space mission

Axiom space mission: Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla to fly to International Space Station in May 2025

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He will become the first Indian astronaut to go to the ISS, and the first Indian to go to space in the last 40 years

Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, a distinguished pilot in the Indian Air Force (IAF), has been handpicked as one of the four astronauts for the Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) historic Gaganyaan mission—the nation’s inaugural human space flight endeavor.

Born on October 10, 1985, in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India, Shukla possesses fluency in both English and his native Hindi. His journey began when he was commissioned into the IAF fighter wing in June 2006. As a combat leader and seasoned test pilot, he boasts an impressive 2,000 hours of flight experience across various aircraft, including the Su-30 MKI, MiG-21, MiG-29, Jaguar, Hawk, Dornier, and An-32. His ascent to the rank of group captain in March 2024 reflects his exceptional contributions.

In 2019, Shukla received a momentous call from ISRO. He embarked on rigorous training at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Moscow, Russia—a year-long preparation that would shape his destiny. On February 27, 2024, Indian Prime Minister unveiled Shukla as one of the elite astronauts undergoing intensive training for India’s maiden human spaceflight mission, Gaganyaan, scheduled for launch in 2025.

Shukla is honored and excited as he prepares to pilot the historic Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) to the International Space Station (ISS), leaving an indelible mark on India’s remarkable advancements in human space exploration.

What is cost of one space mission ? How much it take time for complete ? How much spaceX is successful ?

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space

The cost of a space mission can vary depending on the type of rocket, payload weight, and destination. Here are some examples of space mission costs: 

  • Falcon 9A single launch of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket costs around $69.75 million. The Falcon 9 has a 99% success rate after 396 launches. 
  • Falcon HeavyA launch of the Falcon Heavy rocket can cost between $90 million and $150 million. In 2022, NASA contracted with SpaceX to launch the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope on a Falcon Heavy for approximately $255 million. 
  • SpaceX StarshipThe cost per launch of the SpaceX Starship is $100 million. The project cost is at least $5 billion. 
  • NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS)The cost of a launch of the SLS is estimated to be over $2 billion. 

The time it takes to complete a space mission can vary: 

  • The first successful mission to Mars, Viking 1, launched in 1975 and landed in 1976, ten months later. 
  • The rovers Spirit and Opportunity reached Mars in 2003 and 2004, taking just 6 months. 
  • Some astronauts have spent much longer periods in space than they initially planned. For example, Russian Valeri Polyakov spent 437 days in space in the mid-1990s.