could one day allow AI to detect signs of cognitive fatigue or stress based on speech alone. Cognitive flexibility was put to the test through the Acquired Equivalence Test, a psychological challenge that gauges associative learning in disorienting conditions. By measuring how astronauts process flipped or rotated visual cues in orbit compared to pre-and-post-flight performance, researchers hope to understand how the brain learns and adapts in unfamiliar environments. Mental acuity wasn't the only focus. The Ax-4 team contributed to 'ENPERCHAR', a perceptual awareness study analysing how spatial orientation and environmental awareness shift without gravity's pull. These insights are essential for designing future spacecraft and habitats that foster both mental and physical well-being. The Voyager Displays project also had the crew assessing eye movement, gaze tracking, and pointing accuracy. Simple tasks, like selecting a control or tracking motion, become more mentally taxing in microgravity. Understanding the link between cognition, stress, and sensorimotor function will help engineers build better, more intuitive systems for astronauts. Beyond the brain, Shukla continued operations for the Myogenesis study inside the Life Sciences Glovebox, examining the molecular drivers of muscle atrophy in space. The crew also explored neuromuscular electrical stimulation as a potential countermeasure, paving the way for breakthroughs that could benefit patients on Earth with age-related muscle decline or reduced mobility. From muscle loss to memory, and motion control to mental resilience, Shukla and the Ax-4 crew are trying to uncover what it truly means to take the human mind off Earth. Their efforts aren't just shaping the future of spaceflight—they're helping decode the biology of thought itself.
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
K-12 crusader bridges knowledge gap
If a schoolgirl from Cumbum can speak to a Harvard data science professor for career guidance,why can't the next innovator come from Dhanushkodi, not by accident but by intention and design, asks the acclaimed classical pianist and entrepreneur Anil Srinivasan, founder of Kruu, an edtech startup. The Kalaimamani awardee is known for his collaborations with renowned artists such as Sikkil Gurucharan, Aruna Sairam, Umayalpuram K Sivaraman, SPB and Chinmayi, and international musicians. And it came as no surprise, when more than a decade ago, he set aside the humdrum of rote learning, leaned on his background in performing arts and cognitive neuroscience to opt for a pedagogical approach involving learning through music. In 2013, he founded Rhapsody, a platform for imparting STEM education through music and visual arts using scientific methods. For instance, he has tried teaching children physics through songs, while playing the game 'pandi', a variant of hopscotch, popular in rural Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka. A decade later, he started Kruu, a platform that encourages school students to take up educational projects with structured study material, curated worksheets and mentorship. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Gentle Japanese hair growth method for men and women's scalp Hair's Rich Learn More Undo "The goal is to bridge the gap in access to knowledge. This model allows students to discover their inherent talent and work toward a career path. Professors from global universities help mentor the kids. Through these guided interventions, the students can assess their aptitude for specific disciplines, whether it's architecture, engineering, robotics, or VR-assisted medical education," he said. You Can Also Check: Chennai AQI | Weather in Chennai | Bank Holidays in Chennai | Public Holidays in Chennai Srinivasan's experience with school children, B-school classrooms and education abroad, helped him understand the issues at the grassroot levels, and at the same time made it easy to connect with researchers, including professors from reputed institutions. Setting up the escalation matrix, with masterclasses from local college interns (tuition akkas/annas), pre-preparatory tutorials, ensuring the right incentives for stakeholders including parents and teachers are critical in turning the platform into a successful business. Kruu's primary customer base is made up of schools, and Srinivasan believes existing AI-based learning platforms cannot replicate the curated learning model. "With parents leaning towards experiential learning for children, and policy alignment with NEP, the platform has seen a high adoption rate. It is easily scalable and has lower customer acquisition cost since it is a B2B model," he says. He did not stop with KG and middle schoolers as professors and universities are also keen to partner with him on outreach programmes. Anil has other verticals to help college students with final year projects with credits, as well as teaching venture building and product development. Few corporations even used the platform to conduct hackathons to find the perfect candidates. Kruu has so far raised $1.25 million funding from friends and family with notable investors such Girish Mathrubootham and Mithun Sacheti. He says the startup is profitable and scaling fast. It targets a revenue of `17 cr ($1.9 mn) this fiscal and $60 million in five years. The startup is currently operational in 11 countries including Sri Lanka, Maldives, Africa and is expanding into the UAE, Philippines, Latin America.
News18
2 hours ago
- News18
Indian Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla Shares Mesmerizing Glimpse Of Earth From ISS Observatory
Last Updated: Shubhanshu Shukla became the first Indian on the ISS, observing Earth from the Cupola Module. He docked with the ISS on June 26 as the mission pilot for Axiom-4. Indian government on Sunday shared a set of images showing Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, who scripted history by becoming the first Indian on the International Space Station, observing the Earth from the space station. Group Captain Shukla participated in the mission as the pilot for Axiom Space's Ax-4 mission, which launched on 25 June 2025 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. He was accompanied by veteran American astronaut Peggy Whitson, Polish scientist Sławosz Uznański, and Hungarian astronaut Tibor Kapu. Following a 28-hour journey, the crew successfully docked with the International Space Station on 26 June. In the pictures shared on X, Shukla is seen seated on the edge of the ISS' 7-windowed Cupola Module with the Earth visible in the background. 'Gazing Down From The Space! Group Capt Shubhanshu Shukla enjoys the stunning panoramic view of Earth from the 7-windowed Cupola Module aboard the International Space Station. It's been a remarkable journey as he marks a week in orbit, representing India among the stars," the X post of MyGovIndia reads. Sudhanshu Shukla has now completed 10 days in space, advancing research critical to the future of long-duration space exploration. One major focuses was the myogenesis investigation, which examines how microgravity accelerates muscle atrophy. In the absence of gravity, astronauts experience rapid weakening of skeletal muscles, a phenomenon linked to molecular and cellular changes. Get breaking news, in-depth analysis, and expert perspectives on everything from politics to crime and society. Stay informed with the latest India news only on News18. Download the News18 App to stay updated! First Published: July 06, 2025, 22:09 IST
