Shubhanshu Shukla
Shubhanshu Shukla | |
|---|---|
 Shukla in 2024 | |
| Born | 10 October 1985 |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Alma mater | |
| Occupations | |
| Space career | |
| ISRO astronaut | |
Time in space | 3 days, 4 hours, 4 minutes (currently in space) |
| Selection | 1st Vyomanaut Group (2019) |
| Missions | Axiom Mission 4, Gaganyaan-4 (planned)[1] |
Mission insignia |   |
| Military career | |
| Nickname(s) | Shux |
| Allegiance |  India |
| Branch |  Indian Air Force |
| Years of service | 2006–present [2] |
| Rank |  Group Captain |
| Service number | 29014 |
Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla is an Indian Air Force test pilot, engineer and ISRO astronaut. He is the first of four astronauts who has flown to space as part of the Indian Human Spaceflight Programme.[3][4] He is currently on-board Axiom Mission 4, becoming the first Indian astronaut to visit the International Space Station, and the second Indian to travel to orbit after Rakesh Sharma in 1984. The cost of the seat alloted to him is estimated to be in the mid-$60-million range (approximately ₹500 crore) paid by the Indian government in 2025.[5][6]
Early life and education
Shubhanshu Shukla, the youngest of three siblings,[7] was born to Shambhu Dayal Shukla, now a retired government officer, and Asha Shukla, a homemaker. He is a native of Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, and completed his schooling at City Montessori School, Aliganj. Inspired by the 1999 Kargil War, he applied for and cleared the NDA examination. He completed his military training and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in computer science from the National Defence Academy in 2005.[8]
He was then selected for the flying branch and underwent training at the Indian Air Force Academy. In June 2006, he was commissioned into the Fighter stream of the Indian Air Force as a Flying officer.[9][10][11]
Air Force career
He is a combat leader and seasoned test pilot with about 2,000 hours of flying experience in various aircraft, including the Su-30 MKI, MiG-21, MiG-29, Jaguar, Hawk, Dornier 228, and An-32.[12][13] He has a nickname Shux.[14]
Astronautical career
Training
Shukla was included in the astronaut selection process in 2019 by the Institute of Aerospace Medicine (IAM), an organization under the Indian Air Force for the Indian Human Spaceflight Programme. Later, he was shortlisted in the final four by IAM and ISRO. In 2020, He went to Russia for basic training with three other selected astronauts at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center. Basic training was completed in 2021. He then returned to India and attended training at the Astronaut Training Facility in Bangalore. During this time period, he completed his Master of Engineering degree in aerospace engineering from Indian Institute of Science.[4]
His name as a member of the astronaut team for India's first human space mission was first officially announced on 27 February 2024 at ISRO's Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre in Thiruvananthapuram.[4][15]
Axiom Mission 4
"Namaskar, my dear countrymen! What a ride! We are back in the space once again after 41 years. It's an amazing ride. We are revolving around the Earth at a speed of 7.5 kilometres per second. The Tiranga embossed on my shoulders tells me that I am with all of you. This journey of mine is not a beginning to the International Space Station but to India's Human Space Programme. I want all of you to be part of this journey. Your chest, too, should swell with pride... Together, let's initiate India's Human Space Programme. Jai Hind! Jai Bharat!"
Shukla is currently serving as the mission pilot for the ongoing Axiom Mission 4 mission to the International Space Station.[16] He is part of a crew led by commander Peggy Whitson, alongside mission specialists Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski and Tibor Kapu.[17][18][19] Fellow ISRO astronaut Prasanth Nair was designated as the backup crew member; both underwent training at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.
The mission, a collaboration between NASA, SpaceX, and ISRO, is intended to strengthen international spaceflight cooperation.[20][21][22][23] Shukla is the first Indian astronaut to visit the ISS, and the second Indian to travel to orbit, after cosmonaut Rakesh Sharma in 1984.[17] President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Indian Air Force congratulated Shukla on X.[24]
The mission successfully lifted off from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on 25 June 2025 at 02:31 EDT (06:31 UTC; 12:01 IST). It docked with the ISS on 26 June 2025 at 06:31 EDT (10:31 UTC; 16:01 IST).[25] Quietly making history, Shukla entered ISS at 12:14 UTC (17:44 IST). A few minutes past 19:00 IST, as the formal welcome ceremony for Ax-4 crew unfolded at ISS, Mission Commander Peggy Whitson gave him his pin, designating him astronaut number 634.[26][27]
Personal life
Shukla is married to Kamna Mishra, a dentist by profession, who was Shubhanshu classmate at school. The couple has a son.[28]
In his leisure time, Shukla enjoys engaging in physical exercise and reading science-related books. He has recently developed an interest in reading horoscopes, despite identifying as an agnostic.[29][30]
References
- ^ "India's Path to Space: Group Captain Shukla Commands Gaganyaan". Devdiscourse. Retrieved 2025-06-25.
