Indian Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla will spend two weeks on the ISS as part of Axiom Mission 4. He’ll pilot the Dragon spacecraft and conduct 60 experiments, including indian research on seeds, algae, muscle loss, and brain function, while interacting with students and leaders.

<p>Indian Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla will spend two weeks on the ISS as part of Axiom Mission 4. He’ll pilot the Dragon spacecraft and conduct 60 experiments, including indian research on seeds, algae, muscle loss, and brain function, while interacting with students and leaders.</p>

What will Shubhanshu Shukla be doing on Axiom Mission 4?

<p>Indian citizen and Group Captain in the Indian Air Force, Subhanshu Shukla, successfully boarded SpaceX’s Falcon 9 as part of Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) with a four-member international crew including astronauts from the US, Poland, and Hungary. Nearly four decades after Rakesh Sharma, he became another Indian citizen to travel to space as a part of the fourth private mission to the International Space Station (ISS).</p><p>Subhanshu Shukla represents India in a science-heavy mission which involves more than 60 experiments from 31 countries. The mission is a joint venture of the ISRO in collaboration with NASA and ESA (European Space Agency). The involvement of Shukla in space lays the scientific preliminaries for the country’s upcoming Gaganyaan mission.</p><p><strong>However, there is a list of Indian citizens and Indian-origin people who flew into space on several missions:</strong></p><h3>Rakesh Sharma</h3><p>A former Indian Air Force pilot, Rakesh Sharma, flew aboard the Soviet Soyuz T-11 spacecraft on April 3, 1984, as part of the Interkosmos program. During the mission, he spent 7 days, 21 hours, and 40 minutes aboard the Salyut 7 space station, which conducted experiments in biomedicine and remote sensing. He was awarded the Hero of the Soviet Union and India’s Ashok Chakra.</p><h3>Kalpana Chawla &nbsp;</h3><p>She was born in Karnal, India, and became a US citizen and joined NASA as an astronaut. She boarded the Space Shuttle Columbia (STS-87) in 1997 as a mission specialist, who conducted microgravity and material science experiments. But her second mission (STS-107) in 2003 ended horrendously when the shuttle disintegrated during re-entry, killing all seven crew members. Chawla was posthumously awarded the Congressional Space Medal of Honour. She was the first woman of Indian origin to travel to space.</p><h3>Sunita Williams &nbsp;</h3><p>Williams was born and brought up to an Indian-American father, who joined as US Navy officer and later turned to NASA astronaut. She has completed three spaceflights (2006, 2012, 2024) and holds records for the most spacewalks by a woman (7) and the longest spacewalking time by a woman (50 hours, 40 minutes). Williams ran the first marathon in space in 2007 and has served as a flight engineer and commander on the International Space Station (ISS), contributing to numerous experiments.</p><h3>Raja Chari &nbsp;</h3><p>A US Air Force brigadier general and NASA astronaut was born to an Indian father who commanded the SpaceX Crew-3 mission to the ISS in 2021–22, spending over 170 days in space. Selected for the Artemis Team of NASA in 2020, he is training for future lunar missions. Raja Chari also performed a spacewalk in 2022, demonstrating quick thinking by fixing a crewmate’s helmet camera.</p><h3>Sirisha Bandla &nbsp;</h3><p>Born in Andhra Pradesh, India, Sirisha Bandla is an Indian origin-American aeronautical engineer and Vice President at Virgin Galactic. Bandla flew to the edge of space on the Virgin Galactic Unity 22 mission on July 11, 2021, becoming the third woman of Indian origin in space.</p><h3>Gopi Thotakura &nbsp;</h3><p>He was also born in Andhra Pradesh, Thotakura, an entrepreneur and pilot, flew on Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin NS-25 mission in May 2024, a suborbital flight crossing the Kármán line. As part of a six-member crew, he became the first Indian to travel to space as a tourist, carrying a small Indian flag during the mission.</p><h3>Shubhanshu Shukla &nbsp;</h3><p>A Group Captain in the Indian Air Force, Shubhanshu Shukla, launched on June 25, 2025, aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9 as part of a private spaceflight, Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4). He becomes the second Indian citizen to travel to space, 41 years after Rakesh Sharma. Shukla, trained at NASA, ESA, and JAXA, will spend up to 14 days on the ISS conducting scientific research, including yoga in microgravity, and educational outreach.</p><p>Other Indian-origin individuals, like Anil Menon, have been selected as NASA astronaut candidates but have not yet flown to space. In addition, Ravish Malhotra also served as a backup for Rakesh Sharma’s 1984 mission but did not fly.</p><p>Meanwhile, Rakesh Sharma and Shubhanshu Shukla are the only Indian citizens on this list, representing ISRO and the Indian Air Force. The others are of Indian descent but held US citizenship before or during their missions.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p>

Rakesh Sharma and Shubhanshu Shukla are the only Indian citizens on this list, representing ISRO and the Indian Air Force. The others are of Indian descent but held US citizenship before or during their missions.

