SpaceX's Falcon 9: All About Rocket Taking Shubhanshu Shukla To Space

Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla is set to lift off today aboard SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket as part of the Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4). The launch is scheduled for 12:01 pm IST from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The crew is expected to dock with the International Space Station (ISS) on June 26 at approximately 4:30 pm IST.

This is the second time an Indian has ventured into space. In 1984, Rakesh Sharma became the first Indian to visit the ISS.

All About The Falcon 9 Block 5 Rocket

1. Falcon 9 Block 5 is a medium-lift, two-stage rocket built by Elon Musk's SpaceX to carry people or cargo into space.
2. The rocket is partially reusable, with the first stage designed to land safely and be flown again, reducing cost and turnaround time.
3. It was first launched on May 11, 2018, carrying Bangladesh's Bangabandhu-1 satellite into orbit.
4. Falcon 9 Block 5 is human-rated and was certified by NASA in November 2020 for safely carrying astronauts. It is the first commercial spacecraft system approved for regular human flights since the Space Shuttle in 1981.
5. It has completed 16 crewed missions with a 100 per cent safety record, and no astronaut has ever been injured.
6. The rocket is equipped with 9 main engines and 3 backup computers, and it can still complete missions even if one engine fails.
7. As of June 2025, Falcon 9 has launched 438 times, with 437 successes, giving it a 99.77 per cent success rate, one of the best in spaceflight history.
8. It can carry up to 22,800 kg to Low Earth Orbit (LEO) when used only once 18,500 kg when reused, and up to 8,300 kg to higher orbits like GTO.
9. The rocket uses Merlin engines powered by liquid oxygen (LOX) and RP-1 kerosene, with features like titanium grid fins, a heat shield, and retractable landing legs for reuse.
10. Falcon 9 has launched a variety of missions, including astronaut flights (Crew Dragon), Starlink internet satellites, GPS systems, NASA science missions like DART and PACE, and ISRO payloads, such as the upcoming Axiom-4 mission.