Shubhanshu Shukla set to script history as India's second astronaut in space

New Delhi: India's Shubhanshu Shukla is set for his maiden space flight as part of Axiom Space's fourth commercial mission to the International Space Station, which is scheduled for lift-off onboard SpaceX's Falcon-9 rocket from the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida on June 8.

The launch of the Dragon spacecraft will take place not earlier than 6:41 pm IST from NASA's spaceport in Florida, making Shukla only the second Indian to travel to space four decades after Rakesh Sharma's iconic spaceflight onboard Russia's Soyuz spacecraft in 1984.

Besides Shukla, the mission pilot for the Axiom-4 mission, the other crew include Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski from Poland and Tibor Kapu from Hungary, marking both European nation's first travel to the International Space Station in history and the second government-sponsored human spaceflight mission in over 40 years.

Veteran US astronaut Peggy Whitson will be the commander of the Axiom-4 mission.

"I am really, really excited to go into microgravity and experience spaceflight on my own," Shukla, who goes by the nickname 'Shuks', said at a press conference in January.

Once docked, the astronauts plan to spend up to 14 days aboard the orbiting laboratory, conducting science, outreach, and commercial activities.

The Ax-4 astronauts will perform around 60 scientific studies and activities representing 31 countries during their 14-day stay at the ISS.

Shukla is set to conduct exclusive food and nutrition-related experiments developed under a collaboration between the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), with support from NASA.

The experiments aim to pioneer space nutrition and self-sustaining life support systems vital for future long-duration space travel.

ISRO has lined up a set of seven experiments for Shukla, who will also participate in five joint studies planned by NASA for its human research program.

It has drawn up plans to focus on India-centric food for carrying out experiments on the ISS, including sprouting methi (Fenugreek) and moong (green gram) in microgravity conditions.

Shukla will also expose the seeds to the macrobiotic conditions and bring them back to earth where they will be cultivated in plants not just once but over generations.

In January, Shukla said he also planned to capture his experiences on board the ISS through pictures and videos which can be shared with all the "Bharatvaasis' back home". "I want them to share this thrilling experience through my eyes, for I truly believe that, even as an individual travelling to space, this is the journey of 1.4 billion people," he said.

Shukla said he planned to take certain items from different parts of the country with him to the ISS during the 14-day mission and even expressed hope to serve Indian food to astronauts in the orbital laboratory.

He said the experience on the Axiom Mission 4 would be very well utilised on the Gaganyaan mission which is planned for 2027. ISRO is spending Rs 550 crore on the Axiom-4 mission.