India is back among the stars — quite literally.
After a long wait of 41 years, the nation is once again soaring through space, thanks to Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, who has etched his name in the cosmos by becoming only the second Indian to travel to space and the first to visit NASA’s International Space Station (ISS).
Lifting off aboard Axiom Space’s Ax-4 mission from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Captain Shukla is not just flying high — he’s carrying the dreams of 1.4 billion Indians into orbit. The historic launch happened at 12:01 IST on Wednesday, drawing applause and awe from across the globe.
A Journey Decades in the Making
This landmark moment comes more than four decades after cosmonaut Rakesh Sharma’s iconic 1984 flight aboard a Russian Soyuz spacecraft. Now, in 2025, Shukla takes the baton forward, not as a cosmonaut, but as a fully-fledged astronaut — part of a global mission with a four-member crew including astronauts from Poland and Hungary.
Commanded by space veteran Peggy Whitson, who has spent over 675 days in space, the mission marks a new chapter in India’s space ambitions, aligning with ISRO’s plans for a human spaceflight by 2027, a space station by 2035, and a Moon mission by 2040.
From Fighter Pilot to Astronaut
Born in Lucknow in 1985, Group Captain Shukla joined the Indian Air Force in 2006. With over 2,000 hours of flying experience on various aircraft including MiGs and Sukhois, he was one of four officers shortlisted for India’s upcoming Gaganyaan mission. His ISS journey was made possible by a ₹500 crore investment by ISRO, which also funded his rigorous international training.
As the Ax-4 capsule reached orbit, his heartfelt message echoed across the nation:
“We’re back in space after 41 years… On my shoulder, I carry the Indian flag. This is just the beginning of India’s human spaceflight journey.”
What’s Next? Two Weeks of Science and Pride
Captain Shukla’s itinerary is jam-packed. Over two weeks at the ISS, he and the crew will conduct 60 scientific experiments, including seven Indian-led projects. These include:
- Studying six types of crop seeds to test their resilience in microgravity.
- Growing three strains of microalgae, potentially useful for space-based life support and fuel.
- Testing the survival of tardigrades, Earth’s toughest micro-animals, in space.
- Investigating muscle loss, cognitive responses, and screen usage in space.
ISRO has also lined up live interactions between Captain Shukla and Indian students, and a special virtual session with Prime Minister Narendra Modi is in the pipeline.
India’s Next Giant Leap
This isn’t just one man’s journey — it’s a bold leap for India’s place in the global space race. As Shukla floats above Earth, he carries the hopes of a new generation — scientists, dreamers, and everyday citizens alike — who now see space not as the final frontier, but as a new beginning.