India’s Shubangshu Shukla Set to Embark on Historic Space Mission Aboard SpaceX’s Dragon"

 


If all goes according to plan, Indian Air Force Group Captain Shubangshu Shukla and three fellow astronauts will set off for the International Space Station (ISS) on Wednesday. The launch is scheduled for 5:30 PM IST from Florida, USA, aboard the ‘Dragon’ spacecraft developed by Elon Musk’s SpaceX. During their mission at the ISS, the team will conduct seven scientific experiments.

The launch was originally scheduled for Tuesday, but inclement weather forced a postponement. ISRO announced the delay on social media. This marks the fourth time the launch has been deferred. Even now, uncertainties remain due to weather conditions, which could again pose challenges to the joint NASA-ISRO mission, Axiom-4.

According to sources, there may also be technical issues. The spacecraft carrying the astronauts will be launched using SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket. Reports suggest a mechanical problem has emerged—specifically, an oxygen leak that had been observed during a previous mission. William Gerstenmaier, Vice President of Build and Flight Reliability at SpaceX, acknowledged the issue, noting that ensuring astronauts’ safe arrival is their top priority, although not an easy task. He added that researchers are constantly learning and working toward resolving these issues.

Shubangshu will serve as the pilot on this mission, making him the first Indian to travel to space in over four decades since Rakesh Sharma. NASA has approved this private space mission by the U.S.-based company Axiom Space. Shubangshu and his crewmates will stay aboard the ISS for 14 days to carry out a range of experiments. The mission is a collaborative initiative between NASA and ISRO, and it is expected to lay the groundwork for ISRO’s upcoming Gaganyaan mission.

According to the mission website, Shubangshu will be involved in the following research activities:

  1. Muscle Degradation in Microgravity: Prolonged stays in space can lead to muscle atrophy. Astronaut Sunita Williams experienced this after spending over nine months aboard the ISS. Shubangshu’s team will study why this happens in zero gravity and explore preventive strategies. The research is guided by India’s Institute for Stem Cell Science and Regenerative Medicine.

  2. Effects of Space Light on Crops: The impact of space light on six different crop species will be studied, along with genetic analyses of the plants. This project has been proposed by Kerala Agricultural University.

  3. Study of Tardigrades (Water Bears): These microscopic creatures are known for surviving extreme environments. The mission will investigate how they adapt to space conditions.

  4. Behavior of Microalgae in Space: Shubangshu will observe how three different species of microalgae survive in space.

  5. Seed Germination Under Space Lighting: He will study how space lighting affects seed propagation. This experiment is being conducted for ISRO.

  6. Waterborne Bacteria in Space: The research will explore whether and how bacteria grow in water in space. ISRO and the European Space Agency (ESA) are collaborating on this.

  7. Reading and Eye Movement in Space: A test will be conducted to observe how astronauts read text on computer screens in microgravity and how their eye movements differ from those on Earth.

Accompanying Shubangshu on the Axiom-4 mission are former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, Polish astronaut Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski, and Hungarian astronaut Tibor Kapu.


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