Indian Air Force Pilot Shubhanshu Shukla to Join ISS on Axiom 4 Mission
Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla of the Indian Air Force is set to create history as part of the Axiom 4 space mission. He will travel to the International Space Station (ISS) with three other astronauts, becoming the first Indian to join the space station.
Launch and Mission Overview
The Axiom 4 mission will launch from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Centre on 10 June at 8:22 am ET. The crew will fly aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft and are expected to reach the ISS on 11 June around 10 pm IST. The mission will last 14 days, during which the astronauts will orbit the station and focus on scientific research, outreach, and commercial activities.
This mission also marks the second government-sponsored human spaceflight in over four decades. It is a major milestone for India and other participating countries.
Scientific Experiments and Indian Participation
Axiom 4 will carry out 60 scientific experiments. Of these, seven are organised by ISRO, India’s space agency. Shukla will take part in five NASA human research programme experiments and collaborate on five additional studies with NASA.
His participation not only supports India’s future missions but also contributes to global space research. Shukla has been selected for ISRO’s upcoming Gaganyaan mission, making this spaceflight a critical experience in his training.
Diverse International Crew
The Axiom 4 crew includes astronauts from India, Poland, and Hungary. Each nation is sending its first astronaut to the ISS. The crew members are:
Peggy Whitson (Commander, USA): One of the most experienced astronauts in the US, leading her second commercial space mission.
Shubhanshu Shukla (Pilot, India): Indian Air Force officer and Gaganyaan astronaut.
Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski (Mission Specialist, Poland): Scientist and engineer contributing to mission research.
Tibor Kapu (Mission Specialist, Hungary): Mechanical engineer assisting in technical studies on board.
Shukla’s Message to India
Sharing his excitement, Shukla said, “I am really, really excited to go into microgravity and experience spaceflight on my own.” He also expressed a deep sense of national pride, saying, “I want to share this thrilling experience through my eyes with all the ‘Bharatvaasis’. Even as an individual travelling to space, this is the journey of 1.4 billion people.”
Shukla plans to capture images and videos from the ISS to share the experience with people back in India. His participation symbolises a collective step forward for the country’s space ambitions.
with inputs from Reuters
