India is poised to achieve a monumental milestone in its space exploration journey as Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla prepares to become the first Indian astronaut to visit the International Space Station (ISS) in May 2025. Shukla, a decorated Indian Air Force (IAF) officer, will join Axiom Space’s Ax-4 mission, marking India’s debut in an international commercial spaceflight to the ISS.
Dr. Jitendra Singh, Minister of State for Space and Atomic Energy, announced the mission, calling it a “defining chapter in India’s space journey.” He emphasized, “The international space mission carrying an Indian astronaut is scheduled for next month. India’s space dreams are soaring higher with Gaganyaan preparations, the ISS mission, and a summer of launches.” The Ax-4 mission, launching from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, underscores India’s growing role in global space exploration.
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For the first time ever, an Indian astronaut will live and work aboard the ISS! IAF's Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, a seasoned fighter pilot and Gaganyaan astronaut, is set to pilot NASA’s Ax-4 mission, aboard the very SpaceX Dragon spacecraft that just brought Sunita Williams… pic.twitter.com/C3fKX8ZVhS
— The Better India (@thebetterindia) March 19, 2025
Born on October 10, 1985, in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, Shukla graduated from the National Defence Academy in Pune and joined the IAF’s fighter wing in June 2006. Promoted to Group Captain in March 2024, he boasts over 2,000 hours of flight experience on aircraft like the Su-30 MKI, MiG-21, MiG-29, Jaguar, Hawk, Dornier, and An-32. Selected by ISRO in 2019, Shukla underwent rigorous astronaut training at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Moscow. In February 2024, he was named the prime astronaut for ISRO’s Gaganyaan mission, India’s first crewed spaceflight, slated for 2026.
Shukla’s 14-day mission will involve conducting scientific experiments, outreach, and commercial activities, paving the way for India’s ambitious space goals.
