Meet Shubhanshu Shukla, the Indian astronaut set to launch with AX-4 to the ISS

Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla is set to become the first Indian astronaut to travel to the International Space Station (ISS) as part of Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4).

He will lift off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft for a 14-day mission in microgravity.

Shukla is also part of India’s Gaganyaan human spaceflight program, which aims to send Indian astronauts to space aboard an indigenous mission.

A seasoned Indian Air Force pilot, he has extensive experience in aviation and spaceflight training, making him a crucial part of Ax-4.

He will serve as the mission pilot, alongside commander Peggy Whitson (USA) and mission specialists Sawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski (Poland) and Tibor Kapu (Hungary).

Shukla plans to showcase India’s rich cultural heritage in space by carrying artifacts and performing yoga poses in microgravity.

His mission signifies India’s growing role in global space exploration, continuing the legacy of Rakesh Sharma, the first Indian in space in 1984.