'Shukx': Axiom-4 mission assigns call sign for Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla ahead of ISS visit
India’s first mission to ISS
Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla of the Indian Air Force will become the first Indian to visit the International Space Station (ISS), marking a historic milestone in India’s space journey. Set for launch on May 29 aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, Shukla’s mission forms part of Axiom Space’s Ax-4 mission in collaboration with NASA and ISRO.
A call sign with camaraderie
Shukla will carry the unique call sign ‘Shukx’, pronounced “Shux”, during his mission. More than a technical identifier, the name reflects the camaraderie he shares with his international teammates and serves as a term of endearment within the crew.
A crucial step towards Gaganyaan
The Ax-4 mission serves as a precursor to India’s Gaganyaan human spaceflight programme, where Shukla is one of four astronaut-designates. The 39-year-old’s presence aboard the ISS marks India’s first participation in a space mission at this level since Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma’s 1984 flight aboard a Soviet Soyuz.
Launch from the United States
The mission will lift off from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida using a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. After a two-week quarantine, the crew will spend around a fortnight aboard the ISS, conducting scientific and technological experiments in microgravity.
The Crew
Shukla will join mission commander Peggy Whitson, Polish ESA reserve astronaut Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski, and Hungarian Air Force pilot Tibor Kapu. The training for the mission spans across the US and includes simulations for zero-gravity, emergency systems, and mission operations.
Scientific objectives and experiments
Over the course of the mission, Shukla will contribute to more than 60 scientific experiments, including seven projects led by Indian researchers. The research will include a focus on muscle loss in microgravity, a key concern for long-duration human space travel.
Second Indian in space
Shukla’s mission makes him only the second Indian to travel to space and the first to board the ISS. His journey reflects India’s growing role in international space collaboration.