Meet Shubhanshu Shukla, first Indian astronaut set to travel to ISS

Indian Air Force group captain Shubhanshu Shukla will script history as the first Indian astronaut to travel to the International Space Station (ISS) aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft from the space station in Florida soon as part of a joint effort between NASA and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

The US space agency announced on Thursday that the spaceflight will lift off “no earlier than spring 2025”.

Designated as pilot of the Axiom Mission 4 to the ISS, Shukla is looking forward to sharing his experience with "Bharatvaasis", plans to take items representing the country on his spaceflight and hopes to perform some yoga poses aboard the orbital laboratory.

Also read: Workhorse PSLV to 'naughty boy' GSLV, here are ISRO's 100 space missions

Who is Shubhanshu Shukla

The Axiom Mission 4 website describes group captain Shubhanshu Shukla as a distinguished pilot in the IAF who was born on October 10, 1985, in Uttar Pradesh's Lucknow.

Shukla was commissioned into the IAF fighter wing in June 2006. As a combat leader and seasoned test pilot, Shukla has 2,000 hours of flight experience across various aircraft, including the Su-30 MKI, MiG-21, MiG-29, Jaguar, Hawk, Dornier, and An-32, the Axiom website says. He was promoted to the rank of group captain in March 2024.

Significantly, Shukla is also the astronaut-designate for India's own humanspace flight Gaganyaan mission. In 2019, Shubhanshu Shukla “received a momentous call from ISRO”, the Axiom website says, adding that he embarked on “rigorous training at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Moscow, Russia—a year-long preparation that would shape his destiny.”

Rakesh Sharma was the first Indian to travel to space aboard the-then USSR's Soyuz T-11 mission in 1984 as part of the Soviet Interkosmos programme.

Mission pilot

Former NASA astronaut and Axiom Space's Director of Human Spaceflight, Peggy Whitson, will command the commercial mission and Shukla will be the mission pilot, the US space agency said.

The two mission specialists are European Space Agency project astronaut Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski of Poland and Tibor Kapu of Hungary.

In an online press conference, the Axiom Mission's 4 crew members shared their experiences of training for the mission and what it meant to travel to the ISS.

Also read: ISRO's 100th mission: GSLV-F15 carrying navigation satellite lifts off from Sriharikota

Shares experiences

"I am really, really excited to go into microgravity and experience spaceflight on my own. The tempo for the mission has been building up each month and I think we are at a stage where all the pieces are kind of coming together. I am extremely excited to see how this unfolds in the coming months," said Shukla.

"I also have a personal agenda of capturing my experiences on board the station (ISS) through pictures and videos so that I can share these with all the 'Bharatvaasis' back home," he said.

"I want them to share this thrilling experience through my eyes, for I truly believe that, even as an individual travelling to space, this is the journey of 1.4 billion people," he added.

Indian food

Shukla said he planned to take certain items from different parts of the country with him to the ISS during the 14-day mission and even expressed hope to serve Indian food to astronauts on the orbital laboratory.

"ISRO has come up with a unique idea. India is a big country with different regions with their own cultures and very rich history. ISRO consulted a university where students were asked to come up with these ideas from each and every region," he said.

Shukla said he would carry with him a lot of items representing the regions in particular and India in general to honour his country.

Also the astronaut-designate for India's own humanspace flight Gaganyaan mission, Shukla said he planned to do some yoga poses aboard the ISS. He said the experience on the Axiom Mission 4 would be very well utilised in the Gaganyaan mission.

14-day mission

"Once docked, the private astronauts plan to spend up to 14 days aboard the orbiting laboratory, conducting a mission consisting of science, outreach, and commercial activities," NASA said.

Also read: Gaganyaan must proceed cautiously, don't want a Boeing-like incident: ISRO chief

The private mission will also carry the first astronauts from Poland and Hungary to stay aboard the space station.

"As NASA looks toward the future of low-Earth orbit, private astronaut missions help pave the way and expand access to the unique microgravity environment," said Dana Weigel, manager of NASA's International Space Station Program at Johnson Space Centre in Houston.

Whitson said, "Working with the talented and diverse Axiom Mission 4 crew has been a deeply rewarding experience." "Witnessing their selfless dedication and commitment to expanding horizons and creating opportunities for their nations in space exploration is truly remarkable. Each crew member brings unique strengths and perspectives, making our mission not just a scientific endeavour but a testament to human ingenuity and teamwork," she added.

(With agency inputs)