Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla becomes the first Indian in over four decades to go to space, marking India’s debut visit to the ISS and advancing Gaganyaan goals.
April 19, 2025: In a major stride for India’s space ambitions, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla of the Indian Air Force will fly to the International Space Station (ISS) in May 2025, Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh confirmed. The flight will mark India’s first-ever astronaut mission to the ISS and the first time an Indian has traveled to space since Rakesh Sharma in 1984.
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The 40-year-old test pilot, selected under ISRO’s Human Spaceflight Program (HSP), has been training for the past eight months with NASA and Axiom Space. He will serve as the pilot on the Axiom-4 (Ax-4) mission, which will be launched via SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon capsule from Kennedy Space Center, Florida.
👨🚀 Who’s On Board?
The Ax-4 crew will include:
- Peggy Whitson (Mission Commander) – Former NASA astronaut, now with Axiom Space
- Slawosz Uznanski (ESA astronaut from Poland) – Mission Specialist
- Tibor Kapu (Hungary) – Mission Specialist
- Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla (India) – Mission Pilot
🛰️ Why It Matters
Minister Singh called this “a defining chapter” in India’s space journey, with the Ax-4 mission offering hands-on experience for Shukla in:
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- Microgravity adaptation
- Emergency spaceflight procedures
- Launch and orbital operations
- International crew collaboration
This mission is also viewed as a critical rehearsal for India’s ambitious Gaganyaan project, the country’s first indigenous human spaceflight program, set for later this decade.
🌍 Strategic Impact
Unlike India’s past symbolic forays into space, this mission represents operational maturity and global integration. It highlights India’s growing stake in public-private international space partnerships, marking a transition from regional power to global space contender.
“India is ready for its next space milestone,” said Dr Singh, adding that ISRO’s collaborations with global agencies and the upcoming Gaganyaan crewed flight represent India’s emergence as a self-reliant space power.
📷 A Symbol of India’s Future
As part of ISRO’s modern astronaut cadre, Shukla’s journey to the ISS is not only about national pride, but also about ensuring India is technically and strategically ready for future long-duration human missions, possibly even lunar or interplanetary.
🏷️ Tags:
Shubhanshu Shukla, Gaganyaan, ISRO Human Spaceflight, Indian astronaut 2025, Axiom Space Ax-4, SpaceX Falcon 9, ISS India mission, India in space, Rakesh Sharma, NASA collaboration, Jitendra Singh, Indian Air Force, International Space Station