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Yahoo
6 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Eager to become a space superpower, India is sending its 1st astronaut to space in 4 decades
The months leading up to the launch of Axiom Mission 4, a private space flight to the International Space Station carrying four astronauts from four different countries, were filled with intense preparation at the company's base in Houston. For the crew's pilot, astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, the anticipation grew exponentially as he prepared to become the first Indian to go to space in 41 years. "It's a monumental event for me as an individual and our country as a whole," Shukla, 39, told CBC News in an interview before the mission's launch, which is scheduled for Thursday. That he was the one who would be returning India to space hit him in certain moments, he said during a break in training, especially when he first tried on his spacesuit. "I saw that Indian flag on my shoulder," Shukla, whose call sign is Shuks, said with a smile. "You think about this … how big this is." The space flight, which is being operated by Houston-based Axiom Space with the support of NASA and the India Space Research Organisation (ISRO), is emblematic of a new era. Countries can hitch rides from commercial companies to get their astronauts into space, where they can conduct experiments sponsored by national space agencies, rather than those agencies spending time and money building their own rockets. It fits neatly into India's ambitions to rapidly expand its space prowess and use the private sector to get there. 'A huge responsibility' After several delays due to weather and equipment issues, the latest Axiom mission is set to launch from NASA's Kennedy Space Centre in Florida this Thursday. The astronauts will be aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule launched into space by Falcon 9 rocket. The crew, which is led by former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson and also includes astronauts from Poland and Hungary, will spend two weeks conducting experiments at the International Space Station. Shukla will become only the second Indian national to go to space, following in the footsteps of cosmonaut Rakesh Sharma, who orbited the Earth for eight days in 1984 on a Soviet spacecraft. "It's a huge responsibility to inspire an entire young generation through my mission [and to] carry the hopes and dreams of a billion hearts," Shukla said. Indian news outlets reported that Shukla will carry a bit of India into space with him on the flight, including delicacies such as mango nectar, moong dal halwa and carrot halwa. Until recently, India's space activity was controlled by ISRO, but in 2023, the space agency opened up its facilities to private companies, and investments poured in. The country has more than 250 space startups attracting millions of dollars. "India is aspiring to become a very important player in the space industry," said Somak Raychaudhury, astrophysicist and vice-chancellor of Ashoka University in Sonipat, Haryana, close to Delhi. "And it realizes it has to use the private sector." Big challenges The country's leaders are convinced that having a successful space program not only brings soft power and prestige but also wealth. But there are big challenges ahead, according to Raychaudhury. India is one of the five major players in space exploration, yet its share of the global market is only two per cent. The South Asian nation wants to get that up to 10 per cent in the next decade. The country produces a lot of highly skilled engineers, but "very few of them stay in this kind of sector," Raychaudhury said. Even holding only a tiny percentage of the global space market, there are already numerous benefits to India's economy from its $8 billion US slice of the industry and the 100,000 people it employs, he said. Big ambitions But the country is aiming even higher. In August 2023, the Chandrayaan-3 mission successfully sent a rover to the notoriously difficult-to-reach dark side of the moon to explore its south pole — a world first. Its first human space flight, called Gaganyaan, is planned for next year. It aims to send several Indian astronauts into low Earth orbit for three days. That would make India only the fourth nation, after the United States, Russia and China, to have its own human space flight program. The success of that mission will be key, said Raychaudhury. "India's space industry has a record of being very frugal," the professor said, with projects coming in far cheaper than the space programs in the United States, Russia or China. "The question is whether the same quality can be achieved or not." The Chandrayaan-3 mission, for example, heralded as a big win for India, cost less than the price of a single Boeing or Airbus plane. Mars and Venus also in India's sights In May, speaking at a global space conference in New Delhi, India's prime minister, Narendra Modi, laid out more plans, including building the country's own space station to orbit Earth within the next decade. The country's space agency is focused on exploring the moon, with the goal of sending an Indian astronaut to walk on the surface by 2040. "Mars and Venus are also on our radar," Modi promised in his speech. He ended his remarks by highlighting how space exploration has the power to "inspire future generations" and push the country to "dream together." Students inspired Those dreams were on full display at a Mumbai school one morning in May as hundreds of children used cardboard and plastic rods to build their own mini rockets, barely longer than their forearms. The children spent time learning about India's upcoming space projects before launching the toy rockets outside. "It was so much fun," nine-year old Reet Dhameja exclaimed, pointing to how far her mini-rocket flew. Another classmate, aspiring scientist Aarav Sanghvi, took pains to make sure his rocket was perfect. "I want to be an engineer of space," the 10-year-old said. "To create bigger rockets for India." But asked if he wants to go into space himself, he shook his head firmly. "I want to make rockets. I don't want to be an astronaut." That sentiment is precisely what the school programs are focused on, said event organizer Rajesh Ghangurde, president of Antariksh Society, an outreach group that promotes space exploration. "When we talk to the students, we tell them there are only 10 astronauts who go to space," he said. "[But] there are 10,000 minds or hands working to make that thing happen." WATCH | Astronauts describe what it was like to spend 9 months at the ISS:
Hans India
11-06-2025
- Science
- Hans India
