By Sakshi Sah
Published Apr 07, 2025

Hindustan Times
Trending

Photo Credit: X/@TheSpacePirateX

Meet Shubhanshu Shukla, IAF officer taking India to ISS for the first time

Indian Air Force (IAF) group captain Shubhanshu Shukla will soon become the first Indian astronaut to travel to the ISS on a SpaceX mission.

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Shubhanshu Shukla will fly to the International Space Station (ISS) aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft from Florida.

Photo Credit: X/@GuardianSky_IAF

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He is the pilot of Axiom Mission 4- a joint mission between NASA and ISRO.

Photo Credit: ANI

Shubhanshu Shukla is a senior officer in the Indian Air Force (IAF), with years of flying experience.

Photo Credit: File Photo

He was born on 10 October 1985 in Lucknow.

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He was commissioned into the fighter wing of the IAF in June 2006.

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As a combat leader and seasoned test pilot, Shubhanshu Shukla has 2,000 hours of flight experience across various aircraft.

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Shubhanshu Shukla is also the astronaut-designate for India's own human space flight Gaganyaan mission.

Photo Credit: X/@esaspaceflight