Axiom Mission 4: Shubhanshu Shukla takes India to ISS with experiments on food, muscles, and microbes; becomes second Indian in space

Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla of the Indian Air Force has lifted off to the International Space Station (ISS) on Wednesday as part of Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4), becoming only the second Indian national in space after Rakesh Sharma in 1984. The SpaceX Falcon 9 launch carrying Shukla, and three other international astronauts, marks India’s debut on a private astronaut mission, with a sharp focus on scientific research in microgravity.

Over the 14-day mission aboard the ISS, Shukla will lead over seven exclusive Indian microgravity experiments spanning space agriculture, muscle regeneration, and life sciences, as shared by Union Minister Jitendra Singh in a post on X. These studies, developed by Indian research institutes in collaboration with ISRO and international partners, aim to deepen understanding of human survival and sustainability in space.

Among the key studies is the investigation into edible microalgae by ICGEB and NIPGR, exploring how three varieties behave in zero gravity—a project with implications for astronaut nutrition and oxygen recycling. Shukla will also sprout moong and methi seeds in orbit, as part of a study by UAS Dharwad and IIT Dharwad, to assess their potential as food supplements in space.

A muscle regeneration experiment by inStem aims to mimic how muscles weaken in space and test potential interventions. Also on board is a study from IISc Bengaluru on how astronauts interact with electronic displays in microgravity, with potential applications in improving spaceflight interfaces.

ISRO is also sending tardigrades—microscopic organisms known for extreme survival—to assess how they revive and reproduce in orbit. Another life science project will test the growth of cyanobacteria using urea as a nitrogen source, aiming to support nutrient recycling on long missions. Finally, a set of food crop seeds, including rice, brinjal, and tomato, will be exposed to microgravity to test their viability and adaptability.

Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) is the fourth private astronaut mission to the International Space Station, organized by U.S.-based Axiom Space. The 14-day mission launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The four-member international crew includes Peggy Whitson, a former NASA astronaut and current director of human spaceflight at Axiom Space; Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla from India, representing ISRO; Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski of Poland, backed by the European Space Agency (ESA); and Tibor Kapu of Hungary.

With over 60 experiments from 31 countries, Ax-4 is the most research-intensive mission by Axiom Space to date. India’s scientific footprint on this flight underscores a growing ambition to contribute meaningfully to space science.

"We are proud and happy to see Shubhanshu Shukla become the second Indian to travel to space, this time as part of the Axiom-4 Mission. This journey is a testament to the growing global footprint of India in space exploration and is a stepping stone to what we want to achieve with Gaganyaan, our own indigenous human spaceflight program. India is now in the final stages of preparation for the Gaganyaan mission, with firms like Larsen & Toubro, Tata and Ananth Technologies playing a critical role alongside our vibrant startups. If all goes as planned, we are just one or two years away from realizing the dream of sending Indian astronauts to space on an entirely indigenous platform," said Lt. Gen. AK Bhatt (retd.), Director General, Indian Space Association (ISpA) in a statement.