New Delhi, India - In a historic moment for Indian space exploration, one of India's four trained Gaganyaan astronauts will fly to the International Space Station (ISS) later this year as part of the Axiom-4 mission. The mission, scheduled to launch no earlier than October 2024, marks a significant milestone in the Indian Space Research Organisation's (ISRO) collaboration with NASA.
credit SpaceX
According to officials, the selected astronaut will undergo training in the United States to familiarize themselves with the ISS modules and protocols. While the astronaut has received general training for space travel in India, the additional training will focus on the specifics of the ISS and the Axiom-4 mission.
The Axiom-4 mission is the fourth private astronaut mission by NASA and Axiom Space, a private US company. The mission aims to dock with the ISS for 14 days, during which the Indian astronaut will join the crew on board. Axiom Space has contracted SpaceX as the launch provider for transportation to and from the space station.
This development is a result of the joint statement by India and the US during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the US last year, which announced NASA's plans to provide advanced training to Indian astronauts. NASA administrator Bill Nelson reiterated this commitment during his visit to Delhi later that year, stating that NASA would train an Indian astronaut for a mission to the ISS by the end of 2024.
While India's own human spaceflight program, Gaganyaan, is unlikely to take place before 2025, this mission marks a crucial step forward for the country's space ambitions. The first unmanned flight of Gaganyaan is yet to take off, and the first flight carrying humans will only be launched after two successful unmanned flights.
The four aviators have received basic training for space flight at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre in Moscow and will complete it at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas - PHOTO/TsPK
The Axiom-4 mission is a testament to the growing collaboration between ISRO and NASA, with the Indian astronaut set to make history as the first from the country to fly to the ISS. As India continues to push the boundaries of space exploration, this mission serves as a significant milestone in the country's journey to become a major player in the global space arena.
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