The Indian Air Force (IAF) group captain Shubhanshu Shukla has been chosen as the pilot for Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4), as announced by NASA on Thursday. He will be the first Indian astronaut to journey to the International Space Station (ISS) on a private mission.
The United States space agency plans to initiate the mission from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, utilizing a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, during the spring of 2025. It can endure for as long as 14 days.
The team will perform scientific experiments, engage in outreach initiatives, and carry out commercial activities in microgravity as part of a joint mission between NASA and ISRO.
WHO IS SHUBHANSHU SHUKLA
Shubhanshu Shukla, born on October 10, 1985, in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, is an Indian astronaut and a contender for India’s landmark Gaganyaan mission, aimed at sending the nation’s first astronauts into space.
He completed his studies at the National Defence Academy (NDA) in 2005 and was commissioned into the Fighter stream of the Indian Air Force in June 2006.
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Shukla is a seasoned test pilot and combat leader with more than 2,000 hours of flying experience across various aircraft, such as the An-32, Jaguar, Hawk, MiG-21, MiG-29, and Su-30 MKI. In June 2019, he achieved a promotion to wing commander and was chosen for the IAF’s astronaut program via the Institute of Aerospace Medicine (IAM) that same year.
In 2021, Shubhanshu Shukla traveled to Russia to undergo his basic training at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center. Upon his return, he resumed his training at the Astronaut Training Center in Bengaluru. In 2024, he was elevated to group captain in the IAF.
In August 2024, ISRO designated him as the pilot for Axiom Mission 4, a private mission to the International Space Station (ISS) set for spring 2025.
Shukla will become the second Indian to travel into space, 40 years after Rakesh Sharma visited space station Salyut 7.
Shukla is the youngest among three siblings and is the first in his family to enlist in the armed forces. He is wed to a dental professional named Kamna Shubha Shukla.
