Why is Shubhanshu Shukla's Ax-4 Dragon capsule named Grace? NASA astronaut reveals two reasons

SpaceX launched Axiom Space's Ax-4 mission on June 25, and with it India once again entered history books as IAF Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla is one of the crew members onboard. NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson and two others - Poland's Tibor Kapu and Hungary's Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski, acting as mission specialists - are on the Dragon capsule taking them to the International Space Station. It lifted off from NASA's Kennedy Space Center atop the Falcon 9 rocket. Right before the Dragon spacecraft was about to separate from Falcon 9's second stage, Whitson gave a speech and announced the name of the Dragon spacecraft her crew was aboard.

She revealed that it was named "Grace", detailing why the name was chosen. "We had an incredible ride uphill, and we now set our course for the International Space Station aboard the newest member of the Dragon fleet — our spacecraft, 'Grace.' Grace is more than a name," Whitson said. The veteran revealed that the name held double significance - the graceful movement, and "grace", as in "an act of goodwill."

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Baby swan ‘Joy’ on Axiom-4 mission tells about zero gravity

"It reflects the elegance with which we move through space against the backdrop of Earth. It speaks to the refinement of our mission, the harmony of science and spirit, and the unmerited favor we carry with humility," Whitson said. "Grace reminds us that spaceflight is not just a feat of engineering, but an act of goodwill - for the benefit of every human, everywhere," she added.

Whitson also showed a plush toy swan, named "Joy". The baby swan served as the zero-g indicator on the Ax-4 mission. She said, the swan was "a symbol of beauty, unity, and the shared dreams that lift us beyond our world. Joy inspires us to look outward with wonder and inward with hope."

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Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla on baby swan and Grace

Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla later said in a livestream for Axiom that swans hold significance in Indian tradition as well. "Swan symbolises wisdom. It also has the ability to discern what should be focused on and what should not. We all have symbolism in Poland, Hungary, and India. It has more meaning than one would think," the 39-year-old said.

Whitson further elaborated on the baby swan toy, saying, "Together, Grace and Joy embody the essence of this mission: to explore with purpose, to connect with compassion, and to dream without limits. As we glide through space, may we carry with us the spirit of Grace, the lightness of Joy, and the boundless possibilities that await us."

The SpaceX capsule Grace will dock with the International Space Station at 4:30 pm IST on Thursday. The crew will conduct more than 60 scientific experiments focused on human research, biological, and material sciences and more in the 15 days they will spend at the orbiting space observatory.