Shubhanshu Shukla's Axiom 4 Mission Creates History For 3 Countries
The Axiom 4 launch, a commercial human spaceflight mission involving Axiom Space, NASA, and SpaceX, has scripted history in more ways than one.
- Date & Time:
- |
- Views: 25
- |
- From: India News Bull
New Delhi:
The groundbreaking Axiom 4 mission, a collaborative commercial human spaceflight venture between Axiom Space, NASA, and SpaceX, has achieved remarkable milestones across multiple fronts. This mission represents a watershed moment not only for India, Poland, and Hungary—all sending astronauts to space for the first time in nearly 50 years—but also carries profound symbolic importance for both European and Asian space exploration.
Currently, the four-member crew aboard the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule circles our planet, accelerating to match velocity with the International Space Station, where they will spend the next 15 days conducting research and experiments.
As India's Shubhanshu Shukla, Poland's Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski, and Hungary's Tibor Kapu orbit Earth approximately 16 times daily, they witness a world dramatically transformed since their countries' previous space explorers ventured beyond our atmosphere.
When representatives from India, Poland, and Hungary last journeyed to space, the current astronauts hadn't yet been born. Those earlier space travelers were designated as cosmonauts, having flown on Soviet missions while the Iron Curtain still divided Europe. During the late 1970s and early 1980s, these missions occurred against the backdrop of the Cold War.
The previous Indian space traveler was Rakesh Sharma, an Indian Air Force pilot who visited the Salyut 7 space station in 1984 through a Soviet program designed to provide allied nations with space access. Poland's last space representative was Miroslaw Hermaszewski, who traveled to the Salyut 6 space station via Soyuz 30 in 1978. Hungary's final space traveler before this mission was Bertalan Farkasm, who also visited Salyut 6 aboard Soyuz 36 in 1980.
This mission, particularly for India, represents more than a singular achievement. ISRO, India's space agency, views the Axiom 4 mission as a crucial foundation for its inaugural crewed mission planned for 2027 under the Gaganyaan ("sky craft") program. Additionally, India intends to establish its own space station within the coming decade.
After liftoff, Shubhanshu Shukla's first words in Hindi were, "What a fantastic ride. This isn't just the start of my journey to the International Space Station - it is the beginning of India's human space programme." Prime Minister Narendra Modi celebrated the launch on X, stating, "He carries with him the wishes, hopes and aspirations of 1.4 billion Indians. Wish him and other astronauts all the success!"
The Axiom 4 mission also marks a significant milestone for SpaceX, introducing the fifth and final Crew Dragon vehicle—named 'Grace' upon reaching orbit—joining Endeavour, Resilience, Endurance, and Freedom in active service. SpaceX plans to eventually replace these vehicles with its next-generation 'Starship' rocket system in the 2030s.
The astronauts are scheduled to dock with the International Space Station on Thursday at approximately 1100 hrs GMT (1630 hrs IST). They will remain docked for two weeks before returning to Earth. Mission commander Peggy Whitson praised the spacecraft, saying, "It reflects the elegance with which we move through space against the backdrop of Earth," adding that "It speaks to the refinement of our mission, the harmony of science and spirit and the unmerited favor we carry with humility."
SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket, which delivered the Crew Dragon capsule to low Earth orbit, returned to NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida 8 minutes after launch. The liftoff occurred at 2:31 am local time (0631 hrs GMT, 1201 hrs IST).
(Editorial contribution by Anjali Kumari Jha)