Chennai, June 26 (UNI) Creating history, the Four astronauts have started their research mission after entering the International Space Station (ISS) today.
In an update NASA said at 8:14 a.m. EDT (around 6.00 pm IST) on Thursday, the hatch opened between the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft and the International Space Station following the arrival of Axiom Mission 4.
The spacecraft docked at 6:31 a.m. EDT (1600 hrs IST) to the space-facing port of the space station’s Harmony module.
Former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski of Poland, and Tibor Kapu of Hungary now are aboard the space station after launching at 2:31 a.m EST (12.01 pm IST) yesterday on the company’s Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida for the fourth private astronaut mission to the orbiting laboratory, Axiom Mission 4.
The private astronauts plan to spend about two weeks aboard the orbiting laboratory, conducting a mission of science, outreach, and commercial activities.
Shukla became the first astronaut to enter the ISS and second astronaut to fly to space after Rakesh Sharma in 1984.
The Ax-4 crew arrived and docked at the International Space Station and were greeted by NASA’s Expedition Crew for the welcome ceremony.
Once aboard the station, Expedition 73 crew members, including NASA astronauts, Nicole Ayers, Anne McClain, and Jonny Kim, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Takuya Onishi, and Roscosmos cosmonauts Kirill Peskov, Sergey Ryzhikov, and Alexey Zubritsky welcomed the astronauts by hugging, triggering celebrations at ISS.
The crew is scheduled to remain at the space station, conducting microgravity research, educational outreach, and commercial activities for about two weeks before a return to Earth and splashdown off the coast of California.
The International Space Station is a springboard for developing a low Earth economy. NASA’s goal is to achieve a strong economy off the Earth where the agency can purchase services as one of many customers to meet its science and research objectives in microgravity.
This begins their 14-day mission on the orbiting laboratory conducting microgravity research, technology demonstrations, and outreach engagements.
