Qualified cheer

• Shubhanshu Shukla, an Indian astronaut, has taken off for the first time since 1984, marking the first Indian to orbit the International Space Station (ISS).

• The flight, part of the Axiom-4 commercial mission, will be part of India’s maiden human space flight mission, Gaganyaan, set for 2027.

• The Department of Space has not yet articulated the reasons for the ₹548 crore investment in Shukla’s seat on Axiom-4.

• The paid flight, along with advanced training, will provide India with insights into human space flight and its coordination.

• The stakes in space flight have evolved significantly since Sharma’s flights, with uncertainties over NASA’s future access to the Dragon crew capsules and the effects of Trump’s tariffs.

• The ISS is set to be decommissioned by 2030, and India’s space programme is caught between multiple futures.

• The Indian government is willing to strengthen the private sector, but this has been inadequate.