Indian citizen and Group Captain in the Indian Air Force, Subhanshu Shukla, successfully boarded SpaceX’s Falcon 9 as part of Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) with a four-member international crew including astronauts from the US, Poland, and Hungary. Nearly four decades after Rakesh Sharma, he became another Indian citizen to travel to space as a part of the fourth private mission to the International Space Station (ISS). Subhanshu Shukla represents India in a science-heavy mission which involves more than 60 experiments from 31 countries. The mission is a joint venture of the ISRO in collaboration with NASA and ESA (European Space Agency). The involvement of Shukla in space lays the scientific preliminaries for the country’s upcoming Gaganyaan mission. However, there is a list of Indian citizens and Indian-origin people who flew into space on several missions: Rakesh Sharma A former Indian Air Force pilot, Rakesh Sharma, flew aboard the Soviet Soyuz T-11 spacecraft on April 3, 1984, as part of the Interkosmos program. During the mission, he spent 7 days, 21 hours, and 40 minutes aboard the Salyut 7 space station, which conducted experiments in biomedicine and remote sensing. He was awarded the Hero of the Soviet Union and India’s Ashok Chakra. Kalpana Chawla She was born in Karnal, India, and became a US citizen and joined NASA as an astronaut. She boarded the Space Shuttle Columbia (STS-87) in 1997 as a mission specialist, who conducted microgravity and material science experiments. But her second mission (STS-107) in 2003 ended horrendously when the shuttle disintegrated during re-entry, killing all seven crew members. Chawla was posthumously awarded the Congressional Space Medal of Honour. She was the first woman of Indian origin to travel to space. Sunita Williams Williams was born and brought up to an Indian-American father, who joined as US Navy officer and later turned to NASA astronaut. She has completed three spaceflights (2006, 2012, 2024) and holds records for the most spacewalks by a woman (7) and the longest spacewalking time by a woman (50 hours, 40 minutes). Williams ran the first marathon in space in 2007 and has served as a flight engineer and commander on the International Space Station (ISS), contributing to numerous experiments. Raja Chari A US Air Force brigadier general and NASA astronaut was born to an Indian father who commanded the SpaceX Crew-3 mission to the ISS in 2021–22, spending over 170 days in space. Selected for the Artemis Team of NASA in 2020, he is training for future lunar missions. Raja Chari also performed a spacewalk in 2022, demonstrating quick thinking by fixing a crewmate’s helmet camera. Sirisha Bandla Born in Andhra Pradesh, India, Sirisha Bandla is an Indian origin-American aeronautical engineer and Vice President at Virgin Galactic. Bandla flew to the edge of space on the Virgin Galactic Unity 22 mission on July 11, 2021, becoming the third woman of Indian origin in space. Gopi Thotakura He was also born in Andhra Pradesh, Thotakura, an entrepreneur and pilot, flew on Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin NS-25 mission in May 2024, a suborbital flight crossing the Kármán line. As part of a six-member crew, he became the first Indian to travel to space as a tourist, carrying a small Indian flag during the mission. Shubhanshu Shukla A Group Captain in the Indian Air Force, Shubhanshu Shukla, launched on June 25, 2025, aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9 as part of a private spaceflight, Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4). He becomes the second Indian citizen to travel to space, 41 years after Rakesh Sharma. Shukla, trained at NASA, ESA, and JAXA, will spend up to 14 days on the ISS conducting scientific research, including yoga in microgravity, and educational outreach. Other Indian-origin individuals, like Anil Menon, have been selected as NASA astronaut candidates but have not yet flown to space. In addition, Ravish Malhotra also served as a backup for Rakesh Sharma’s 1984 mission but did not fly. Meanwhile, Rakesh Sharma and Shubhanshu Shukla are the only Indian citizens on this list, representing ISRO and the Indian Air Force. The others are of Indian descent but held US citizenship before or during their missions.

<p>Rakesh Sharma and Shubhanshu Shukla are the only Indian citizens on this list, representing ISRO and the Indian Air Force. The others are of Indian descent but held US citizenship before or during their missions.</p>

From Rakesh Sharma to Shubhanshu Shukla: List of Indian-origin people who made history in space

Axiom Mission 4 marks India’s return to human spaceflight with Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla as pilot. Led by veteran astronaut Peggy Whitson, the mission includes astronauts from 31 countries, focusing on science and global collaboration in space.


<p>Axiom Mission 4 marks India’s return to human spaceflight with Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla as pilot. Led by veteran astronaut Peggy Whitson, the mission includes astronauts from 31 countries, focusing on science and global collaboration in space.</p>

31 countries unite for Axiom Mission 4 – What makes it special for India

Shubhanshu's wife, Kamna is a practising dentist and has been by his side through the demanding process of becoming an astronaut.

