A Giant Leap for India: Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla Flies To Space After 40 Years
In a first for India's space history, Indian Air Force Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla has become the first Indian to fly to space in 40 years. He flew aboard the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft as a member of the primary crew of the Axiom-4 mission, bound for the International Space Station (ISS).
The mission blasted off at 12:01 PM IST on Wednesday, after a series of launch delays. This is a historic chapter in India's space story, exactly 40 years after Rakesh Sharma's historic flight on the Soviet Salyut-7 station in 1984. Shukla's involvement celebrates not only India's return to human spaceflight, but also the resilience of global cooperation in this new era of space ventures.
Born on 10 October 1985 in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, Shukla is a thoroughly decorated officer and one of the selected astronauts for India's future Gaganyaan mission. With a flight experience of more than 2,000 hours in aircraft like the Su-30 MKI, MiG-21, MiG-29, Jaguar, Hawk, Dornier, and An-32, he has earned the tag of an elite test pilot and combat commander.
He is joined on the Axiom-4 mission by mission commander and retired NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, in addition to Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski of Poland and Tibor Kapu of Hungary. This mission also sees Hungary and Poland back in space, reinforcing this as a truly global effort.
In anticipation of the launch, Shukla posted a moving message stating that he wishes his mission will inspire Indian students to develop scientific ambition. "Moments like these remind you that you're part of something much greater than yourself," he added. "If my story can motivate even one person, I'll consider it a success.".
Interestingly, his selection came just a week before the Axiom-4 crew began formal training, making the journey even more special. “When I got the call, I was thrilled. It felt like everything had aligned for this one incredible opportunity,” he recalled.
As India prepares for its first indigenous human space mission through ISRO's Gaganyaan program, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla's flight with Axiom Space is already inspiring a new generation, showing that India is not only eyeing the stars, but is ready to touch them.
