Indian Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla Set For Space Station Mission In May

In a landmark moment for India’s space ambitions, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, an Indian Air Force officer and astronaut-designate, is set to travel to the International Space Station (ISS) in May 2025. The announcement was made by Union Minister of State for Space and Technology, Dr Jitendra Singh, who called it a “defining chapter” in India’s space journey.

The 40-year-old astronaut has been undergoing intensive training with NASA and Axiom Space in the United States for the past eight months. He has been selected as the pilot for the upcoming Axiom-4 (Ax-4) private mission to the ISS, which will be launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

India has reportedly paid over $60 million to secure a seat on the private commercial mission, making this a significant investment in the country’s rapidly growing space program. Shukla, the youngest among the four Indian astronauts shortlisted for the Gaganyaan mission, is expected to represent India’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of space exploration.

Ax-4 mission

The Ax-4 mission will be led by veteran astronaut Peggy Whitson, a former NASA astronaut now working with Axiom Space. Alongside Shukla, the international crew includes Slawosz Uznanski from Poland (ESA astronaut) and Tibor Kapu from Hungary, both serving as mission specialists.

“This international space mission carrying an Indian astronaut is a symbol of ISRO’s growing global collaborations and the expanding scope of India’s space capabilities,” said Minister Jitendra Singh. He added that India’s space dreams are “soaring higher” with multiple launches scheduled this summer, Gaganyaan preparations in full swing, and now the historic ISS mission.

Group Captain Shukla’s upcoming flight will make him the first Indian to fly to space in over four decades, after Rakesh Sharma’s mission in 1984. The mission is also seen as a major preparatory step ahead of India’s maiden human spaceflight mission, Gaganyaan, scheduled for the coming years.

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