New Delhi: India is poised to make history once again in its space journey, with an Indian astronaut set to travel to the International Space Station (ISS) this May – the country’s first human spaceflight in over four decades.
Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla of the Indian Air Force is set to become the first Indian to visit the International Space Station (ISS) as part of Axiom Space’s Ax-4 mission.
The announcement was made following a high-level review meeting in Delhi, chaired by Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology Dr Jitendra Singh, along with senior officials from the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO).
The mission follows the historic journey of Rakesh Sharma in 1984 aboard a Soviet Soyuz spacecraft.
Shukla’s participation in Ax-4 signals not just a symbolic milestone, but a strategic leap in India’s operational readiness for future crewed missions, including the ambitious Gaganyaan project.
India poised to script a defining chapter in its Space journey, as the international Space mission carrying an Indian astronaut to the International Space Station (ISS) has been scheduled for next month, May 2025. Group Captain Shukla is to become the first Indian ever to visit… pic.twitter.com/NvyaFWfi8u
— Dr Jitendra Singh (@DrJitendraSingh) April 18, 2025
A decorated test pilot and one of ISRO’s top candidates under its Human Spaceflight Program (HSP), Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla is undergoing final preparations to join the ISS mission.
His involvement is expected to provide critical hands-on experience in launch procedures, microgravity adaptation, and in-orbit operations- key capabilities that will directly inform the planning and execution of India’s first indigenous orbital flight.
“This is not just another spaceflight; it’s about building India’s capabilities for long-term human space exploration,” said Dr Jitendra Singh.
The meeting also provided a comprehensive review of ISRO’s upcoming missions between May and July 2025, illustrating the agency’s rapid technological progress and diversified portfolio.
Among the key updates:
- Aditya L1 solar mission data has been released for public access, providing valuable insights into solar dynamics.
- Successful demonstrations of space docking and undocking technologies are essential for future crewed and satellite servicing missions.
- Testing of India’s most powerful liquid engine to date, aimed at supporting future deep space missions.
- GSLV-F15, ISRO’s 100th launch from Sriharikota, marked a major operational milestone.
ISRO’s mission schedule for the coming months is packed with high-impact projects:
- In May 2025, the PSLV-C61 mission will launch the EOS-09 satellite, equipped with C-band synthetic aperture radar for high-resolution, all-weather Earth observation.
- The Test Vehicle-D2 (TV-D2) mission will simulate a Gaganyaan abort scenario, validating the Crew Escape System and conducting full-scale sea recovery operations for the crew module.
- In June, ISRO will launch the NISAR satellite, a landmark NASA-ISRO collaboration. Utilizing dual-frequency L-band (NASA) and S-band (ISRO) radars, NISAR will study Earth’s climate, hazards, and ecosystems.
- By July, the LVM3-M5 mission will execute a commercial launch for AST SpaceMobile Inc., deploying BlueBird Block-2 satellites under NewSpace India Limited’s commercial program.
