Axiom 4 Mission: Shubhanshu Shukla’s scheduled return to Earth postponed, now he will come back on…
New Delhi: Indian Air Force (IAF) Group Captain and Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla will return to Earth on July 14, said US space agency NASA on Thursday, July 10. Shukla is currently serving as the mission pilot for the ongoing Axiom Mission 4 mission to the International Space Station (ISS).
When was Axiom 4 Mission launched?
The Axiom mission was launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida via SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket. Originally, the duration of the mission was 14 days, i.e., Shubhanshu Shukla and the team were scheduled to return to earth on July 10, but now, they will return on July 14. The mission is part of a joint effort between NASA and ISRO.
Earlier on July 6, some pictures of Shubhanshu were revealed from the ISS station in which Shubhanshu was seen looking at the Earth from the window of the Cupola module.
What assignments did Shubhanshu Shukla execute?
Shubhanshu Shukla conducted three experiments. In the first instance, he worked on the sprouts project on sprouting seeds like green gram and fenugreek on the orbital lab, said NASA. This was done to study how microgravity affects germination and early plant development. On return to Earth, the seeds will be cultivated over several generations to examine changes in their genetics, microbial ecosystems, and nutritional profiles. In another experiment, he deployed and stowed microalgae, which are being investigated for their potential to produce food, oxygen, and even biofuels.
According to another source, Shubhanshu will conduct seven experiments of Indian Education Institutes in ISS. Most of these are biological studies. He will do 5 other experiments with NASA, in which data will be collected for long space missions.
What is India’s role in the mission?
This is a private space flight mission, which is being conducted in partnership with American space companies Axiom, NASA and SpaceX. They send private astronauts to ISS in their spacecraft. India has paid Rs 548 crore for one seat. The experiments conducted by Shubhanshu strengthen India’s Gaganyaan mission.
Shukla is the first Indian to be onboard the International Space Station (ISS) and the second astronaut from the country, after Rakesh Sharma in 1984.
What is International Space Station?
The International Space Station (ISS) is a large spacecraft revolving around the Earth. Astronauts live in it and experiment in micro gravity. It travels at a speed of 28,000 kilometers per hour. It completes one orbit around the Earth every 90 minutes. Five space agencies have built it together. The first piece of the station was launched in November 1998.
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