SOURCE: AFI
The Indo-US Axiom-4 mission is poised to enhance, rather than delay, the much-anticipated Gaganyaan mission, according to Dr. S Somanath, Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). In an exclusive interview with NDTV, Dr. Somanath detailed how the Axiom-4 mission, involving an Indian astronaut’s journey to the International Space Station (ISS), will significantly contribute to India’s understanding and capabilities in human spaceflight.
Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla is slated to fly to the ISS as part of the Axiom-4 mission, expected to launch in the middle or end of next year. This mission will be instrumental in bolstering India’s preparations for its own crewed spaceflight under the Gaganyaan program. Dr. Somanath emphasized that the two missions are independent in terms of their progress and timelines. Any delays in Gaganyaan are attributed to the qualification of certain systems, unrelated to the ISS mission.
“Both have no connection in terms of the progress of the work. The progress on Gaganyaan is very good. Of course, there have been some delays… that is not connected with the mission to ISS, it is only in terms of qualification of certain systems that we have yet to complete,” Dr. Somanath explained. “I believe that the ISS mission will only add value to what we are doing in Gaganyaan because we are only in the process of development of the first crew module and service module.”
India’s Gaganyaan mission aims to send humans to an orbit of 400 km above Earth’s surface for at least one day and bring them back safely. The Axiom-4 mission will provide invaluable experience in the protocols and intricacies of human spaceflight, areas where India currently lacks direct experience.
“It is also about the protocols associated with sending humans to space, with which we have no experience. So we bank on the training of these people (French, Russian and American experts). India’s Gaganyatris have already undergone training under the Russian model and when they train in the US, it will add value to the process we have conceived,” Dr. Somanath noted. “There are many things we need to plan and do – their preparation, training, health monitoring and even the features of the crew module. So there won’t be a delay, there will be value addition, it will be an augmenting factor.”
India has selected four candidates for the Gaganyaan mission, with Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla as the primary astronaut for Axiom-4 and Group Captain Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair as the backup. The training and experiences these astronauts will gain through international collaborations are expected to significantly benefit the Gaganyaan mission.
The Axiom-4 mission has already garnered a uniquely Indian nickname, ‘Mission Akash Ganga’, reflecting the cultural significance and national pride associated with this venture. The mission symbolizes a critical step in India’s journey towards mastering human spaceflight and realizing the ambitious goals of the Gaganyaan program.