Indian astronaut-designate Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla is set to make history by becoming the second Indian to travel to space, following Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma's historic mission in 1984. Shukla will serve as the Mission Pilot for Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4), the fourth private astronaut mission to the International Space Station (ISS), scheduled to launch in May 2025 from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. He will fly aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft alongside Commander Peggy Whitson, Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski from Poland, and Tibor Kapu from Hungary.

This mission marks a significant step in India's participation in international space exploration and is part of a collaboration between NASA, Axiom Space, and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). Shukla's participation is also crucial for ISRO's Gaganyaan mission, India's first human spaceflight program, for which he has been identified as a key astronaut-designate. The Ax-4 mission will involve a stay of up to 14 days at the ISS, during which the crew will conduct scientific experiments, educational outreach, and commercial activities in microgravity.

ISRO is sending six experiments to the ISS as part of the Ax-4 mission, focusing on various biological systems and space effects. These experiments include studying the impact of microgravity on tasks like screen time and gaze fixation, which could inform future spacecraft design. Additionally, Shukla plans to promote India's cultural heritage by carrying artefacts from different regions and performing yoga poses in space.

Group Captain Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair has been designated as a backup astronaut who will replace Shukla if needed. This mission not only highlights India's expanding role in global space exploration but also inspires future generations of space enthusiasts and astronauts.

Agencies