As Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) prepares to launch toward the International Space Station, Indian Air Force Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla—the mission’s pilot—has voiced his desire to inspire the next generation of Indians to dream big and look to the stars.
A veteran test pilot and one of the four astronauts selected for India’s Gaganyaan human spaceflight mission, Group Capt. Shukla sees his upcoming journey to space as more than a scientific milestone. “It is my sincere endeavour through this mission to inspire an entire generation back home,” he said. “I want to use this opportunity to ignite curiosity among kids. Even if this story changes one life, it would be a huge success for me.”
Born in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, on October 10, 1985, Shukla was commissioned into the IAF’s fighter wing in 2006 and has accumulated over 2,000 flying hours on aircraft including the Su-30 MKI, MiG-21, MiG-29, Jaguar, Hawk, Dornier, and An-32. His journey toward space began with a year-long training program at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre in Russia in 2019. In February 2024, Prime Minister Narendra Modi introduced him as part of India’s elite astronaut corps for the Gaganyaan mission, scheduled for launch in 2025.
Now, Shukla is set to pilot the Ax-4 crew aboard SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft, launching from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. His crewmates include Mission Commander Peggy Whitson, a former NASA astronaut, and mission specialists Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski (Poland) and Tibor Kapu (Hungary).
Whitson praised Shukla’s sharp instincts and technical skills: “He’s just wicked smart when it comes to spacecraft technologies… having him as my pilot is great.”
Reflecting on the mission, Shukla spoke of his bond with the crew: “I do feel I have exceptional crewmates. I will have them for this one flight, but post this mission, these are going to be my friends for life.”
Shukla’s flight is being hailed as a historic moment for India’s space ambitions, following in the footsteps of Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma, the first Indian in space. Like Sharma’s iconic mission aboard Soyuz T-11 in 1984, Ax-4 is expected to inspire a wave of interest in space science among Indian youth.
“This journey has been amazing,” Shukla said. “These are the moments that tell you you’re part of something much bigger than yourself.”
As the Ax-4 mission takes wings, it marks not just another chapter in international space cooperation, but a deeply personal and national milestone for India’s growing presence in space exploration.
