Mission Axiom-4 was successfully completed on July 15, 2025. For India and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), this mission was a test case scenario to assess India’s preparedness for the Mission Gaganyaan. That’s why even on the Mission Axiom-4, the Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla was referred to as a ‘Gaganyatri’ by the ISRO. India’s hopes for this mission have been high, considering that Rs 5,500 million was paid to purchase a seat on this mission for an Indian to be sent into outer space.
The objectives set for this mission were successfully met. That needs to be the highlight of this mission. As per the ISRO, “Gaganyatri Shubhanshu Shukla completed a suite of seven microgravity experiments developed by Indian research institutions under the Human Space Flight Centre’s (HSFC) coordination. These experiments explored muscle regeneration, algal growth, crop viability, microbial survivability, cognitive performance in space, and the behaviour of cyanobacteria—each aimed at enhancing understanding of human spaceflight and microgravity science.”
Apart from the experiments, one noteworthy thing was that Group Captain Shukla was able to maintain optimal health throughout his stay in the International Space Station. This is important to note since keeping oneself healthy despite the physical and psychological challenges posed during a spaceflight and afterwards is not an easy feat to achieve. This showcased the physical fitness and mental toughness of the Indian astronaut, who may also be chosen to be sent into outer space again on India’s human spaceflight mission within the next few years. For any human spaceflight mission to be successful, the most basic checkbox to be ticked is the health and fitness of the individual to be chosen for any such mission. Rest, all the things are secondary.
Secondly, it doesn’t mean that it’s unimportant, but on a scale of relativity, the health and fitness of an astronaut will always take precedence over the task he/she is supposed to accomplish during a space mission. This mission spanned over nearly 20 days, and the distance covered was approximately 12 million kilometres, which included 282 orbits aboard the International Space Station. After this mission, Group Captain Shukla was taken to Houston to participate in a rehabilitation program to ensure that he is not affected by any adverse effects of microgravity. This is because Shubhanshu Shukla was involved in conducting seven microgravity experiments on the International Space Station. The rehabilitation program is being overseen by both Axiom-4’s flight surgeon as well as ISRO’s flight surgeon. The program involves a number of medical checks, which include multiple cardiovascular assessments, musculoskeletal tests, as well as a psychological debrief.
Apart from the technical parts of this mission, what attracted the public and media attention was the interaction of Gaganyatri Shukla with the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This evoked memories from the year 1984 when, on a similar note, India’s astronaut Rakesh Sharma had a conversation with India’s then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. PM Modi’s eighteen-minute interaction with Group Captain Shukla involved the Indian Prime Minister asking a series of questions and the Indian astronaut answering them swiftly.
The conversation ranged from issues like India’s future missions in outer space to Group Captain Shukla’s experience of being at the International Space Station. A special emphasis was placed on the fact that space missions serve as both an attraction and an inspiration for millions of children across India, who are drawn to outer space and science after witnessing such missions. Public outreach was a key component of this mission. Apart from his live interaction with the Prime Minister, Group Captain Shukla also interacted with various school students, discussing his experience as an astronaut and life at the International Space Station.
Similar sessions were held with some students and engineers at Bengaluru and Meghalaya. The Indian astronaut also talked with the ISRO chairman through teleconferencing, where he updated him about his preliminary observations regarding his experiments at the International Space Station. The successful return of Shubhanshu Shukla back to earth in a healthy condition, with all the mission objectives achieved, proved both the utility and necessity of the time taken for the training done for this mission before the spaceflight.
The coverage of this mission by the media was extensive, considering the deep interest that space travel and space exploration generate among the masses. Hopefully, missions like these will ignite the passions of youngsters in India to be more curious about science and space. India needs to invest heavily in science education and research if it wants indigenous talent to grow and then stay back in the country. The lesson learnt from the Mission Axiom-4 is that India as a nation is ready to take giant leaps in outer space. Mission Gaganyaan is the next big leap that India is hoping for, but till then, the success of Ax-4 mission can be cherished for long.
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