Meet India's Trailblazer: IAF Pilot Shubhanshu Shukla Set to Make Space History

Historic Journey to the International Space Station

New Delhi: Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla of the Indian Air Force is poised to make history as the first Indian to arrive at the International Space Station (ISS). He, along with three international crew members from the US, Poland, and Hungary, is scheduled to dock at the ISS at 7 a.m. EDT (4:30 p.m. IST).

Shukla, who hails from Lucknow, launched aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft atop a Falcon 9 rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 2:31 a.m. EDT (12 noon IST).

NASA provided an update stating, "The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, carrying four crew members of Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4), is currently orbiting Earth and en route to the ISS after its launch from Kennedy Space Center at 2:31 a.m. EDT on Wednesday."

The Dragon spacecraft is transporting Ax-4 Commander Peggy Whitson, Pilot Shubhanshu Shukla, and Mission Specialists Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski and Tibor Kapu.

NASA further noted that the spacecraft will dock at the Harmony module’s space-facing port at 7 a.m. on Thursday.

This mission marks a significant milestone for India, as it will be the first time in 41 years that an Indian astronaut is in space. Shukla will also be the second Indian to venture into space, following Rakesh Sharma's historic flight in 1984.

In a message shared during the journey, Shukla expressed, "Namaskar, my dear countrymen! What an exhilarating ride! We are back in space after 41 years. It’s an incredible experience, orbiting the Earth at a speed of 7.5 kilometers per second."

He emphasized, "This journey is not just mine; I carry the Indian flag with me, representing India’s human spaceflight endeavor."

To satisfy his cravings for home-cooked meals in space, Shukla has brought along carrot halwa, moong dal halwa, and mango nectar.

The Axiom-4 Mission signifies not only a scientific achievement but also highlights India's growing prominence as a global technology leader. It showcases the nation's ability to spearhead space innovation, advocate for sustainability, and contribute significantly to international missions.

Once he arrives at the ISS, Shukla will engage in groundbreaking experiments focused on food and nutrition in space.

These experiments, developed through a partnership between ISRO and the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), with assistance from NASA, aim to improve our understanding of sustainable life-support systems, which are vital for future long-duration space missions.

The research will also investigate the impacts of microgravity and space radiation on edible microalgae, a nutrient-dense food source with high potential for future space expeditions. The study will assess key growth factors and analyze transcriptomic, proteomic, and metabolomic variations in various algal species in space compared to their terrestrial behavior.