Who Is Shubhanshu Shukla? Indian Air Force Officer Lifts Off To ISS Today On Axiom-4 Mission

Last Updated:June 10, 2025, 06:59 IST

The Axiom-4 (Ax-4) mission is the fourth private astronaut expedition to the Space Station.

Shubhanshu Shukla to become first Indian astronaut to travel to ISS aboard SpaceX Dragon | Image/(@Axiom_Space)

Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla of the Indian Air Force (IAF), one of the astronauts designated under the Gaganyaan program, is heading to space today, June 10, 2025. As part of the Axiom-4 mission to the Space Station (ISS), Shukla’s journey marks a significant moment in India’s space ambitions.

This mission is part of a privately funded commercial effort, with India reportedly investing over \$60 million to facilitate Shukla’s flight to the ISS.

Axiom-4 Mission

The Axiom-4 (Ax-4) mission is the fourth private astronaut expedition to the Space Station. It launches from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, propelled by a Falcon 9 rocket.

The mission is led by former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, now with Axiom Space, serving as commander. The international crew includes Slawosz Uznanski from Poland (European Space Agency) and Tibor Kapu from Hungary, both serving as mission specialists. Group Captain Shukla joins them as the mission’s pilot — a role of high responsibility and precision.

Who Is Shubhanshu Shukla?

Hailing from Lucknow, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla is an alumnus of City Montessori School in Aliganj. Commissioned into the IAF in 2006, Shukla has built a distinguished career as a fighter pilot with over 2,000 flying hours and more than 16 years of service.

Nicknamed “Gunjan," Shukla is the youngest of three siblings and the first in his family to join the armed forces. His aviation career has spanned multiple aircraft, including the Su-30MKI, MIG-21, MIG-29, Jaguar, and Hawk. He is a qualified fighter combat leader and a decorated test pilot.

Selected under ISRO’s Human Spaceflight Program (HSP), Shukla is a top contender for the future Gaganyaan mission as well. For the past eight months, he has been undergoing intensive training with NASA and Axiom Space.

With his lift-off today, Shukla becomes the first Indian astronaut to venture into space in over four decades, following Rakesh Sharma’s historic flight aboard a Soviet Soyuz spacecraft in 1984.

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