India returns to space: Shubhanshu Shukla becomes first Indian on ISS
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India returns to space: Shubhanshu Shukla becomes first Indian on ISS
Shubhanshu Shukla is the first Indian in 41 years to travel to space and the very first to journey to the International Space Station. The Axiom-4 (Ax-4) mission, launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 12:01 p.m. IST, features a diverse international crew led by veteran astronaut Peggy Whitson. With this mission, India not only returns to human spaceflight but also cements its growing stature in the global space community.
Shux, a decorated Indian Air Force pilot, is the first Indian in 41 years to travel to space and the very first to journey to the International Space Station (ISS).
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The Axiom-4 (Ax-4) mission, launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 12:01 p.m. IST, features a diverse international crew led by veteran astronaut Peggy Whitson, with Poland’s Slawosz Uznaski and Hungary’s Tibor Kapu joining Shukla on this milestone voyage.
For Shukla, the mission is a culmination of years of preparation and national ambition, as he assumes the critical role of pilot—the first Indian ever to serve in such an operational capacity on an ISS mission.
This mission is not only a personal triumph but a quantum leap for India’s space program. While Rakesh Sharma’s 1984 flight aboard a Soviet Soyuz made him the first Indian in space, Shukla’s journey is the first to the ISS and comes as India prepares for its own indigenous human spaceflight program, Gaganyaan.
The Ax-4 mission is the most research-intensive commercial mission to the ISS to date, with over 60 scientific experiments from 31 countries—seven of which were designed by Indian scientists.
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Shukla will help lead investigations into metabolic diseases, microgravity’s effects on muscle and plant growth, microbial behavior, cognitive function, and materials testing, advancing India’s expertise in critical domains for future long-duration missions.
Shukla’s flight, achieved after multiple delays, shows the power of international collaboration, with ISRO, NASA, and the European Space Agency working together.
As Shukla put it before liftoff, he is “carrying the hopes and dreams of a billion hearts” into space. With this mission, India not only returns to human spaceflight but also cements its growing stature in the global space community.
– Ends
India returns to space: Shubhanshu Shukla becomes first Indian on ISS
Shubhanshu Shukla is the first Indian in 41 years to travel to the International Space Station. The mission is a culmination of years of preparation and national ambition. The Ax-4 mission is the most commercial mission to the ISS to date, with over 60 scientific experiments from 31 countries, seven of which were designed by Indian scientists. It comes as India prepares for its own indigenous human spaceflight program, Gaganyaan, which will launch in 2017.
Shux, a decorated Indian Air Force pilot, is the first Indian in 41 years to travel to space and the very first to journey to the International Space Station (ISS).
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The Axiom-4 (Ax-4) mission, launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 12:01 p.m. IST, features a diverse international crew led by veteran astronaut Peggy Whitson, with Poland’s Slawosz Uznaski and Hungary’s Tibor Kapu joining Shukla on this milestone voyage.
For Shukla, the mission is a culmination of years of preparation and national ambition, as he assumes the critical role of pilot—the first Indian ever to serve in such an operational capacity on an ISS mission.
This mission is not only a personal triumph but a quantum leap for India’s space program. While Rakesh Sharma’s 1984 flight aboard a Soviet Soyuz made him the first Indian in space, Shukla’s journey is the first to the ISS and comes as India prepares for its own indigenous human spaceflight program, Gaganyaan.
The Ax-4 mission is the most research-intensive commercial mission to the ISS to date, with over 60 scientific experiments from 31 countries—seven of which were designed by Indian scientists.
advertisement
Shukla will help lead investigations into metabolic diseases, microgravity’s effects on muscle and plant growth, microbial behavior, cognitive function, and materials testing, advancing India’s expertise in critical domains for future long-duration missions.
Shukla’s flight, achieved after multiple delays, shows the power of international collaboration, with ISRO, NASA, and the European Space Agency working together.
As Shukla put it before liftoff, he is “carrying the hopes and dreams of a billion hearts” into space. With this mission, India not only returns to human spaceflight but also cements its growing stature in the global space community.
– Ends