Latest news with #Falcon-9
India.com
4 days ago
- Science
- India.com
PM Modi interacts with Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, who is aboard ISS
(Image: X/@PMOIndia) New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday, 28 June 2025 interacted with Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, who is aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The PMO India in a post on X said: 'PM @narendramodi interacted with Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, who is aboard the International Space Station.' PM @narendramodi interacted with Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, who is aboard the International Space Station. — PMO India (@PMOIndia) June 28, 2025 Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla of Indian Air Force created history as he travelled to International Space Station (ISS) aboard the private Axiom-4 (Ax-4) mission. He is piloting the SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft, with a team of astronauts from India, Poland, US and Hungry. The take-off happened through the Falcon-9 rocket from the NASA's Kennedy Space Centre in Florida on June 25. Four decades after Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma, Shubhanshu Shukla becomes the second Indian to go to space. He, along with the crew, will be living and working on the ISS for 14 days. The Ax-4 mission is a joint collaboration between NASA, ISRO, and Axiom Space. Shukla and his team will be conducting over 60 experiments, led by several Indian researches, along with the team of NASA, further highlighting India's global expansion in space, science and technology.
The Print
5 days ago
- Science
- The Print
Rakesh Sharma to Shubhanshu Shukla—India's space programme is entering a bold new era
After multiple delays, the mission finally took flight from the NASA Kennedy Space Center on Wednesday, onboard SpaceX's Falcon-9 rocket. First, the weather, and then leaks observed in the rocket and the Russian module of the ISS, delayed the launch for nearly a month. As part of the Axiom-4 mission, a private human spaceflight led by US space company Axiom Space, Group Captain Shukla of the Indian Air Force (IAF) reached the International Space Station (ISS) on Thursday. He became the first Indian to ever set foot in the facility. New Delhi: It was a 41-year wait for Indians before they could finally witness one of them put on an astronaut suit, strap into a rocket, and launch into space. Rakesh Sharma did it in 1984, and Shubhanshu Shukla in 2025. The time, the place, and the mission were vastly different, but what did not change was the fervour with which their countrymen rooted for their success. But when the rocket finally took off, the wait seemed worth it. Now that Shukla has reached the ISS, his 14-day stay will be spent leading seven experiments developed by top Indian research institutions. He will also participate in over 60 scientific experiments and other activities in microgravity. With India preparing for its first human spaceflight, Gaganyaan—set to launch by 2027—Shukla's flight to space comes as an important pre-game experience, and that is why India's human spaceflight journey from Sharma to Shukla is ThePrint Newsmaker of the Week. Sharma to Shukla IAF Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma was 35 when he was chosen to be a part of the Soviet mission, Soyuz T-11, in 1982. His interaction with then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi from the Russian space station Salyut 7 is etched in history. When asked how India looks from space, he proudly said, 'Saare jahan se accha'. Sharma's selection for the USSR mission was a significant moment in history, not just for India but for the global collaborative space programme. During the Cold War, between 1947 and 1991, the Soviet Union introduced the Intercosmos initiative to partner with allied and friendly countries. India got a chance to send an astronaut-designate as part of this deal. Sharma, who was a squadron leader back then, was also a test pilot with the IAF. This automatically qualified him as a possible applicant. But this was just the first step to a strenuous two-year training. He underwent several training rounds and beat over 150 candidates before his selection. The training involved facing high G-forces or gravitational force equivalents, sensory deprivation tests, and cardiovascular and vestibular stress simulations. 