From Rakesh Sharma to today's space pioneers: Meet Indians and Indian-origin icons who reached beyond Earth

Rakesh Sharma was the first Indian to enter Space, but decades later, now, another name has emerged and will be penned down in the history books. Shubhanshu Shukla, Wing Commander of the Indian Air Force, and a serving pilot, has become the second Indian to travel to space in a Falcon 9 rocket.

Shubhanshu Shukla flew as the mission pilot on Axiom Space's fourth private mission to the International Space Station (ISS). Shukla will also carry out research designed by ISRO and Indian institutions, including studies on muscle strength, cognitive response, and gut health in microgravity.

The IAF Group Captain is joined on the station by three other international astronauts: Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski from Poland, Peggy Whitson from the United States, and Tibor Kapu from Hungary.

A look at Indian citizens, Indian-origin astronauts who flew to space -

Rakesh Sharma

Rakesh Sharma was the first and only Indian citizen to travel to space in 1984. Sharma, a former Indian Air Force pilot, was selected under a joint programme between ISRO and the Soviet Intercosmos initiative.

On April 3, 1984, he flew abroad Soyuz T-11 and spent over a week abroad the Salyut 7 space station. Then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi asked her how India looked from space. To this, Sharma replied, "Saare Jahan Se Achha."

Kalpana Chawla

Kalpana Chawla, who was born in Karnal, Punjab, moved to the United States after completing her aeronautical engineering degree. Since she moved, Kalpana became a naturalised US citizen and joined NASA in 1994.

Later, in 1997, she flew aboard Columbia STS-87 and became the first Indian-born woman to enter into space.

However, her second flight in 2003 suffered tragedy when Columbia disintegrated during re-entry to Earth and killed all crew members.

Sunita Williams

Indian-American astronaut, Sunita Williams, also known for her long-duration missions on the International Space Station, joined NASA.

Williams was also a former US Navy pilot and she had logged over 300 days in space. Another surprising achievement of hers, includes seven spacewalks she did, while also setting a record for the highest time spent on spacewalks by a woman.

Sirish Bandla

Sirish Bandla was born in Andhra Pradesh and raised in the US. She studied aeronautical engineering and worked in the private space sector. Bandla flew aboard Virgin Galactic's Unity 22 suborbital mission, and her role included conducting scientific research during the flight.

She certainly created a milestone in commercial spaceflight.