Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], June 25: As Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla embarks on the Axiom 4 mission, former ISRO scientist Tapan Misra hailed the development as a major step towards ensuring a safe and successful Gaganyaan mission, India’s first human spaceflight program.
Speaking to ANI, Misra emphasised that real spaceflight experience cannot be replaced by simulators, regardless of their sophistication.
“We have trained four pilots for the Gaganyaan mission. They’ve used simulators in India, Russia, and the USA. But nothing replaces true flight. Just like video games can’t train you to fly a real aircraft, simulations can’t prepare you entirely for space,” he said.
He noted that the Axiom 4 mission, which launched early Wednesday aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, provides Shukla with invaluable hands-on experience—particularly in zero gravity, system operations, and real-time mission protocols.
“Now when Shukla goes on the Dragon flight, he will have real-life experience. He’ll see what’s missing or different from our preparations. Even if something minor is overlooked, it can be corrected,” Misra added.
He stressed that this insight will help plug any gaps in India’s indigenous space systems, improving the overall safety and reliability of the Gaganyaan mission.
Misra also highlighted the immense effort by ISRO engineers, who developed the mission almost entirely through in-house innovation and reverse engineering.
“Nobody shares space tech. Our engineers had to imagine and simulate everything from scratch. They may be 99% correct, but that 1% uncertainty is what a real astronaut experience can eliminate,” he explained.
The Axiom 4 mission, launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, is the fourth private astronaut mission to the International Space Station. It is expected to dock at 4 pm IST on June 26, offering a unique training and exposure opportunity for Shukla.
With Gaganyaan projected to launch in 2025, this mission marks a pivotal milestone in India’s human spaceflight journey.
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