Axiom-4: SpaceX rocket lifts off with ISRO astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, here is everything about IAF man and his mission

Captain Shubhanshu Shukla of the Indian Air Force became the second Indian astronaut to travel to space when a Falcon-9 rocket lifted off from the Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida Wednesday. The SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft, carrying him and three others, was attached to the rocket. The ISRO chose the IAF fighter pilot as its prime astronaut for the historic flight. Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma made history in 1984 when he became the first Indian astronaut in space. 

What Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla will do in space?

The four-member crew of Axiom-4 Mission is scheduled to conduct 60 scientific experiments. Indian researchers have proposed seven of these. Shukla will participate in a space-to-Earth outreach programme and interact with a VIP from space. He will join the seven astronauts at the International Space Station. 

Who is astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla?

However, his journey to space has not been a smooth one. A native of Lucknow, Shukla was inspired by the 1999 Kargil War, he cleared the UPSC NDA examination after finishing his schooling at  City Montessori School. After completing military training and earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science he graduated from the National Defence Academy in 2005.

Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla's IAF journey

Shukla underwent training at the Indian Air Force Academy and was commissioned into the Fighter stream of the Indian Air Force as a Flying officer in June 2006. He is a combat leader and can boast of 2,000 hours of flying experience in various aircraft, including the Su-30 MKI, MiG-21, MiG-29, Jaguar, Hawk, Dornier 228, and An-32.

Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla's training 

The Institute of Aerospace Medicine (IAM), an organization under the Indian Air Force for the Indian Human Spaceflight Programme selected Shbhanshu Shukla in 2019. He was finally shortlisted by the ISRO for its astronaut programme. Shukla and three others went to the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre in Russia in 2020 for basic training. After returning to India in 2021, he attended training at the Astronaut Training Facility in Bangalore. 

Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla Gaganyaan Mission

Meanwhile, he completed his Master of Technology degree from IISc Bangalore in Aerospace Engineering. February 27, 2025, proved to be a red letter day for Shukla when Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced his name as a member of the Indian astronaut team at the ISRO's Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre in Thiruvananthapuram.

The IAF Group Captain was finally announced as the pilot for the upcoming Axiom Mission 4 to the International Space Station. He will join commander Peggy Whitson, mission specialists Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski and Tibor Kapu at the ISS. The ISRO has paid about Rs 500 crore to Axiom Space to buy a seat for this mission.  The Axiom-4 Mission was originally scheduled to be launched on May 9, 2025. However, it was postponed several times for multiple reasons. June 25 was the sixth date when it was finally launched. Shukla has already reached the space.