NEW DELHI: The Axiom-4 mission holds major significance for India’s ‘Gaganyaan’ programme as the experience gained by Indian astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla during his trip to the International Space Station will help Isro fine-tune India’s first human spaceflight mission, slated for early 2027.Though the four astronaut-designates for Gaganyaan – group captains Shukla, Prasanth Nair, Ajit Krishnan and Angad Pratap – have undergone training in Russia and India, none has first-hand space experience. Ax-4 will give Shukla an opportunity to experience life in an orbital station.During the 14-day ISS mission, Shukla will carry out seven India-led experiments, including research on seeds, algae and human physiology in microgravity, besides five experiments with Nasa. He will also get familiar with various crew systems aboard the ISS, gaining critical knowledge of how the station operates 400km above Earth.

Once back, Shukla will share his learning with other Gaganyaan astronaut-designates. While the final crew for Gaganyaan is yet to be selected – two or three may be chosen – Shukla, armed with experience, is seen as a frontrunner.Space minister Jitendra Singh said Shukla’s experiments will help advance space nutrition and self-sustaining life support systems for long-duration missions. One study involves understanding how space radiation affects edible microalgae – a promising food source for astronauts.Another experiment examines cyanobacteria like Spirulina and Synechococcus in microgravity, assessing their growth using nitrogen sources, including urea from human waste, to support recycling-based life systems. The experiments will use indigenously-developed biotech kits designed for microgravity. The effort will nurture a space biology ecosystem in India.Shukla will also interact with PM Modi, students, and industry leaders during the mission, showcasing India’s growing capabilities in space.