Meet Shubhanshu Shukla: The Next Indian Astronaut Ready for Space Adventure!

Shubhanshu Shukla's Historic Space Journey

New Delhi: Shubhanshu Shukla, an Indian astronaut, is gearing up for his first journey into space as part of Axiom Space's fourth commercial mission to the International Space Station (ISS). This exciting launch is set to occur on June 8, with the Falcon-9 rocket lifting off from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

The Dragon spacecraft is scheduled to launch no earlier than 6:41 PM IST, making Shukla the second Indian to venture into space, following Rakesh Sharma's historic flight aboard Russia's Soyuz spacecraft in 1984.

Joining Shukla on this mission are pilot Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski from Poland and Tibor Kapu from Hungary, marking a significant milestone as both countries will witness their first astronauts travel to the ISS. This mission also represents the second government-sponsored human spaceflight in over four decades.

Veteran astronaut Peggy Whitson will command the Axiom-4 mission.

Expressing his excitement, Shukla, affectionately known as 'Shuks', stated at a January press conference, "I am really, really excited to go into microgravity and experience spaceflight on my own."

Once they arrive at the ISS, the astronauts plan to spend up to 14 days conducting scientific research, outreach, and commercial activities.

During their stay, the Ax-4 crew will engage in approximately 60 scientific studies representing 31 countries.

Shukla will focus on food and nutrition experiments developed through a collaboration between the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), with assistance from NASA.

These experiments aim to advance space nutrition and develop self-sustaining life support systems essential for future long-duration space missions.

ISRO has prepared a series of seven experiments for Shukla, who will also take part in five joint studies organized by NASA for its human research program.

The experiments will emphasize Indian food, including sprouting methi (fenugreek) and moong (green gram) in microgravity.

Shukla plans to expose these seeds to macrobiotic conditions and later return them to Earth for cultivation across generations.

In January, he mentioned his intention to document his ISS experiences through photos and videos to share with the 'Bharatvaasis' back home.

"I want them to share this thrilling experience through my eyes, for I truly believe that, even as an individual travelling to space, this is the journey of 1.4 billion people," he remarked.

Shukla also intends to bring items from various regions of India to the ISS and hopes to serve Indian cuisine to fellow astronauts during the mission.

He believes that the knowledge gained from the Axiom Mission 4 will be invaluable for the upcoming Gaganyaan mission, scheduled for 2027, with ISRO investing Rs 550 crore in the Axiom-4 mission.