SpaceX set to launch four astronauts on private mission to space station
SpaceX space mission update: A SpaceX ISS mission will launch four crew members to the International Space Station on Wednesday. The Houston-based company Axiom Space has scheduled their flight to launch at 8 a.m. The SpaceX private launch site is NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida operating under Eastern Time. A SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule will carry its four-member crew into orbit mounted on top of a Falcon 9 rocket. NASA will begin broadcasting the SpaceX astronaut launch live on NASA+ starting at 7:05 a.m. ET on NASA+. High winds along the Florida coast made it necessary to postpone the scheduled Tuesday launch by one day. Ax-4 will operate for approximately two weeks while onboard the International Space Station. Retired NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson who holds the American record for most days spent in space at 675 days will lead the mission. The mission will include pilot Shubhanshu Shukla who is an astronaut from the Indian Space Research Organization alongside mission specialist Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski the Polish scientist with the European Space Agency and mission specialist Tibor Kapu who is a mechanical engineer from Hungary. The International Space Station will witness Shukla from India, Uznański-Wiśniewski from Poland and Kapu from Hungary as the first individuals from these nations to both live and work there. The Ax-4 crew will carry out numerous scientific experiments during their two-week stay at the space station according to NASA which will include research on muscle regeneration and growth patterns of sprouts and edible microalgae in microgravity conditions as well as studies on survival mechanisms of small aquatic organisms aboard the ISS. The four Private astronauts to ISS at the space station Thursday afternoon at approximately 12:30 p.m. ET. SpaceX crew launch 2025 its fourth crewed mission to the International Space Station with their upcoming flight. In 2022, the company executed its initial private mission to the ISS with a crew made up entirely of civilians. The Ax-4 mission cost remains undisclosed but earlier Axiom Space flights reportedly cost space tourists $55 million per seat.
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
SpaceX readies private launch of four astronauts to International Space Station
Four crew members are set to launch Wednesday on a privately funded mission to the International Space Station. The flight, organized by the Houston-based company Axiom Space, is slated to lift off at 8 a.m. ET from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The foursome will journey into orbit in a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule atop a Falcon 9 rocket. NASA will broadcast live coverage of the launch beginning at 7:05 a.m. ET on NASA+. The flight was scheduled to launch Tuesday but high winds along the Florida coast forced a one-day delay. The mission, known as Ax-4, is expected to last about two weeks at the International Space Station. The mission will be led by retired NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, who has already logged a record 675 days in space — more than any other American astronaut. Joining her will be pilot Shubhanshu Shukla, an astronaut with the Indian Space Research Organization; mission specialist Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski, a Polish scientist with the European Space Agency; and mission specialist Tibor Kapu, a mechanical engineer from Hungary. Shukla, Uznański-Wiśniewski and Kapu will make history by becoming the first people from their countries to live and work on the International Space Station. During their two-week stay at the orbiting lab, the Ax-4 crew members will conduct a host of scientific experiments, according to NASA, including studies of muscle regeneration, how sprouts and edible microalgae grow in microgravity and how tiny aquatic organisms survive at the ISS. If the launch goes according to plan, the four astronauts will dock at the space station on Thursday at around 12:30 p.m. ET. The upcoming flight will be Axiom Space's fourth crewed mission to the International Space Station. The company's first private expedition to the ISS was in 2022 with an all-civilian crew. The price tag for the Ax-4 mission has not been publicly disclosed, but space tourists reportedly paid around $55 million per seat on previous Axiom Space expeditions. This article was originally published on
NBC News
10-06-2025
- Science
- NBC News
SpaceX readies private launch of four astronauts to International Space Station
Four crew members are set to launch Wednesday on a privately funded mission to the International Space Station. The flight, organized by the Houston-based company Axiom Space, is slated to lift off at 8 a.m. ET from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The foursome will journey into orbit in a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule atop a Falcon 9 rocket. NASA will broadcast live coverage of the launch beginning at 7:05 a.m. ET on NASA+. The flight was scheduled to launch Tuesday but high winds along the Florida coast forced a one-day delay. The mission, known as Ax-4, is expected to last about two weeks at the International Space Station. The mission will be led by retired NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, who has already logged a record 675 days in space — more than any other American astronaut. Joining her will be pilot Shubhanshu Shukla, an astronaut with the Indian Space Research Organization; mission specialist Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski, a Polish scientist with the European Space Agency; and mission specialist Tibor Kapu, a mechanical engineer from Hungary. Shukla, Uznański-Wiśniewski and Kapu will make history by becoming the first people from their countries to live and work on the International Space Station. During their two-week stay at the orbiting lab, the Ax-4 crew members will conduct a host of scientific experiments, according to NASA, including studies of muscle regeneration, how sprouts and edible microalgae grow in microgravity and how tiny aquatic organisms survive at the ISS. If the launch goes according to plan, the four astronauts will dock at the space station on Thursday at around 12:30 p.m. ET. The upcoming flight will be Axiom Space's fourth crewed mission to the International Space Station. The company's first private expedition to the ISS was in 2022 with an all-civilian crew. The price tag for the Ax-4 mission has not been publicly disclosed, but space tourists reportedly paid around $55 million per seat on previous Axiom Space expeditions.
