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Time of India
2 days ago
- Science
- Time of India
Axiom-4 set to undock July 14; Shubhanshu Shukla to return; Isro marks private space milestone
Picture source: X @NASASpaceOps NEW DELHI: The Axiom-4 (Ax-4) mission is scheduled to undock from the International Space Station on July 14 at 4:30pm IST, the ministry of science and technology confirmed on Sunday. The mission marks the return of Isro-trained astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla , who became the first Indian to reach the ISS on a private spaceflight. His splashdown back on Earth is expected on July 15 at around 3:00pm IST. Union minister of state for science & technology and space, Jitendra Singh , shared the update on X, stating: 'Update: Axiom 4 International Space Station ISS Mission: As of now, undocking has been scheduled for tomorrow, 14th July at 4:30 PM IST. Arrival back to Earth… Splashdown scheduled for 15th July at 3:00 PM IST. These timings have a margin window of approximately 1 hour. Further updates, if any, shall be shared accordingly.' — DrJitendraSingh (@DrJitendraSingh) Shubhanshu Shukla launched aboard SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft, powered by a Falcon 9 rocket from Nasa's Kennedy Space Center. Trained by Isro, Shukla is part of a four-member Ax-4 crew alongside veteran astronaut Peggy Whitson, ESA's Slawosz Uznanski-Wiśniewski, and Hungary's Tibor Kapu. During their stay aboard the ISS, the Ax-4 crew conducted over 60 advanced experiments spanning fields such as biology, artificial intelligence, and materials science.
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First Post
25-06-2025
- Science
- First Post
Shubhanshu Shukla and the other crew members on Axiom-4 mission
Shubhanshu Shukla is set to become the first Indian astronaut to travel to the International Space Station, with the Axiom-4 mission scheduled for launch on Wednesday (June 25). The mission will be led by Peggy Whitson, the most experienced astronaut in American history, who has spent more days in space than any other woman globally. The other two mission specialists are Tibor Kapu from Hungary and Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski from Poland read more The crew will fly to the space station aboard a new SpaceX Dragon spacecraft. X/@NASASpaceOps Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla and three others are ready to head to the International Space Station (ISS) on Wednesday, after several delays. SpaceX has said that weather conditions are 90 per cent suitable for the launch. Meanwhile, Nasa said that the Axiom Mission 4, which is the fourth private astronaut mission to the ISS, is expected to launch at 12.01 pm (IST). ALSO READ | Why Axiom-4 mission carrying Shubhanshu Shukla faced multiple delays STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The crew will fly to the space station aboard a new SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, which will be launched using the company's Falcon 9 rocket. So, who are the other astronauts joining Shubhanshu Shukla on this journey? Let's take a look: Axiom-4 mission: Who are the crew members? Shubhanshu Shukla is set to become the first Indian astronaut to travel to the International Space Station. Joining him on the Axiom-4 mission are three other astronauts. Leading the mission is Peggy Whitson, a former Nasa astronaut and now Director of Human Spaceflight at Axiom Space. The two mission specialists are Tibor Kapu from Hungary and Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski from Poland. Both are project astronauts with the European Space Agency. Here's a look at the crew: Peggy Whitson Whitson, who previously commanded Axiom Mission 2 (Ax-2), is the most experienced astronaut in American history. She has completed three long-duration missions and spent a total of 665 days in space, more than any other American or woman astronaut globally. With over 38 years of experience in space and science, she has worked with Nasa in various roles and now heads human spaceflight at Axiom Space. She is the most experienced astronaut in American history. Reuters/File Photo During Ax-2, she became the first woman to command a private space mission. She was also the first woman to lead the ISS and remains the only woman to have done so twice. She also made history as Nasa's first non-military female chief of the Astronaut Office. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Across her three missions, she has performed 10 spacewalks, clocking over 60 hours, and carried out hundreds of experiments aboard the ISS. She has made contributions to biology, biotechnology, physical and Earth sciences, and has also overseen numerous cargo missions bringing supplies and research material to the station. ALSO READ | What is Axiom-4 Mission that India's Sudhanshu Shukla will pilot to space? Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski Polish scientist and engineer Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski has made huge contributions to science and space research. He is part of the European Space Agency's Astronaut Reserve Class of 2022 and was selected from more than 22,500 applicants. Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski joins the Axiom-4 mission as a mission specialist. Reuters/File Photo At the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) in Geneva, he worked as a reliability expert and project lead. From 2018 to 2020, he served as Engineer in Charge of the Large Hadron Collider, overseeing its operations. He joins the Axiom-4 mission as a mission specialist. Tibor Kapu Kapu is a mechanical engineer from Hungary who will also serve as a mission specialist on the mission. Before joining the Hungarian Astronaut Programme, he worked on space radiation protection at an aerospace technology firm. Tibor Kapu has completed 38 skydives and has run 21 half marathons. Reuters/File Photo In 2023, Kapu was chosen as one of four finalists from 247 candidates for Hungary's astronaut training under the Hungarian to Orbit (Hunor) Astronaut Program. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD He has studied space engineering, health in space, and the history of spaceflight. He has also taken part in several scientific experiments. Outside his professional life, he enjoys adventure sports. He has completed 38 skydives and has run 21 half marathons. Shubhanshu Shukla's journey to ISS Shukla is the designated pilot for the Axiom-4 mission. He is one of the four astronauts preparing for India's first human spaceflight programme, Gaganyaan, which is scheduled for launch in the first half of 2027. Originally from Lucknow, Shukla has served as a fighter pilot for over 16 years and has logged more than 2,000 hours of flying time. As part of the mission, he will lead research focused on food and nutrition in space. These studies have been developed with the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) and the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), with support from Nasa. Over the course of his aviation career, Shukla has flown various aircraft, including the Su-30MKI, MIG-21, MIG-29, Jaguar, and Hawk. He is a qualified fighter combat leader and an award-winning test pilot. With this launch, Shukla becomes the first Indian astronaut to travel to space in more than forty years, after Rakesh Sharma's historic mission aboard a Soviet Soyuz spacecraft in 1984. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD With inputs from agencies
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First Post
20-06-2025
- Science
- First Post
6 delays and counting: What's going wrong with Axiom-4 mission carrying Shubhanshu Shukla?
