New Delhi: Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla is set to become the first Indian astronaut to travel to the International Space Station (ISS) as part of Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4), marking a major milestone in India’s space ambitions.
Scheduled for launch in May 2025, Shukla will lift off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft.
A seasoned Indian Air Force (IAF) pilot and an astronaut-designate for India’s Gaganyaan human spaceflight program, Shukla will serve as the mission pilot on Ax-4. The mission will be led by former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, with Sawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski from Poland and Tibor Kapu from Hungary joining as mission specialists.
The 14-day mission will focus on scientific research, educational outreach, and commercial initiatives in microgravity. In a unique tribute to India’s cultural heritage, Shukla plans to carry artifacts representing different regions of the country and will also demonstrate yoga poses in space.
His journey follows in the footsteps of Rakesh Sharma, who became the first Indian to travel to space in 1984.
The Ax-4 mission is part of a broader collaboration between NASA, Axiom Space, and ISRO, reflecting the growing role of private astronauts in low Earth orbit missions. This development strengthens India’s position in global space exploration, further cementing its contributions to human spaceflight.
Expressing his sentiments about the mission, Shukla stated, “Even as an individual traveling to space, this is the journey of 1.4 billion people.”
With the launch date approaching, excitement continues to build for this historic moment as India takes another significant step in its journey toward deeper space exploration.
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