Axiom-4 Crew Docks at ISS Aboard Dragon Spacecraft
SpaceX owned Dragon Spacecraft which lifted-off from NASA'S KENNEDY SPACE CENTER in Florida US, at 12.01 pm IST, on Wednesday 25, June docked at ISS at 4.01pm IST,after 28 hours journey
By R Anil Kumar
Bengaluru. Indian Air Force pilot Shubhanshu Shukla created history on Thursday, June 26, as the Spacecraft carrying him along with three other Astronauts docked at the International Space Station after a 28 hours journey.
Dragon Spacecraft which lifted-off from NASA’S KENNEDY SPACE CENTER at 12.01 pm IST on 26 June, docked at the ISS at 4.01pm IST, this afternoon.
Axiom-4 aboard the @ SpaceX Dragon docked to the Space Station at 6.31am ET. Soon the Axiom-4 Astronauts will open the hatch and greet the EXP 73 crew ISS said in a post on X.
The Axiom-4 Crew will be greeted by NASA’S Expedition crew for a welcome ceremony as they begin their 14-day mission on the orbiting laboratory conducting micro gravity research, technology demonstrations and outreach engagements.
Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla becomes the first Indian to reach the ISS and the second to land on Space, after Rakesh Sharma did in 1984 as part of a Soviet mission.
Shukla, the mission pilot, is one of the four IAF Pilot selected for the Gaganyaan mission, India’s human spaceflight programme, and underwent a 10- month training from NASA, Axiom Space and SpaceX, for this Journey to the International Space Station. This experience gained by him will help largely in the Gaganyaan mission, scheduled during the first quarter of 2027.
Peggy Whitson, having great experience of flying to Space with the accumulation 665 days in space, the highest by any Astronaut is commanding Axiom-4 mission two other mission Specialists from Hungary and Poland are among the 4 Crew Members, who have embarked on Axiom-4 mission.
The Axiom-4 research complement includes around 60 scientific studies and activities representing 31 countries that includes the US, India, Hungary, Poland, Brazil, UAE, among others.
Indian Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla will conduct seven microgravity research experiments during his stay at the ISS.
“It is my sincere endeavour through my mission to inspire the entire generation back home. I want to use this opportunity to ignite a sense of curiosity among the younger generation, especially the kids. Even if my story can is able to change one life, i deem it a huge success, Shukla was quoted as saying in a video released by Axiom Space.
