Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, an Indian Air Force pilot, is now scheduled to travel to the International Space Station (ISS) on June 8, 2025, as part of the Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4). This mission marks a significant milestone for India's space program and comes nearly four decades after Rakesh Sharma's spaceflight in 1984.

The Ax-4 mission, a collaboration between Axiom Space, NASA, and SpaceX, was initially slated for launch on May 29 but has been delayed due to adjustments in the International Space Station's flight schedule. The new targeted launch date is June 8, 2025, at 6:41 pm IST, from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the same launch complex from which Neil Armstrong departed for the Moon. A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will carry the Ax-4 crew aboard a Dragon spacecraft to the ISS.

Shukla will serve as the mission pilot, making him the first Indian astronaut to visit the ISS. The Ax-4 crew includes Commander Peggy Whitson of the US, mission specialist Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski of Poland, and mission specialist Tibor Kapu of Hungary. This mission is particularly noteworthy as it marks the first ISS flight for Poland and Hungary, with each nation returning to human spaceflight after more than four decades.

During their 14-day stay aboard the ISS, Shukla will conduct seven experiments focused on advancing microgravity research in India. These experiments include studies on India-centric food, such as sprouting methi (fenugreek) and moong (green gram) in microgravity conditions. These experiments support India's ambition to establish its own space station by 2035 and send astronauts to the Moon by 2047. The mission will also involve around 60 research experiments developed for microgravity in collaboration with organizations across the globe.

Shukla's journey to the ISS is crucial for India's Gaganyaan program, the nation's first human spaceflight endeavor. His participation in the Ax-4 mission will provide hands-on experience in spaceflight operations, launch protocols, microgravity adaptation, and emergency preparedness, all of which are essential for India's crewed space ambitions. He was selected as one of the four astronauts for the Gaganyaan mission and underwent rigorous training at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Russia.

Born on October 10, 1985, in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, Shukla was commissioned into the IAF fighter wing in June 2006. A seasoned test pilot and combat leader, he has accumulated over 2,000 hours of flight experience across various aircraft, including the Su-30 MKI, MiG-21, MiG-29, Jaguar, Hawk, Dornier, and An-32.

The Axiom Mission 4 is the fourth private astronaut mission to the International Space Station. NASA will host a media teleconference with Axiom Space on May 20 to discuss the mission. The mission underscores the growing role of commercial spaceflight in advancing space exploration and research.