India’s first astronaut in 41 years prepares for historic space flight

Shubhanshu Shukla is set to blast off to the International Space Station this spring

Three of the Axiom-4 crew members, from left, mission pilot Shubhanshu Shukla and mission specialists Sławosz Uznanski and Tibor Kapu during training at the European Astronaut Centre. Photo: Axiom SpaceShow less

India’s long-awaited return to human space flight is set to take place this spring, as Indian Air Force officer Shubhanshu Shukla prepares to be launched to the International Space Station as part of the private Axiom-4 mission.

The flight, expected to take up to 21 days, will be the first time an Indian citizen has travelled to space since Rakesh Sharma’s historic voyage on board a Soviet spacecraft in 1984.

Mr Shukla, a decorated fighter pilot and test pilot in the Indian Air Force, spoke at an online press conference on Thursday, alongside three of his crew members.

“I’m really excited to go into the microgravity and experience the spaceflight,” he said. “The tempo for the mission has been building up each month. I think we are at a stage wherein all the pieces are kind of coming together and I’m extremely excited to see how this unfolds in the coming months.”

Milestone for India

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) orbiter vehicle 'Chandrayaan-2', India's first moon lander and rover mission planned and developed by the ISRO GSLV MKIII-M1, blasts off from a launch pad at Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, in the Southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu in July 2019. The mission to the moon was launched successfully on July 22 2019 from Sriharikota using the country's most powerful rocket Geosynchronous satellite launch Vehicle (GSLV) Mark III. EPA

Indian Space Research Organisation’s Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV Mark-III) rocket lifts off carrying CARE (Crew Module Atmospheeric Re-entry Experiment) from the east coast island of Sriharikota, India. The same rocket will be used to launch the Gaganyaan rocket. AP

Dr Uma Maheshwaran, scientific secretary at the Indian Space Research Organisation. Photo: Wam

Indian onlookers watch the launch of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C37) at Sriharikota in 2018. AFP

Indian Space Research Organisation's (ISRO) PSLV-C25 rocket carrying the Mars Orbiter Spacecraft blasting off from the launch pad at Sriharikota on November 5, 2013.

The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C25) rocket lifts off carrying India’s Mars spacecraft from the east coast island of Sriharikota, India in November 2013. The 1,350-kilogramme “Mangalyaan” orbiter was headed first into an elliptical orbit around Earth, after which a series of technical manoeuvres and short burns raised its orbit before it slingshots toward Mars. AP

A paramilitary soldier walks past the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C25) at the Satish Dhawan Space Center at Sriharikota, in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. AP

The fully integrated PSLV-C34 rocket with all its 20 satellites aboard is moved out of the vehicle assemble building to the second launch pad at the Sriharikota's Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Andhra Pradesh, India in June 2016. Courtesy Isro

Lift-off for the Indian rocket with all 20 satellites abaord. Courtesy IsroI

The Indian Space Research Organisation's satellite is launched from Sriharikota. AFP

India has been steadily expanding its presence in space exploration, with missions to the Moon and Mars, but human spaceflight remained an ambition rather than a reality for decades.

The country’s space agency, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), is developing its own crewed craft, Gaganyaan, with the goal of sending astronauts into orbit aboard an Indian-made vehicle. However, delays in the programme have pushed its first human flight beyond this year, making Axiom-4 the first opportunity for an Indian astronaut to participate in a modern space mission.

Mr Shukla will fly as a privately funded astronaut, with Axiom Space facilitating the mission in collaboration with Nasa and SpaceX. The Houston-based company has pioneered commercial missions to the ISS, allowing countries without direct space partnerships to send astronauts to orbit.

The company also facilitated a trip for two Saudi astronauts to the ISS in 2023, including the first Arab woman.

Anna Hazlett, founder of AzurX, a UAE-based advisory and investment firm specialising in the space sector, said India’s involvement in Axiom-4 shows the changing landscape of human spaceflight.

“Private space companies like Axiom Space are transforming human spaceflight, allowing nations without ISS partnerships to send astronauts to orbit,” she told The National.

“This model democratises space access, accelerates national space ambitions and fosters global collaboration. It helps create a more diverse space economy, which is what the new space sector is all about."

Inspiration from Rakesh Sharma

Mr Shukla’s journey to becoming an astronaut has its roots in a childhood dream sparked by Mr Sharma.

“Consequently, I grew up reading about him in textbooks and listening to his stories from space. I was deeply, deeply impressed by him,” he said.

However, the lack of an active Indian human spaceflight programme at the time meant becoming an astronaut seemed an impossible goal. Instead, Mr Shukla pursued a career in aviation, inspired by an air show he attended as a sixth-grade pupil.

Rakesh Sharma was India's first astronaut, entering space in 1984. Photo: India's Human Space Flight Centre

“I remember being shaken by a sneaking fighter jet that came up from behind us, extremely low, and pulled up towards the sky. I lost it in a matter of a few seconds. This was nerve-racking like never before and I left the air show thoroughly impressed,” he said.

That moment led him to join the Indian Air Force in 2006, to become a test pilot. His experience in high-performance aircraft made him an ideal candidate for India’s astronaut programme and he was among four pilots shortlisted for training.

Yoga in space

When Mr Sharma flew with the Soyuz T-11 mission, he famously practised yoga in space and described his view of India from orbit as “saare jahan se achha” (better than the entire world). Yoga has long been associated with India’s cultural heritage.

Asked if he planned to continue the tradition, Mr Shukla said: “I would probably demonstrate a few poses of yoga while we are up on the station, but a more important aspect is that we need to practise that while we are on the ground so that we have a healthy body, which can house a healthy mind and allows us to execute this mission in our full spirits,” he said.

Challenges and opportunities

Despite the excitement surrounding the mission, some experts have raised concerns about aspects of India’s astronaut selection process and media engagement.

Dr Dimitra Atri, an Indian astrophysicist at New York University Abu Dhabi, said Mr Shukla’s flight was historic but he also pointed out gaps in India’s human spaceflight strategy.

“The Axiom-4 mission is historic as it marks the second time an Indian citizen is going to space, over 40 years after Rakesh Sharma, and the first time an Indian will visit the ISS,” Dr Atri said.

“However, it’s unusual that the Indian astronauts haven’t been allowed to interact with the media or the public, which is typically a key part of human spaceflight.”

In contrast, countries such as the UAE have taken an active role in engaging the public through astronaut outreach programmes. When Emirati astronaut Dr Sultan Al Neyadi spent six months aboard the ISS in 2023, he regularly shared updates and participated in live calls with students.

Dr Atri also pointed out that all four astronauts selected by India for training were men, missing an opportunity to promote gender diversity in space exploration.

“None of the four astronauts shortlisted by India were women, despite global efforts to improve gender diversity in space missions," he said. "The Indian government should make better use of this opportunity to inspire the country’s youth, much like the UAE has done effectively with its space programme."

India’s participation in the Axiom-4 mission is part of a broader effort to establish itself as a key player in human spaceflight. While the country has already made significant strides with missions such as Chandrayaan-3, which was successfully landed on the Moon’s south pole, and Aditya-L1, its first solar observatory, crewed missions present new challenges.

Dr Atri said India’s long-term vision goes beyond low Earth orbit. “This mission also highlights India’s expanding human spaceflight ambitions, with ISRO developing its own Gaganyaan crew capsule for future missions and aiming to land an astronaut on the Moon in the coming years,” he said.