- ^ "Service Record for Wing Commander Shubanshu Shukla 29014 F(P) at Bharat Rakshak.com". Bharat Rakshak.
- ^ Pandey, Geeta (27 February 2024). "Gaganyaan: India names astronauts for maiden space flight". BBC News. Retrieved 27 February 2024.
- ^ a b c Kumar, Chethan. "Nair, Prathap, Krishnan and Chauhan listed for Gaganyaan mission". The Timesof India. Bengaluru.: Times Group. Retrieved 27 February 2024.
- ^ The Wire Analysis (2025-06-08). "Know-Your-Spacemen: Is Shubhanshu Shukla's Axiom-4 Different from Rakesh Sharma's in 1984?". The Wire. Retrieved 2025-06-26.
- ^ Dua, Purtika (2025-06-10). "Who is Shubhanshu Shukla, the Indian astronaut on Axiom-4 mission that launched today?". The Hindu. Retrieved 2025-06-27.
- ^ "Aiming For The Sky: When Shubhanshu Shukla Ran Away From Sister's 'Vidaai'". NDTV. Retrieved 2025-06-09.
- ^ Bajpai, Namita (2025-06-04). "Joy and pride laced with anxiety grip Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla's family ahead of his space sojourn". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 2025-06-09.
- ^ "Lucknow lad Shubhanshu Shukla named for Gaganyaan mission". The Times of India. March 18, 2025. Retrieved 19 March 2025.
- ^ "Biography of Shubhanshu Shukla". Axiom Space. Retrieved 19 March 2025.
- ^ "My journey to space will be the journey of 1.4 billion fellow Indians: Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla". The Hindu. March 18, 2025. Retrieved 19 March 2025.
- ^ Vasudevan Mukunth (3 March 2024). "Gaganyaan astronauts:The chosen four". thehindu.com. The Hindu. Retrieved 8 March 2024.
- ^ "Axiom Space Astronaut: Shubhanshu Shukla". Axiom Space. Retrieved 2025-01-23.
- ^ "India's 'Shux' heads to space". The Economic Times. 2025-06-08. Retrieved 2025-06-11.
- ^ "Kerala celebrates as local son Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair gears up for Gaganyaan space mission". The Telegraph. Palakkad. ABP. 27 February 2024. Retrieved 27 February 2024.
- ^ "Shubhanshu Shukla: India celebrates sending its first astronaut into space after 41 years". BBC. 2025-06-25. Retrieved 2025-06-25.
- ^ a b "Shubhanshu Shukla: Astronaut to become first Indian to set foot on ISS". www.bbc.com. 2025-06-26. Retrieved 2025-06-26.
- ^ Fortin, Jacey; K.B, Pragati (25 June 2025). "Four Astronauts Lift Off on Axiom Mission to the I.S.S." The New York Times. Retrieved 26 June 2025.
- ^ Dunn, Marcia (25 June 2025). "Astronauts from India, Poland and Hungary blast off on a privately funded trip to the space station". The Washington Post.
- ^ "Indian Astronaut Will Pilot Mission To International Space Station: Axiom Space". www.ndtv.com.
- ^ "Axiom Space's next astronaut mission to the ISS with SpaceX delayed to spring 2025". Space.com. 12 August 2024. Archived from the original on 9 November 2024. Retrieved 16 October 2024.
- ^ "Axiom Space Astronaut Missions are Building Human Experience, Opportunity in LEO". axiomspace.com. Axiom Space. 28 February 2024. Retrieved 15 October 2024.
- ^ "Axiom Space Ax-4 mission". Axiom Space. Retrieved 30 January 2025.
- ^ Trivedi, Saurabh (2025-06-25). "President, PM extend best wishes for Shubhanshu Shukla's space odyssey". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2025-06-27.
- ^ "Shubhanshu Shukla: Astronaut becomes first Indian to set foot on ISS". www.bbc.com. 2025-06-26. Retrieved 2025-06-27.
- ^ PTI (2025-06-26). "Axiom-4 mission: Shubhanshu Shukla became 634th astronaut to reach space". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2025-06-27.
- ^ "Axiom-4 mission: Shubhanshu Shukla and his fellow 'Earthlings' enter space station with Grace". The Times of India. 2025-06-27. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 2025-06-27.
- ^ "From classroom to cosmos: Shubhanshu Shukla's wife looks back & ahead". The Times of India. 2025-06-09. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 2025-06-09.
- ^ "Shubhanshu Shukla's Personal Life". The Times of India. March 18, 2025. Retrieved 19 March 2025.
- ^ "Shubhanshu Shukla: The First Indian Air Force Officer on Axiom Mission 4". NDTV. March 19, 2025. Retrieved 19 March 2025.
