Soft Toy Joins Shubhanshu Shukla as ‘Fifth Astronaut’ in India’s Axiom-4 Mission

Quick Summary

• Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla will carry a small plush toy named “Joy,” a white swan,on the Axiom-4 mission.
• Role of the Toy: Joy will serve as the zero-gravity indicator, floating freely when gravity ceases upon reaching orbit.
• Ancient Context: Carrying a toy in space is a tradition that began with Yuri Gagarin and symbolizes weightlessness during missions.
• Cultural Importance: The swan was chosen by Shubhanshu for its connection to Indian mythology as Goddess Saraswati’s sacred vehicle, symbolizing wisdom, discernment and purity.It also resonates universally with values like elegance, unity, strength, and grace among international crew members from India, Hungary, Poland and the USA.
• Hungarian astronaut Tibor Kapu suggested naming it “Joy” to symbolize shared mission spirit and emotional upliftment.
• US Commander peggy Whitson remarked on Joy’s representation of unity through shared passion for space exploration.
• Mission Details: Axiom Mission 4 (Axe-4) is operated by private entity Axiom Space alongside SpaceX and NASA. Launch was initially scheduled for June 22 but postponed to June 25 aboard a Falcon 9 rocket using SpaceX Crew Dragon.

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