Hindi English Translation || Editorial || Qualified cheer: On Shubhanshu Shukla, Axiom-4 mission

Qualified cheer: On Shubhanshu Shukla, Axiom-4 mission

Shubhanshu Shukla’s paid flight (उड़ान, हवाई यात्रा) to ISS will provide insight on human spaceflight (अंतरिक्ष यात्रा)

At noon on June 25, 2025 (IST), India’s Shubhanshu Shukla lifted off with three other astronauts from NASA’s Florida spaceport (अंतरिक्ष बंदरगाह, अंतरिक्ष केंद्र) to the International Space Station (ISS) (अंतर्राष्ट्रीय अंतरिक्ष स्टेशन) as part of the Axiom-4 commercial mission (अभियान, उद्देश्य). This is the first time an Indian has gone to orbital (a regular, repeating path that one object in space takes around another one. An object in an orbit is called a satellite. A satellite can be natural, like Earth or the moon. Many planets have moons that orbit them. A satellite can also be man-made, like the International Space Station) space since Rakesh Sharma in 1984. If the Dragon crew (दल, कर्मचारी समूह) capsule docks ((of a spacecraft) join together (with a space station) or join together with another spacecraft in space) successfully with the ISS on June 26, Mr. Shukla will also become the first Indian onboard (on a boat, train, or aircraft or space station) the ISS. Over the next two weeks, he and the ISS crew will perform a suite (a set of (something)) of experiments carried by the Axiom-4 mission, including eight from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) (भारतीय अंतरिक्ष अनुसंधान संगठन). Mr. Shukla is among (के बीच, के अंतर्गत) the leading candidates to fly in India’s maiden (पहला, प्रारंभिक) human space flight mission, Gaganyaan, currently slated (निर्धारित करना, योजना बनाना) for 2027. For now (अभी के लिए, फिलहाल), the Department of Space has not articulated (स्पष्ट रूप से कहना) the reasons for spending ₹548 crore to buy Mr. Shukla’s seat on Axiom-4. Against the backdrop (पृष्ठभूमि, संदर्भ) of the ₹20,200-crore budget for Gaganyaan, Mr. Shukla’s paid flight to the ISS, packaged along with advanced training for him and back-up (reserve, extra, additional, substitute) crewmate (a fellow member of a crew, especially on an aircraft, ship, or spacecraft) Prasanth Nair, will give India considerable insight (अंतर्दृष्टि, गहरी समझ) into human space flight and how it is coordinated ahead of mounting (set up, prepare, organize, arrange, stage) its own astronaut expeditions (journey, mission, exploration), regardless of (without being affected/influenced by; despite, notwithstanding, in spite of) the money spent. However, this does not spare the Department of Space and ISRO from communicating the rationale (reason, cause, basis, reasoning, pretext, grounds, logic) and extent (magnitude, level, scope, range) of these benefits, which has yet to happen.

Space flight has changed considerably (significantly, substantially, appreciably) between Mr. Sharma’s and Mr. Shukla’s flights: the stakes (interest, concern, involvement (in a business)) today are multidimensional (involving several dimensions (aspects/features)) and more demanding (tough, hard, taxing, difficult, challenging, formidible). Axiom is a private entity (organization, establishment, body) contracted with NASA and SpaceX (SpaceX is an American aerospace manufacturer and space transportation services company headquartered in Hawthorne, California. It was founded in 2002 by Elon Musk with the goal of reducing space transportation costs to enable the colonization of Mars), and which sells seats to commercial missions to the ISS. But uncertainties linger over (to delay in doing something) NASA’s future access to the Dragon crew capsules (it is a brand-new vehicle by SpaceX, with no flights yet under its belt — will carry four people to and from the International Space Station (ISS). It is named as “Grace”) following Elon Musk’s spat (quarrel, dispute, controversy, disagreement, fight, argument) with U.S. President Donald Trump. The effects of Mr. Trump’s tariffs (a tax imposed by one country on the goods and services imported from another country) and his willingness (readiness, preparedness, disposition, wish, desire, eagerness) to honour (fulfil, obey, follow, implement, perform, execute, discharge, carry out) predecessor (previous holder of the post/position/job) Joe Biden’s commitments (dedication, engagement, obligation, responsibility, onus, liability, accountability) to India, given (considering, taking into account, bearing in mind) the major budget cuts he has proposed for 2026, are also unclear. And the ISS is set to (planned, decided, prepared) be decommissioned (withdraw something from operation; deactivate, demobilize) by 2030. In this world, the future of India’s own space programme is caught between (be in a difficult situation where you have to choose between) multiple futures (expectations). NASA and private U.S. companies, including Blue Origin (Blue Origin, an American space technology company, was founded by Jeff Bezos with the vision of enabling a future where millions of people are living and working in space for the benefit of Earth), have said they would like to use Gaganyaan technologies in future missions as part of strengthening U.S.-India ties (association, relationship, bond, connection) in the space sector. But even as the country balances commercial with public sector (government-owned entities or businesses) needs, it needs to remain a relevant provider of space flight services. The Indian government has signalled that it is willing to take positive steps to bolster (strengthen, support, make stronger, reinforce, buttress) the private sector but which, thus far (until now; up to this point in time), have been inadequate (insufficient, deficient, meagre, poor). Thus, once Mr. Shukla returns, ISRO’s to-do list (agenda, line-up, list of items, list of tasks) will move to the next big challenge even as public expectations of it, including transparent (open, candid, direct, honest, forthright, straightforward) communication, will soar (increase/rise rapidly).

