• durgesh dubey
• 03 Aug, 2024

Indian Air Force

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has announced that Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla has been selected to participate in an upcoming Indo-US mission to the International Space Station (ISS). ISRO's Human Space Flight Centre has entered into a space flight agreement with Axiom Space Inc, USA for the Axiom-4 mission. The National Mission Assignment Board has recommended two 'Gaganyatris' as the prime and backup mission pilots for this mission, with Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla chosen as the prime pilot and Group Captain Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair as the backup.

The final approval for the assigned crew members to fly to the ISS will come from the Multilateral Crew Operations Panel (MCOP). Training for the recommended Gaganyatris will commence in the first week of August 2024. During their mission, the Gaganyatris will conduct selected scientific research and technology demonstration experiments aboard the ISS, as well as engage in space outreach activities. ISRO emphasized that the experiences gained will benefit the Indian Human Space Programme and strengthen human space flight cooperation between ISRO and NASA.

This collaboration was highlighted in a joint statement by ISRO and NASA in June 2023 during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's official state visit to the USA, which envisioned a joint ISRO-NASA mission to the ISS. The Axiom-4 mission is the fourth private astronaut mission to the ISS conducted by Axiom Space, in partnership with NASA and SpaceX.

Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, born on October 10, 1985, in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy and was commissioned on June 17, 2006, in the fighter stream of the Indian Air Force.

Indian Air Force posted on X to say, "After touching the sky with glory, it's time for the #IAF to touch space with glory. Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla and Group Captain Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair are chosen for the upcoming Indo-US Axiom-4 mission to the ISS. The prime astronaut, Group Captain Shukla, is an experienced Test Pilot with 2000 hrs of flying."