'First Indian on ISS': NASA approves Shubhanshu Shukla for 14-day Axiom-4 mission to space station
Produced by Tarun Mishra
Produced by Tarun Mishra
NASA has given the green light for the Axiom-4 (Ax-4) mission, a private astronaut mission to the International Space Station (ISS). The mission will be piloted by Indian Air Force Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla and will last for 14 days.
The Ax-4 mission will be commanded by former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, now the director of human spaceflight at Axiom Space. Shubhanshu Shukla will serve as the pilot, while European Space Agency (ESA) astronauts Sławosz Uznanski-Wisniewski from Poland and Tibor Kapu from Hungary will be mission specialists.
Shubhanshu Shukla will become the first Indian astronaut to travel to the ISS. He is also a selected astronaut for India's Gaganyaan mission, further strengthening India's presence in human spaceflight.
The Ax-4 crew will launch aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, traveling to the ISS where they will conduct research and other planned activities over a two-week stay.
NASA’s ISS Program Manager, Dana Weigel, emphasised the importance of private astronaut missions in expanding access to space and preparing for the future of low Earth orbit operations.
The Ax-4 mission is a result of India-US space cooperation, announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his 2023 visit to the United States. It marks an important milestone in international partnerships for human space exploration.
Shukla and his backup, Group Captain Prashanth Nair, have undergone extensive astronaut training with NASA, ESA, and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) to prepare for the mission.
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