Axiom-4 Mission led by Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla

Current Context: Launched on 25 June 2025, Axiom-4 was a landmark 18-day mission to the International Space Station (ISS), making Shukla the first Indian to live and work in space.

• The crew orbited Earth 288 times, conducting seven India-specific microgravity experiments on agriculture, biology, and neuroscience.
• They splashed down on 15 July 2025 near San Diego aboard SpaceX’s Dragon capsule ‘Grace’.
• Shukla’s message “Saare Jahan Se Accha” echoed Rakesh Sharma’s legacy, while PM Modi praised the mission’s success.
• The initiative boosts India’s Gaganyaan programme, with ISRO spending ₹548 crore to execute it.

Question:

Q.1 What was the name of the SpaceX capsule used for the Axiom-4 mission?
a) Unity
b) Freedom
c) Grace
d) Hope

Answer: c) The Axiom-4 mission used the SpaceX Dragon capsule named ‘Grace’ for both launch and splashdown.