Axiom-4 Mission

GS Paper III Science

Artemis Accords

Establishment:
- Created in 2020 by the U.S. State Department and NASA.
- Founding members include Australia, Canada, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, the UAE, and the UK.
Purpose:
- Sets common principles for civil exploration and use of outer space.
- Covers the moon, Mars, comets, and asteroids for peaceful purposes.
Foundation:
- Built on the 1967 Outer Space Treaty under the United Nations.
- Emphasises Space as a shared resource and promotes peaceful use.
India’s Participation:
- India became the 27th country to sign the non binding Artemis Accords.
- Announced by India’s Prime Minister during a visit to the United States.
NASA-ISRO Collaboration:
- NASA and ISRO will send Indian astronauts to the ISS in 2024.
- Training will take place at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.

Space Flight Agreement (SFA): The Human Space Flight Centre (HSFC) of ISRO has entered into a Space Flight Agreement (SFA) with NASA-identified service provider Axiom Space for the upcoming Axiom-4 mission to the ISS.
ISRO-NASA collaboration: This agreement is part of a joint ISRO-NASA effort to enhance collaboration on space missions.
Selected Astronauts: Indian astronauts Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla and Group Captain Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair have been shortlisted to go to the U.S. to train for the upcoming Axiom-4 mission to the International Space Station (ISS).

About: Axiom Space is an American privately funded space infrastructure developer and provider of human spaceflight services.
- The company is focused on building the world’s first commercial space station and facilitating private astronaut missions to low Earth orbit (LEO), including missions to the International Space Station (ISS).
Axiom-4: The Axiom-4 mission is the fourth private astronaut mission to the International Space Station.

Enhancement of Human Spaceflight Capabilities: The experiences gained during this mission will be beneficial for the Indian Human Space Program and it will also strengthen human space flight cooperation between ISRO and NASA.
Access to Advanced Training and Technology: India’s involvement provides access to advanced training, technological advancements, and scientific opportunities.

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