<p>Shubhanshu's wife, Kamna is a practising dentist and has been by his side through the demanding process of becoming an astronaut.</p>

Shubhanshu Shukla's liftoff: Indian astronaut's family, wife, and more as the Axiom-4 mission takes flight

<p>Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla of the Indian Air Force has officially entered orbit as part of the Axiom-4 mission to the International Space Station (ISS) &nbsp;on Wednesday. The SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft lifted off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Centre, Florida, at 12:00 PM IST (2:30 AM EDT). The launch marks a historic first for India, with Shukla becoming the country’s first astronaut to travel to the ISS. The spacecraft, travelling at over 27,000 kilometres per hour in low Earth orbit, is expected to dock with the ISS around 4:30 PM IST on June 26 after a 28-hour journey. Just before departure, Shukla shared a heartfelt message for his wife, Kamna Shukla, expressing deep gratitude for her constant support.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Shukla is joined by three international crewmates—mission commander Peggy Whitson from the United States, and mission specialists Tibor Kapu (Hungary) and Slawosz Uznanski (Poland), both representing the European Space Agency. This is the first ISS mission for all three participating nations—India, Hungary, and Poland—since their initial crewed spaceflights nearly four decades ago. The Axiom-4 mission, organised by Axiom Space in collaboration with SpaceX, ISRO, and international partners, underscores growing cooperation in commercial space exploration.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><h2><strong>Farewell message before departure</strong></h2><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Before departing Earth, Shukla shared a personal message on social media, expressing gratitude to his team, friends, and family. His note included a special mention of his wife, Kamna Shukla. “Special thanks to Kamna for being the wonderful partner that you are. Without you none of this was possible, but more importantly none of this would matter,” he wrote. The post was accompanied by a poignant photograph of the couple bidding farewell through a glass partition, a quiet moment before a momentous journey.</p><p>&nbsp;</p>

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overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DLTF3b2yZA5/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Shubhanshu Shukla (@gagan.shux)</a></p></div></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p><p>Shukla and Kamna’s story traces back to their school days in Lucknow, where they met in primary school. Now parents to a six-year-old, the couple’s long-standing bond has stood alongside the pilot’s rise through the Indian Air Force and into space history.</p><h2><strong>Milestone for Indian spaceflight</strong></h2><p>&nbsp;</p><p>In orbit, Shukla addressed the nation with a brief message: “This is the beginning of India’s space programme. Every Indian should feel proud. Jai Hind, Jai Bharat.” The mission serves as a precursor to ISRO’s planned Gaganyaan mission in 2027, and India’s long-term goal of landing an astronaut on the Moon by 2040.&nbsp;</p>

In orbit, Shukla addressed the nation with a brief message: “This is the beginning of India’s space programme. Every Indian should feel proud. Jai Hind, Jai Bharat.”

Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla of the Indian Air Force has officially entered orbit as part of the Axiom-4 mission to the International Space Station (ISS) on Wednesday. The SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft lifted off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Centre, Florida, at 12:00 PM IST (2:30 AM EDT). The launch marks a historic first for India, with Shukla becoming the country’s first astronaut to travel to the ISS. The spacecraft, travelling at over 27,000 kilometres per hour in low Earth orbit, is expected to dock with the ISS around 4:30 PM IST on June 26 after a 28-hour journey. Just before departure, Shukla shared a heartfelt message for his wife, Kamna Shukla, expressing deep gratitude for her constant support. Shukla is joined by three international crewmates—mission commander Peggy Whitson from the United States, and mission specialists Tibor Kapu (Hungary) and Slawosz Uznanski (Poland), both representing the European Space Agency. This is the first ISS mission for all three participating nations—India, Hungary, and Poland—since their initial crewed spaceflights nearly four decades ago. The Axiom-4 mission, organised by Axiom Space in collaboration with SpaceX, ISRO, and international partners, underscores growing cooperation in commercial space exploration. Farewell message before departure Before departing Earth, Shukla shared a personal message on social media, expressing gratitude to his team, friends, and family. His note included a special mention of his wife, Kamna Shukla. “Special thanks to Kamna for being the wonderful partner that you are. Without you none of this was possible, but more importantly none of this would matter,” he wrote. The post was accompanied by a poignant photograph of the couple bidding farewell through a glass partition, a quiet moment before a momentous journey.

<p>In orbit, Shukla addressed the nation with a brief message: “This is the beginning of India’s space programme. Every Indian should feel proud. Jai Hind, Jai Bharat.”</p>

Shubhanshu Shukla’s touching farewell to wife before Axiom-4 mission to International Space Station

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What will Shubhanshu Shukla be doing on Axiom Mission 4?

List of Indian-origin people who made history in space

31 countries unite for Axiom Mission 4 – What makes it special for India

The Indian astronaut's family, wife and more as the Axiom-4 mission takes flight

Shubhanshu Shukla’s touching farewell to wife before Axiom-4 mission to ISS