Nellore:Contributing to the Axiom-04 space mission, a dedicated high-level ISRO team remained stationed at the Kennedy Space Centre, Florida, including ISRO chairman and Space department secretary Dr. V. Narayanan.The launch had been rescheduled multiple times due to technical issues, including oxygen leakage in the booster stage engine bay. With participation of the ISRO team, the oxygen leakage got fully resolved, leading to a safe and successful launch.Later, the ISRO delegation moved to the Johnson Space Centre, Houston, to join in the docking operations, thereby gaining invaluable first-hand experience in managing human spaceflight operations.The Indian team remained embedded alongside NASA and Axiom flight controllers. It participated in real-time decision-making, telemetry tracking, crew timeline management, and health monitoring of both the astronaut and the science payloads.This exposure provided critical insights into international crewed mission coordination, emergency response protocols and the complexities of orbital operations.According to ISRO, this collaborative mission will serve as a vital stepping stone in building India’s own crewed mission operations infrastructure, enhancing readiness for future indigenous human spaceflight programmes, such as Gaganyaan and the Bhartiya Antariksh Station.In the interim, Gaganyatri Shubhanshu Shukla is now undergoing a structured post-mission medical evaluation and recovery protocol under the supervision of Axiom Space and ISRO flight surgeons. Shukla’s assessment, spread over seven days, involves seven days of cardiovascular assessments, musculoskeletal tests and psychological debriefs aimed at ensuring full physiological recovery and data capture for future missions.It is said Shubhanshu Shukla adapted exceptionally well to the microgravity environment aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Despite the physical and psychological challenges of spaceflight, he has maintained optimal health throughout the mission.The Gaganyatri captured a wide array of photographs and videos, documenting life and work in orbit, ISRO stated.