New Delhi: India is on the cusp of a historic achievement in its space odyssey. The Centre has officially announced that Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, the country’s astronaut-designate, will fly to the International Space Station (ISS) in May—marking India’s first human presence aboard the ISS.

Union Minister for Space and Technology, Dr Jitendra Singh, called this a defining chapter in India’s space journey:

“An Indian astronaut is set for a historic space mission as ISRO charts bold new frontiers.”

Group Captain Shukla, aged 40, has been undergoing intensive training with NASA and Axiom Space in the U.S. over the past eight months. He will be the pilot aboard the Axiom-4 (Ax-4) mission, a private commercial mission launching on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Kennedy Space Center, Florida.

Who’s Onboard:

  • Commander: Peggy Whitson (Ex-NASA, Axiom Space)

  • Pilot: Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla (India)

  • Mission Specialists: Slawosz Uznanski (ESA, Poland) & Tibor Kapu (Hungary)

This mission, for which India reportedly paid over $60 million, is strategically vital. It’s not just about symbolism—unlike Rakesh Sharma’s 1984 Soviet flight—this journey focuses on operational readiness, microgravity adaptation, and emergency protocols. These learnings are key to shaping India’s indigenous Gaganyaan mission.

A decorated Indian Air Force test pilot, Shukla is one of four astronaut-designates under ISRO’s Human Spaceflight Program and is likely to be among the final crew selected for Gaganyaan, expected around 2025-26.

Minister Singh emphasized that this marks India’s growing leadership in global space collaborations. “We are not just reaching for the stars—we’re partnering with the world to get there,” he said.

This ISS mission is a bold step forward in India’s evolving space vision, combining national pride with global integration.

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