'But it was all worth it. No matter how hard you train, nothing can completely prepare you for space,' Sharma said in an earlier conversation with ThePrint. For Shukla, who was born a year after the Soviet mission, Sharma became a hero. Still unsure of whether he would be able to fly to space like his idol, he followed Sharma's footsteps to become a test pilot first. In 2019, his dream came true. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), which had been working to develop the country's human spaceflight, called for applications from test pilots from the IAF to be a part of the mission. Along with Shukla, Group Captain Prasanth B Nair, Group Captain Angad Pratap, and Group Captain Ajit Krishnan were also chosen to be a part of India's much-awaited Gaganyaan mission. Thus began nearly four years of training for India's very own human spaceflight. And it was midway through training for Gaganyaan that the opportunity for Axiom-4 came up. Shukla became the chosen one, with Nair as his backup crew in the mission. Also read: Axiom-4 has venture capitalists looking skyward, but investment in space tech needs an attitude reset Setting the stage for Gaganyaan Sharma and Shukla's missions are starkly different—though equally significant—not only because of the countries leading them, but where they stand in history. Axiom-4, with Shukla as the mission pilot, comes at a time when the Indian space programme is powering through. It has already reached the Moon and aims to build its very own space station, Bharatiya Antariksh Station, by 2035. In the five years after that, India aims to land a human on the Moon. ISRO is also designing missions to explore Venus and Mars, and bring back samples from the Moon. With the Indian Space Policy 2023, the government has also opened the sector to private players. Astrophysicist and Ashoka University vice-chancellor Somak Raychaudhury said that learnings from Axiom-4 will help improve India's own human spaceflight. 'There would be a lot of tech and logistical learnings from the mission that we will be able to implement in Gaganyaan,' he added. The mission's impact will go beyond policy rooms, labs, and launch pads to classrooms, social media, and public discussions. Axiom-4 marks the beginning of India's space aspirations for the decades ahead. And Shukla has become the face of it. Views are personal. (Edited by Prasanna Bachchhav)
Time of India
6 days ago
- Science
- Time of India
Russia Lashes US, Israel Amid Iran-IAEA Clash; ‘Blaming Tehran Can't Justify…'
'Jai Hind, Jai Bharat': Shubhanshu Shukla's First Words From Space | Historic Moment for India 'Namaskar mere deshwasiyon… Jai Hind, Jai Bharat!' With these emotional words, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla made history from orbit, becoming the first Indian in 41 years to enter space. Speaking from aboard the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, shortly after separation from the Falcon-9 rocket, Shukla proudly said the tricolour is on his shoulder, symbolizing the hopes of 1.4 billion Indians. Launching at 12:01 pm IST from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, the Axiom-4 mission overcame last-minute tech glitches to lift off successfully. Shukla joins three other astronauts—including Commander Peggy Whitson—in a 14-day journey to the International Space Station (ISS). Calling it not just his mission, but the start of India's human spaceflight era, Shukla's voice from space has ignited national pride. This is more than science—it's a legacy reborn.#shubhanshushukla #jaihindfromspace #indiaisspace #axiom4launch #humanflightindia #toi #toibharat #bharat #breakingnews #indianews 51.1K views | 1 day ago
Time of India
6 days ago
- Science
- Time of India
Putin's 'Hunt & Kill' Continues; Russia Wipes Out 100+ Mercenaries In Brutal Strike On Sumy's Military Ground
'Jai Hind, Jai Bharat': Shubhanshu Shukla's First Words From Space | Historic Moment for India 'Namaskar mere deshwasiyon… Jai Hind, Jai Bharat!' With these emotional words, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla made history from orbit, becoming the first Indian in 41 years to enter space. Speaking from aboard the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, shortly after separation from the Falcon-9 rocket, Shukla proudly said the tricolour is on his shoulder, symbolizing the hopes of 1.4 billion Indians. Launching at 12:01 pm IST from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, the Axiom-4 mission overcame last-minute tech glitches to lift off successfully. Shukla joins three other astronauts—including Commander Peggy Whitson—in a 14-day journey to the International Space Station (ISS). Calling it not just his mission, but the start of India's human spaceflight era, Shukla's voice from space has ignited national pride. This is more than science—it's a legacy reborn.#shubhanshushukla #jaihindfromspace #indiaisspace #axiom4launch #humanflightindia #toi #toibharat #bharat #breakingnews #indianews 80.0K views | 1 day ago
