IAF’s Shubhanshu Shukla becomes 1st Indian to go to Space in over 4 Decades

Indian Air Force (IAF) Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla has etched his name in history. He is the first Indian to travel to space in over four decades. Group Captain Shukla will also be the first Indian to go to the International Space Station. He is a part of the Axiom-4 (Ax-4) mission.

The last Indian to go to space was Squadron Leader Rakesh Sharma in 1984. He traveled onboard the erstwhile Soviet Union’s Soyuz T-11 spacecraft. He was a part of the Soviet Interkosmos programme and spent seven days on Salyut 7.

Axiom-4 Mission

Axiom-4 is a collaborative effort. It involves Texas-based Axiom Space, SpaceX, and NASA. Crew members come from India, Hungary, Poland, and the US. The mission was originally targeted for 29th May 2025. It was deferred multiple times. The reasons included observation in the electrical harness in the Crew Dragon Module. There was a delay in the preparedness of the Falcon 9 vehicle. Additionally, the weather was unfavourable. Another issue was a liquid oxygen leak on Falcon 9. There was also a snag in the Zvezda service module aboard the ISS.

After multiple delays, the Axiom-4 Mission to the International Space Station (ISS) was launched on 25th June, 2025. It was launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

They embarked on the 28 hour journey aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, after launching on the Falcon 9 rocket.

The Crew and other details

Group Captain Shukla is the pilot of the Axiom-4 Mission. He is joined by four other crew members. These include Commander Peggy Whitson of the U.S., Mission Specialist Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski of Poland, and Mission Specialist Tibor Kapu of Hungary.

The Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Launch Complex 39A at 12.01 p.m. on Wednesday. The targeted docking time, according to NASA, is 7 a.m. Eastern Time on 26th of June. The group is to stay in space for two weeks and conduct science, outreach, and commercial activities.

The Ax-4 research complement includes around 60 scientific studies and activities representing 31 countries, including the U.S., India, Poland, Hungary, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, Nigeria, UAE, and nations across Europe. This includes seven microgravity research experiments from ISRO. ISRO and NASA will also be participating in five joint science investigations and two in-orbit STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) demonstrations

NASA is responsible for integrated operations. These operations begin during the spacecraft’s approach to the space station. They continue during the crew’s stay aboard the orbiting laboratory. The crew conducts science, education, and commercial activities. The operations conclude once the spacecraft departs the station.

Toy Swan aboard the spacecraft

The mission’s fifth member is a toy Swan named ‘Joy’. It will act as a zero gravity indicator for the crew. Swans also represent wisdom and purity in India.

Rakesh Sharma’s Message to the Crew

Rakesh Sharma shared a video message for the crew of the Axiom-4 Mission. “Greetings from India. Wishing you all the very best, to the crew. Godspeed, and spend as much time as possible looking out of the window. Have a fun time, guys,” said Sharma.

Group Captain Shukla’s Message from Space

In his first message from the mission, 11 minutes after takeoff, Shubhanshu Shukla said that this is not just the beginning of his journey to the ISS. It is also the beginning of India’s human space programme. 

He said, “Namaskar my dear countrymen. What a ride. After 40 years we have once again reached space and it was an amazing ride. On my shoulders I have my tri-colour. It is telling me that I am not alone. It also tells me that you are all with me.” He urged India to be excited and proud.

Group Captain Shukla is a decorated test pilot with the IAF. He was shortlisted under ISRO’s Human Spaceflight Program (HSP). Shukla belongs to Lucknow and joined the IAF in 2006. He has about 2,000 hours of flight experience as a combat leader and test pilot under his belt. He has been undergoing rigorous training at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre in Star City, Moscow, since March 2024.

India’s steps towards space

In February last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi revealed crucial information. Shubhanshu Shukla is one of the elite astronauts training for the Gaganyaan mission. The Axiom-4 Mission takes strategic importance. It will enhance operational readiness for India’s crewed space missions. It will also further global integration.

Former Isro chairperson S Somanath said that the experience from Shukla’s mission to space will be invaluable. Learnings from this mission will greatly help India’s Gaganyaan mission. They will also assist in setting up the Bharatiya Antariksh Station (Indian Space Station).

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