Guwahati: Indian Air Force Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla has made history by piloting the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft for the highly anticipated Axiom 4 mission bound for the International Space Station (ISS). The launch occurred at 12:01 pm on Wednesday, June 25, following several delays.
Shukla is the first Indian astronaut to reach the ISS in four decades, the last being the legendary Rakesh Sharma, who spent eight days aboard the Soviet Union’s Salyut-7 space station in 1984.
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Accompanying Shukla on this mission are former NASA astronaut and mission commander Peggy Whitson, along with specialists Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski from Poland and Tibor Kapu from Hungary.
The Axiom 4 mission also marks a significant space milestone for Poland and Hungary.
Before embarking on this historic journey, Shukla, a native of Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, expressed his hope that the mission would inspire young generations in India much like Rakesh Sharma’s flight had done.
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In a message shared via the Axiom 4 mission’s YouTube channel, Shukla reflected on the honor of being part of something bigger than himself and his desire to spark curiosity among children back home.
He revealed that he learned of his selection for the mission just a week before arrival, describing the news as “extremely exciting” and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Born on October 10, 1985, Shukla is one of four astronauts selected for ISRO’s upcoming Gaganyaan mission.
Commissioned into the Indian Air Force’s fighter wing in June 2006, he is a seasoned combat leader and test pilot with over 2,000 hours of flying experience on various aircraft, including the Su-30 MKI, MiG-21, MiG-29, Jaguar, Hawk, Dornier, and An-32.