Indian Astronaut-Designate Shubhanshu Shukla Set to Fly to Space Station in May, Marking Historic First in Four Decades
Group Captain Shukla will be the first Indian in over 40 years to travel to space, joining the ISS aboard a SpaceX mission next month.
New Delhi: India is poised to reach a major space milestone as Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, an astronaut-designate, is scheduled to travel to the International Space Station (ISS) in May. Union Minister for Space and Technology Dr. Jitendra Singh confirmed the development, stating that the mission marks a “defining chapter” in India’s expanding space ambitions.
Group Captain Shukla, who has undergone intensive training with NASA and private firm Axiom Space for the past eight months, will participate in a commercial space mission that has cost India over $60 million. The mission, Ax-4, will be launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, with the crew traveling in a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule from Kennedy Space Center, Florida.
The 40-year-old Indian Air Force officer will serve as the mission’s pilot. The rest of the crew includes mission commander Peggy Whitson—former NASA astronaut and current Axiom Space representative—alongside European Space Agency astronaut Slawosz Uznanski from Poland and Hungary’s Tibor Kapu, both serving as mission specialists.
A Mission of Strategic Significance
This will be the first time an Indian astronaut visits the ISS, and it marks India’s return to human spaceflight after a 40-year gap since Rakesh Sharma’s historic 1984 mission aboard a Soviet Soyuz spacecraft.
ISRO Chairman and Department of Space Secretary Dr. V. Narayanan confirmed that Group Captain Shukla, a decorated test pilot, has been fully prepared for the mission. Shukla was selected as part of ISRO’s Human Spaceflight Program (HSP) and is one of the prime candidates for the upcoming Gaganyaan mission, India’s first indigenous crewed spaceflight.
His participation in the Ax-4 mission is expected to offer crucial real-time exposure to operational protocols in space, including launch systems, microgravity environments, and emergency response measures—insights that are vital for the success of Gaganyaan and future missions.
Global Collaboration and National Aspiration
The mission represents more than just a technological achievement—it symbolizes India’s evolving role in global space partnerships. Minister Singh highlighted that this initiative reflects India’s growing cooperation with international players and its determination to establish itself as a leader in human space exploration.
“India is ready for its next space milestone,” Singh said, adding that the country’s increasing alignment with public-private and international ventures underscores a strategic vision for a self-reliant, technologically advanced nation.
As India gears up for a series of significant space missions this summer, Shukla’s journey signals a confident step into a new era—one that places India firmly on the map of modern human spaceflight.