4.08.2024
ISRO-NASA mission to ISS: 40 years after Rakesh Sharma, Subhanshu Shukla to be 2nd Indian to travel to space
ISRO on Friday said it had selected Shukla, 39, and Group Captain Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair, 48, for the Axiom-4 mission, and named Shukla as the ‘prime’ astronaut, meaning he would be the one who would go to the International Space Station.
ISRO announced Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla (left) as the prime mission pilot and Group Captain Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair (right) as the backup
Group captain Subhanshu Shukla will most likely become the first Indian in space in 40 years with Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) naming him the ‘prime’ astronaut for the first ISRO-NASA mission to the International Space Station, scheduled for any time after October this year.
ISRO on Friday said it had selected Shukla, 39, and Group Captain Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair, 48, for the Axiom-4 mission, and named Shukla as the ‘prime’ astronaut, meaning he would be the one who would go to the International Space Station. Nair is the backup for this mission. He will take over in case Shukla is unable to go due to any reason.
Only one Indian has ever been in space till now – Rakesh Sharma – who was wing commander when he flew on a Soviet spacecraft in 1984.
Shukla and Nair are among the four Indian air force officers selected for India’s first manned space mission, Gaganyaan, that is now tentatively scheduled for next year. The two will undergo further mission-specific training for the next eight weeks, an ISRO official said.
All four selected officers have already undergone rigorous training for the Gaganyaan mission.
Axiom-4 is the fourth mission by private space company Axiom Space in collaboration with NASA. The spacecraft would be launched by a SpaceX rocket. Apart from Shukla, three other astronauts — one each from Poland, Hungary and the United States — will travel to the International Space Station. India’s partnership in this mission was a result of an agreement between New Delhi and Washington during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s trip to the United States last year.
The Axiom-4 spacecraft would remain docked with the ISS for 14 days. Besides the astronauts, it will carry cargo, and supplies, for the ISS.
The exact date of the launch is not yet decided. NASA, on its website, says the mission was scheduled not earlier than October 2024. However, Poland’s space agency POLSA, in a separate announcement today, said the mission was expected only next year. Shukla, 39, a fighter pilot who hails from Lucknow in UP, was commissioned in the IAF in 2006 and has over 2,000 hours of flying experience. He has flown a variety of IAF fighter jets including Sukhoi-30 MKIs, MiG-21s, MiG-29s, Jaguars, Hawks, Dorniers, and the AN-32 aircraft. Nair is a recipient of the sword of honour at the Air Force Academy and was commissioned in the IAF in 1998. He is a category A flying instructor and a test Pilot with over 3000 hours of flying experience. He is an alumnus of the United States Staff College and has commanded Sukhoi-30 squadron.
India’s Gaganyaan mission is dependent on experience gained from the ISS mission by the Indian astronauts.
“This particular activity (Indo US collaboration on a space mission) is something that the US wants and India also finds it beneficial for the Indian space programme because once an Indian prepares to go to the ISS they will undergo a training in the US and they are going to come back and discuss how the training and this will help design our Gaganyaan better,” ISRO chairman Somanath said in 2023.
Quelle: The Indian EXPRESS
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Update: 6.08.2024
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Hungary and Poland to join India on Ax-4
A SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft docked to the International Space Station during Axiom Space's Ax-2 private astronaut mission in May 2023. Credit: NASA
LOGAN, Utah — Astronauts from Hungary and Poland will fly alongside an Indian astronaut on Axiom Space’s next private astronaut mission to the International Space Station.
Axiom announced Aug. 5 the crew for Ax-4, its fourth private mission to the ISS. The mission will be commanded by former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, who also led the Ax-2 mission to the station in May 2023.
Whitson will be joined by Shubhanshu Shukla, an Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) astronaut that the agency announced Aug. 2 would be on the mission. Shukla will serve as pilot for Ax-4, which, like the company’s first three missions, will use a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft.
The two mission specialists for Ax-4 are Sławosz Uznański of Poland and Tibor Kapu of Hungary. Uznański is a European Space Agency reserve astronaut selected in 2022, eligible for specific missions like this. Poland announced in August 2023 that it, in cooperation with ESA, signed an agreement to fly an astronaut on a private mission. Sweden signed a similar agreement earlier in 2023 and flew its ESA reserve astronaut, Marcus Wandt, on the Ax-3 mission early this year.
