Embrace Big Dreams: An Inspiring Journey of Indian Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla
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Synopsis
Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla of the Indian Air Force is poised to become the first Indian astronaut at the ISS. He inspires others to dream big and pursue their ambitions step by step, sharing insights on his journey and upcoming mission with Axiom Space.
Key Takeaways
- Shubhanshu Shukla is the first Indian astronaut set to go to the ISS.
- He encourages dreaming big and pursuing goals gradually.
- His journey follows Rakesh Sharma, the first Indian in space.
- He aims to inspire future generations in the space field.
- He will conduct significant scientific experiments during his mission.
New Delhi, March 18 (NationPress) Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla of the Indian Air Force (IAF) is on the verge of becoming the first Indian to visit the International Space Station (ISS). On Tuesday, he encouraged his fellow countrymen to embrace their dreams without fear and to take it step by step.
In a special discussion with IANS from the headquarters of Axiom Space in Houston, Texas, Shukla shared insights about his transition from the Indian Air Force to Axiom Space, alongside the experiments he will be conducting during his upcoming mission to the space lab.
“Do not hesitate to dream big; pursue that dream incrementally. Before you know it, you will find yourself nearing your goal,” expressed the astronaut from Lucknow, who is designated to be a part of the historic Gaganyaan mission, India's inaugural human spaceflight initiative.
Shukla will become the second Indian in space, following Rakesh Sharma's journey to the Salyut 7 space station four decades ago. Born on October 10, 1985, he graduated from the National Defence Academy (NDA) in 2005 and joined the Fighter stream of the IAF in June 2006.
Selected for the astronaut program by ISRO in 2019, Shukla's opportunity arose shortly after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced in 2018 from the Red Fort that an Indian would venture into space soon.
In January 2025, the 39-year-old was appointed as the pilot for Axiom Space’s Mission 4 (Ax-4), a joint mission involving NASA and ISRO.
“I was thrilled to be selected at that time... This experience will be invaluable as we advance and contribute to the future of human spaceflight,” said Shukla, viewing it as a significant achievement.
“While this is an exhilarating opportunity, I recognize the responsibility it entails. I represent the entire nation, marking the start of a long journey,” he added.
Shukla aspires to utilize his “journey to motivate this generation to explore careers in the realm of space,” inspired by Rakesh Sharma’s space mission in 1984.
The Axion Space mission to the ISS is expected to launch from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft in May, potentially lasting up to 14 days. The crew will engage in scientific experiments, outreach programs, and commercial activities in microgravity. Shukla will take on the role of mission pilot during the journey to and from the space lab.
“As the mission pilot, I will collaborate with the vehicle's commander, managing systems, navigating, and monitoring data, ready to intervene if necessary,” Shukla explained to IANS.
While in space, he will conduct experiments aimed at enhancing technologies for Axiom’s future space station and studying the effects of microgravity on cyanobacteria, an anaerobic bacteria.
This bacteria can convert carbon dioxide to oxygen, which was also responsible for generating oxygen on Earth.
“We are examining how well cyanobacteria can function in microgravity and the potential for utilizing them in future missions to create an oxygen-rich environment for the crew,” said an enthusiastic Shukla.
