Meet Shubhanshu Shukla, the first ISRO astronaut to travel to ISS aboard SpaceX Dragon: What’s his space mission plan?

Shubhanshu Shukla will be the first Indian astronaut to travel to the International Space Station (ISS) aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft. The mission will take off “no earlier than spring 2025”, NASA announced on Thursday.

Shubhanshu Shukla is among four private astronauts parts of the Axiom Mission 4. He will serve as the pilot of the company’s fourth commercial astronaut mission to the International Space Station.

Who is Shubhanshu Shukla?

Shubhanshu Shukla is a distinguished pilot in the Indian Air Force. At 39, he is the youngest to be picked as an astronaut-designate, Indian Express reported.

He was handpicked as one of the four astronauts for Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) historic Gaganyaan mission, the nation’s inaugural human spaceflight endeavor.

Shukla was born on October 10, 1985, in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India.

Shubhanshu Shukla’s education

Shubhanshu reportedly completed his higher education at City Montessori School, Lucknow. He graduated from the National Defence Academy (NDA), which trains future officers of India’s army, navy, and air force.

Shubhanshu Shukla’s journey to ISRO and ISS

According to Axion Space, Shukla’s journey began when he was commissioned into the Indian Air Force (IAF) fighter wing in June 2006.

As a combat leader and seasoned test pilot, he boasts an impressive 2,000 hours of flight experience across various aircraft, including the Su-30 MKI, MiG-21, MiG-29, Jaguar, Hawk, Dornier, and An-32.

Shubhanshu’s journey to become an astronaut began during 2018-19 when he enrolled for the programme. “During the coronavirus pandemic, he spent the entire period in Russia for training,” Shubhanshu Sharma’s sister Suchi Shukla told TOI

“His ascent to the rank of group captain in March 2024 reflects his exceptional contributions,” the Axion Space noted.

Shukla received a call from ISRO in 2019. He underwent rigorous training at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Moscow, Russia — a year-long preparation that would shape his destiny.

On February 27, 2024, Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled Shukla as one of the elite astronauts undergoing intensive training for India’s maiden human spaceflight mission, Gaganyaan, scheduled for launch in 2025.

What Shubhanshu Shukla said about first his fight to space?

In an online press conference held on Thursday, Shukla said the experience on the Axiom Mission 4 would be very well utilised on the Gaganyaan mission.

“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,” Shukla, an Indian Air Force group captain, was quoted by news agency PTI as saying.

“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.

What’s Shukla expected to do at ISS?

NASA said, “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.”

Besides this, Shukla said he planned to do some yoga poses aboard the ISS.

About Ax-4 mission

Ax-4 astronauts are expected to launch all the way to the International Space Station in spring 2025. The assigned Ax-4 crew consists of Commander Peggy Whitson, Pilot Shubhanshu Shukla from India, Mission Specialist Sławosz Uznański from Poland, and Mission Specialist Tibor Kapu from Hungary.

The private mission will carry the first astronauts from India, Poland and Hungary to stay aboard the space station. Axiom Space said on its website that the Ax-4 mission will “realize the return” to human spaceflight for India, Poland, and Hungary…”

“While Ax-4 marks each nation’s second human spaceflight mission in history, it will be the first time all three nations will execute a mission on board the space station,”the website read.

The Axiom Mission 4, or Ax-4, crew will launch aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft and travel to the space station. Once docked, the private astronauts plan to spend up to 14 days aboard the orbiting laboratory, conducting a mission comprised of science, outreach, and commercial activities.

“The mission will send the first ISRO astronaut to the station as part of a joint effort between NASA and the Indian space agency. The private mission also carries the first astronauts from Poland and Hungary to stay aboard the space station,” NASA said.