India’s second astronaut set to launch into space on Wednesday aboard Axiom-4

Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla is poised to become the second Indian astronaut in history to travel to space, marking a momentous milestone nearly 40 years after Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma's iconic mission in 1984.

Shukla will launch as part of the Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) to the International Space Station (ISS), lifting off from NASA's Kennedy Space Center at 12:01 PM on Wednesday.

The mission, launched aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft mounted on a Falcon-9 rocket, departs from the legendary Launch Complex 39A—the same site from which Neil Armstrong began his journey to the Moon in 1969.

Shukla, a 39-year-old decorated Indian Air Force fighter pilot from Lucknow, has been selected by ISRO as the primary astronaut for the Indo-US collaborative mission known as Akash Ganga. An alumnus of the National Defence Academy and commissioned into the IAF in 2006, Shukla has logged nearly 2,000 flying hours on various aircraft, including the Su-30 MKI and MiG series.

“This journey that I am on — it has been a long one for me. And it started out somewhere, I didn’t know that this is the path it is going to finally take. I would say that I have been extremely fortunate and extremely lucky to have gotten the opportunities to first fly all my life, which was a dream job for me. And then have the opportunity to apply to the astronaut corps. And now, consequently, be here,” Shukla shared.

Mission Akash Ganga was born out of the India-USA joint statement during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 2023 state visit to Washington, which envisioned enhanced cooperation between ISRO and NASA. Axiom Space, the Houston-based company leading the mission in partnership with NASA, is overseeing the operation.

The Ax-4 crew includes Shukla, mission commander Dr. Peggy Whitson from the United States, and two mission specialists — Sławosz Uznanski-Wisniewski of Poland and Tibor Kapu of Hungary. Whitson, a veteran NASA astronaut and biochemist, holds the record as the most experienced American astronaut with 675 days in space and over 60 hours across 10 spacewalks.

The fortnight-long mission will see the crew conduct 60 scientific experiments, including seven proposed by Indian researchers. Shukla, affectionately known by his call sign “Shux,” will also participate in technology demonstrations and space-to-Earth outreach events, including a high-profile interaction with a VIP from orbit.

“As I prepare to spend 14 days aboard the ISS, I carry with me not just instruments and equipment, but the hopes and dreams of a billion hearts,” he said.

According to India’s Science Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh, Shukla has undergone a strict month-long precautionary quarantine ahead of launch. “The health, psychological fitness, operational readiness are being continuously assessed,” he said.

Colleagues describe Shukla as “wicked smart,” with a remarkable memory and problem-solving ability. His mission is not only a symbol of India’s growing role in international space programs but also part of a larger national strategy, including ISRO’s ambitious Rs 33,000 crore Gaganyaan program and a goal to send an Indian to the Moon by 2040.

“It is my sincere endeavour through my mission to inspire an entire generation back home in the country. I want to use this opportunity to ignite curiosity among kids. Even if this story, my story, is able to change one life, it will be a huge success for me,” Shukla said.