Over a year after Prime Minister Modi announced during a visit to the US that an Indian astronaut would participate in a US mission to the International Space Station (ISS), ISRO has chosen Wing Commander Shubhanshu Shukla for this mission. This decision is part of a space flight agreement with Axiom Space, a service provider identified by NASA.
Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, who was recently promoted from Wing Commander, was born in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, on October 10, 1985.
As reported by Indian Express, Shukla’s ambition to become an astronaut was significantly influenced by the courageous tales from the 1999 Kargil War, which he heard at the age of 14. These stories inspired him to pursue a career in the armed forces and shaped his future goals.
Shukla graduated from the National Defence Academy and was commissioned into the Indian Air Force (IAF) fighter stream on June 17, 2006, becoming the first member of his family to join the armed forces. Reflecting on his career, Shukla describes it as a “rollercoaster ride,” according to News18.
He has completed a Fighter Combat Leader course at the renowned Tactics and Combat Development Establishment (TACDE) and has built a distinguished career as a Fighter Combat Leader and test pilot.
With approximately 2,000 hours of flying experience on various fighter aircraft, including the Su-30MKI, MIG-21, MIG-29, Jaguar, Dornier, BAe Hawk, and An-32, Shukla has a broad and impressive background.
He is also one of the four IAF officers selected for India’s inaugural manned space mission, Gaganyaan, which is planned for next year.
Affectionately called Gunjan by his family, Shukla is the youngest of three siblings and the father of a four-year-old son. His family regards his selection as a significant achievement, as reported by News18. At 39, Shukla is the youngest astronaut-designate for the ISS mission.
ISRO’s Human Space Flight Centre has proposed Shukla as the primary mission pilot, with Group Captain Prashanth Nair as the backup. The final approval will be determined by the multilateral crew operations panel. Shukla and Nair are two of the four astronauts selected for India’s Gaganyaan mission, which is designed to send astronauts into space.
ISRO announced that Shukla and Nair will start their training for the ISS flight in the first week of August 2024. The partnership with Axiom Space pertains to the upcoming Axiom-4 mission to the ISS.
“This collaboration follows a joint statement made during PM Narendra Modi’s state visit to the US in June 2023, which envisioned an ISRO-NASA effort on the ISS,” ISRO stated on Friday.
Shubhanshu Shukla will become the second Indian citizen to travel to space. During their time on the ISS, the astronauts, including Shukla, will perform scientific research, technology demonstrations, and engage in space-outreach activities. ISRO highlighted that this mission will provide valuable experience for India’s Human Space Programme and enhance space-flight cooperation between ISRO and NASA.
