Shubhanshu Shukla to fly to ISS tomorrow in historic mission
What's the story
In a major milestone for India's space exploration efforts, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla is all set to become the first Indian astronaut to visit the International Space Station (ISS).
His mission is scheduled for June 10 on SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket as part of Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4).
The launch will happen around 5:52pm IST and docking with the ISS is expected at 10:00pm IST on June 11.
Mission details
All about Axiom Mission 4
Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) is a groundbreaking private spaceflight that will send an Indian astronaut to space.
Former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson will lead the mission, with Shukla serving as the pilot.
The crew will spend up to 14 days aboard the ISS, conducting scientific experiments and commercial activities in collaboration with NASA and ISRO.
The mission will also see astronauts from Poland and Hungary return to human spaceflight after over four decades.
Early life
Educational background of Shukla
Born in October 1985 in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, Shukla's love for flying was kindled at a young age.
He cleared the UPSC NDA exam and completed military training before graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from the National Defence Academy in 2005.
He later pursued a Master of Technology in Aerospace Engineering from IISc Bengaluru, strengthening his base in aerospace sciences.
IAF service
Service record in IAF
Shukla was commissioned into the Indian Air Force (IAF) in June 2006 and rose to Group Captain by March 2024.
He has over 2,000 hours of flying experience on different aircraft such as Su-30 MKI, MiG-21, MiG-29, Jaguar and Hawk among others.
Space journey
Selection for Gaganyaan and Axiom Mission 4
In 2019, Shukla was picked by the Institute of Aerospace Medicine (IAM) for India's Human Spaceflight Programme.
He underwent training at Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Russia and advanced training at Astronaut Training Facility in Bengaluru.
In February 2024, PM Modi announced Shukla as one of the four astronaut-designates for India's first human spaceflight mission, Gaganyaan, scheduled for 2027.
However, he will go to ISS earlier as pilot of Axiom Mission 4.
Training regimen
Training for the mission
To prepare for this historic ISS mission, Shukla and his fellow astronauts underwent training with leading space agencies including NASA, ESA, and JAXA.
They completed rigorous training at ESA's European Astronaut Centre in Cologne, Germany.
The training included sessions at JAXA's Tsukuba Space Center in Japan focusing on the Japanese Experiment Module (Kibo).