The Hungarian government selected Kapu through its own human spaceflight project outside of ESA. A government minister said in 2022 that Hungary would spend $100 million on the project, with the country signing an agreement with Axiom Space in September 2023 for flying the astronaut.
The announcement of the crew was timed to their arrival in Houston for training with NASA, SpaceX and Axiom. The crewmembers will still need final approval from the station’s multilateral crew operations panel closer to the planned launch date.
“Ax-4 represents Axiom Space’s continued efforts to build opportunity for countries to research, innovate, test and engage with people around the world while in low Earth orbit,” Michael Suffredini, chief executive of Axiom Space, said in a statement. “Our collaboration with ESA for a second time and the inclusion of Hungary and India underscores Axiom Space’s ability to cultivate global partners, expand the scope of exploration and open up new avenues to grow a global space economy.”
Absent from the announcement was a date for Ax-4. NASA is holding a launch date of as soon as November for the mission, the agency said at a recent briefing, but a slip to at least early 2025 is considered likely.
Axiom Space has won all four private astronaut mission (PAM) opportunities awarded by NASA to date for short-duration commercial missions to the ISS. NASA has yet to issue a solicitation for future PAMs after Ax-4, but at least one other company, commercial space station developer Vast Space, has expressed an interest in competing for future missions.
Quelle: SN
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Update: 10.09.2024
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Quelle: India Today
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Update: 31.01.2025
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NASA, Partners to Welcome Fourth Axiom Space Mission to Space Station
NASA and its international partners have approved the crew for Axiom Space’s fourth private astronaut mission to the International Space Station, launching from the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida no earlier than spring 2025.
Peggy Whitson, former NASA astronaut and director of human spaceflight at Axiom Space, will command the commercial mission, while ISRO (Indian Space Research Organization) astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla will serve as pilot. The two mission specialists are ESA (European Space Agency) project astronaut Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski of Poland and Tibor Kapu of Hungary.
“I am excited to see continued interest and dedication for the private astronaut missions aboard the International Space Station,” said Dana Weigel, manager of NASA’s International Space Station Program at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. “As NASA looks toward the future of low Earth orbit, private astronaut missions help pave the way and expand access to the unique microgravity environment.”
The Axiom Mission 4, or Ax-4, crew will launch aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft and travel to the space station. Once docked, the private astronauts plan to spend up to 14 days aboard the orbiting laboratory, conducting a mission comprised of science, outreach, and commercial activities. The mission will send the first ISRO astronaut to the station as part of a joint effort between NASA and the Indian space agency. The private mission also carries the first astronauts from Poland and Hungary to stay aboard the space station.
“Working with the talented and diverse Ax-4 crew has been a deeply rewarding experience,” said Whitson. “Witnessing their selfless dedication and commitment to expanding horizons and creating opportunities for their nations in space exploration is truly remarkable. Each crew member brings unique strengths and perspectives, making our mission not just a scientific endeavor, but a testament to human ingenuity and teamwork. The importance of our mission is about pushing the limits of what we can achieve together and inspiring future generations to dream bigger and reach farther.”
The first private astronaut mission to the station, Axiom Mission 1, lifted off in April 2022 for a 17-day mission aboard the orbiting laboratory. The second private astronaut mission to the station, Axiom Mission 2, also was commanded by Whitson and launched in May 2023 with four private astronauts who spent eight days in orbit. The most recent private astronaut mission, Axiom Mission 3, launched in January 2024; the crew spent 18 days docked to the space station.
The International Space Station is a convergence of science, technology, and human innovation that enables research not possible on Earth. For more than 24 years, NASA has supported a continuous human presence aboard the orbiting laboratory, through which astronauts have learned to live and work in space for extended periods of time.
The space station is a springboard for developing a low Earth economy. NASA’s goal is to achieve a strong economy in low Earth orbit where the agency can purchase services as one of many customers to meet its science and research objectives in microgravity. NASA’s commercial strategy for low Earth orbit will provide the government with reliable and safe services at a lower cost, enabling the agency to focus on Artemis missions to the Moon in preparation for Mars while also continuing to use low Earth orbit as a training and proving ground for those deep space missions.
