Shubhanshu Shukla: The IAF Pilot Poised to Be India’s Second Space Traveller

Quick Summary

• Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla of the Indian Air Force (IAF) will serve as the primary mission pilot in Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4), set to launch next month.
• Upon reaching the ISS, Shukla will become only the second Indian in space after Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma achieved this milestone in 1984 during an Indo-Soviet mission.
• The Ax-4 mission is a collaboration between ISRO, NASA, and Axiom Space.
• The backup pilot for India is IAF group Captain Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair.
• Ax-4 is scheduled to launch aboard SpaceX Dragon spacecraft using Falcon-9 rocket at florida’s Kennedy Space Center and aims to conduct up to 14 days of scientific, outreach, and commercial activities aboard the ISS.

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Indian opinion Analysis
This upcoming milestone marks a pivotal achievement for India’s evolving role in international space collaboration. The inclusion of an IAF officer as primary pilot reflects both India’s growing expertise in aerospace travel and its commitment to global partnerships like ISRO-NASA collaborations under private missions like Axium’s Ax-4.

Shubhasnhu ascent historically bridges decades divide-gaps