Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla scripted history by embarking on a space odyssey along with three others to the International Space Station. Shubhanshu Shukla is the first Indian astronaut to travel to the International Space Station (ISS) on the Axiom-4 mission. He is also the second Indian to travel to orbit after Indian astronaut, Rakesh Sharma.
As India returned to space after 41 years, the 39-year-old Shubhanshu felt proud to be the chosen one to represent his country. As the spacecraft entered the orbit, Shubhanshu urged everyone to be a part of his journey and said:
“Namaskar, my dear countrymen. What a ride! We have returned to space after a gap of 41 years and what an amazing ride it was.”
The Axiom-4 mission is the collaboration between NASA, SpaceX and ISRO. It is carried out to strengthen international spaceflight cooperation. Post docking, the crew will spend 14 days onboard the ISS and will conduct around 60 scientific studies. It is a great moment of joy for every Indian, and everyone is keeping their fingers crossed for Shubhanshu Shukla. As he zoomed into space, let us look at Shubhanshu’s journey from a flying officer to an astronaut.
How did Shubhanshu Shukla’s career as an astronaut begin?
Born in Lucknow, Shubhanshu’s dream to a flying officer began when he attended an air show as a child. Inspired by the Kargil War, Shubhanshu commissioned into the Indian Air Force in 2006. With more than 2000 hours of flying experience on fighter jets like Su-30 MKI, MiG-29, Jaguar, and Dornier-228, he spent a decade in the Indian Air Force.
In an interview with PTI, Shubhanshu’s sister recalled how his love for flying started and revealed how quickly it transpired into reality. Speaking of the same, she said:
“As a child he had once been to an air show, and he later told me how he was fascinated by the speed and sound of the aircrafts. Then he had spoken of his dream to fly, but of course there was no telling at the time how quickly he would embrace his dream.”
Shubhanshu Shukla was one of the four officers selected for the Gaganyaan human spaceflight programme
As a flying officer, Shubhanshu was included in the astronaut selection process in 2019 by the Institute of Aerospace Medicine (IAM). He was later shortlisted as one of the four officers selected for ISRO’s Gaganyaan human spaceflight programme. In 2020, Shubhanshu went to Russia to get a basic training in the program.
After returning to India in 2021, Shubhanshu was trained at the Astronaut Training Facility and during the same time, he did his Master’s in Aerospace Engineering. Shubhanshu, who was known by the call sign ‘Shux’, was announced as a part of the Axiom-4 crew in 2024.
Shubhanshu Shukla’s seat was secured for USD 60 million
Axiom missions are conducted in partnership with SpaceX, and the seats on this mission are reportedly priced around USD 60-70 million. This price covers an astronaut’s training, life support, and a 14-15 day stay aboard the ISS. It also includes operational expenses, and the seats are purchased by different countries.
Though the Indian government has not yet disclosed the amount invested in space travel. However, ISRO Chairman V Narayanan, in an interview, revealed that India spent USD 60-70 million for Shubhanshu Shukla’s seat, which is approximately Rs. 550 crores.
Well, Shubhanshu Shukla’s journey from a flying officer to the most sought-after astronaut is an inspiration to billions.
Also Read: Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla’s Love Story With Wife, Kamna, Friends From Primary School To Soulmates