Stepping stone, Pg8

Key Highlights:

• Shubhanshu Shukla participated in a NASA-Axiom mission to ISS, supported by ISRO.
• The trip served as a training and familiarisation exercise for the upcoming Gaganyaan human spaceflight mission.
• ₹500+ crore was paid by ISRO for this astronaut training collaboration with Axiom Space.
• Training included exposure to spacecraft systems, microgravity adaptation, and space medicine.
• ISRO claims the training cost was lower than if conducted indigenously.
• The mission pilot role allowed Mr. Shukla to experience manual operations, reentry procedures, and docking protocols.
• The mission helped overcome concerns about restrictions under International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR).

Detailed Insights:

• Gaganyaan, India’s first human spaceflight mission, is scheduled for 2027 and has a projected cost of ₹20,000 crore.
• Mr. Shukla and fellow astronaut Prasanth Nair received training in Japan and Germany for operations in non-U.S. space modules.
• Human spaceflight demands extreme preparedness, especially for emergencies and anomaly management.
• ISRO’s limited public communication has been criticised despite the inspirational value of astronauts.
• Transparency and outreach are essential to enhance public engagement and amplify India’s soft power.
• The NASA-Axiom-ISRO collaboration is viewed as a strategic success, demonstrating India's expanding global partnerships in space.

Scientific/Technical Concepts Involved:

• Gaganyaan Mission: India’s maiden crewed spaceflight mission aiming to send 2–3 astronauts into low-Earth orbit.
• Microgravity Training: Familiarises astronauts with weightless conditions encountered in space.
• International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR): U.S. export control law that limits sharing of sensitive technology.
• Docking/Undocking Operations: Manual or automated procedures for attaching and detaching spacecraft modules.