Dr. Jitendra Singh receives Ax-4 astronaut Shukla's memoir
Synopsis
Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh has received 'The Second Orbit', a personal memoir by Indian astronaut and Axiom Mission-4 pilot Shubhanshu Shukla, documenting his journey to the International Space Station — a milestone in India's growing human spaceflight story.
Key Takeaways
Shubhanshu Shukla served as Mission Pilot on Axiom Mission-4 (Ax-4) to the International Space Station .
Shukla has authored a book titled 'The Second Orbit' chronicling his spaceflight experience.
Jitendra Singh personally received a copy of the book from Shukla on 11 August 2026 .
Shukla is one of four Indian astronaut candidates named by ISRO and the Indian Air Force for the Gaganyaan programme in February 2024 .
India pursues parallel human spaceflight tracks: the indigenous Gaganyaan programme (approved 2018 ) and commercial ISS access through Axiom Space missions.
An Indian astronaut who piloted a private mission to the International Space Station has now put his journey into words — and the book has landed in the hands of the minister who oversees India's space ambitions. Union Science and Technology Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh announced on Tuesday, 11 August 2026, that he has received a personal copy of 'The Second Orbit', a written chronicle authored by Shubhanshu Shukla, the Indian astronaut who served as Mission Pilot on Axiom Mission-4 (Ax-4) to the International Space Station.
From the ISS to the printed page
Shubhanshu Shukla, an Indian Air Force test pilot, made history as the Mission Pilot aboard Ax-4 — a privately organised crewed mission to the ISS run by Axiom Space, involving international astronauts. His role placed him among a rare cohort of Indians who have reached low Earth orbit, and 'The Second Orbit' is his firsthand account of that experience. Dr. Singh described himself as 'pleased' to receive the book directly from Shukla.
Shukla's path: Gaganyaan candidate to Axiom pilot
Shukla's selection for Ax-4 traces back to India's broader human spaceflight ambitions. In February 2024, ISRO and the Indian Air Force named four astronaut candidates for the Gaganyaan programme — India's indigenous human spaceflight mission formally approved in 2018 — and Shukla was among them. His assignment to Ax-4 as Mission Pilot represented India's parallel bet on commercial crew access alongside its own sovereign programme.
India's two-track approach to human spaceflight
The Ax-4 mission sits at the intersection of India's twin strategies: building an indigenous capability through Gaganyaan while simultaneously embedding Indian astronauts in commercial ISS missions. This mirrors a wider global pattern where national space agencies increasingly partner with private operators to maintain continuous human presence in low Earth orbit. Shukla's memoir, arriving at this moment, adds a human narrative to what has largely been a story told in mission patches and press releases.
A book written by an Indian astronaut who flew a private mission to the ISS — and personally handed to the minister steering India's space policy — is a quiet signal that India's human spaceflight story is maturing beyond mission announcements into lived, documented experience.
Point of View
Combining the sovereign Gaganyaan programme with commercial ISS access via Axiom, is a deliberate hedge against timeline risk. A published astronaut account strengthens the soft-power dimension of that strategy, building public investment in a programme that has yet to fly its own crewed mission. The minister's public acknowledgement also keeps political ownership of space achievements firmly visible ahead of Gaganyaan's own anticipated crewed flights.
NationPress
11 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Shubhanshu Shukla?
Shubhanshu Shukla is an Indian Air Force test pilot and one of four astronaut candidates selected by ISRO for the Gaganyaan human spaceflight programme. He served as Mission Pilot on Axiom Mission-4 (Ax-4) to the International Space Station.
What is the book 'The Second Orbit' about?
'The Second Orbit' is a written chronicle authored by Shubhanshu Shukla, narrating his personal experience as Mission Pilot on Axiom Mission-4 to the International Space Station.
What is Axiom Mission-4 (Ax-4)?
Axiom Mission-4 is a privately organised crewed mission to the International Space Station run by Axiom Space, involving international astronauts including India's Shubhanshu Shukla.
What is India's Gaganyaan programme?
Gaganyaan is India's indigenous human spaceflight programme, formally approved in 2018, aimed at sending Indian astronauts to low Earth orbit aboard an ISRO-developed spacecraft.
Why did Dr. Jitendra Singh receive Shubhanshu Shukla's book?
Dr. Jitendra Singh, as Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, oversees India's space sector. Shukla personally gave him a copy of 'The Second Orbit', his memoir of the Ax-4 ISS mission, on 11 August 2026.
