Isro's astronaut-designate Shubhanshu Shukla to fly to space station in May

Indian Air Force Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla has been designated as the Mission Pilot for Axiom Mission 4, the fourth private astronaut mission to the International Space Station

Indian astronaut-designate Shubhanshu Shukla is set to embark on a journey to the International Space Station (ISS) as part of Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4), with the mission expected to launch as early as May this year, according to National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa).   

Group Captain Shukla, an officer in the Indian Air Force, has been designated as the Mission Pilot for Ax-4. His selection marks a historic moment for India, as he will be the second Indian to travel to space, following Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma’s landmark mission in 1984.

  Joining Shukla on this private astronaut mission are former Nasa astronaut Peggy Whitson, who will serve as mission commander, along with Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski from Poland and Tibor Kapu from Hungary. Their mission will involve a stay of up to 14 days aboard the ISS, during which they will engage in scientific research, outreach programmes, and commercial activities. Notably, this mission will also carry the first astronauts from Poland and Hungary to the space station.   

Shukla’s selection comes as part of India’s broader space ambitions. The Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) selected him as a key astronaut-designate for the upcoming Gaganyaan mission, India’s first human spaceflight programme. Gaganyaan aims to send a three-member crew into a 400 km low Earth orbit for a mission lasting up to three days. Isro has partnered with Nasa and Axiom Space for the initiative.   

Additionally, India has designated Group Captain Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair as a backup astronaut for Ax-4. Should Shukla be unable to fly, Nair will step in to represent the country on the mission.   

India secured a seat for its astronaut aboard Ax-4 through an agreement between Isro and Nasa. The mission is being facilitated by Axiom Space Inc., a Houston-based private space company. However, the collaboration between the space agencies may be exempt from the reciprocal tariffs introduced by US President Donald Trump.  

 

Ax-4 mission

Ax-4 will be the fourth private astronaut mission to the ISS. The mission is scheduled to launch from Nasa’s Kennedy Space Centre in Florida aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, which will be propelled by a Falcon 9 rocket.   

Nasa has previously overseen three private astronaut missions to the ISS. Axiom Mission 1 (Ax-1) took place in April 2022, lasting 17 days. Axiom Mission 2 (Ax-2) followed in May 2023, with four private astronauts spending eight days in orbit. The most recent mission, Axiom Mission 3 (Ax-3), launched in January 2024, with its crew staying aboard the ISS for 18 days.   

The anticipated launch of Ax-4 will come just months after Indian-origin Nasa astronaut Sunita Williams returned to Earth, having spent 286 days in space.