🇮🇳 Shubhanshu Shukla Becomes First Indian to Reach International Space Station After 41 Years
Cape Canaveral / New Delhi, June 25 –
Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, a pilot with the Indian Air Force, has made history by becoming the first Indian astronaut to travel to the International Space Station (ISS). He lifted off aboard Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, shortly after noon IST on Wednesday.
This marks India’s first government-sponsored human spaceflight since 1984, when Rakesh Sharma flew aboard a Soviet Soyuz spacecraft. Shukla’s mission is seen as a key milestone ahead of ISRO’s ambitious Gaganyaan programme, which aims to send Indian astronauts into space by 2026–27.
🚀 A Journey of National Pride
Shukla, one of four astronauts shortlisted for Gaganyaan, is serving as the pilot of the Crew Dragon spacecraft. After a 28-hour journey, he is expected to dock with the ISS on Thursday. His role is critical, as it provides real-world operational experience that will directly contribute to India’s future space missions.
The Ax-4 crew will spend 14 days aboard the ISS, conducting over 60 scientific and commercial experiments in microgravity. These span across disciplines from biotechnology to materials science and represent efforts from 31 countries, including India, the US, Poland, Hungary, UAE, Brazil, Nigeria, and others.
🧪 Science for the Future
Among Shukla’s primary objectives is to support experiments to advance Axiom Space’s technologies for building its own private space station. He will also conduct studies on cyanobacteria, microorganisms known for converting carbon dioxide into oxygen — a process that once transformed Earth’s atmosphere.
“Cyanobacteria are being studied to assess their efficiency in microgravity and their potential to support future space habitats with oxygen,” Shukla told IANS in an earlier interview.
🇮🇳 National Leaders React
President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Shukla on his historic mission.
“As Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla creates a new milestone in space for India, the whole nation is proud. His journey alongside astronauts from the US, Poland, and Hungary shows the spirit of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam,” President Murmu stated.
She further praised the growing collaboration between ISRO and NASA, and the global impact of the mission’s scientific research.
PM Modi, in a message on X (formerly Twitter), wrote:
“We welcome the successful launch of the space mission carrying astronauts from India, Hungary, Poland, and the US.
Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla carries with him the hopes and dreams of 1.4 billion Indians. Wishing him and the crew great success!”