Image Source: Hindustan Times
India is set for a historic return to human spaceflight as Indian Air Force officer Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla will fly to the International Space Station (ISS) on June 8, 2025. The Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) mission represents India's first space expedition commanded by an astronaut in more than four decades since Rakesh Sharma's historic 1984 flight and heralds a new age of global cooperation and private space leadership.
Launch Date & Location
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June 8, 2025, 6:41 PM IST (9:11 AM EDT)
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Launching from NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Florida, USA—specifically the historic Launch Complex 39A—the same pad that launched Apollo 11.
Spacecraft & Crew
The crew will ride in a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon capsule.
Crew members:
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Peggy Whitson (USA, Mission Commander, experienced NASA astronaut)
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Shubhanshu Shukla (India, Mission Pilot, Indian Air Force
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Slawosz Uznanski (Poland
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Tibor Kapu (Hungary)
Mission Duration
Intended 14-day stay on board the ISS.
Historic Indian Participation
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Shubhanshu Shukla will be the second Indian to travel to space, after Rakesh Sharma's mission in 1984.
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Marks India's return to human space travel after a gap of over 40 years.
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Shukla's mission is a stepping stone for India's ambitious space plans, including a national space station by 2035 and a lunar mission by 2040
Global Collaboration
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The Ax-4 crew members represent India, Poland, and Hungary—each launching back into space for more than four decades and making their first flight on the ISS.
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Axiom Space organizes the mission with the support of NASA, SpaceX, ISRO, ESA, POLSA, and HUNOR, reflecting unparalleled international collaboration.
Scientific and Research Objectives
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Ax-4 crew members will perform more than 60 experiments from 31 nations, the highest number for any private crewed mission.
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Shukla will command seven microgravity experiments, such as ISRO's food-based research on cultivating fenugreek (methi) and moong (green gram) in space, facilitating research in human biology and space agriculture.
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The mission will also aid India's human spaceflight project, Gaganyaan, by facilitating practical experience in microgravity adaptation and spaceflight operations.
Significance for India's Space Program
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The mission is likely to cost approximately ₹550 crores and is viewed as a key milestone in India's journey towards becoming a space technology leader of the world.
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The experience and collaboration are going to feed directly into India's indigenous crewed space plans.
Delays in Launch and Readiness
The launch, scheduled for May 29, was deferred to June 8 to align with ISS scheduling and make the mission ready.
Safety and preparedness have been NASA and Axiom Space's top priority, with everything and everyone finalized through final checks.
Sources: The National News, Pragativadi, The Week, MyNews13, NDTV, Business Standard, Economic Times, CNBC TV18
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