NDTV
09-06-2025
- Science
- NDTV
"Enjoy The Ride": Astronaut Community Send Wishes To Shubhanshu Shukla
India will take its cosmic leap of faith on June 11 when Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla will lift off for the International Space Station for the Axiom-4 mission, becoming the second Indian in 41 years to fly to space. As a mission pilot, Group Captain Shukla will fly in a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft with three other astronauts as part of the Indo-US mission. The spacecraft will now lift off at 8:00 am ET (5:30 pm IST) from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida after it was postponed by a day due to bad weather. NDTV spoke to several astronauts ahead of the launch, who sent their best wishes to the Axiom-4 crew. Michael Lopez-Alegria Michael Lopez-Alegria, Chief Astronaut of Axiom Space and a veteran of four spaceflights, said, "Shux, good luck to you and the rest of the crew. Enjoy it." 'Shux' is Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla's call sign. Michael Lopez-Alegria trained the pilots for the mission. When asked whether it would be difficult for him, the veteran astronaut said, "I don't think feel some pressure. He'll be under a lot of tension to keep up with the pace because it's pretty fast. But he's very well trained," adding that Group Captain Shukla will be an "outstanding astronaut and he'll do great." The veteran astronaut wished the team a "Happy Splashdown". Hazzaa AlMansoori The Emirati astronaut Hazzaa AlMansoori shared his insights on his camaraderie with Group Shukla, which was built during their time together in Houston, and said, "I have no doubt he can do it, and he's a really amazing person. Down to ground in terms of dealing with the instructors and with everyone. He's very professional and I like to work with him." On whether Group Shukla would make a good astronaut, AlMansoori said, "Definitely he's ready and he's going to represent India in a very professional way." Thomas Pesquet European Space Agency astronaut Thomas Pesquet, who had spent over a year aboard the International Space Station in 2016-17 and 2021 and has trained alongside India's astronaut-designate Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, said he will be a "great astronaut". "I think the four astronauts designated from India are fantastic people, and I was lucky enough to meet them a while ago," he said. The European astronaut said he met the Indian astronauts during their training, when he was training for his second mission. Mr Pesquet said he has been friends with them since then. "I'll be at the launch cheering for him," the astronaut told NDTV. He gave a message to Group Captain Shukla and said, "Trust your training because sometimes, you know, it's still an unexpected environment that he hasn't been in, that you haven't been in. So trust your training like you've been doing your whole life." Do the right thing. Keep calm if things don't go the way they're expected. It's space. You know, it doesn't always cooperate. Enjoy the ride, try to make yourself some good memories. Look at the Earth. Take pictures of your activities, of your crewmates. It's going to go super fast. So be conscious in trying to imprint those memories on your brain because you're going to need them when you come back," he added. Group Captain Angad Pratap Group Captain Angad Pratap, one of the four astronauts with Group Captain Shukla, will fly as part of India's first manned flight into space. Group Captain Pratap, an experienced officer of the Indian Air Force, gave a message for his colleague's mission and said, "Shukla has got that opportunity to fly into space. It is not Shukla alone who gets to fly into space. But as a space traveller, I'm sure that Shukla will have a lot of gratitude for all the people who've made him reach where he is, or for that matter, who were involved in the making of the four of us. "There are a lot of people like unnamed souls, who are working in this space ecosystem, includes primarily the scientists who toil very hard in the Indian space. The engineers who have been working in the Indian Space Research Organization for decades, they've been waiting for an opportunity to get a chance to travel to space. There is also a full industrial ecosystem which supports the cause of space science in India, which supports the ISRO." "These are those faceless people whose aspirations are going to fly along with Shukla. He is not a single person alone. He's got a big responsibility on his shoulders, and he must remember that he's not alone. With him, a lot of other Indians are going to fly," Group Captain Angad said. He added that "The aim of starting human spaceflight in India is that spaceflight experience should be available to the average person. And it should not be restricted to some astronauts who are a handful of numbers and have been chosen among millions or billions. So good luck to Captain Shukla." Group Captain Rakesh Sharma In 1984, then-Wing Commander (later Group Captain) Rakesh Sharma became the first Indian to fly to space in an Indo-Soviet mission. It was a giant leap of faith in India's space programme, and the veteran astronaut, a loving legend, was conferred with the Ashok Chakra, India's highest peacetime gallantry award. Group Captain Rakesh Sharma (Retd.) said, "Shubhanshu, all the very best, happy landings and look forward to whatever you're going to see. You'll come back a changed person, is what I'm going to say." Reflecting on his own experience of going to space, Group Captain Sharma said, "Over the years, when you go over that experience, it brings in new insights as to what's happening to planet Earth. It gives you a sense of where you should be going, where space exploration should be going. So that it does change you."
