Astronaut to become 1st Indian to fly to ISS on NASA mission

New York: Shubhanshu Shukla is going to make history by becoming the first Indian astronaut to visit the International Space Station (ISS) aboard a SpaceX Dragon craft. Shukla, who is also an Indian Air Force (IAF), will take on the role of pilot on the Axiom Mission 4, or Ax-4, to go to the ISS.

A serving officer in the IAF, he has also been chosen as an astronaut for India’s Gaganyaan Mission. Peggy Whitson, former NASA astronaut and Director of human spaceflight at Axiom Space, will command the commercial mission, while ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) astronaut Shukla will serve as pilot, said NASA. The two mission specialists are ESA (European Space Agency) project astronaut Sławosz Uznanski-Wisniewski of Poland and Tibor Kapu of Hungary. "I am excited to see continued interest and dedication for the private astronaut missions aboard the International Space Station," said Dana Weigel, manager of NASA’s International Space Station Program at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. "As NASA looks toward the future of low Earth orbit, private astronaut missions help pave the way and expand access to the unique microgravity environment," said the US space agency. The first private astronaut mission to the station, Axiom Mission 1, lifted off in April 2022 for a 17-day mission aboard the orbiting laboratory. The second private astronaut mission to the station, Axiom Mission 2, also was commanded by Whitson and launched in May 2023 with four private astronauts who spent eight days in orbit. The most recent private astronaut mission, Axiom Mission 3, launched in January 2024; the crew spent 18 days docked to the space station. "Working with the talented and diverse Ax-4 crew has been a deeply rewarding experience," said Whitson. "Witnessing their selfless dedication and commitment to expanding horizons and creating opportunities for their nations in space exploration is truly remarkable. Each crew member brings unique strengths and perspectives, making our mission not just a scientific endeavour, but a testament to human ingenuity and teamwork," Whitson added. Meanwhile, NASA on Thursday said it is "working expeditiously" along with SpaceX to safely bring back Indian-origin astronaut Sunita Williams and astronaut Butch Willmore, currently stuck in the International Space Station (ISS) for 238 days. NASA said this after billionaire and SpaceX founder Elon Musk stated that US President Donald Trump had asked him to facilitate the return of both Williams and Wilmore as soon as possible.