Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, who recently returned to Earth after an 18-day mission aboard the International Space Station, has created history as the second Indian to travel to space and the first to reach the space station. But behind the success of this mission lies a tense standoff between Indian space agency ISRO and SpaceX over a potentially disastrous technical flaw.
Shukla was part of the Axiom-4 mission alongside astronauts from the US, Poland, and Hungary. The mission faced multiple delays, including one caused by a serious liquid oxygen (LOX) leak on the Falcon-9 rocket that was identified just a day before the scheduled launch on June 10.
The leak, discovered on the oxidiser line of the booster, had not been fully repaired. Despite this, SpaceX planned to proceed with the launch. However, ISRO, led by its liquid engine expert and current chief Dr V Narayanan, strongly objected and said Indian space agency would not have allowed the launch of the mission if the SpaceX team had not rectified the problem in the Falcon-9 rocket, accroding to NDTV.
Dr Narayanan, speaking to NDTV, said, “The safety of Gaganyatri and the other three astronauts is a primary thing. We told them to correct the rocket, and only then will we authorise it.” A 13-member ISRO team stationed at Kennedy Space Centre in Florida found the proposed ‘purge’ solution unsatisfactory and demanded full correction. Their insistence led to a complete diagnosis that revealed a crack in the oxygen line. The damaged part was replaced and thoroughly tested, ensuring a safe launch.
“The Indian knowledge system, ISRO expertise, and our insistence made this launch successful. If we hadn’t put our foot down, there could have been a serious problem,” Dr Narayanan said.
Shukla’s presence aboard the ISS marks a significant step forward for India’s Gaganyaan mission—India’s own human spaceflight program approved by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2018. Dr Narayanan confirmed that Shukla is a designated Gaganyatri and that ISRO has been working closely with former astronaut Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma for mission planning.
In 2023, PM Modi approved the idea of sending one Gaganyatri to the ISS ahead of Gaganyaan’s final flight, leading to a memorandum of understanding between ISRO and NASA. Now, with Shukla’s safe return, the ISRO team is more determined than ever to make the Gaganyaan mission a success.