New Delhi: Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla is poised to make history as he prepares for lift-off on June 10 aboard the Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) — a private spaceflight to the International Space Station (ISS) — marking India’s return to human spaceflight after more than four decades.
Shukla, who will serve as the pilot for the mission, will be launched alongside mission commander Peggy Whitson (USA), and mission specialists Tibor Kapu (Hungary) and Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski (Poland).
The mission is set to launch from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, with the crew traveling in a new Dragon spacecraft.
Docking with the ISS is expected around 10 pm on June 11, roughly 28 hours after launch.
This milestone mission comes 41 years after Rakesh Sharma became the first Indian to travel to space in 1984. Shukla’s participation symbolizes a new chapter for India in global space exploration.
Ahead of the launch, the Axiom-4 crew has been in quarantine since May 25, undergoing final preparations and extensive emergency training, including underwater escape simulations.
Axiom Space recently shared footage of their drills on X (formerly Twitter).
In a pre-launch press conference this week, Whitson confirmed the team was fully mission-ready.
“We are good for launch. Training is complete, and our crew is well-prepared,” she said.
Reflecting on his journey, Shukla described his year-long training as “transformative.”
“It’s been an incredible journey so far, but the real adventure begins now. As I head into space, I carry not just instruments but the hopes and dreams of over a billion people,” he said.
During their 14-day stay aboard the ISS, Shukla is expected to conduct cutting-edge research in space nutrition and agriculture, including India-centric experiments developed in partnership with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), with support from NASA.
These include experiments on sprouting methi (fenugreek) and moong (green gram) in microgravity, which aim to contribute to the development of self-sustaining life support systems essential for future deep-space missions.
Seeds exposed to space conditions will be brought back and cultivated on Earth to study long-term generational changes.
In total, Shukla will carry out seven ISRO-designed experiments and participate in five joint NASA human research studies.
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The Ax-4 mission is not only a significant scientific endeavor but also a diplomatic and public outreach opportunity.
The crew is scheduled to interact with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, engage with students, and speak to members of the global space industry during their time aboard the ISS.
ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan recently visited Axiom Space to oversee mission preparations.
Notably, India is investing Rs. 550 crore in the Ax-4 mission, which will help inform future indigenous human spaceflight efforts, including the ambitious Gaganyaan mission, currently slated for 2027.
