A fighter pilot and test pilot with the Indian Air Force, with a flight experience of over 2,000 hours, is a pilot nominated for the Dragon Spacecraft, who flew from NASA’s Canedi Space Center in Florida in the afternoon.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8cildtmwh8
After a 28-hour trip through the space, the Dragon spacecraft will do a dock with the International Space Station around India at 4.30 pm on Thursday, allowing four astronauts to transfer the only permanent research laboratory in space, where they will spend the next two weeks, complete scientific experiments and attach to science outreach events.
After 41 years of squadron leader Rakesh Sharma, Shukla’s feat-he later retired as Wing Commander-Soyuz T-11 of Soviet Union traveled into space at the Soyuz T-11 spacecraft and spent about eight days at the Solayut 7 space station, which was one of the Soviet forecasts for the current international space station.
Two other astronauts on the AXIOM-4 mission, Slavose Uznanski-Viznivski and Hungary’s Tibor Kapu, are also marking the return of their respective countries after more than four decades. For this reason, the mission has been given the subject of ‘returns’. The fourth astronaut, and the commander of the mission, Pagi Whitson is an experienced of space trip, who has made four earlier trips in space with a record of 675 days.
“What a ride. After 40 years, we are back into space. What a flight is,” Shukla said in a small statement, 10 minutes after the launch, soon separated from the rocket after the spacecraft and entered an orbit around the Earth.
The Indian astronaut with Crew Dragon Capsules with SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is taking Shubhanshu Shukla and three other Florida left from the launch pad at the Kennedy Space Center in USA. (@Spacex through PTI photo)
“Right now, we are moving around the Earth at a speed of 7.5 km per second. There is Tiranga (Tricolor) on my shoulders who are telling me that I am not alone here, you are not with me.
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“I would like each of you to become a part of this journey. You should also feel proud, you should also feel enthusiastic. Come, let us mark the beginning of the human spacecraft program of India together. Thank you. Thank you. Jai Hind. Jai India,” he said. Other astronauts also made similar statements.
In a post on X after the liftoff, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, “We welcome the successful launch of the space mission carrying astronauts from India, Hungary, Poland and America. Indian astronauts, group captain Shubanshu Shukla has worked to become the first Indian to go to the international space station. Success!”
The AXIOM-4 mission, originally going to be launched in May, faced many delays due to weather and technical problems. Even after the astronauts entered the capsules, a small uncertainty launched on Wednesday, even some updated data took time to upload the spacecraft on the software of the spacecraft. Shukla was seen reshuffling and waited while shaking her legs, and when the all-alear was announced, she came out lightly.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zocaxlq_rgi
ISRO President V Narayanan, who was in the US since the beginning of this month, with an ISRO team, said he was very happy that the mission finally launched after addressing all technical problems.
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Narayanan told the Indian Express from the US, “Today, we were not only a certainty about our astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla’s safety, but the other three brothers and sisters who are going into space with him. Congratulations to all.”
He said that he was individually, and the team from ISRO, was involved in troubleshooting exercises, and ensured that everything was fine before the launch. “If I had 0.1% doubt, I would not have said right to launch,” he said.
Narayanan said that the spacecraft had entered a 200 -km orbit, which would increase to about 425 km in a period of 28 hours before the docking. The ISRO Team will travel from Florida Launch Center to Houston, Texas to see Docking from the Command Center.
Shukla was one of the four IAF pilots selected for the Gaganian program, which ISRO’s young woman tried to send humans into space. The first human spaceflight mission under this program was originally scheduled to match 2022 with 75 years of India’s independence. But the program has faced a delay, and now it is expected to be in 2027.
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Meanwhile, a new cooperation between ISRO and NASA in 2023 opened an opportunity for an Indian to travel on a private mission for convenience by NASA. In this way Shukla’s Axiom-4 came about participation in the mission.
Liftoff was welcomed with loud cheers and clapping in the auditorium of CSIR headquarters in New Delhi, where Science Minister Jitendra Singh and several scientists and dignitaries, including Australian High Commissioner Bharat Philip Green, gathered to watch the launch on the video.
“It was fixed to be under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi. And I am saying that the space reforms that took place a few years ago have given a quantum jump to India’s efforts. Imagine, ISRO was established in the year 1969, when NASA has already completed his partner with the moon. The follower,” said Singh.
The AXIOM-4 mission is being powered and managed by a private American space company Axiom Space. Falcon 9 rockets and dragon spacecrafts used in missions have come from the world’s largest private space corporation SpaceX. NASA provided access to its facilities, including training to international space stations, and astronauts.
Spacecraft Indian Express News (T) Current Affairs
