Axiom-4: All about SpaceX-built Dragon spacecraft that Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla is piloting to Space

Set to script history, Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla and three others boarded the Dragon spacecraft at the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida for their sojourn to the International Space Station as part of a commercial mission by Axiom Space on Wednesday. The Lucknow-born Shukla, former NASA astronaut Mission Commander Peggy Whitson, Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski of Poland, and Tibor Kapu of Hungary are part of the Axiom-4 mission that marks the return to space for the three nations.

Shukla will be the first astronaut to travel to the International Space Station, a journey that comes 41 years after Rakesh Sharma’s eight days in orbit as part of the then Soviet Union's Salyut-7 space station in 1984. Shubhanshu Shukla will pilot the SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft.

The four astronauts boarded the new Dragon spacecraft, which will be on its maiden voyage, and placed on top of the Falcon-9 spacecraft of SpaceX, the transport provider for the mission.

What is the Dragon spacecraft? 

The Dragon spacecraft, built by SpaceX, is designed to transport astronauts and cargo to the International Space Station. It is a one of its kind spacecraft with life-support systems, touchscreen controls, and a cargo bay. The Dragon spacecraft also has the ability to autonomously dock with the ISS, make a safe re-entry, and ocean splashdown recovery.

The mission will lift off from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The crew will travel to the orbiting laboratory on a new SpaceX Dragon spacecraft after launching on the company's Falcon 9 rocket.  Once docked, the private astronauts plan to spend about two weeks aboard the orbiting laboratory, conducting a mission comprising science, outreach, and commercial activities.

READ | Bollywood's greatest villain worked with Amitabh Bachchan, Govinda, did 300 films, was married 5 times, still remained lonely, died in poverty, was found..., name is..