Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla is the second Indian to journey into space after he flew aboard the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on the Axiom Mission 4 (AX-4) on Wednesday. The rocket booster returned safely to Earth less than eight minutes after launch from Florida’s Kennedy Space Center in another successful test of SpaceX’s reusable rocket technology.
Launch Delayed Six Times, Saved by Last-Minute Fix
The AX-4 mission itself had already experienced six delays and was even on the verge of a seventh when a software problem briefly halted the uploading of weather data. But engineers fixed the bug just in time. At 12:01 pm IST, the nine Merlin engines of the Falcon 9 fired, launching the rocket into the sky from Launch Complex 39A — the same historic pad where Apollo 11 once took off.
Historic Moment for India’s Space Journey
Shubhanshu Shukla’s involvement in the Axiom-4 mission is a record for India’s space mission. When the Crew Dragon capsule broke away and headed towards the International Space Station (ISS), Shukla became the first person to make history by speaking his inaugural words from orbit:
“We are orbiting the Earth. This is the beginning of India’s human space program. Jai Hind, Jai Bharat.”
What is Falcon 9?
Falcon 9 is a reusable, two-stage rocket manufactured by SpaceX and the world’s first orbital-class rocket intended for reusability. Its primary engine, Merlin, is powered by rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen. The booster — the first stage of the rocket — separates once it has achieved a predetermined altitude and returns to Earth to be recovered. SpaceX now successfully landed this booster 451 times.
Crew Dragon Capsule on 28-Hour Journey
The Crew Dragon capsule, which has Shukla along with three other astronauts — from the US, Poland, and Hungary — on board, will dock at the ISS after about 28 hours in space. They will then start a 14-day mission aboard the station.
Scientific Research During Mission
The astronauts will carry out 60 scientific experiments over their tenure on the ISS. Notably, seven of the experiments were suggested by Indian scientists, reflecting India’s increasing contribution to space science.
