Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla is all set to make history today as he joins three other astronauts for the Axiom-4 space mission to the International Space Station. The launch is scheduled for 12:01 PM (IST) on Wednesday, June 25, from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
This mission marks a significant moment for India, as Shukla becomes the second Indian to venture into space after Rakesh Sharma, who flew in 1984. The Axiom-4 mission is a joint effort by NASA, Axiom Space, and SpaceX.
According to SpaceX, “All systems are looking good for Wednesday’s launch of @Axiom_Space’s Ax-4 mission to the @Space_Station and weather is 90% favorable for liftoff.” The mission has faced six delays due to weather issues and technical faults, including a leak in the Falcon 9 rocket and later in a Russian module on the space station.
The astronauts will travel aboard a new SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, launched on a Falcon 9 rocket. The crew is expected to dock with the International Space Station at around 4:30 PM IST on Thursday, June 26.
The mission will be commanded by Peggy Whitson, former NASA astronaut and current director of human spaceflight at Axiom Space. Shubhanshu Shukla will serve as the pilot for this private space mission. The team also includes two mission specialists: Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski from the European Space Agency representing Poland, and Tibor Kapu from Hungary under the HUNOR astronaut programme.
The mission was initially scheduled for May 29 but encountered multiple delays due to unfavorable weather and technical issues with the rocket. Despite these challenges, India’s second space journey is now ready for launch with clear skies and fully operational systems.
Stay tuned for more updates as India celebrates another major step in space exploration.
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