Axiom-4 Mission: How Shubhanshu Shukla’s Stay at ISS Will Benefit India’s Gaganyaan

The Axiom-4 (Ax-4) mission crew—Indian Air Force Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, veteran US astronaut Peggy Whitson, Hungarian space mission expert Tibor Kapu, and Poland’s mission specialist Sławosz Uznański—are set to return to Earth aboard a SpaceX Dragon capsule. While the splashdown, expected at around 3 pm IST on Tuesday, July 15, will mark the end of their 18-day stay at the International Space Station (ISS), their return will help global space agencies formulate their future space missions better. For India, Shukla’s comeback will be key to kick off the long-awaited Gaganyaan human mission.

Gaganyaan, expected in 2027, if not later, will be the first crewed mission by the Indian Space and Research Organisation (ISRO). The government and the agency have underscored that this mission will replicate the success of Chandrayaan-3, popularising cost-effectiveness in space missions. For that to happen, Shukla’s invaluable experience as part of the private Ax-4 mission will help shape the programme through research insights from the stay at the ISS.

Operational and training experience

— First-hand experience with ISS systems and protocols: Gaganyaan’s capsule will dock to the ISS similarly to Shukla’s SpaceX Dragon capsule, providing his practical insights into the station’s operations, including life support, environmental control, and communication systems.

— Astronaut training and adaptation: The Ax-4 mission offers real-world experience in astronaut training, adaptation to microgravity, and spaceflight operations — all crucial for Gaganyaan’s success.

— International crew integration: While the Gaganyaan mission will likely be aimed at sending Indian astronauts to space, sending astronauts from other nations to space is a possibility for India to foster international collaboration, much like Axiom-4.

Microgravity research

— Targeted experiments: According to ISRO, Gaganyaan will be aimed at conducting specialised research and experiments, like crop growth in microgravity for developing space food systems and understanding muscle health in space. Axiom-4 mission’s experience will be key in structuring these experiments.

— Biomedical research insights: Shukla and the crew’s studies on muscle regeneration and the effects of microgravity on the human body will help ISRO understand astronaut health management for the Gaganyaan mission.

International collaboration and partnerships

— Boosting India’s global image: Participating in a space mission to the ISS will help promote India as a rapidly emerging space nation, opening avenues for future partnerships with agencies like the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and European Space Agency (ESA).

— Knowledge exchange: India’s collaboration with NASA, Axiom Space, and other space agencies will facilitate knowledge and technology exchange, collectively contributing to the cause of enhancing humans’ footprint in space.

Shukla and the entire crew will not create history for private space missions; their return will give what could be among the most important constituents for manned spaceflights.

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