Bengaluru: In a significant milestone for India’s space exploration efforts, two Indian astronauts, Prime-Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla and Backup-Group Captain Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair, have successfully completed their initial training for the upcoming Axiom-4 mission to the International Space Station (ISS).
This mission is a collaborative effort between the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
The training, which commenced in the first week of August 2024 in the United States, included comprehensive orientations, SpaceX suit fit checks, and emergency preparedness protocols. The astronauts, referred to as Gaganyatris, also familiarized themselves with the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft and various onboard systems of the ISS. This phase of training covered essential aspects such as mission-related ground facility tours, an overview of mission launch phases, and selected space food options.
One of the highlights of this training phase was the preparation for various types of emergencies in space, including medical emergencies. The astronauts also received training in daily operations routines, communication protocols, and photography from space.
The next phase of training will focus on the remaining modules of the US Orbital Segment of the ISS and conducting scientific research experiments in the microgravity environment during the mission. The crew will also train for different mission scenarios in the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft.
Science and Technology Minister Jitendra Singh has indicated that an Indian astronaut is likely to fly to the ISS by April next year as part of this historic NASA-ISRO collaborative initiative.