Quelle: NASA
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Update: 30.04.2025
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SpaceX's next private astronaut mission to ISS, Ax-4, to launch May 29 for Axiom Space
"We're opening the door to new countries, institutions and individuals that can bring new ideas that can really fuel an economy beyond Earth."
The crew of Axiom Space's Ax-4 mission to the International Space Station. From left to right: pilot Shubhanshu Shukla, commander Peggy Whitson, mission specialist Sławosz Uznański and mission specialist Tibor Kapu. (Image credit: Axiom Space)
The next private astronaut mission to the International Space Station (ISS) is just a month away.
Houston-based company Axiom Space announced on Tuesday (April 29) that it's targeting May 29 for the launch of its fourth crewed spaceflight to the orbiting lab, a mission known as Ax-4.
Ax-4 will carry a four-person crew representing four different nations to the ISS. The mission will launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, riding one of SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft to orbit from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
Peggy Whitson, Axiom's director of human spaceflight and a record-setting former NASA astronaut, will command Ax-4. Whitson will be flying on her fifth mission to orbit and her second for Axiom Space. She will be joined by pilot Shubhanshu Shukla of India, Polish mission specialist Sławosz Uznański of the European Space Agency (ESA), and mission specialist Tibor Kapu of Hungary.
This will be the first time an astronaut from any of those three latter countries will fly aboard the ISS, and Uznański will be the first Polish astronaut to launch to space in more than 40 years.
"To date, these [Axiom] missions have represented 11 nations," Axiom Space Chief Scientist Lucie Low said during a call with reporters on Tuesday.
"We are opening the door to countries where, previously, access to space has been through the ISS partners, but we're opening the door to new countries, institutions and individuals that can bring new ideas that can really fuel an economy beyond Earth," she added.
Ax-4 is expected to remain docked with the ISS for about two weeks, as the crewmembers work their way through the record number of science experiments and technology demonstrations tasked to the mission.
As Axiom continues gaining on-orbit experience, the company gains confidence in its longer-term goal of constructing and operating a space station in low Earth orbit, according to Low.
"These private astronaut missions actually make us ready ourselves for Axiom Station," she said. "Our private astronaut missions are designed to flesh out and test procedures, communications, coordination, training and so much more, so that when Axiom Station is ready to become independent from the ISS, the private astronauts, the ground teams, the crews and the platform that they support will be fully functional and ready to hit the ground running."
Quelle: SC
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Update: 2.05.2025
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Indian Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla Completes Training For Axiom-4 Mission To ISS
From left to right: Tibor Kapu of Hungary, ISRO (Indian Space Research Organization) astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, and ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski of Poland (Pic Via NASA)
In a big achievement for India’s space initiatives, Indian Air Force Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla has successfully completed his astronaut training with Spacex, paving the way for his upcoming journey to the International Space Station (ISS) as part of Axiom Mission 4 (Ax 4), India Today reported.
Shukla, who will serve as the mission’s pilot, underwent months of rigorous training across Russia, India, and the United States.
His preparation included advanced simulations at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Moscow, survival and operational training at the Astronaut Training Facility in Bangalore, and extensive hands-on sessions at SpaceX headquarters in California
According to an Indian Express report, Shukla, a decorated test pilot with over 2,000 hours of flying experience across aircraft such as the Su 30 MKI, MiG 21, and Jaguar, was selected in 2019 as one of the four astronaut candidates for India’s Gaganyaan human spaceflight program
As part of his SpaceX training, Shukla was fitted for the company’s state-of-the-art pressure suit and practised critical launch, docking, and emergency procedures aboard the mock Crew Dragon spacecraft.
He also participated in zero-gravity simulations and learned to operate the spacecraft’s advanced systems alongside his international crewmates.
The Ax-4 mission, scheduled for launch on 29 May 2025, will see Shukla become the first Indian astronaut to visit the ISS and only the second Indian to travel to space after Rakesh Sharma’s historic flight in 1984.
Veteran NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson and astronauts from Poland and Hungary will command the mission.
During their two-week stay, the crew will conduct over 60 scientific experiments, including several designed by Indian researchers. Shukla’s participation marks a significant milestone for India’s collaboration in global space exploration and is expected to inspire a new generation of Indian scientists and engineers.
