The first Indian astronaut to go on a private mission to the International Space Station (ISS) is Indian Air Force Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, who has been chosen to pilot Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4).
Launched by Axiom Space in partnership with NASA, the mission will use a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft and be launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida in the spring of 2025. The crew will carry out scientific studies, outreach programs, and microgravity business ventures during the up to 14-day expedition.
An experienced test pilot with more than 2,000 hours of flight time in a variety of aircraft, such as the MiG-29 and Su-30 MKI. In March 2024, he was elevated to Group Captain and is now assigned as an astronaut for India’s
Commercial spaceflight advancement
Perform scientific investigations in fields like biology and materials science.
Encourage global cooperation by involving astronauts from several nations, such as Poland and Hungary.
Shukla talked about his excitement for the impending trip and his intention to share his experiences with people in India during an online news conference. In order to connect with “Bharatvaasis” back home, he intends to practice yoga on board the ISS and document special moments with photographs and movies.
After Rakesh Sharma’s 1984 space voyage, this momentous trip represents a major turning point for Shukla as well as India’s ambitions in human spaceflight.
