Shubhanshu Shukla set to script historical past as India’s second astronaut in area

The launch of the Dragon spacecraft will happen not sooner than 6:41 pm IST from NASA’s spaceport in Florida, making Shukla solely the second Indian to journey to area 4 many years after Rakesh Sharma’s iconic spaceflight onboard Russia’s Soyuz spacecraft in 1984.

Besides Shukla, the mission pilot for the Axiom-4 mission, the opposite crew embody Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski from Poland and Tibor Kapu from Hungary, marking each European nation’s first journey to the International Space Station in historical past and the second government-sponsored human spaceflight mission in over 40 years.

Veteran US astronaut Peggy Whitson would be the commander of the Axiom-4 mission.

“I am really, really excited to go into microgravity and experience spaceflight on my own,” Shukla, who goes by the nickname ‘Shuks’, mentioned at a press convention in January.

Once docked, the astronauts plan to spend as much as 14 days aboard the orbiting laboratory, conducting science, outreach, and business actions.

The Ax-4 astronauts will carry out round 60 scientific research and actions representing 31 international locations throughout their 14-day keep on the ISS.

Shukla is ready to conduct unique meals and nutrition-related experiments developed below a collaboration between the Indian Space Research Organisation and the Department of Biotechnology , with assist from NASA.

The experiments goal to pioneer area vitamin and self-sustaining life assist programs very important for future long-duration area journey.

ISRO has lined up a set of seven experiments for Shukla, who may also take part in 5 joint research deliberate by NASA for its human analysis program.

It has drawn up plans to concentrate on India-centric meals for finishing up experiments on the ISS, together with sprouting methi and moong in microgravity circumstances.

Shukla may also expose the seeds to the macrobiotic circumstances and produce them again to earth the place they are going to be cultivated in vegetation not simply as soon as however over generations.

In January, Shukla mentioned he additionally deliberate to seize his experiences on board the ISS via footage and movies which could be shared with all of the “‘Bharatvaasis’ back home.”

“I want them to share this thrilling experience through my eyes, for I truly believe that, even as an individual travelling to space, this is the journey of 1.4 billion people,” he mentioned.

Shukla mentioned he deliberate to take sure objects from totally different components of the nation with him to the ISS in the course of the 14-day mission and even expressed hope to serve Indian meals to astronauts within the orbital laboratory.

He mentioned the expertise on the Axiom Mission 4 can be very effectively utilised on the Gaganyaan mission which is deliberate for 2027. ISRO is spending ₹550 crore on the Axiom-4 mission.