Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, hailing from Lucknow, is piloting the Axiom-4 Mission to the ISS aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft. As India celebrates his historic role, his proud family shares their joy. Led by Commander Peggy Whitson, the international crew will conduct key research and outreach during their 14-day space mission.
Family members of Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla celebrate as they watch the live broadcast of Axiom 4 space mission, in Lucknow. Pic/PTI
The family members of Group Captain and astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla are overjoyed with happiness. On 25 June, Wednesday, the family of Shubhanshu Shukla, who is heading to the International Space Station (ISS) as part of the Axiom-4 Mission, was welcomed at the school he attended in Uttar Pradesh's Lucknow.
The Axiom-4 Mission, being piloted by Group Captain Shukla, took off from NASA's Kennedy Space Centre in Florida, US. The mission is being piloted by India's Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla. The crew is travelling to the International Space Station (ISS) on a new SpaceX Dragon spacecraft on the company's Falcon 9 rocket.
As reported by ANI, Group Captain and astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla’s mother, Asha, said, "...We cannot describe this in words... We are not scared (for Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla) at all... We are delighted; we are very proud."
Meanwhile, the sister of the IAF Group Captain and astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, Nidhi Mishra, stated, "...This is a proud moment not just for me but for everyone in India... I cannot describe it in words; all I would like to say is 'All the best, Shubhanshu, may your mission be successful.'"
However, the space mission is led by the US' Commander Peggy Whitson, with India's Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla as mission pilot, and Hungarian astronaut Tibor Kapu and Poland's Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski as mission specialists.
Also highlighting the global significance of the mission, the International Space Station (ISS) noted that the agencies "appreciate the historic nature of this mission for the nations of India, Poland, and Hungary, as well as the world."
The four-member crew remains in quarantine in Florida and is prepared to launch once the station is cleared to receive them. Axiom Mission 4 is being commanded by Peggy Whitson, a former NASA astronaut and now Axiom Space's Director of Human Spaceflight. Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla from ISRO will serve as the mission's pilot.
Once docked in space, the astronauts will spend up to 14 days aboard the orbiting laboratory, conducting a mission consisting of science, outreach, and commercial activities. Peggy Whitson, former NASA astronaut and Director of Human Spaceflight at Axiom Space, is in command of the mission, while Indian Space Research Organisation astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla serves as pilot. The two mission specialists are European Space Agency project astronaut Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski of Poland and Tibor Kapu of Hungary.
The astronauts are using the new Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit (AxEMU) spacesuit, which provides them with advanced capabilities for space exploration while providing NASA with commercially developed human systems needed to access, live and work on and around the Moon. The advanced spacesuits ensure astronauts are equipped with high-performing, robust equipment and are designed to accommodate a wide range of crew members.
The Ax-4 mission is going to be conducting major research. The research complement includes around 60 scientific studies and activities representing 31 countries, including the US, India, Poland, Hungary, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, Nigeria, the UAE, and nations across Europe.
(With PTI Inputs)
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