News18
7 days ago
- Science
- News18
Axiom-4 Update: After Seamless Lift-Off, SpaceX Dragon Braces For Docking; Next Stop ISS
Last Updated: Dragon will undergo multiple orbital burns before docking with ISS's Harmony module at 4:30 pm IST, followed by hatch-opening, safety checks and crew handover activities. After a seamless lift-off from Kennedy Space Centre in Florida, the SpaceX Dragon capsule carrying Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla is now on course to dock with the International Space Station (ISS), marking a historic milestone in its journey and a pivotal moment for India. Ever since its separation from the Falcon-9's second-stage, the Dragon capsule has been orbiting the Earth – awaiting perfect alignment with the microgravity laboratory. The four-member crew changed out of their space-suits, had a meal and took a rest period before their arrival – during what is referred to as the Activation and Rendezvous Phase of the spacecraft. This is the first flight for the SpaceX's Dragon supporting the mission, adding a fifth Dragon to the SpaceX's fleet of spacecraft supporting commercial human spaceflight missions. As it approaches the ISS, NASA's role now becomes critical – managing the integration phase of docking, continuing support through the crew's stay aboard the ISS and concluding after their safe splashdown into the sea. NASA TAKES CHARGE, AS DRAGON APPROACHES ISS Scientists have been closely monitoring the spacecraft's trajectory. Though it may seem like a routine procedure for the US-space agency, each mission presents its own set of complexities during docking. Though very few, there have been instances where technical glitches, navigation misalignments, communication dropout or a sudden anomaly caused delays. In 2020, SpaceX Crew-1 faced a minor navigation alignment issue during docking, but it was soon resolved by the on-board systems. In 2019, Boeing's Starliner encountered a more serious setback during its first orbital test flight, when a system anomaly prevented it from reaching the ISS. The spacecraft had to return to Earth prematurely, but managed to complete the mission on its second un-crewed attempt in 2022. The mission was aimed at validating Starliner's role in NASA's human spaceflight programmes. During this 28.5-hour journey, Dragon will perform a series of orbital burns to gradually align and raise its orbit for a precise docking with the ISS's Harmony module. While automated systems are designed to handle docking procedures efficiently, they still demand careful monitoring and maneuvering by ground teams and on-board crew. According to the current timeline, it is scheduled to dock with Harmony's space-facing port at 4:30 PM IST after which the hatch will be opened, allowing the crew to enter the ISS and begin their stay aboard the orbiting laboratory. The Ax-4 private astronauts will greet the seven Expedition 73 crewmates, call down to Earth for welcoming remarks, then participate in a safety briefing with the station residents. PROUD MOMENT FOR EVERY INDIAN Just as the Falcon-9 ascent began, scientists, researchers from various institutes gathered at CSIR headquarters in New Delhi to watch the big moment. 'Very rarely do I go speechless, but today is one such day. I consider this the greatest opportunity for CSIR – second only to the Chandrayaan touchdown. Day by day, society is starting to believe more strongly that development can truly happen through science and technology, and the space team is taking us to even greater heights. They will conduct experiments, explore how Carbon-Nitrogen exchange happens in microgravity, and even the potential to grow plants. Based on this first step, we may begin to understand so much more – what all is possible in space," said Dr N Kalaiselvi, Director-General, CSIR. Dr M Ravichandran, Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences too was ecstatic as he congratulated ISRO for its successful collaboration. 'We are very happy for Group Captain Shukla that he will get to see the Earth from space, and eagerly waiting for the pictures. This will also help in preparing for Gaganyaan, so by the time it comes, we will be ready. It is a milestone that has been delayed multiple times, but it is a proud moment for all of us. And next we have is Samudrayaan (India's deep ocean mission). We are waiting for that moment too."
