Shubanshu Shukla’s Axiom - 4 mission to ISS put off again

Context

• NASA has put off Sunday’s launch of the Axiom-4 mission carrying Indian astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla and three others to the International Space Station

• The Axiom-4 mission was targeting a June 22 launch after being put off multiple times due to a leak in the boosters of SpaceX’s Falcon-9 rocket, inclement weather in the ascent trajectory etc.

Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4)

• Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) is a private spaceflight to the International Space Station (ISS), operated by Axiom Space, a US-based space infrastructure company.

• It is the fourth mission in collaboration with NASA, following Axiom Missions 1, 2, and 3.

Aim:

• Commercial Space Initiatives: Ax-4 aims to advance commercial activities in Low Earth Orbit (LEO), including space tourism and the development of commercial space stations.

• International Collaboration: The mission emphasizes global cooperation in space exploration, featuring a multinational crew.

• Research and Development: Ax-4 will support scientific experiments in microgravity, focusing on areas like materials science, biology, and Earth observation.

Crew & Spacecraft:

• The mission will use a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, launched by a Falcon 9 rocket.

• The crew includes Commander Peggy Whitson (former NASA astronaut), Pilot Shubhanshu Shukla (ISRO, India), and mission specialists Sławosz Uznanski-Wisniewski (Poland, ESA) and Tibor Kapu (Hungary).

• If successful, Shubhanshu Shukla will be the second Indian citizen to go into space after Rakesh Sharma.

• The 14-day mission will focus on scientific experiments, technology demonstrations, and educational outreach aboard the ISS.

• Ax-4 is part of Axiom Space’s vision to establish the first commercial space station, transitioning from ISS-based operations to an independent orbital platform.

International Space Station (ISS)

• It is the largest man-made structure in space, and was launched in 1998.

• It functions as a habitat for astronauts and has been continuously occupied since 2000.

• Participating Agencies: The ISS is a joint effort of the space agencies of the United States (NASA), Russia (Roscosmos), Europe (ESA), Japan (JAXA), and Canada (CSA).

• Orbit: The ISS orbits approximately 400 kilometres above Earth.

• Speed: It travels around Earth at about 28,000 kilometres per hour, completing an orbit every 90 minutes.

• Objectives: The ISS aims to advance our understanding of space and microgravity, support new scientific research, and exemplify international collaboration.