NASA Approves Indian Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla's Axiom-4 Mission
NASA has cleared its Axiom-4 crewed mission, which is going to be piloted by India's Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, for launch to the International Space Station (ISS). It will be a 14-day trip for Shukla, who will make his journey with three other astronauts.
Commanding this mission will be Peggy Whitson, a former NASA astronaut, and now director of human spaceflight at Axiom Space. Shukla, an Indian Air Force officer, and an astronaut for the Gaganyaan Mission of India, will be the pilot for this flight.
According to Dana Weigel, NASA's manager for the ISS program, she is eager about the ever-increasing level of private astronaut missions in low Earth orbit. "Private astronaut missions help pave the way and expand access to the unique microgravity environment", she said.
The crew will launch in a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, spending up to 14 days aboard the ISS. After docking, the crew plans to conduct scientific research and experiments. This flight will send Shukla to be the first Indian astronaut to visit the ISS- very important for not just India but for everyone in the world exploring space.
Whitson highlighted the collaborative nature of the mission, noting that the diverse skills and perspectives of the Ax-4 crew made it a rewarding experience for all involved. The Axiom-4 mission follows the success of Axiom Mission 1 in April 2022 and Axiom Mission 2 in May 2023, both of which also saw Whitson as the commander.
The Axiom-4 mission marks a major step in the ever-growing partnership between India and the United States in space exploration, a partnership that has gained further strength following an announcement made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he visited the US last year.
Shukla and his backup, Group Captain Prashanth Nair, have received intensive training at NASA, ESA, and JAXA for this mission.
