Nasa clears Indian astronaut’s 14-day mission to Space Station

Cape Canaveral: NASA has approved the Axiom-4 mission, which will send India’s Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla to the International Space Station (ISS) as part of a four-person crew on a 14-day mission.

Former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson will command the commercial mission, with Shukla serving as pilot. The crew includes European Space Agency project astronauts Sławosz Uznanski-Wisniewski from Poland and Tibor Kapu from Hungary.

NASA’s International Space Station Program Manager Dana Weigel said private astronaut missions help expand access to the microgravity environment and support NASA’s plans for low Earth orbit.

The mission will launch using a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft. Upon reaching the ISS, the crew will conduct research during their 14-day stay.

Shukla, an Indian Air Force officer and Gaganyaan Mission astronaut, will become the first Indian to visit the International Space Station. He and his backup, Group Captain Prashanth Nair, have completed training with NASA, the European Space Agency, and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. The mission represents a collaboration between India and the United States, which was announced during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s U.S. visit in 2023. Whitson, who serves as director of human spaceflight at Axiom Space, noted the crew’s diverse strengths and perspectives in preparation for the mission.

Axiom Space has previously conducted two private missions to the ISS. Axiom Mission 1 launched in April 2022 for a 17-day mission. Axiom Mission 2, also commanded by Whitson, launched in May 2023 with four private astronauts.

The crew will perform scientific research during their stay on the space station.

The mission continues NASA’s commercial space program, which aims to increase access to low Earth orbit through private partnerships.

The Axiom-4 mission builds upon previous commercial space ventures and marks India’s growing presence in space exploration. The mission combines commercial spaceflight with international cooperation, bringing together astronauts from multiple space agencies.

NASA and Axiom Space will announce additional mission details, including the launch date, in future updates.