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India and Axiom 4
A Giant Leap for India’s Space Ambitions
Context: India has marked a historic milestone in its space journey with astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla’s travel to the International Space Station (ISS) aboard the Axiom-4 mission.
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- This landmark moment, coming nearly 40 years after Rakesh Sharma’s iconic space voyage in 1984, signals a bold new era for India’s space program and brings the nation one step closer to its first indigenous human spaceflight under the Gaganyaan mission.
Axiom-4
Axiom-4 (Ax-4) is a landmark international space mission scheduled for launch on June 11, 2025, from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, Florida. The mission is operated by Axiom Space and will send a four-member crew (USA, India, Poland and Hungary) to the International Space Station (ISS), including Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla of the Indian Air Force, who will become the first Indian to visit the ISS and only the second Indian to travel to space after Rakesh Sharma in 1984.
Shubhanshu Shukla’s Spaceflight: More Than Symbolism
- Unlike Rakesh Sharma’s Soviet-assisted mission, Shukla’s participation in the Axiom-4 mission is not just a symbolic achievement — it is deeply embedded in India’s broader strategic roadmap for human space exploration.
- As the designated pilot on this private, multinational mission facilitated by US-based Axiom Space, Shukla’s journey is directly aligned with ISRO’s upcoming crewed mission, Gaganyaan, and future plans to establish an Indian space station.
- This is India’s first hands-on experience of conducting customised space experiments aboard the ISS.
- Shukla’s involvement will provide valuable operational insights, contribute to mission readiness, and enhance safety protocols for Gaganyaan — a program ISRO has meticulously developed since 2018.
From Inspiration to Execution: India’s Human Spaceflight Evolution
- In 1984, Rakesh Sharma’s flight ignited the national imagination, showcasing India’s aspiration to be a spacefaring nation.
- But at the time, India lacked the infrastructure and long-term planning to fully leverage the moment.
- Now, with decades of experience, ISRO stands among the world’s elite space agencies, having executed complex missions like Chandrayaan, Mangalyaan, and the recent lunar landing of Chandrayaan-3.
- Human spaceflight is one of the few frontiers left to conquer. If not for delays due to the pandemic and technical challenges, Gaganyaan would likely have launched by 2022.
- Shukla’s current mission, therefore, is a timely opportunity — not just to test new capabilities, but to gain real-life exposure that training modules and simulations cannot replicate.
- He becomes the first Indian to visit the ISS, gaining first-hand experience that will directly feed into India’s ambitions for a permanent presence in space.
Science in Zero Gravity: ISRO’s Experiments on Axiom-4
- ISRO has designed several zero-gravity experiments, tailored to India’s future space needs.
- Among them is a muscle degradation study — invaluable for understanding aging and disease progression without gravity’s interference.
- Other projects focus on moong dal sprouting, microalgae growth, and technology performance — all with applications for long-duration space travel and possible lunar habitation.
A Boost to India’s Space Economy and Private Sector
- Globally, the space market is worth over $500 billion and is projected to reach $1 trillion by 2030.
- India currently holds a modest 2% share, despite its proven capabilities.
- The government has set an ambitious goal to capture 10% of this booming market.
- Axiom-4, a mission under NASA’s initiative to commercialise low-Earth orbit travel, demonstrates how private firms like Axiom Space can accelerate global space access.
- India, through ISRO and emerging space-tech startups, stands to benefit from this evolving space ecosystem — especially after joining the US-led Artemis Accords in 2023, a key framework for responsible and collaborative space exploration.
