Latest news with #Axiom4Mission
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Science
- Hindustan Times
Shubhanshu Shukla and crew's return journey set for July 14; farewell ceremony today
After completing close to 230 orbits around the Earth and travelling for more than six million miles, the Axiom 4 Mission crew is set to return on Monday, 14 July. Ahead of the undocking, a farewell ceremony for the four astronauts will be held on July 13, 7:25 PM IST. Axiom Mission 4 was launched on June 25 which has a four member crew including group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, the first Indian to visit the ISS. (@Axiom_Space) The four astronaut crew, which includes India's Shubhanshu Shukla, is scheduled to undock from the International Space Station on July 14, at 4:34 pm IST, as per NASA. As per ISRO, the Dragon spacecraft will follow a series of orbital maneuvers after undocking and is expected to reach near the coast of California on July 15 at 3pm IST. Also read: Axiom Mission 4 crew to depart ISS on July 14: Here's when and where to watch live The Dragon spacecraft will return along with more than 580 pounds of cargo, including NASA hardware and data from over 60 experiments conducted during the mission. Shukla and the three other astronauts are expected to board the spacecraft at 2:25 pm IST on July 14 and carry out the necessary tests before they begin their journey back to Earth. Shukla to undergo rehab upon return; family waits eagerly Upon his return to Earth, Shubhanshu Shukla is set to undergo a seven-day rehabilitation. "Post splashdown, the Gaganyatri will undergo a rehabilitation program (about seven days) under supervision of Flight Surgeon to adapt back to Earth's gravity,' said ISRO. Meanwhile, the Indian astronaut's family expressed joy and pride and said that they are eagerly waiting for his return. While speaking to PTI, Shubhanshu's father Shambhu Dayal Shukla said 'it felt great to see that his mission is going well. He showed us where he works, where he sleeps, his lab, and what his daily routine looks like." Shukla became the second Indian to go to space and the first to enter the International Space Station with the Axiom-4 mission. When was Axiom 4 Mission launched? Axiom Mission 4, carrying Shukla, took off for the ISS on June 26. Along with Shukla, the mission had three mother astronauts - commander Peggy Whitson from the US, and mission specialists Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski and Tibor Kapu of Poland and Hungary The SpaceX Falcon 9, carrying the crew, was launched from NASA's Kennedy Space Centre in Florida. Over two weeks of their mission, the crew was involved in research activities including performing centrifugation and freezing of microalgae samples.
India.com
5 days ago
- Science
- India.com
Axiom 4 Mission: Shubhanshu Shukla's scheduled return to Earth postponed, now he will come back on...
(Image: @airnewsalerts) New Delhi: Indian Air Force (IAF) Group Captain and Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla will return to Earth on July 14, said US space agency NASA on Thursday, July 10. Shukla is currently serving as the mission pilot for the ongoing Axiom Mission 4 mission to the International Space Station (ISS). When was Axiom 4 Mission launched? The Axiom mission was launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida via SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket. Originally, the duration of the mission was 14 days, i.e., Shubhanshu Shukla and the team were scheduled to return to earth on July 10, but now, they will return on July 14. The mission is part of a joint effort between NASA and ISRO. Earlier on July 6, some pictures of Shubhanshu were revealed from the ISS station in which Shubhanshu was seen looking at the Earth from the window of the Cupola module. What assignments did Shubhanshu Shukla execute? Shubhanshu Shukla conducted three experiments. In the first instance, he worked on the sprouts project on sprouting seeds like green gram and fenugreek on the orbital lab, said NASA. This was done to study how microgravity affects germination and early plant development. On return to Earth, the seeds will be cultivated over several generations to examine changes in their genetics, microbial ecosystems, and nutritional profiles. In another experiment, he deployed and stowed microalgae, which are being investigated for their potential to produce food, oxygen, and even biofuels. According to another source, Shubhanshu will conduct seven experiments of Indian Education Institutes in ISS. Most of these are biological studies. He will do 5 other experiments with NASA, in which data will be collected for long space missions. What is India's role in the mission? This is a private space flight mission, which is being conducted in partnership with American space companies Axiom, NASA and SpaceX. They send private astronauts to ISS in their spacecraft. India has paid Rs 548 crore for one seat. The experiments conducted by Shubhanshu strengthen India's Gaganyaan mission. Shukla is the first Indian to be onboard the International Space Station (ISS) and the second astronaut from the country, after Rakesh Sharma in 1984. What is International Space Station? The International Space Station (ISS) is a large spacecraft revolving around the Earth. Astronauts live in it and experiment in micro gravity. It travels at a speed of 28,000 kilometers per hour. It completes one orbit around the Earth every 90 minutes. Five space agencies have built it together. The first piece of the station was launched in November 1998.
