Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla of the Indian Air Force is ready to etch his name in the stars as the first Indian astronaut to journey to the International Space Station through a private space mission. At 39, the seasoned combat pilot, who hails from Lucknow, has been selected as the mission pilot for the Axiom 4 (Ax 4) expedition, set to launch on June 10 aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon C213.
“Namaste. I am Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla.” These were his proud words as he introduced himself before taking part in a mission of a lifetime. After a 28 hour flight, the capsule will dock with the ISS on June 11 at around 10 PM IST.
Affectionately dubbed Mission Akash Ganga, Ax 4 is led by the legendary astronaut Peggy Whitson. Sharing her admiration for Shukla, she said, “He already has that operational savvy, you know, he’s just wicked smart when it comes to spacecraft technologies.”
Before his astronaut chapter began, Shukla served the skies for 15 years, clocking more than 2,000 hours flying iconic aircraft like the Su 30 MKI, MiG 21, MiG 29, Jaguar, Hawk, Dornier, and An 32. In 2020, he was one of four chosen for India’s Gaganyaan human spaceflight program by ISRO.
He recalls growing up inspired by Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma, India’s first man in space. “I was deeply, deeply impressed by him,” Shukla said.
The transition from fighter pilot to astronaut came serendipitously. “I would say that I have been extremely fortunate and extremely lucky,” he added, reflecting on the opportunity to live his dream.
Fellow Ax 4 crew members are equally inspired by him. Polish astronaut Slawosz Uznanski called him “very focused,” while Hungary’s Tibor Kapu remarked, “Shukla’s wisdom, the knowledge that he possesses, he could be 130 years old.”
As the team trained together, strong bonds formed. “These are going to be my friends for life,” Shukla shared, grateful to be part of something “much larger than yourself.”
Shukla hopes this mission will ignite the imagination of Indian youth. “If even one life changes because of this, it will be worth it.”
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