Shubhanshu Shukla Becomes Second Indian in Space on Axiom-4
Why in the news
Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla of the Indian Air Force reached the International Space Station as pilot of Axiom-4, becoming the second Indian to travel to space and the first to arrive at the ISS.
Key facts
- Axiom-4 is the fourth private commercial mission to the ISS, run by Axiom Space with NASA, after Ax-1, Ax-2 and Ax-3.
- Launch: 25 June 2025, 06:31:53 UTC, on a Falcon 9 from Kennedy Space Center, LC-39A.
- Docking: 26 June 2025, 10:31:47 UTC, by the Crew Dragon Grace.
- Payload: 60 experiments from 31 countries, including studies on tardigrades and crop varieties such as moong dal.
Crew
| Member | Role | Country |
|---|---|---|
| Peggy Whitson | Commander | USA |
| Shubhanshu Shukla | Pilot | India |
| Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski | Mission specialist | Poland |
| Tibor Kapu | Mission specialist | Hungary |
Significance for India
The flight supports preparation for the Gaganyaan mission and long-term goals of an Indian space station by 2035 and human lunar exploration by 2040.
Exam angle
- Rakesh Sharma flew in 1984; Shukla is the next Indian in space.
- Axiom-4 crew nationalities and roles are frequent facts.
- Link to Gaganyaan and India’s space station plan.