June 27, 2025
Shukla is the pilot on the 14-day Axiom Ax-4 mission, which will conduct over 60 experiments aboard the ISS
The mission is seen as a stepping stone for India’s Gaganyaan programme, set to launch its first human crew in 2027
The launch faced multiple delays due to technical and weather issues, but was resolved just minutes before lift-off
Industry leaders and space-tech startups hailed the mission as a catalyst for innovation and global collaboration in India’s space sector.
India took a significant step forward in human space exploration on Wednesday as Indian Air Force Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla lifted off aboard SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center at 12:01 pm IST. He became only the second Indian to travel to space, following Rakesh Sharma’s historic mission in 1984.
Shukla, born in Lucknow, is the pilot on the Ax-4 mission, which also includes NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, Polish scientist Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski, and Hungary’s Tibor Kapu. The four-member team will spend 14 days aboard the International Space Station (ISS), conducting over 60 scientific experiments representing 31 countries.
In his first message from space, Shukla noted that his mission marks not just a return to the ISS, but a turning point in India’s journey toward establishing its human spaceflight programme.
The Ax-4 mission is an operational precursor to ISRO’s Gaganyaan, India’s first indigenous human spaceflight mission, planned for 2027. This will be followed by creating the Bhartiya Antriksh Station by 2035 and a proposed Indian human moon landing by 2040.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed Shukla’s flight, saying he carried “the wishes, hopes and aspirations of 1.4 billion Indians.” The PM noted that Shukla is on course to become the first Indian to visit the ISS.
The crew is scheduled to dock with the ISS’s Harmony module at 4:30 pm IST on Thursday, 28 to 29 hours after launch. NASA highlighted that this mission fulfils a joint commitment by former US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Modi to send the first ISRO-affiliated astronaut to the ISS. The US and Indian space agencies also collaborate on five joint scientific investigations and two in-orbit STEM demonstrations.
Over the past month, the mission has faced a series of launch delays. Issues included problems with the Crew Dragon module’s electrical harness, readiness concerns with the Falcon 9 rocket, unfavourable weather, and oxygen leaks at the ISS engine bay. Even on launch day, engineers at SpaceX had to fix a critical problem involving real-time wind data necessary to activate the Launch Escape System. The issue was resolved just 35 minutes before take-off.
Back in India, Shukla’s journey has energised the space-tech ecosystem. Startups and academic institutions lauded the milestone, viewing it as a boost for future commercial space ventures and research. Srinath Ravichandran, cofounder of AgniKul Cosmos, remarked that the mission would add an “Indian flavour” to low-earth orbit, making space more relatable for Indians.
The Indian Space Association (ISpA) echoed this sentiment, noting that the mission will spur domestic companies to build world-class space technology. Lt Gen AK Bhatt (retd), Director General of ISpA, highlighted the critical roles being played by Indian firms like Larsen & Toubro, Tata, and Ananth Technologies in preparing for Gaganyaan.
Amitabh Kant, former CEO of NITI Aayog, said that Shukla’s voyage “breathes new life” into India’s space ambitions and reinforces its commitment to advancing space technology.
After completing their two-week mission, the Ax-4 crew is expected to return to Earth via splashdown in the Pacific Ocean off the California coast.
Source: Economic Times