Indian Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla's Historic ISS Mission Scheduled for June 25

24 June, 2025

Indian Air Force Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla is scheduled for a historic flight to the International Space Station (ISS) on June 25, 2025. Serving as the pilot for Axiom Mission 4, he will be the second Indian to travel to space. Aboard the ISS, Shukla will conduct pioneering experiments on food sustainability and space nutrition, advancing research for long-duration missions.

Unpacked:

Who was the first Indian to travel to space, and when did that mission occur?

The first Indian to travel to space was Rakesh Sharma, who flew aboard the Soviet Soyuz T-11 spacecraft to the Salyut 7 space station in April 1984.

What specific experiments on food sustainability and space nutrition will be conducted during Axiom Mission 4?

Axiom Mission 4 will focus on more than 60 science experiments, including pioneering research on food sustainability and space nutrition to support long-duration missions, though details on the exact experiments have not yet been publicly specified.

Who are the other crew members on Axiom Mission 4, and what are their roles?

The Ax-4 crew includes Peggy Whitson (commander, former NASA astronaut), Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski (ESA project astronaut from Poland), and Tibor Kapu (mission specialist from Hungary), with Shubhanshu Shukla as pilot.

How long is the Axiom Mission 4 expected to last, and how will the crew travel to the ISS?

Axiom Mission 4 is expected to last about two weeks. The crew will travel to the ISS aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, which will launch atop a Falcon 9 rocket from NASA's Kennedy Space Center.

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