Hindustan Times
26-06-2025
- Science
- Hindustan Times
Shubhanshu Shukla scripts history, becomes first Indian to enter ISS; will spend 14 days researching microgravity
Jun 26, 2025 05:55 PM IST Following the successful docking of the Axiom 4 Mission's Dragon spacecraft on Thursday, Shubhanshu Shukla made history as the first Indian to enter the International Space Station (ISS). He will spend the next 14 days aboard the orbiting lab researching microgravity. Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, 39, hailing from Lucknow, became the second Indian to travel to space – 41 years after his idol Rakesh Sharma spent eight days.(REUTERS) The mission officially begins the crew's two-week stay on the ISS, during which they will carry out scientific experiments, technology demonstrations, and educational outreach activities in a microgravity environment. As part of the Axiom-4 Mission, the crew is scheduled to perform approximately 60 experiments, with Shukla leading seven of them. This mission also marks a major collaboration between NASA and ISRO, fulfilling a commitment made by US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to send the first ISRO-associated astronaut to the space station. The agencies are jointly conducting five science investigations and two STEM-focused in-orbit demonstrations, reflecting their long-standing partnership in advancing space exploration and scientific research. In addition to India, the Axiom 4 mission includes the first astronauts from Poland and Hungary to stay aboard the ISS, making it a landmark moment for all three nations. Five facts about Shubhanshu Shukla Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, 39, hailing from Lucknow, became the second Indian to travel to space, 41 years after his idol Rakesh Sharma spent eight days aboard the Soviet Union's Salyut-7 space station in 1984. Shukla, a highly accomplished pilot in the Indian Air Force (IAF), has been selected as one of the four astronauts for ISRO's landmark Gaganyaan mission – India's first human spaceflight initiative. A decorated combat leader and experienced test pilot, Shukla has logged over 2,000 flying hours across a wide range of aircraft, including the Su-30 MKI, MiG-21, MiG-29, Jaguar, Hawk, Dornier, and An-32. His promotion to Group Captain in March 2024 is a testament to his outstanding service. On February 27, 2024, Prime Minister Narendra Modi officially announced Shukla as one of the astronauts undergoing advanced training for the Gaganyaan mission, which is set for launch in 2025. Nicknamed 'Shux' by his team, Shukla is also serving as the mission pilot for the Axiom 4 mission to the ISS. In this role, he is responsible for overseeing critical operations during docking, including tracking the spacecraft's trajectory, orbital alignment, and coordinating with the ISS for a smooth connection.
Hindustan Times
26-06-2025
- Science
- Hindustan Times
Axiom 4 Mission: Dragon capsule carrying Shubhanshu Shukla, 3 other astronauts successfully docks with ISS
The Axiom 4 Mission's Dragon capsule, carrying Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla and three crewmates, successfully docked with the International Space Station (ISS) on Thursday at 4.30 pm IST. The four-member Axiom 4 team is led by 65-year-old Peggy Whitson, a former NASA astronaut and now director of human spaceflight at Axiom Space. (SpaceX) Shukla and the team lifted off aboard SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft, powered by a Falcon 9 rocket, from NASA's Kennedy Space Centre in Florida on Wednesday. The crew is scheduled to spend 14 days on the ISS conducting scientific research in microgravity. With this mission, Shukla became only the second Indian to travel to space after Rakesh Sharma, and the first Indian to reach the ISS in four decades. Sharma had spent eight days in orbit aboard the Soviet Union's Salyut-7 station in 1984. Ahead of the launch, Shukla had expressed hope that his mission would inspire the next generation, just as Sharma's journey had done decades earlier. In a message from space, Shukla described adapting to microgravity as 'like learning to live again, like a baby,' and called the experience of floating in a vacuum 'amazing.' Reflecting on the 30-day pre-launch quarantine, he said, 'All I could think was — just let us go.' The Dragon capsule, mounted atop the two-stage Falcon 9, lit up the night sky as it launched, trailing a glowing yellow plume over Florida's Atlantic coast. Live footage showed the astronauts seated calmly in their white-and-black suits, strapped into the pressurised cabin as the spacecraft began its journey to low Earth orbit. Also Read | Shubhanshu Shukla in space: IAF celebrates 'deja vu moment', 41 years after Rakesh Sharma's iconic flight Axiom 4 Mission The autonomously piloted Crew Dragon spacecraft of the Axiom 4 Mission was set to reach the International Space Station (ISS) after a 28-hour