Shukla and his team get their first day-off

After completing a week onboard the International Space Station (ISS), making 113 orbits of the Earth and covering 4.67 million km, Indian astronaut and Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, along with his three crew mates got their first day off on July 3.

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“Today, the crew enjoyed a well-earned off-duty day, giving them a chance to recharge and connect with family and friends back on Earth. Tomorrow, they’ll dive back into a packed schedule of scientific research and technology demonstrations that will continue through the weekend,” a post by Axiom Space said.

The Axiom Mission - 4 (Ax-4) crew, Commander Peggy Whitson, Pilot Shubhanshu “Shux” Shukla and Mission Specialists Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski and Tibor Kapu had docked with the ISS, floating about 400 km above Earth, on June 26.

“The astronauts will have completed approximately 113 orbits around Earth, covering over 2.9 million miles. To put that into perspective, that’s nearly 12 times the distance between Earth and the Moon,” Axiom Space, the company executing the mission in collaboration with NASA and SpaceX, said.

In just seven days, the Ax-4 astronauts have already made significant contributions to scientific research. Peggy has been involved in cancer research using microgravity to study how tumour cells behave in space, work that is helping develop new therapeutic targets for metastatic cancers.

Shux has been conducting experiments that explore how microgravity affects the growth and genetic behaviour of algae and how tardigrades, hardy microscopic creatures, survive and reproduce in space. The findings could reveal new insights into the molecular mechanisms of cellular resilience which could translate into clinically relevant knowledge on Earth.

Suave has been testing a wearable acoustic monitoring device designed to improve how sound levels are tracked aboard the ISS. This technology could enhance astronaut health and inform the design of future spacecraft. Tibor has been monitoring radiation levels using a Hungarian-developed dosimeter, while also leading a project to grow microgreens on orbit — a step toward sustainable food production in space.

Axiom Space said that the mission is historic for its international significance. It marks the first time astronauts from India, Poland and Hungary have conducted a mission aboard the space station and represents these nations' return to human spaceflight after more than four decades.

The Ax-4 crew is conducting over 60 experiments during their two-week stay, highlighting the growing role of commercial and international partnerships in space exploration.

With more than a hundred sunrises and sunsets witnessed from orbit, the Ax-4 mission is advancing science progress in space and inspiring a new generation of explorers.

Meanwhile, the unpiloted Progress 92 spacecraft from Russia’s Roscosmos is in orbit after being launched on a Soyuz rocket from the Baikonour Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, and will dock with the ISS on July 5 after a two-day journey.

The spacecraft will deliver about three tonnes of food, fuel and supplies to the space station.