Last Updated:
Indian Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla and Axiom-4 crew finish 14-day ISS mission, witnessing 230 sunrises and traveling nearly 10 million kilometers in space.
Shubhanshu Shukla at International Space Station (Image: Axiom Space)
Indian Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla and his Axiom-4 crew have witnessed 230 sunrises onboard the International Space Station (ISS) and travelled nearly 10 million kilometers in space at the end of two weeks on the orbital laboratory.
The Axiom-4 crew, comprising IAF Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, Poland’s Slawosz Uznanski and Hungary’s Tibor Kapu, have completed their 14-day stay at the ISS and are now waiting for NASA to announce the date of their return to Earth. The Axiom-4 crew is set to return to Earth this week, any day after July 10 – unless extended.
In an update, Axiom Space said that the crew members have completed close to 230 orbits around Earth and travelled more than six million miles (96.5 lakh kms). Launched on June 25 by SpaceX, the crew entered the space station on June 26.
“From about 250 miles above the Earth, the crew spent their downtime capturing images and video, taking in the view of our home planet below, and reconnecting with loved ones,” the Axiom said in a statement.
These moments offer a rare pause in an otherwise rigorous daily schedule, it added.
With over 60 experiments across biomedical science, advanced materials, neuroscience, agriculture, and space technology, the Ax-4 mission includes the most research conducted on an Axiom Space private astronaut mission to date.
These investigations could transform the future of human space exploration and life on Earth, with potential breakthroughs in areas such as diabetes management, innovative cancer treatments, and enhanced monitoring of human health and performance.
As the crew resumes their scientific duties, they continue to demonstrate how commercial missions contribute meaningfully to microgravity research and space exploration.
“Every test tube, data point, and observation brings us one step closer to a global community living and working in low-Earth orbit and, eventually, beyond,” Axiom Space said.
Meanwhile, in the final leg of his space sojourn, Shukla turned into a farmer, taking photos of ‘moong’ and ‘methi’ seeds sprouting in petri dishes and inserting them into a storage freezer on the International Space Station (ISS) as part of a study on how microgravity influences germination and early plant development.
“I am so proud that ISRO has been able to collaborate with national institutions all over the country and come up with some fantastic research which I am doing on the station for all the scientists and researchers. It is exciting and a joy to do this,” Shukla said in an interaction with Axiom Space Chief Scientist Lucie Low on Wednesday.
The sprouts experiment is led by two scientists – Ravikumar Hosamani of the University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad and Sudheer Siddapureddy of the Indian Institute of Technology, Dharwad.
Once returned to Earth, the seeds will be cultivated over several generations to examine changes in their genetics, microbial ecosystems and nutritional profiles, the statement said.
The Axiom-4 mission blasted off from the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida on June 25, and the Dragon spacecraft docked at the space station the next day after a 28-hour journey. It is the fourth private astronaut expedition to the International Space Station.
The mission is led by former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, now with Axiom Space, serving as commander. The international crew includes Slawosz Uznanski from Poland (European Space Agency) and Tibor Kapu from Hungary, both serving as mission specialists. Group Captain Shukla joins them as the mission’s pilot — a role of high responsibility and precision.
(With inputs from PTI)
Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) degree from Ben…Read More
Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) degree from Ben… Read More
view comments
- First Published:
Source link
[ad_3]
