 "India’s giant space leap: IAF captain Shubhanshu Shukla to fly to ISS in May")
Indian Minister of State for Space and Atomic Energy Dr Jitendra Singh on Friday (April 18) confirmed that an Indian astronaut will travel to the International Space Station next month. Indian Air Force Captain Shubhanshu Shukla is likely to be a part of Axiom Space’s upcoming Ax-4 mission, making him the first Indian to ever fly to the ISS on a commercial flight.
Minister Singh said the mission would signal a ‘defining chapter in India’s space journey’.
“The International space mission carrying an Indian astronaut is scheduled for next month. India is poised to script a defining chapter in its space journey. An Indian astronaut is set for a historic space mission as ISRO charts bold new frontiers. India’s space dreams are soaring higher with Gaganyaan preparations, ISS mission, and a summer of launches,” the minister wrote on X.
India’s Gaganyaan mission
India is stepping up preparations for its landmark Gaganyaan mission, the country’s first crewed spaceflight. Shukla has already been designated as a key astronaut-designate for Gaganyaan. His 14-day stay at the ISS will help him gain required experience for the upcoming challenges.
The Gaganyaan mission aims to send a three-member Indian crew into a low Earth orbit of about 400 kilometres for up to three days. It represents a major milestone in India’s space journey.
To support this ambitious effort, ISRO has partnered with NASA and Axiom Space. Through this collaboration, a seat was secured for an Indian astronaut on Axiom Mission 4, allowing critical pre-mission experience and knowledge sharing with international partners.
About the Ax-4 mission
Ax-4 will be the fourth private astronaut mission to the ISS. The mission is scheduled to launch from NASA’s Kennedy Space Centre in Florida aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, which will be propelled by a Falcon 9 rocket.
NASA has previously overseen three private astronaut missions to the ISS. Axiom Mission 1 (Ax-1) took place in April 2022, lasting 17 days. Axiom Mission 2 (Ax-2) followed in May 2023, with four private astronauts spending eight days in orbit. The most recent mission, Axiom Mission 3 (Ax-3), launched in January 2024, with its crew staying aboard the ISS for 18 days.
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