Shubhanshu Shukla Becomes Second Indian in Space, First to Reach ISS

Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, a decorated test pilot from the Indian Air Force and one of ISRO’s Gaganyaan astronaut selections, has become only the second Indian ever to travel to space  and the first to head to the International Space Station (ISS) after launching aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon for Axiom Mission 4 on June 25, 2025. He joined an international crew led by veteran astronaut Peggy Whitson and specialists from Poland and Hungary, lifting off from NASA’s iconic Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

This mission not only marks India’s return to human spaceflight nearly four decades after Rakesh Sharma’s 1984 Soviet-hosted mission, but also represents a significant leap forward as Shukla will spend around two weeks conducting more than 60 experiments including seven microgravity projects devised by Indian researchers aboard the ISS.

Shukla’s journey is a milestone of international cooperation, bridging ISRO’s homegrown human space ambitions with NASA, SpaceX, and Axiom Space’s commercial capabilities. As the mission’s designated pilot, he carries not just instruments but “the hopes and dreams of a billion hearts,” symbolizing national pride and inspiration.

His presence aboard Axiom-4 which utilizes a Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon capsule will provide crucial operational experience ahead of India’s indigenous Gaganyaan mission scheduled for 2027