journey, docking with the orbiting outpost as both spacecraft cruise roughly 400 km (250 miles) above Earth. The Axiom 4 crew will be welcomed aboard the ISS by its seven current residents – three NASA astronauts, one Japanese astronaut, and three Russian cosmonauts. The four-member Axiom 4 team is led by 65-year-old Peggy Whitson, a former NASA astronaut and now director of human spaceflight at Axiom Space. Her teammates include Shubhanshu Shukla (39) from India, Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski (41) from Poland, and Tibor Kapu (33) from Hungary. Also Read | Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla's emotional note for wife before journey to space This marks the fourth mission by Houston-based Axiom Space since 2022, as the company expands its portfolio of private and international astronaut missions to low Earth orbit. For India, Poland, and Hungary, this launch represents a historic return to human spaceflight after over four decades and their first crewed mission to the ISS. Mission commander Whitson holds the US record for most cumulative time in space – 675 days – across four missions. She became NASA's first female chief astronaut and the first woman to command the ISS. She previously commanded the Axiom 2 Mission in 2023. Wednesday's launch also marked SpaceX's 18th human spaceflight, a milestone in its collaboration with NASA that began in 2020, restoring the US's ability to send astronauts to space from its own soil after the retirement of the Space Shuttle program in 2011. Axiom Space, co-founded by a former NASA ISS program head, is also among a few companies building a commercial space station, aiming to take over after the ISS is retired by around 2030.
Time of India
26-06-2025
- Science
- Time of India
A boy once nervous about his maths score is now on star trek; My heart raced during countdown, says Shubhanshu Shukla's mother
LUCKNOW: When Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla exclaimed "Kya kamaal ki ride thi!" 10 minutes into his historic journey to space Wednesday, his maths teacher and mentor in school, Nageshwar Prasad Shukla, would have read more into it than what 1.4 billion-odd other proud Indians did. This was a boy so low on confidence after his Class XII pre-boards in 2002 that he feared telling his parents how much he had scored in maths. "One evening, he returned home after playing football and saw my bike parked outside. He entered his home looking nervous, having assumed that I was there to complain to his parents about his exam scores," recalled Nageshwar, who taught Shubhanshu at City Montessori School in Lucknow's Aliganj. As the excitement of Shubhanshu's "ride" from Aliganj to Axiom-4 coursed through his hometown, Nageshwar was among those celebrating not just a momentous achievement but also a triumph of spirit. "After his below-par performance, I motivated him to start afresh. He worked hard, delivered and made us all proud in the board exams. As they say, the rest is history," the teacher said. At the CMS auditorium on Shubhanshu's biggest day, his parents Shambhu Dayal and Asha Shukla sat in the front row, eyes fixed on the screen. The 12.01pm lift-off from Kennedy Space Center broke the silence in the room. Amid chants of "Hip Hip Hurray", a section of the audience leapt off their seats to do an impromptu bhangra. "In a single moment, I experienced pride, joy and tears," Shambhu Dayal said. "Shubhanshu has always been focused, disciplined and deeply patriotic. Today, as he flies into space, I see the reward of years of dedication. It's not just his achievement; it belongs to the entire nation." The astronaut's mother said all she would be doing throughout the mission is pray for her son's safe return. "My heart raced during the countdown. My son has taken our blessings with him on his voyage to space. I know he will be successful," said Asha. Shubhanshu's sister Nidhi said seeing the spacecraft "disappear into the sky" left her overwhelmed. "Years of hard work have paid off. Now, all I want is for my brother to return safely so that I can give him a tight hug." Niece Vaishnavi and nephew Nimay said they looked up to their "mama" as a "superhero" for whom no horizon was far enough to explore. "Today, world saw what we have known all along," said Nimay. Among those who watched the local boy's space voyage were teachers and alumni of CMS. "It wasn't just a mission launch, but history being created in front of us. As the rocket lifted off, I had goosebumps. Someone from our city was reaching for the stars. That moment made us believe that dreams, no matter how distant, are within reach," said Akriti Ahluwalia, one of the happy faces in the audience. Uttar Pradesh chief miniser Yogi Adityanath wrote on X, "A proud moment for India! Heartiest congratulations to Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, the Mission Pilot of Axiom 4 Mission, on this historic achievement (sic)."
