Axiom-4 Mission highlights: Shubhanshu Shukla, crew successfully launched towards ISS

Axiom-4 launch highlights: Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla became the first Indian astronaut to travel to the International Space Station (ISS) on a private mission

12:47 PM

Shubhanshu Shukla's first words after lift off

"Namaskar, my dear countrymen; we have reached space after 41 years. It was a great ride We are orbiting earth at a speed of 7.5 km per second, I have Indian tricolour on my shoulders. Tricolour tells me I am with you all, it is not just the start of my journey to ISS but also of India's human spaceflight.  I want each one of you to be part of this journey, let us embark on India's human space programme," said Shubhanshu Shukla as the Dragon spacecraft began its journey towards the ISS.

12:31 PM

Falcon 9’s first stage booster landed at Landing Zone 1

12:28 PM

Dragon separates from Falcon 9’s second stage

12:14 PM

Shubhanshu Shukla Axiom-4 LIVE update: What Shubhanshu Shukla will do at the ISS

During the 14-day mission, Shubhanshu Shukla will carry out a series of scientific experiments focused on food and nutrition in microgravity. Serving as the mission pilot alongside Commander Peggy Whitson, Shukla’s research is part of a collaboration between the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro), the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), and Nasa.

12:08 PM

Shubhanshu Shukla Axiom-4 LIVE news updates: Ax-4 Mission successfully launched

India marked a significant milestone in its space journey on Wednesday as Gaganyaan astronaut-in-training Shubhanshu Shukla launched into orbit as part of the Axiom-4 mission. The lift-off occurred at approximately 12:01 pm IST from Nasa’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

 

12:01 PM

Axiom-4 Mission LIVE update: Power loading begins, Dragon spacecraft ready for launch

11:58 AM

Shubhanshu Shukla LIVE update: Ax-4 is set for launch

11:56 AM

Axiom-4 Mission LIVE update: 5 minutes to lift off

With Nasa targeting launch for 12:01 PM IST, the crew is expected to take off in the next  5 minutes.

11:51 AM

Axiom-4 Mission LIVE update: Ground operations team doing the final checks before launch

11:37 AM

Dragon’s escape system armed, propellant load underway

Falcon 9 propellant loading is in progress, and the Dragon spacecraft’s escape system has been activated.

11:36 AM

Shubhanshu Shukla Axiom-4 Mission LIVE update: Troubleshooting completed; wind upload completed

At T-53 minute, a SpaceX engineer stated that troubleshooting going on with the wind fire upload of dragon spacecraft. "If we solve the wind upload issue by T-35 mins, we will begin the call for upload," the engineer said.

11:27 AM

Shubhanshu Shukla to script history with journey to ISS

Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla and three others boarded the Dragon spacecraft at the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida for their journey to the International Space Station as part of a commercial mission by Axiom Space on Wednesday.

11:09 AM

Shubhanshu Shukla Axiom-4 Mission update: All about the Falcon 9 Block 5 rocket

The Falcon 9 Block 5 is a medium-lift, two-stage launch vehicle developed by Elon Musk’s SpaceX to transport crew or cargo into space. It features partial reusability, with its first stage engineered to land safely and be reused, thereby lowering costs and reducing turnaround time.

11:06 AM

What does the mission seek to achieve?

Nasa and Isro are participating in five joint science investigations and two in-orbit STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) demonstrations. Once docked, the private astronauts intend to spend approximately two weeks on the orbiting laboratory, carrying out a mission that includes scientific research, public outreach, and commercial initiatives.

 

10:59 AM

Shubhanshu Shukla, crew members board SpaceX Dragon; Axiom-4 take-off shortly

Shubhanshu Shukla, together with mission commander Peggy Whitson, Poland’s Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski, and Hungary’s Tibor Kapu, are set to lift off shortly aboard the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft.