Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla to board ISS via Axiom’s Ax-4 mission

During a recent press conference, Shukla said he is “extremely confident of success during Mission-4"

New Delhi: Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla is set to inspire an entire generation as he becomes the first Indian to reach the International Space Station (ISS) on Tuesday. After two previous delays, US-based Axiom Space is scheduled to launch its Mission-4 (Ax-4), carrying Shukla along with three other astronauts from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on June 10 at 8:22 am ET (5:52 pm  IST).

While Shukla will be the first Indian on the ISS, he will become the second Indian to travel to space — after Rakesh Sharma, who flew to the Soviet space station Salyut 7 in 1984.

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During a recent press conference, Shukla said he is “extremely confident of success during Mission-4.” Speaking to IANS in March, he shared his aspiration to “inspire this entire generation to pursue careers in space,” citing Sharma as a major source of personal motivation.

Shukla will serve as pilot for the mission, alongside Commander Peggy Whitson (USA). The other crew members are mission specialists Sławosz Uznanski-Wisniewski (Poland) and Tibor Kapu (Hungary).

Once aboard the ISS, IAF Group Captain Shukla is expected to conduct exclusive experiments related to food and nutrition. The experiments have been developed through a collaboration between the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)and the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), with support from NASA.

The scientific objective is to examine the impact of microgravity and space radiation on edible microalgae, a nutrient-rich food source with potential for long-duration space travel. The study will focus on growth parameters and changes in transcriptomes, proteomes, and metabolomes of different algal species in space compared to those on Earth.

Meanwhile, Axiom Space confirmed its readiness for its fourth mission to the ISS. Ahead of liftoff, the Ax-4 crew, along with SpaceX teams, completed a full rehearsal of launch-day operations. A backup launch opportunity has also been scheduled for June 11 at 8:00 am ET (5:30 pm IST).

The Ax-4 mission is Axiom’s second commercial spaceflight and features a crew entirely sponsored by government and ESA (European Space Agency) programs.

The crew is expected to conduct around 60 scientific studies involving contributions from 31 countries, including India, the US, Poland, Hungary, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, Nigeria, UAE, and several European nations.