 "Axiom Mission 4 crew, from left to right, ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski of Poland, former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, ISRO (Indian Space Research Organization) astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, and Tibor Kapu of Hungary. Image Courtesy: NASASpaceOps via PTI Photo")
Indian Air Force (IAF) Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla is set to fly off to his maiden space mission. The Axiom-4 Mission (AX-4) to the International Space Station (ISS) is expected to be launched on Wednesday (June 25) from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (Nasa) Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
The mission will blast off to space aboard Elon Musk’s SpaceX capsule — the Crew Dragon C213 – for a two-week stay. Shukla will pilot the Axiom-4 mission and carry out several experiments on ISS.
We take a look at the IAF officer’s role in space.
IAF’s Shubhanshu Shukla’s mission in space
Indian Air Force’s Shubhanshu Shukla, 39, is the pilot of the Axiom-4 Mission . The four astronauts, including Shukla, will carry out 60 experiments in space during their 14-day stay.
After reaching the ISS, the Indian astronaut will conduct seven experiments for India, including those related to muscle regeneration, plant biology, microalgae growth, and human-computer interaction in microgravity.
The muscle regeneration experiment of Myogenesis and the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) will see Shukla analysing cultured muscle stem cells to study their regeneration and the changes in mitochondrial metabolism in space.
Scientists are seeking ways to combat muscle loss in astronauts during their long stays in space. The findings could also prove beneficial for people suffering from age-related muscle loss or muscular diseases on Earth.
Another key research that Shukla will carry out is the impact of microgravity radiation on edible microalgae in space. He will analyse how these microorganisms develop in the absence of gravity.
This experiment was designed by the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), which said that microalgae can be used for experiments on long space flights as they grow food sustainably.
The experiment will also examine whether these microorganisms could offer a possibility of being used as space food in future missions.
The Ax-4 mission will also entail astronauts studying the growth of green gram (moong) and fenugreek (methi) seeds in space. This could help in creating food systems for future spaceflights.
Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, has created two experiments for the mission –– to study the impact of using computer screens in space and to assess the growth and survival of microfauna, and eutardigrade paramacrobiotus or water bears.
The Voyager Displays–Isro experiment will analyse how microgravity sparks cognitive and motor changes by focusing on the gaze, touch, and eye movement of the astronauts. This study is essential to improve the design of control systems for future spacecraft.
“The research will study how gaze fixation and rapid eye movements are affected by being in space, and how this may affect an astronaut’s stress and wellbeing. The results could influence future spacecraft computer design and interaction,” former Nasa scientist Mila Mitra told BBC.
The other experiment by IISc includes studying how tardigrades, or water bears, survive in space. Shukla will assess the resilience of these aquatic creatures that can endure radiation, vacuum, and freezing temperatures. Scientists aim to identify the genes that make these animals resilient.
Another key Isro experiment is to assess the impact of spaceflight on six varieties of crop seeds. “This project aims to help understand how crops may be grown in space for future exploration missions. After the mission, seeds will be grown for multiple generations and plants showing preferred traits will be selected for genetic analyses,” Mitra told BBC.
The ICGEB-designed experiment is to compare the growth of two strains of cyanobacteria in microgravity when using urea versus nitrate.
Diabetes experiment in space
A key research area that will keep the Axiom mission’s astronauts busy is enabling the travel of diabetic people to space.
Currently, diabetic people dependent on insulin are not picked to become astronauts as microgravity makes it tough to control and maintain blood sugar levels.
The experiment, dubbed Suite Ride, will be undertaken by the Ax-4 astronauts. One or more of them will wear Continuous Glucose Meters (CGMs) during their two-week stay in space. A research team on Earth will continuously monitor their blood sugar in real time.
Explaining the importance of the experiment, Dr Mohammad Fityan, Clinical Lead for the Suite Ride experiment and Chief Medical Officer at Burjeel Medical City, told Times of India (TOI), “At present, astronauts with diabetes — particularly those requiring insulin — are excluded from spaceflight. This study is laying the groundwork to change that.”
The astronauts will collect blood samples during their mission to test later to check the accuracy of the readings of the CGM.
The experiment is developed in collaboration between Burjeel Holdings and Axiom Space.
Dr Fityan told Indian Express that the research also mattered for diabetic people on Earth.
“Previous studies on the International Space Station for example have shown that the effect of microgravity causes fluid shifts in the astronauts. This kind of situation is similar to long-term bed-ridden patients, whose movement is severely restricted. The data that we are hoping to get from the Axiom-4 mission might be very helpful in improving the management of diabetes on Earth as well,” he said.
A ‘tech genius’ Indian pilot
As the pilot of the mission, IAF’s Shukla will play a key role during the launch of the spaceflight, its orbital insertion, docking and undocking at the ISS, along with re-entry and landing of the spacecraft.
He will also coordinate communication with the mission control teams on Earth. The Indian astronaut has been trained on the Crew Dragon capsule’s manual control systems in case of any software glitch.
Shukla has been described as a “tech genius” by his fellow crew members.
Nasa astronaut Peggy Whitson, who is leading the Ax-4 mission, said in Shukla’s mission profile video: “For me to have Shux as my pilot in the Dragon capsule is great. He already has that operational savvy approach. He is wicked smart when it comes to spacecraft technologies.”
Mission specialist Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski from Poland said in Shukla’s profile video, “I am in awe of how fast he goes from stage one to four. He does it in record time. He is crazy fast.”
Mission specialist Tibor Kapu said he believes that Shukla is 130 years old. “His wisdom and knowledge are unmatched,” the astronaut from Hungary said in Shukla’s mission profile video.
With inputs from agencies