All about Shubhanshu Shukla who is set to become the first Indian to reach ISS after Rakesh Sharma

Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla is poised to become the first Indian to visit the International Space Station (ISS), following Wing Commander (retd) Rakesh Sharma's 1984 Soviet Soyuz T-11 mission. As one of four astronaut-designates in India's Gaganyaan programme, Shukla will travel aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft. The 39-year-old's Ax-4 mission, managed by US-based Axiom Space in collaboration with NASA, will launch from Kennedy Space Centre, Florida, using a Falcon-9 rocket. This endeavour represents India's inaugural presence on the ISS and serves as a crucial step towards ISRO's Gaganyaan mission.

Born on October 10, 1985, in Triveni Nagar, Lucknow, Shukla was raised with two elder sisters when India lacked an active space programme. "The first Indian astronaut travelled to space in 1984. I was born in 1985. I grew up reading about him in our textbooks and hearing stories from space," he shared on January 30. "But the desire to become an astronaut couldn't take root in me as India didn't have an active programme."

His aviation journey began after witnessing an air show. Commissioned into the IAF on June 17, 2006, Shukla accumulated over 2,000 flight hours on various aircraft including Su-30 MKI, MiG-21, and MiG-29. In 2019, he was selected among four astronaut-designates for Gaganyaan, completing training at IAM Bengaluru and Russia's Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre.


The Ax-4 training regime differs from his military experience. "This mission involves international partners and so many components that it is very distributed," he explained. Training occurs across various US facilities, encompassing mission systems, emergency procedures, and zero-gravity operations. Shukla, using the call sign "Shux", will join commander Peggy Whitson and crew members Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski and Tibor Kapu.

"I may be travelling alone, but this is the journey of 1.4bn people," Shukla stated. He intends to carry items representing India's cultural diversity and plans to demonstrate yoga in space. Known as "Gunjan" to family, Shukla maintains strict discipline in fitness and training. His wife, a dentist, and their four-year-old son support his endeavours, whilst his parents and sisters remain in Lucknow.

The launch, scheduled for late May or early June, will be preceded by a two-week quarantine. During their fortnight aboard the ISS, the crew will conduct scientific experiments and technology trials. This mission symbolises India's expanding space capabilities and serves as valuable preparation for the forthcoming Gaganyaan programme.