“The outcomes of these experiments will advance our understanding of crew nutrition, cognitive performance, and sustainable life support systems. They will also strengthen our preparedness for conducting microgravity experiments aboard the upcoming Indian space station,” Tushar Phadnis, Group Head for Microgravity Platforms and Research at ISRO, was quoted as saying by India Today.
Quelle: SWARAJYA
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Update: 17.05.2025
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SpaceX's next private astronaut launch to ISS, Ax-4, delayed to June 8
Liftoff had been targeted for May 29.
The crew of Axiom Space's Ax-4 mission to the International Space Station. From left to right: pilot Shubhanshu Shukla, commander Peggy Whitson, mission specialist Sławosz Uznański and mission specialist Tibor Kapu. (Image credit: Axiom Space)
We'll have a wait a bit longer to see the next private astronaut mission to the International Space Station (ISS) lift off.
NASA announced on Wednesday (May 14) that the target launch date for Ax-4, the fourth crewed flight to the ISS by Houston-based company Axiom Space, has been pushed from May 29 to June 8.
The delay is part of a series of ISS schedule adjustments, which will "provide more time to finalize mission plans, spacecraft readiness and logistics," agency officials wrote in an update on Wednesday.
Ax-4 will lift off atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, carrying four people to the orbiting lab aboard a Dragon spacecraft.
That quartet will be led by record-setting former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson,who currently serves as Axiom's director of human spaceflight. Joining her are pilot Shubhanshu Shukla of India, Polish mission specialist Sławosz Uznański of the European Space Agency and mission specialist Tibor Kapu of Hungary.
Ax-4 will mark the first time that anyone from those latter three countries lives aboard the ISS. The spaceflyers will conduct nearly 60 science investigations during the mission, which is expected to remain docked at the orbiting lab for about two weeks.
Two other ISS missions, both of them SpaceX flights, are affected by the newly announced rescheduling.
Quelle: SC
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Update: 3.06.2025
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Shubhanshu Shukla set to script history as India's second astronaut in space Shukla is set to conduct exclusive food and nutrition-related experiments developed under a collaboration between the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), with support from NASA.
New Delhi: India's Shubhanshu Shukla is set for his maiden space flight as part of Axiom Space's fourth commercial mission to the International Space Station, which is scheduled for lift-off onboard SpaceX's Falcon-9 rocket from the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida on June 8.
Quelle: DH
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Update: 5.06.2025
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Axiom Mission 4 Targets Launch No Earlier than Tuesday, June 10
NASA, Axiom Space, and SpaceX are targeting no earlier than 8:22 a.m. EDT on Tuesday, June 10, for launch of the fourth private astronaut mission to the International Space Station, Axiom Mission 4. This shift allows teams to account for predicted inclement weather during the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft transport in addition to completing final processing of the spacecraft ahead of launch.
Peggy Whitson, former NASA astronaut and director of human spaceflight at Axiom Space, will command the commercial mission, while ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla will serve as pilot. The two mission specialists are ESA (European Space Agency) project astronaut Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski of Poland and Tibor Kapu of Hungary.
The crew will lift off aboard Dragon on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
Quelle: NASA
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Update: 9.06.2025
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SpaceX is targeting Tuesday, June 10 for Falcon 9’s launch of Axiom Space’s Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) to the International Space Station from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Launch is targeted for 8:22 a.m. ET, with a backup opportunity available on Wednesday, June 11 at 8:00 a.m. ET.
A live webcast of this mission will begin about two hours prior to liftoff, which you can watch here and on X @SpaceX. You can also watch the webcast on the new X TV app.
This is the first flight for the Dragon spacecraft supporting this mission. This will be the second flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched a Starlink mission. Following stage separation, Falcon 9’s first stage will land on Landing Zone 1 (LZ-1) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
During their time on the orbiting laboratory, the crew will conduct more than 60 scientific experiments and demonstrations focused on human research, Earth observation, and life, biological, and material sciences.
Quelle: SpaceX
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Update: 12.06.2025
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SpaceX targets Friday morning Falcon 9 rocket launch at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station
With missions bouncing around the Eastern Range schedule this week, SpaceX crews are prepping to launch a Falcon 9 rocket on a Friday, June 13, morning Starlink mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
The 4½-hour launch window opens at 7:45 a.m. and extends until 12:16 p.m., a Federal Aviation Administration operations plan advisory shows.
Quelle: Florida Today