Indian Air Force Captain embarks on historic space journey

India Jun 25, 2025

Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla from the Indian Air Force just became the second Indian ever to travel to space, blasting off on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from NASA's Kennedy Space Center.
This mission, called Axiom Mission 4, is a big moment for India—showing how far the country has come in global space exploration since Rakesh Sharma's flight back in 1984.

Shukla's family performed a virtual puja

Before liftoff, Shukla's family joined a virtual Indian ritual to wish him luck.
He'll be piloting alongside veteran astronaut Peggy Whitson and crew members from Poland and Hungary, all headed to the International Space Station.
The mission also marks a new chapter in India-US space collaboration after recent agreements between both countries.