Context: ISRO has announced the names of Indian astronauts for the upcoming Axiom-4 (Ax-4) manned mission to the International Space Station (ISS).

Indian Crew in Ax-4

• The National Mission Assignment Board has recommended two Gaganyatris (astronauts) as prime and backup Mission Pilot for this mission:

• Prime Mission Pilot: Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla

• Backup Mission Pilot: Group Captain Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair

• Note: Shukla will be the second Indian to go to space. So far, Wing Commander (Retired) Rakesh Sharma is the only Indian to go to space in 1984.

Objectives

• The recommended Gaganyatris will commence their training for the mission from the 1st week of August 2024. During the mission, the Gaganyatri will:

• Undertake selected scientific research.

• Conduct technology demonstration experiments on board the ISS.

• Engage in space outreach activities.

About Axiom-4 Mission

• Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) is a private spaceflight organized by Axiom Space.

• It aims to transport a crew to the International Space Station (ISS) for a 14-day mission.

• This will be Axiom Space’s fourth mission to the ISS, following their previous missions (Ax-1, Ax-2, and Ax-3).

• The mission will launch from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida using SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket.

• The spacecraft for this mission is a SpaceX Crew Dragon, known for its advanced technology and safety features.

• This mission is organized in collaboration with NASA, highlighting a strong partnership between private space companies and government space agencies to further space exploration and research.

Crew

• Peggy Whitson: A veteran astronaut with extensive experience, having completed multiple missions to the ISS.

• Slawosz Uznanski: A Polish astronaut joining the mission, marking a significant milestone for Poland in space exploration.

• Tibor Kapu: A Hungarian astronaut, adding to the diversity of the mission crew.

• Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla: An Indian astronaut, making headlines as part of this international crew.

International Space Station (ISS)

• The ISS, orbiting 430 kilometers above Earth, completes 16 orbits daily, witnessing 16 sunrises and sunsets.

• The ISS orbits Earth every 90 minutes at 8 km per second.

• Spanning 109 meters, it’s almost as long as an American football field.

• The ISS includes 6 sleeping areas, 2 bathrooms, a gym, and a panoramic view bay window.

• Its solar array wingspan is 109 meters, and the station houses about 13 km of electrical wiring.

• The ISS’s journey began on November 20, 1998, with Russia’s Zarya Control Module.

• The US added the Unity Node 1 module on December 4, 1998, marking the start of a functional space lab.

• The station evolved into its current form after 42 assembly flights.