Indian Air Force's valiant test pilot, Shubhanshu Shukla, is on the verge of embarking on a historic spaceflight. In a video message, Shukla addressed the nation ahead of this unprecedented mission.
Shubhanshu Shukla: 'Namaste, I am Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla...' – these words from the brave Indian Air Force test pilot are about to be etched in space history, not just in India, but across the globe. 39-year-old Shubhanshu Shukla is poised to become the first Indian citizen to travel to the International Space Station (ISS). This landmark mission will launch from NASA's Kennedy Space Center on June 10, 2025.
Shubhanshu's Private Spaceflight
Shubhanshu's mission is a private spaceflight, operated by Axiom Space. The mission, Axiom-4, is being emotionally referred to as 'Mission Aakash Ganga' (Mission Milky Way) in India. While other international astronauts will also be part of this flight, Shubhanshu's participation as an Indian holds historic and significant importance.
The flight will utilize SpaceX's Crew Dragon C213 spacecraft. After launch on June 10th, the spacecraft will dock with the ISS around 10 PM on June 11th, following an approximate 28-hour journey. Onboard passengers will have the opportunity to conduct scientific experiments, perform technical inspections, and experience the challenges of space life aboard the orbiting ISS.
Over 2,000 Hours of Flight Experience
Born in Lucknow, Shubhanshu Shukla was commissioned into the Indian Air Force in 2006. Serving the nation for 15 years as a combat pilot, Shubhanshu has flown dozens of aircraft, including Sukhoi-30, MiG-21, MiG-29, Jaguar, Hawk, and Dornier. He has accumulated over 2,000 hours of flight experience and is considered one of the Indian Air Force's most dependable test pilots.
Shubhanshu was selected for ISRO's Gaganyaan mission in 2020, India's first human spaceflight project. However, due to technical and scheduling delays with Gaganyaan, his space journey was postponed. Fate, however, presented him with another, perhaps even more exciting opportunity: the Axiom-4 mission.
Inspired by Rakesh Sharma
In a video message, Shubhanshu shared, "When I was in school, I read about India's first astronaut, Rakesh Sharma, in my textbooks. His experiences deeply impacted me. I didn't know then that one day I would be the one going into space." He added that initially, his dream was simply to become a pilot, but this journey toward space has become the most incredible chapter of his life.
Shubhanshu Shukla's flight will further solidify India's presence in global space exploration. While Rakesh Sharma's journey in 1984 was under a Soviet mission, Shubhanshu Shukla, as part of a private, international mission, is propelling India's space history into a modern and global context.
