Axiom-4: Shubhanshu Shukla’s Journey to the ISS Explained
Why in the news
Indian Air Force officer Shubhanshu Shukla was named pilot of the upcoming Axiom-4 flight to the International Space Station, a first for an Indian astronaut.
Key facts
- Axiom-4 is a private ISS mission by Axiom Space, a US space infrastructure firm.
- Spacecraft: repurposed SpaceX Crew Dragon, launched on a Falcon 9 from Florida.
- Fourth in the series after Ax1, Ax2 and Ax3, all with NASA.
- Duration: 14 days at the ISS with experiments, tech demos and outreach.
- Crew can include professional astronauts, researchers and private individuals.
Objectives
| Theme | Aim |
|---|---|
| Commercial space | Space tourism and research in Low Earth Orbit; test commercial stations as a business platform |
| Cooperation | Multinational crew to strengthen partnerships and joint exploration |
| Research | Microgravity work in materials science, biology and Earth observation |
Low Earth Orbit is the region up to about 2,000 km (1,200 miles) above Earth, used for communications, imaging and observation. The mission fits Axiom’s plan for a first commercial space station, moving away from reliance on the ISS.
Relevance for India
- Raises India’s profile in human spaceflight and international cooperation.
- ISRO-NASA collaboration gives Indian astronauts training chances on the ISS.
- Under the 2023 India-NASA agreement, NASA trains Indian astronauts on terms based on the Artemis Accords.
About the ISS
- Permanently crewed laboratory at about 400 km altitude.
- Joint project of 15 countries and 5 agencies: NASA, Roscosmos, ESA, JAXA and CSA.
- Circles Earth 16 times a day, about once every 90 minutes.
Exam angle
- Pilot: Shubhanshu Shukla; operator: Axiom Space.
- Agencies: NASA (US), Roscosmos (Russia), ESA (Europe), JAXA (Japan), CSA (Canada).