Indian Astronaut-Designate Grp Captain Shubhanshu Shukla To Fly To Space Station In May: Centre
India is set to send Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, an Indian Air Force test
pilot, to the International Space Station (ISS) in May 2025 on a historic
international space mission. This will be India's first-ever astronaut mission
to the ISS and the first Indian spaceflight in over 40 years since Rakesh
Sharma's 1984 flight.
Shubhanshu Shukla, aged 40, was selected under ISRO's Human Spaceflight
Program and has been training for eight months with NASA and Axiom Space. He
will serve as the pilot on the Axiom-4 (Ax-4) mission, which will launch
aboard SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket using the Crew Dragon capsule from Kennedy
Space Centre, Florida.
The Ax-4 mission is a NASA-approved private spaceflight organized by Axiom
Space. Alongside Shukla, the crew includes former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson
as mission commander, and astronauts from Poland and Hungary. The mission will
last up to 14 days, during which scientific research and outreach activities
will be conducted aboard the ISS.
This mission is a significant milestone for India's space ambitions, advancing
the goals of the Gaganyaan program, India's first indigenous crewed orbital
flight planned for 2026. Shukla's experience on the Ax-4 mission will provide
critical hands-on knowledge in spaceflight operations, launch protocols,
microgravity adaptation, and emergency preparedness.
Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh described the mission as a defining chapter
in India's space journey, highlighting India's expanding international
collaborations in space exploration.
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Astronaut | Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla |
| Mission | Axiom-4 (Ax-4) |
| Launch Date | May 2025 |
| Launch Vehicle | SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket |
| Spacecraft | Crew Dragon capsule |
| Launch Site | Kennedy Space Centre, Florida |
| Mission Duration | Up to 14 days |
| Crew Members | Shubhanshu Shukla, Peggy Whitson (USA), and from Poland and Hungary |
| Significance | First Indian to ISS since 1984; advances Gaganyaan goals |
This mission marks a new milestone in India's space exploration history and strengthens its collaboration with NASA and private space ventures.
Agencies
