Description

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Picture Courtesy: Hindustan Times

Context:

Indian Air Force (IAF) officer and ISRO astronaut has been named the pilot for Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4).

Details

NASA selected Shubhanshu Shukla (Indian Air Force officer and ISRO astronaut) as the pilot for Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4), a private spaceflight to the International Space Station (ISS).

He will become the first Indian astronaut to visit the ISS on a private mission.

About the Axiom Mission 4

It is a private spaceflight mission organized by Axiom Space. It is targeting a launch to the International Space Station (ISS) no earlier than April 2025. This mission marks the fourth private astronaut mission to the ISS.

It aims to conduct a variety of activities during its 14-day duration, including scientific research, educational outreach, and commercial endeavors, all designed to utilize the microgravity environment of the ISS.

The Ax-4 crew consists of:

Commander: Peggy Whitson (United States) – A former NASA astronaut and Axiom Space's Director of Human Spaceflight.
Pilot: Shubhanshu Shukla (India) – An Indian Air Force officer and ISRO astronaut, making him the first Indian astronaut to visit the ISS on a private mission.
Mission Specialist: Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski (Poland) – An ESA project astronaut and the first Polish astronaut to stay aboard the ISS.
Mission Specialist: Tibor Kapu (Hungary) – The first Hungarian astronaut to stay aboard the ISS.

It will be launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft, propelled by a Falcon 9 rocket. The Crew Dragon will autonomously dock with the ISS after reaching orbit.

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Source:

HINDUSTAN TIMES

PRACTICE QUESTION

Q.Consider the following about the Ax-4’s mission:

1. It is planned for a 14 days duration.

2. The crew includes astronauts from four different countries.

3. The Crew Dragon’s manual docking capability is a key feature of the mission.

How many of the above statements are correct?

A) Only one

B) Only two

C) All three

D) None

Answer: B

Explanation:

Statement 1: Correct. The Ax-4 mission is planned for a 14-day duration aboard the International Space Station (ISS).

Statement 2: Correct. The crew comprises astronauts from four different countries: the United States, India, Poland, and Hungary.

Statement 3: Incorrect. The Crew Dragon spacecraft utilizes an autonomous docking system to connect with the ISS, not a manual docking capability.