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.qualified (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - योग्य, सीमित
English Meaning - limited, restricted, conditional.

2.mission (noun)

Hindi Meaning - अभियान, उद्देश्य
English Meaning - an expedition (journey) into space.

3.flight (noun)

Hindi Meaning - उड़ान, हवाई यात्रा
English Meaning - air journey, plane trip, air trip, travel by air.

4.International Space Station (ISS) (noun)

Hindi Meaning - अंतर्राष्ट्रीय अंतरिक्ष स्टेशन
English Meaning - The International Space Station is humanity’s home in space (a large, habitable satellite in low Earth orbit) and a research station orbiting about 250 miles above the Earth. The ISS is a multi-nation construction project that includes contributions from 15 nations. NASA (United States), Roscosmos (Russia) and the European Space Agency are the major partners of the space station and contribute most of the funding; the other partners are the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency and the Canadian Space Agency. Through a private company called Axiom Space, private astronauts are starting to work on the orbiting complex, from time to time.

5.insight (noun)

Hindi Meaning - अंतर्दृष्टि, गहरी समझ
English Meaning - understanding, comprehension, perception, awareness, acumen, observation.

6.spaceflight (noun)

Hindi Meaning - अंतरिक्ष यात्रा
English Meaning - space travel; a journey through space.

7.spaceport (noun)

Hindi Meaning - अंतरिक्ष बंदरगाह, अंतरिक्ष केंद्र
English Meaning - a site for launching or receiving spacecraft.

8.crew (noun)

Hindi Meaning - दल, कर्मचारी समूह
English Meaning - a group of people; team, unit, squad, staff.

9.Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) (noun)

Hindi Meaning - भारतीय अंतरिक्ष अनुसंधान संगठन
English Meaning - Indian Space Research Organisation, formed in 1969, superseded the erstwhile Indian National Committee for Space Research (INCOSPAR). Vikram Sarabhai, having identified the role and importance of space technology in a Nation’s development, provided ISRO with the necessary direction to function as an agent of development. ISRO then embarked on its mission to provide the Nation space-based services and to develop the technologies to achieve the same independently.

10.among (preposition)

Hindi Meaning - के बीच, के अंतर्गत
English Meaning - one of; be in a group of large number of people.

11.maiden (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - पहला, प्रारंभिक
English Meaning - first, initial, inaugural.

12.slate (verb)

Hindi Meaning - निर्धारित करना, योजना बनाना
English Meaning - schedule, plan.

13.for now (phrase)

Hindi Meaning - अभी के लिए, फिलहाल
English Meaning - for the moment, right now, at present, for the time being.

14.articulate (verb)

Hindi Meaning - स्पष्ट रूप से कहना
English Meaning - say, speak, express, reveal, state, announce, point out.

15.backdrop (noun)

Hindi Meaning - पृष्ठभूमि, संदर्भ
English Meaning - situation, scenario, context.

16.axiom-4 mission (noun)

English Meaning - The mission, a key step forward in commercial space exploration, is being conducted by Texas-based Axiom Space in partnership with SpaceX. The crew is aboard a SpaceX launch system, which includes the Crew Dragon capsule (named Grace) atop a Falcon 9 rocket. India’s Shubhanshu Shukla, along with three fellow astronauts, launched into space on the Axiom-4 Mission from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, at 12:01 PM on Wednesday, June 25. The Ax-4 crew is set to dock at the International Space Station (ISS) space-facing port today, June 26 at 4:30 PM IST.

17.lift-off (noun)

English Meaning - a vertical take off (of a rocket/helicopter/spacecraft).

18.lift off (verb)

English Meaning - (of a rocket/helicopter/spacecraft) take off vertically.

