India Selected Crew for Axiom-4 Mission to ISS

Current Context : The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) announced that two of the astronauts selected for its maiden human spaceflight mission, ‘Gaganyaan’,

• Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla and Group Captain Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair, were selected for the Axiom-4 mission to the International Space Station.

ABOUT AXIOM-4 (AXIOM SPACE MISSION 4)

• It is the fourth private astronaut mission to the ISS. The assigned crew members will be approved to fly to the ISS by the Multilateral Crew Operations Panel (MCOP).
• Objective: To transport a crew of private astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) for conducting scientific experiments, technology demonstrations, and other activities that advance space research and commercial spaceflight.
• Partnership with NASA: While primarily a commercial venture, Axiom Space collaborates with NASA and other international partners to ensure the mission aligns with ISS operations and safety protocols.
• Type: Commercial crewed spaceflight
• Scheduled Launch: October 2024
• Spacecraft: SpaceX Crew Dragon
• Launch Vehicle: Falcon 9 rocket
• Duration: last about 10-14 days