Astronaut Rakesh Sharma's chosen stuffed animal, a swan, and its connection to the Hindu goddess Saraswati
New Delhi's Space Adventure: When the Falcon-9 rocket roars from Florida's Kennedy Space Centre on June 10, it'll blast off more than just astronauts and scientific equipment. Hitching a ride into the cosmos will be a furry, adorable swan named 'Joy.'
At a pre-flight virtual press conference, the Axiom-4 crew revealed the space mission's microgravity signaler: a traditional token carried aboard spacecraft to signal the moment weightlessness occurs. And this time, the indicator is a tiny, feathered buddy adorned in white with a jet-black and vibrant yellow beak, roughly the size of your palm— a charming swan representational of the vehicle that ferries the Hindu goddess of knowledge, Saraswati.
Each crew member contributed to the choice of this unifying cultural symbol. For Group Captain Shukla, it holds deep religious and philosophical significance. "The swan is acclaimed for its ability to separate milk from water, symbolizing purity, wisdom, and grace. This symbol reminds me of the fine balance between knowledge and pressure," he said, offering insight into his inner thoughts.
Astronaut Peggy Whitson, the Commander of the Axiom Mission, also known as Mission Akash Ganga, shared her perspective. "The swan will float freely inside the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule as a marker of microgravity for cameras and the crew. It represents the collective aspirations of three nations uniting in a common quest for space exploration. Rich in cultural symbolism, the swan stands for wisdom in India, resilience in Poland, and grace in Hungary."
During the press conference, Captain Shukla urged every Indian citizen to join in, engage, and dream about the future.
Initially scheduled for launch on May 29, the mission was rescheduled to June 8 and is now confirmed for June 10 at 5:52 pm IST. The revised schedule was announced at the virtual media briefing, with Axiom Space citing weather-related delays in the rocket's readiness.
The Axiom-4 mission, a collaboration between Texas-based Axiom Space, SpaceX, and NASA, will transport four astronauts: Mission Commander Peggy Whitson (US), a dynamic duo consisting of Mission Pilot Shubhanshu Shukla (India) and mission specialists Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski (Poland) and Tibor Kapu (Hungary) to the International Space Station (ISS) for a two-week sojourn.
Group Captain Shukla becomes only the second Indian astronaut to fly into space, 41 years after Rakesh Sharma's historic 1984 mission aboard the Soviet Soyuz T-11. He also marks the first Indian citizen to take part in a commercial, internationally funded human spaceflight mission involving scientific experiments in collaboration with multiple Indian agencies.
For Poland and Hungary, this marks the very first time their countries have sent an astronaut to the ISS.
[1] Space.com - Axiom Space's All-Civilian Spaceflight Crew Flies to ISS This Month (2021). https://www.space.com/axiom-all-civilian-crew-spaceflight-iss-2021.html[2] WION - Four-nation international crew geared up for maiden private space mission (2021). https://www.wionews.com/science/four-nation-international-crew-geared-up-for-maiden-private-space-mission-388107[3] Encyclopedia Britannica - Saraswati (Hindu mythology) https://www.britannica.com/topic/Saraswati-Hindu-goddess[4] Hinduism Today - Saraswati Maahttps://www.hinduismtoday.com/modules/smartsection/item.php?itemid=35990
[1] This mission, a testament to the synergy of multiple nations and their technological prowess in space-and-astronomy, will depart from the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule carrying with it an emblem of wisdom – a small swan, mirroring the vehicle that carries the Hindu goddess of knowledge, Saraswati.
[2] Furthermore, the swan serves as a symbol of unity, representing the collective aspirations of India, Poland, and Hungary, as they embark on a common quest for space exploration, reminding us of the power of science in fostering collaboration and understanding across borders.
