Shubhanshu Shukla, an Indian Air Force (IAF) officer and ISRO astronaut, has been named the pilot for Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4), a private spaceflight set to launch to the International Space Station (ISS) in spring 2025, NASA announced on Thursday.
The mission will lift off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, making Shubhanshu Shukla the first Indian astronaut to visit the ISS on a private mission.
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Shubhanshu Shukla, a serving IAF officer, is also part of India’s Gaganyaan programme. The Ax-4 mission will be commanded by former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, Axiom Space’s director of Human Spaceflight. The two mission specialists are ESA project astronaut Sławosz Uznanski-Wisniewski from Poland and Tibor Kapu from Hungary.
Expressing enthusiasm for private astronaut missions, NASA’s ISS Programme manager Dana Weigel emphasised their role in advancing low Earth orbit exploration and expanding access to the microgravity environment.
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“I am excited to see continued interest and dedication toward private astronaut missions aboard the International Space Station,” said Dana Weigel.
“As NASA looks toward the future of low Earth orbit, private astronaut missions help pave the way and expand access to the unique microgravity environment,” the NASA said.
Axiom Space’s missions
Axiom Space has previously conducted three private astronaut missions to the ISS. The first, Ax-1, launched in April 2022 for a 17-day stay, followed by Ax-2 in May 2023, and Ax-3 in January 2024, which remained docked for 18 days, news agency IANS reported.
Whitson praised the Ax-4 crew’s dedication to space exploration, highlighting their commitment to pushing boundaries and creating new opportunities for their nations.
Meanwhile, the NASA said it was working closely with SpaceX to ensure the safe return of Indian-origin astronaut Sunita Williams and astronaut Butch Wilmore, who have been stranded aboard the ISS for 238 days. This comes after Elon Musk claimed that former US President Donald Trump urged him to expedite their return.