ISRO Astronauts To Begin Training At NASA for Upcoming ISS Missions

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has announced that two of its astronauts, Shubhanshu Shukla and Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair, will commence training at NASA’s Johnson Space Center; a significant step towards sending one of them to the International Space Station (ISS).

Training and Mission Details

The two astronauts, referred to as Gaganyatris by ISRO, will travel to the United States in the first week of August to begin their training.

Shubhanshu Shukla has been selected to fly on the Axiom Space Ax-4 mission to the ISS, while Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair will serve as his backup. Both astronauts have already completed an extensive spaceflight training program at ISRO, which included time at the Star City training center in Russia.

ISRO's announcement is one of the first official confirmations of an Indian astronaut's participation in the Ax-4 mission. Earlier, in a written response to the Lok Sabha, India's lower house of parliament, on July 24th, Jitendra Singh, the Indian minister overseeing space activities, mentioned that Indian astronauts would soon start their training for Ax-4.

“ISRO is pursuing an ISRO-NASA joint mission to International Space Station (ISS) wherein one Gaganyaatri from ISRO will undertake space travel to ISS...This is a collaborative effort of ISRO, NASA and NASA identified private entity i.e. Axiom Space. Recently, ISRO has signed a Space Flight Agreement with Axiom Space for this joint mission to ISS.” - Jitendra Singh

Collaborative Framework

The collaboration between ISRO and NASA, along with Axiom Space, marks a significant step forward in international space cooperation.

“India, with its rich history in space exploration and clear leadership in technology and entrepreneurship, will be crucial in shaping the domain and advancing humanity’s presence in space. We look forward to working together with ISRO on this next mission.” - Matt Ondler, President of Axiom Space

The roots of this mission can be traced back to a joint statement in June 2023 by the U.S. and Indian governments. Following a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Joe Biden in Washington, the statement highlighted the training of Indian astronauts in the U.S. as part of a “joint effort to the International Space Station in 2024.”

Subsequently, a June 17 fact sheet from a meeting of U.S. and Indian diplomats in New Delhi revealed the completion of a “Strategic Framework for Human Spaceflight Cooperation.” This framework included plans for securing a carrier for the first-ever joint mission between NASA and ISRO astronauts to the ISS, although it did not specify the carrier.

Despite the significant progress, details about the strategic framework document have not been publicly disclosed. A NASA spokesperson stated in July that the document had not been made public but did not provide a reason for this. Additionally, NASA and Axiom Space have not released any public statements regarding the inclusion of an Indian astronaut on the Ax-4 mission.

Future Prospects and Launch Timeline

The ISRO announcement did not specify a projected launch date for Ax-4. However, Dana Weigel, NASA ISS program manager has indicated that the mission is currently scheduled for no earlier than November.

“Of course, we’ll adjust if we need to as we look at the manifest,” - Dana Weigel, NASA ISS Program Manager

Contrastingly, representatives from South Korean pharmaceutical company Boryung, which is an investor in Axiom Space, suggested at the recent AIAA ASCEND conference in Las Vegas that Ax-4 might launch in 2025. Boryung is also involved in the mission by sending artwork from Korean students on Ax-4.

As preparations and training continue, this collaborative mission between ISRO, NASA, and Axiom Space represents a pivotal moment in India's space journey, promising to enhance international cooperation and further humanity's presence in space.