Jun 26, 2025, 19:23:33 IST Share Follow us Shubhanshu Shukla docking Space Station Live Updates: Shubhanshu Shukla's parents say 'a proud moment'; ISS welcomes its first astronaut from India Shubhanshu Shukla docking Space Station Live Updates: Axiom Mission 4, or Ax-4, is the fourth private space mission to the ISS organised by Axiom Space in partnership with SpaceX and NASA. Group Captain Sudhanshu Shukla of the Indian Air Force is joined by mission commander and former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, along with Poland’s Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski and Hungary’s Tibor Kapu. The mission also marks a return to space for both Poland and Hungary. The crew is set to spend two weeks aboard the ISS conducting around 60 scientific experiments in areas like plant biology, muscle health, and microbial studies in microgravity. The Axiom-4 mission is more than just a scientific endeavour; it stands as a powerful symbol of India’s emergence as a global technology leader. It reflects the country’s growing capability to drive space innovation, champion sustainability, and play a pivotal role in international scientific collaborations. Once aboard the International Space Station (ISS), Group Captain Sudhanshu Shukla will lead groundbreaking research in the field of food and space nutrition. These experiments, developed through a partnership between the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), with support from NASA, are designed to advance knowledge of sustainable life-support systems, an essential component of future long-duration space missions. A key focus of the research is to investigate how microgravity and space radiation affect edible microalgae, a nutrient-rich and high-potential food source for deep space exploration. Scientists will assess critical growth parameters and study transcriptomic, proteomic, and metabolomic changes in various algal species, comparing their behaviour in space to that on Earth. The results could have far-reaching implications for developing efficient, sustainable food sources for astronauts on future interplanetary missions. Follow TOI for live updates: 19:23 (IST) Jun 26 Shubhanshu Shukla Docking Live: 'My expectations have been surpassed by the view and current crew,' says Shubhanshu Shukla "I feel even better. My expectations have been surpassed by the view and current crew. Was looking forward to this. Crew made me feel welcome and opened their doors for us," says Shubhanshu Shukla. 19:21 (IST) Jun 26