Shubhanshu Shukla: India’s First Astronaut to the ISS – Biography, Career & Historic Space Mission

“Namaskar, my dear countrymen. I carry the dreams of 1.4 billion Indians.”

Who is Shubhanshu Shukla?

Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla is an Indian Air Force officer and test pilot selected by ISRO as one of the four astronauts for India’s first manned spaceflight program, Gaganyaan. In June 2025, he became the first Indian astronaut to reach the International Space Station (ISS) via the Axiom Mission-4, a collaborative effort between ISRO, NASA, and SpaceX.

Early Life and Education

• Date of Birth:  10 October 1985
• Hometown: Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India
• Schooling: City Montessori School, Lucknow
• Inspiration: Moved by stories from the Kargil War, he aspired to serve in the Indian Armed Forces.

He joined the National Defence Academy (NDA) and graduated in 2005 with a degree in Computer Science. Later, he earned an M.Tech in Aerospace Engineering from the prestigious Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru.

 Indian Air Force Career

• Commissioned: June 2006 in the Fighter Stream of IAF
• Rank: Group Captain (as of 2024)
• Specialization: Experimental Test Pilot
• Flight Experience: Over 2,000 flight hours on multiple aircraft including:

– Su-30 MKI

–  MiG-21, MiG-29

–  Jaguar

– Hawk

– Dornier 228

– An-32

He is also a qualified flying instructor and led multiple combat missions and evaluations of aircraft systems.

 Gaganyaan and Astronaut Training

In 2019, Shubhanshu Shukla was one of four astronauts selected by ISRO for India’s Gaganyaan program — the country’s first human spaceflight initiative.

• Training: Completed at Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center, Russia (2020–2021)
• Focus Areas: Spacecraft operations, survival training, orbital mechanics, and zero-gravity conditioning.

 Axiom-4: India’s First Mission to the ISS

 Mission Overview

• Mission Name: Axiom-4 (Ax-4)
• Launch Date: 25 June 2025
• Spacecraft: SpaceX Crew Dragon
• Launch Vehicle: Falcon 9
• Launch Site: Kennedy Space Center, USA
• Duration: 14 days
• Partners: Axiom Space, NASA, SpaceX, ISRO

 Historic Achievements

• First Indian astronaut to reach the ISS
• First Indian in space after Rakesh Sharma (1984)
• First IAF officer on a commercial international space mission

During the mission, Shukla is expected to perform over 60 scientific experiments, with collaborations involving 31 countries. These include microgravity research, medical diagnostics, space-based farming, and AI-assisted navigation.

 Family & Personal Life

• Parents: Shambhu Dayal Shukla (Retired UP Government Official) & Asha Shukla
• Wife: Dr. Kamna Shukla (Dentist)

What’s Next for Shubhanshu Shukla?

After his ISS mission, Shukla is expected to play a pivotal role in:

• India’s first crewed Gaganyaan mission, slated for 2026
• Astronaut training program design
• Public outreachto inspire students, researchers, and young aspirants