Indian Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla's Space Mission Delayed: What to Expect?
Mission Rescheduled for June
The launch of Axiom Space's mission to the International Space Station (ISS), featuring Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla among three other crew members, has been rescheduled to June 10 at 5:52 PM IST. The mission will take off aboard SpaceX's Falcon-9 rocket from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
This update was shared during a virtual press briefing with the Axiom-4 crew, who are currently in quarantine ahead of their journey to the ISS.
Initially set for May 29, the launch date was first moved to June 8 before the latest adjustment.
Shubhanshu Shukla will become the second Indian to venture into space, following Rakesh Sharma's historic flight aboard a Russian Soyuz spacecraft in 1984.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is anticipated to engage with the Axiom-4 crew during their two-week stay at the ISS.
In response to a question about the potential interaction with the Prime Minister from space, Shukla remarked, 'We will have one with an Indian VVIP.'
The Ax-4 crew plans to connect with students, educators, and professionals from the Indian space sector.
'This mission is a significant milestone for India, and I urge everyone to pray for its success. Even stars are within reach, Jai Hind,' Shukla expressed.
He also mentioned that he would bring traditional Indian dishes like mango nectar, moong dal halwa, and carrot halwa on the flight.
Alongside Shukla, the mission's pilot, the crew includes Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski from Poland and Tibor Kapu from Hungary, marking a historic first for both nations in traveling to the ISS and representing the second government-sponsored human spaceflight mission in over four decades.
Once they arrive, the astronauts intend to spend up to 14 days aboard the ISS, engaging in scientific research, outreach, and commercial activities.
The Ax-4 team is set to conduct approximately 60 scientific studies and activities, representing 31 different countries during their stay.
Shukla will lead unique food and nutrition experiments developed through a collaboration between the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), with assistance from NASA.
These experiments aim to advance space nutrition and self-sustaining life support systems, which are crucial for future long-duration space missions.
ISRO has prepared a series of seven experiments for Shukla, who will also take part in five joint studies organized by NASA for its human research program.
Plans are in place to focus on Indian-centric food experiments aboard the ISS, including sprouting methi (fenugreek) and moong (green gram) in microgravity.