Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla has been selected as one of the astronauts for India's upcoming human space mission, Gaganyaan. This announcement was made in the Lok Sabha by Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh, who noted that Shukla will also participate in a mission to the International Space Station (ISS) alongside three other astronauts currently undergoing intensive training for Gaganyaan.

The Gaganyaan mission aims to position India as the fourth nation to send humans into space, following the Soviet Union, the United States, and China.

Dr. Singh also provided details about Chandrayaan-4, a significant mission aimed at testing advanced docking technology and lunar sample collection. This mission is a crucial step towards India's goal of establishing a space station by 2040.

It will involve two launch vehicles carrying five components, executing complex manoeuvres such as in-orbit docking before reaching the Moon. The descender module will collect lunar samples, while the ascender module will dock with orbiting components before returning to Earth, simulating crewed lunar mission procedures.

The Minister stressed that Chandrayaan-4 is essential for mastering docking and undocking techniques, which are critical for future interplanetary missions and operations related to a space station. He reiterated that this mission is part of India's long-term objective of sending an Indian astronaut to the Moon.

In a heartfelt tribute, Dr. Singh acknowledged Sunita Williams, who returned to Earth after spending over 300 days in space. He recalled Prime Minister Narendra Modi's congratulatory message and his previous meeting with Williams in 2007 when he was Chief Minister of Gujarat.

With both Gaganyaan and Chandrayaan-4, India is strategically positioning itself as a leader in global space exploration, paving the way for deeper space missions and future lunar endeavours.

State Times News