Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla is an accomplished Indian Air Force test pilot and ISRO astronaut-designate. He has entered the pre-launch quarantine alongside his international crewmates of the Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) to the International Space Station (ISS). The mission is scheduled to be launched on 8th June 2025. The launch will take place at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
Shukla will join as the pilot on this private spaceflight, joining commander Peggy Whitson and other mission specialists Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski (Poland) and Tibor Kapu (Hungary).
This marks a significant milestone not just for Shukla but for India as well. Shukla becomes the first Indian astronaut to visit the ISS.
The Ax-4 mission is a collaboration between Axiom Space, SpaceX, NASA, and many other international partners. The mission is expected to last approximately for 14 to 21 days which the astronauts will study and conduct various experiments, including those developed by ISRO.
Axiom Space announced on X, “The #Ax4 crew is on their way to quarantine. Before they go, Axiom Space employees came together to celebrate. Crew send-off is a tradition that pays tribute to the dedication and tireless efforts of staff prior to the crew embarking on their mission. From #TeamAxiom, Godspeed #Ax4!”
“Thank you so much for your contribution, I may not know you personally but I understand that it is each one of you that have contributed to this mission being a success and am sure it will be a success,” expressed Shukla.
As the launch date approaches, the mission symbolises a new era of international cooperation in space collaboration. While representing India in the global space community.
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