In a historic moment for India, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla of the Indian Air Force successfully launched Aboard Axiom Mission (Ax-4) to the International Space Station. Alongside him is a unique companion -’ Joy’, a white swan plush toy that is already capturing global attention.
‘Joy’ the Swan: A symbol of Grace and Gravity
Joy, the swan white plush toy, was chosen to show when the spacecraft enters zero gravity. As soon as it starts floating, the crew knows they’ve reached space weightlessness. The swan, chosen by the international crew, holds deep meaning for India, symbolizing wisdom and purity as the divine vehicle of Goddess Saraswati in Indian mythology.
The crew of Axiom-4 has chosen a white baby swan plush toy named “Joy” as the Zero-G indicator for this mission! 🦢
Swan is the vehicle of the Hindu goddess Saraswati and represents wisdom & purity. 🕉
Mission Pilot Shubhanshu Shukla’s 6 y/o son Kiash (aka Sid) also played a… pic.twitter.com/5WFlQQBVoP
— ISRO Spaceflight (@ISROSpaceflight) June 8, 2025
