Indian Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla Set to Make History with Axiom-4 Mission on June 10
The mission will lift off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 8:22 a.m. EDT (5:52 p.m. IST) aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the Crew Dragon capsule.
DIGITAL NEWS DESK- India is poised to make history once again as Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla of the Indian Air Force prepares for launch aboard the Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) on June 10, 2025, becoming only the second Indian in space and the first Indian pilot to reach the International Space Station (ISS).
The mission will lift off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 8:22 a.m. EDT (5:52 p.m. IST) aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the Crew Dragon capsule. The 14-day mission is a collaboration between Axiom Space, NASA, SpaceX, and ISRO, reflecting a new era of global cooperation in commercial spaceflight.
A decorated test pilot with more than 2,000 flying hours, Shukla was among four astronauts selected for India’s Gaganyaan programme and trained in both Russia and India. He is serving as the pilot of Ax-4, supporting mission operations and executing crucial in-orbit experiments.
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The Ax-4 mission will focus on over 30 scientific investigations, including studies in glucose metabolism, microbial adaptation, plant growth, cognition, and muscle loss in microgravity. One major experiment, titled Suite Ride, could offer new insights into diabetes management in space and on Earth.
Joining Shukla are mission commander Dr. Peggy Whitson (USA), a legendary NASA astronaut; Tibor Kapu (Hungary); and Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski (Poland). Together, they form the first fully international, multi-civilian crew aboard a commercial ISS mission.
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Dr. Whitson praised Shukla as “operationally sharp and technically brilliant,” while his crewmates described him as “wise beyond his years.”
Shukla will also carry cultural items including Indian sweets like moong dal halwa and aamras, which he plans to share aboard the ISS, marking India’s soft presence in orbit.
The mission has generated immense excitement back home, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi expected to speak with the Ax-4 crew during their stay on the ISS.
