Kumar Bahukhandi
Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla will leave for the space station tomorrow evening. Rakesh Sharma is the first Indian to go to space in 1984. (File photo: Axiom/India Today Archive)
Shubhanshu Shukla will depart for the space station on June 10. Ax-4 mission is SpaceX’s 53rd Dragon mission. India has spent Rs 548 crore. Shubhanshu will conduct 7 Indian and 5 NASA experiments. This mission will help in preparing for Gaganyaan. This moment reminds us of the first Indian Astronaut Rakesh Sharma.
A new proud moment is about to come for India. Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla (#Shux) will leave for the space station on the evening of June 10 at 5:52 pm Indian time. He will connect with the International Space Station (ISS) on June 11, 2025. This mission is part of Ax-4. This mission is not only a milestone in India’s space program, but it also reminds us of Rakesh Sharma’s historic mission of 1984. Let us understand what is the story of Shubhanshu Shukla and Ax-4 mission?
A new proud moment is about to come for India. Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla (#Shux) will leave for the space station on the evening of June 10 at 5:52 pm Indian time. He will connect with the International Space Station (ISS) on June 11, 2025. This mission is part of Ax-4. This mission is not only a milestone in India’s space program, but it also reminds us of Rakesh Sharma’s historic mission of 1984. Let us understand what is the story of Shubhanshu Shukla and Ax-4 mission
Shubhanshu Shukla is a Group Captain of the Indian Air Force. He is one of the four astronauts of the Gaganyaan program. He was selected for the Ax-4 mission by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to America in 2023. This mission is the result of collaboration between India and NASA. Shubhanshu has taken special training from SpaceX and Axiom Space.
What is Ax-4 Mission?
The Ax-4 mission is SpaceX’s 53rd Dragon mission, which will be the 15th human space mission and the 48th ISS trip (both crew and cargo). Apart from Shubhanshu Shukla, there are three other astronauts in this mission: Commander Peggy Whitson (USA), Mission Specialist Slavos Ujnanski (Poland) and Mission Specialist Tibor Kapu (Hungary). They will connect to the ISS on June 11 at 12:30 pm (EDT). 10 pm Indian time
Launch change
The mission was earlier scheduled to launch on June 8, but it was postponed to June 10 due to bad weather conditions and spacecraft preparations. NASA SpaceX teams said that this change has been made keeping in mind the weather forecast and the transport process of the Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft. Now the launch will take place on June 10 and the connection to the ISS will take place on June 11, as reported by Axiom Space.
India has spent at least Rs 548 crore on this mission so far. This includes the launch as well as the training of Shubhanshu Shukla and his backup Group Captain Prashant Nair. After reaching the ISS, Shubhanshu will conduct 7 experiments, which have been created by Indian educational institutions. Most of these will be biological experiments, such as plant seeds and the effect of microgravity on the human body. Apart from this, he will conduct 5 more experiments with NASA, which are related to human research.
Remembering Rakesh Sharma
This mission of Shubhanshu Shukla reminds us of the historic journey of Rakesh Sharma in 1984, when he went to space in collaboration with the Soviet Union. Rakesh Sharma was the first Indian to go to space. He made the entire country proud by singing “Saare Jahan Se Achcha”. Shubhanshu’s journey will also bring the same kind of pride. It will help in preparing for the Gaganyaan mission.
Spacecraft and name
The Dragon spacecraft to be used for the X-4 mission is completely new. SpaceX’s Dragon Mission Management Director Sarah Walker said that this spacecraft will be given a name by the crew. Commander Peggy Whitson said last week that the new name would be announced soon.
Impact of Trump-Musk dispute
Recently there was a dispute between SpaceX founder Elon Musk and US President Donald Trump. But NASA and Axiom clarified that this will not affect the mission. Both sides have publicly committed to the timeline, so this mission will run smoo
Shubhanshu Shukla’s Axe-4 mission is adding a new chapter to India’s space program. This mission will not only bring scientific progress but will also take India to new heights in space. When he joins the ISS on June 11, the whole of India will be with him. This mission reminds us of Rakesh Sharma. It will help in preparing for the Gaganyaan mission. Shubhanshu’s journey will become an inspiration for India in the times to come.