Axiom Space has announced that Nasa has once again deferred the launch of the Axiom-4 mission, which was set for Sunday, June 22. This is the sixth delay for the mission that is to carry Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, along with three other crew members, to the ISS. The mission was originally scheduled for liftoff on May 29. The current launch window remains open until June 30. If the mission does not launch by then, the next available window will be in mid-July read more Once again, the launch of the Axiom-4 mission, which includes Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla and three others, has been pushed back. This is the since the mission was first scheduled to lift off on May 29. It will now not take place on June 22 as previously planned. A new launch date is expected to be announced soon. ALSO READ | What is Shubhanshu Shukla carrying to space? Aam ras, halwa and more STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The current launch window remains open until June 30. If the mission does not take off by then, the next possible window will come up in mid-July. Why has the mission been delayed so many times? What caused each of the six postponements? Let's take a look at the answers: Axiom-4 mission: What's behind the repeated delays? Axiom Space has said that Nasa has once again called off the planned launch of the Axiom-4 mission , which was scheduled for Sunday, June 22. A new launch date will be shared in the coming days. The delay comes as the space agency continues to assess ongoing operations on board the International Space Station (ISS), following recent repair work in the rear section of the station's Zvezda service module. Axiom Space said in a statement, 'Given the space station's complex and interdependent systems, Nasa is taking the necessary time to review data and ensure it is ready to support additional crew members.' This is now the sixth delay since the mission was first scheduled to launch on May 29. The mission crew includes Commander Peggy Whitson, along with specialists Tigor Kapu from Hungary and Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski from Poland, apart from Shukla. X/@NASASpaceOps Here's a breakdown of what happened each time: May 29: The launch was called off after an 'observation in the electrical harness' of the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, where the crew is seated for their journey to the ISS. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD June 8: The launch was delayed by a day as the SpaceX Falcon 9 launch vehicle was not ready. June 9: Bad weather along the rocket's ascent path led to another 24-hour delay. June 10: An oxygen leak was found, along with an issue in one of the actuators. 'Anticipating the quick resolution of LOx (liquid oxygen) leak issue, the launch was rescheduled to June 11, 2025,' the space agency said. June 11: Nasa said it was working with Russia's space agency to look into a 'new pressure signature,' which could point to a leak in the rear section of one of the Russian modules on the ISS. June 19: The launch was pushed to June 22. Axiom Space said the change was to give Nasa more time to continue checks on the ISS after repairs in the Zvezda module. June 22: The most recent delay was also linked to 'operational and safety concerns' being worked on at the ISS. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD This is now the sixth delay since the mission was first scheduled to launch on May 29. Image: Nasa Axiom Space said in a statement that the space agency needs more time to assess operations on the International Space Station following recent repairs in the rear section of the Zvezda service module. As the space station's systems are closely linked and rely on one another, Nasa wants to make sure it is fully prepared to support more crew members and is reviewing all necessary data, the statement added. Axiom-4 mission: What is it? Who are the crew members? The Axiom-4 mission will see its crew conducting nearly 60 scientific experiments during their time on the International Space Station. Axiom Space has said that the research is specifically designed for microgravity conditions and is being carried out on behalf of organisations from around the world. Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla will lead food and nutrition-related studies, developed in collaboration with the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) and the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), with support from Nasa. These experiments aim to find better ways to improve space nutrition and develop self-sustaining life support systems, both essential for future long-duration missions. The crew includes Commander Peggy Whitson, along with mission specialists Tigor Kapu from Hungary and Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski from Poland, in addition to Shukla. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD This mission is India's return to human spaceflight after 41 years. The last Indian to travel to space was Rakesh Sharma, who flew aboard Soviet Russia's Soyuz spacecraft in 1984. With inputs from agencies