19.orbit (noun)

English Meaning - a regular, repeating path that one object in space takes around another one. An object in an orbit is called a satellite. A satellite can be natural, like Earth or the moon. Many planets have moons that orbit them. A satellite can also be man-made, like the International Space Station.

20.Dragon crew capsule (noun)

English Meaning - it is a brand-new vehicle by SpaceX, with no flights yet under its belt — will carry four people to and from the International Space Station (ISS). It is named as “Grace”.

21.dock (verb)

English Meaning - (of a spacecraft) join together (with a space station) or join together with another spacecraft in space.

22.onboard (adjective)

English Meaning - on a boat, train, or aircraft or space station.

23.suite (noun)

English Meaning - a set of (something).

24.Gaganyaan mission (noun)

English Meaning - ISRO’s human spaceflight programme which will carry humans to space. The objective of Gaganyaan is to carry a crew of three to Low Earth Orbit (LEO), perform a set of predefined activities in space, and return them safely to a predefined destination on earth.

25.back-up (adjective)

English Meaning - reserve, extra, additional, substitute.

26.crewmate (noun)

English Meaning - a fellow member of a crew, especially on an aircraft, ship, or spacecraft.

27.considerable (adjective)

English Meaning - substantial, sizeable, significant, large.

28.mount (verb)

English Meaning - set up, prepare, organize, arrange, stage.

29.expedition (noun)

English Meaning - journey, mission, exploration.

30.regardless of (phrase)

English Meaning - without being affected/influenced by; despite, notwithstanding, in spite of

31.rationale (noun)

English Meaning - reason, cause, basis, reasoning, pretext, grounds, logic.

32.extent (noun)

English Meaning - magnitude, level, scope, range.

33.considerably (adverb)

English Meaning - significantly, substantially, appreciably.

34.stake (noun)

English Meaning - interest, concern, involvement (in a business).

35.multidimensional (adjective)

English Meaning - involving several dimensions (aspects/features).

36.demanding (adjective)

English Meaning - tough, hard, taxing, difficult, challenging, formidible.

37.entity (noun)

English Meaning - organization, establishment, body.

38.National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) (noun)

English Meaning - The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) was created by the National Aeronautics and Space Act in 1958. NASA, as agency of the Unite States government, has “the mission to pioneer the future in space exploration, scientific discovery and aeronautics research.” Therefore, NASA concentrates its efforts in two main areas, namely: space exploration and civilian and military aerospace research.

39.SpaceX (noun)

English Meaning - SpaceX is an American aerospace manufacturer and space transportation services company headquartered in Hawthorne, California. It was founded in 2002 by Elon Musk with the goal of reducing space transportation costs to enable the colonization of Mars.

40.uncertainty (noun)

English Meaning - unpredictability, unreliability, riskiness/precariousness.

41.linger over (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - to delay in doing something.

42.following (preposition)

English Meaning - after, subsequent to, in the wake of, as a result of, ensuing.

43.spat (noun)

English Meaning - quarrel, dispute, controversy, disagreement, fight, argument.

44.tariff (noun)

English Meaning - a tax imposed by one country on the goods and services imported from another country.

45.willingness (noun)

English Meaning - readiness, preparedness, disposition, wish, desire, eagerness.

46.honour (verb)

English Meaning - fulfil, obey, follow, implement, perform, execute, discharge, carry out.

47.predecessor (noun)

English Meaning - previous holder of the post/position/job.

48.commitment (noun)

English Meaning - dedication, engagement, obligation, responsibility, onus, liability, accountability.

49.given (preposition)

English Meaning - considering, taking into account, bearing in mind.

50.set to (adjective)

English Meaning - planned, decided, prepared.

51.decommission (verb)

English Meaning - withdraw something from operation; deactivate, demobilize.

52.caught between (phrase)

English Meaning - be in a difficult situation where you have to choose between.

53.futures (noun)

English Meaning - expectations.

54.Blue Origin (noun)

English Meaning - Blue Origin, an American space technology company, was founded by Jeff Bezos with the vision of enabling a future where millions of people are living and working in space for the benefit of Earth.

55.ties (noun)

English Meaning - association, relationship, bond, connection.

56.public sector (noun)

English Meaning - government-owned entities or businesses.

57.bolster (verb)

English Meaning - strengthen, support, make stronger, reinforce, buttress.

58.thus far (phrase)

English Meaning - until now; up to this point in time.

59.inadequate (adjective)

English Meaning - insufficient, deficient, meagre, poor.

60.to-do list (noun)

English Meaning - agenda, line-up, list of items, list of tasks.