Axiom Mission 4: What Indian Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla's 'Swan Plushie' Symbolises

The Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) crew shared their first in-flight update from orbit early Wednesday, offering a glimpse into their experience aboard the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft en route to the International Space Station (ISS).

During the live session, Indian Air Force (IAF) Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla , serving as the mission pilot, described the launch as "magical" and reflected on his journey.

"I am thrilled to be here with my fellow astronauts - what a ride it was. Honestly, as I sat in the capsule 'Grace' on the launchpad yesterday after 30 days of quarantine, all I could think was: just go. When the launch finally happened, it was something else entirely. You're pushed back into the seat - and then suddenly, there's silence. You're just floating in the vacuum, and it's absolutely magical," Shukla said.

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He expressed gratitude to the mission team, calling the experience a "collective achievement."

"I truly appreciate the efforts of each and every individual who made this journey possible. It's not just a personal accomplishment - it belongs to all of us," he said.

Referring to the swan mascot aboard Dragon, he added, "This swan symbolises wisdom and grace. It may seem like a coincidence, but to me, it carries deeper meaning - of serenity, strength and purpose."

The white swan plush toy, named Joy, is the "zero-g" indicator for the mission. "This zero-g indicator is more than a cute companion for the Ax-4 crew; it will be used as an indicator by the crew, shortly after launch, as a physical confirmation that they have transitioned to microgravity,” the Axiom Space website said.

Recounting the final moments before liftoff, Shukla said, "We were in the capsule for nearly three hours, and while that wait can feel long, when the moment of launch came, it was unlike anything we'd imagined. We've been training for those few minutes and seconds for so long. I was just grateful to finally live the moment."

Mission Specialist Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski said, "We had so much fun, so much joy. Every time I look at our mascot 'Joy,' I think about the future and how far we've come."

Fellow crew member and Mission Specialist Tibor Kapu remarked on the diversity of the Ax-4 team. "The four of us represent a significant part of the planet--three continents and four countries, including India, the United States, and the European Union. Together, we stand for about 20-30% of the world's population. When we look out of the window, we see all of you. We are proud to represent you in space."

Astronaut Peggy Whitson added, "It's been a fantastic experience so far. We have so many people cheering for us down on Earth, and we're excited for the mission ahead."

The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft lifted off from NASA's Kennedy Space Centre at noon IST on Wednesday with Shukla, Whitson, Uznanski-Wisniewski, and Kapu onboard.

This mission is particularly significant for Group Captain Shukla, who follows in the footsteps of Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma - the first Indian to travel to space in 1984 aboard Soviet spacecraft Soyuz T-11.

The Ax-4 team will remain aboard the ISS for up to 14 days, engaging in science experiments, outreach, and commercial work.

This marks Axiom Space's most research-intensive mission yet, with NASA and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) jointly conducting experiments on muscle regeneration, edible microalgae growth, survival of aquatic microorganisms, and human interaction with digital displays in microgravity.

Axiom's first private astronaut mission, Ax-1, launched in April 2022 and lasted 17 days.

[With ANI inputs]

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