India’s Next Space Pioneer; Shubhanshu Shukla

By this June, another Indian will be going to the International Space Station on the same Dragon spacecraft that Sunita Williams had arrived on. Indian Air Force (IAF) Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla has been chosen to be the mission pilot of Axiom Mission-4. His flight is historic, as he will be the second Indian to fly in space, following Indian astronaut Rakesh Sharma’s flight in 1984.  
A distinguished Indian Air Force (IAF) pilot, Shukla is from Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh, India. Shukla, who was the commissioner of the IAF Fighter Wing in June 2006, has over 2000 hours of flight experience in various flight crafts.

The astronauts will be travelling in the same Space-X Crew Dragon space craft in which Sunita Williams has returned. The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft will be lifted by a Falcon 9 rocket. Astronauts will spend 14 days in space. The journey will take place in this June.
Axiom Space, an American private space company, is dedicated to developing commercial human spaceflight and building the world’s first commercial space station- Axiom Station. This collaboration between NASA, Axiom Space, and ISRO represents an important advancement in private astronaut access to low Earth orbit, paving the way for innovative space explorations. 

Shubhanshu will pilot this mission which includes other astronauts such as Former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, the mission commander, Poland's Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski and Hungary's Tibor Kapu. Peggy has spent more time than Sunita Williams. Travelling with her will be a new experience for others as well.  Additionally, Group Captain Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair has been designated as an astronaut who will step in for Shukla if necessary.

During the mission, the astronauts will engage in scientific experiments, educational research, and commercial activities in microgravity. Shubhanshu told the media that after the spacecraft reaches the space station, he will capture the space experiences and share them with his people of India. He added that he will try a few yoga postures too there.

Shubhanshu Shukla's task on Axiom Mission-4 follows his appointment as one of India's top astronauts for its new Gaganyaan program. India's first manned spaceflight program, the Gaganyaan program, has been scheduled to send between one and three astronauts to low Earth orbit (LEO) on a mission that would not exceed three days' duration. Shukla's mission on the Ax-4 provides him an opportunity to share his experience with the collaborative team members from India, NASA, and Axiom Space.

Overall, Shukla's selection for Axiom Mission-4 is not only a personal achievement but also a valuable learning experience before the Gaganyaan mission. With this mission, India continues to strengthen its presence in the global space community, inspiring future generations of space enthusiasts.