International Space Station Mission

Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla's role as the pilot of the Axiom-4 mission to the International Space Station (ISS) marks a significant milestone for India in space exploration.

Axiom-4 Mission Details

• Mission Features: 
  • A four-person team from India, Poland, Hungary, and the United States.
  • Conducting over 60 scientific experiments from 31 countries, including the US, India, Poland, Hungary, and several European nations.
• Spacecraft: Piloted by Group Captain Shukla, the Falcon spacecraft is built by SpaceX.

ISRO's Space Ambitions

• ISRO trained Group Captain Shukla for the ISS mission.
• India's first man in space was trained under the Soviet cosmonaut programme in 1984.
• ISRO's future plans include: 
  • Launching a manned spacecraft under the Gaganyaan programme as soon as next year.
  • Setting up a permanently occupied space station in low-earth orbit.

Challenges and Technological Requirements

• Manned missions present unique challenges: 
  • Ensuring safety and health of humans in space.
  • Overcoming extreme conditions like vacuum, high radiation, and zero gravity.
• Technological advancements needed: 
  • Designing space habitats for protection.
  • Developing modern gym and hospital equipment from space research.

Scientific and Engineering Experiments

• ISRO's experiments on Axiom-4: 
  • Study of muscle behavior in space.
  • Researching food growth in zero gravity.
• Engineering challenges: 
  • Design and solve issues like docking and undocking spacecraft at high speeds.

Importance of Axiom-4 for ISRO

By debriefing Group Captain Shukla and analyzing Axiom-4 experiments, ISRO will enhance its understanding to ensure Gaganyaan's success.