Indian astronaut Subhanshu Shukla’s historic 15-day space mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS) will provide crucial insights and experience for India’s first manned spaceflight under the Gaganyaan programme, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) announced on Monday.
Shukla, the first Indian in 41 years to travel to space, conducted multiple scientific experiments in microgravity during his time aboard the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft and the ISS as part of the Axiom-4 (Ax-4) mission.
“This has been an unforgettable experience for him,” said Nilesh M. Desai, Director of ISRO’s Space Applications Centre. “He carried out a variety of experiments, and the insights we gain from this mission will significantly contribute to the success of Gaganyaan.”
Desai stated that the Gaganyaan programme will commence with an unmanned flight later this year, followed by two more test missions. The first Indian crewed spaceflight is expected in the next two years, with an astronaut staying in orbit for 2 to 7 days.
“Subhanshu’s experience will help us better plan and refine our systems, procedures, and astronaut training for Gaganyaan,” Desai noted.
The mission was part of a broader India-US space collaboration, made possible by an agreement signed between ISRO and NASA during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the US. The pact allowed one Indian astronaut to fly to the ISS aboard a US mission, marking a new chapter in bilateral space cooperation.
The mission cost approximately ₹600 crore, which covered training for two Indian astronauts and mission-related expenses. While Shukla flew to space, astronaut Prashant Nair served as the backup, both having undergone five to six months of intensive training in the US.
Shukla launched on June 25 aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9 and docked with the ISS a day later. His spacecraft undocked at 4:35 AM IST on Monday, and is expected to splash down near the California coast at 3 PM IST on Tuesday after a 22.5-hour return journey. Post-landing, the astronauts will undergo medical evaluation and rehabilitation.
ISRO expressed confidence that the mission will not only strengthen India’s astronaut training capabilities but also accelerate readiness for the much-anticipated Gaganyaan crewed mission, reaffirming India’s growing stature in global space exploration.
