Axiom-4 Takes Off: Shubhanshu Shukla Becomes Second Indian Astronaut In Space

Shubhanshu Shukla, part of the Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) crew, lifted off on Wednesday aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon capsule with three other astronauts.

Shukla, the mission pilot, becomes India’s second astronaut in space, nearly 40 years after Rakesh Sharma. The 39-year-old fighter pilot was nominated by ISRO for the mission.

Over the 14-day journey, Shukla will conduct scientific experiments on food and nutrition in microgravity.

He serves as mission pilot alongside Commander Peggy Whitson. His research is a joint effort by ISRO, the Department of Biotechnology and NASA.

Axiom Mission 4 is a commercial collaboration between Houston-based Axiom Space and NASA.

Referred to as Mission Akash Ganga, it stems from the India-US joint statement during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s state visit to the U.S. in June 2023.