Axiom-4: Indian Air Force Pilot Shubhanshu Shukla Blasts Off to ISS
India has marked a major milestone in space exploration. Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, an Indian Air Force pilot, has launched into space aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft, propelled by a Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida—the same iconic site that sent Neil Armstrong to the Moon on Apollo 11 in 1969.
Indian Air Force Pilot Shukla is now the second Indian astronaut to travel to space, following Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma, who made history in 1984 during a Soviet-led mission. Ahead of the launch, he spent over a month in quarantine to ensure peak health for the mission.
Joining Shukla on this journey, part of the Axiom-4 mission, are:
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Commander Peggy Whitson (USA)
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Tibor Kapu (Hungary)
The four-member crew is headed to the International Space Station (ISS) for a two-week mission, during which they will carry out 60 scientific experiments, including seven proposed by Indian researchers. Group Captain Shukla is also expected to interact with a high-profile VIP from space.
The launch, originally postponed multiple times due to weather and technical issues, finally took place on June 25, NASA’s sixth announced date.
Ahead of liftoff, Shukla shared a heartfelt message:
“I carry with me not just instruments and equipment, but the hopes and dreams of a billion hearts.”
Just hours before the mission, he sent a simple note to his family:
“Just wait for me, I’m coming.”
The Crew Dragon is expected to dock with the ISS around 4:30 PM tomorrow, after a 28-hour journey in orbit—a historic moment not just for Group Captain Shukla, but for all of India.