India Taps Wing Commander Shubhanshu Shukla for ISS Mission

Indian Air Force Wing Commander Shubhanshu Shukla selected for Indo-US mission to the ISS, ISRO announces. The mission will strengthen human space flight cooperation between ISRO and NASA, with training commencing in August 2023. The Gaganyaan mission represents India's first human spaceflight program set for 2024-25.

Indian Air Force Wing Commander Shubhanshu Shukla has been designated as the lead astronaut for the forthcoming Indo-US mission to the International Space Station (ISS), the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) confirmed. This mission is part of a collaborative ISRO-NASA effort, formalized during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's state visit to the US in June 2023.

To achieve this joint mission, ISRO's Human Space Flight Centre (HSFC) has inked a Space Flight Agreement with NASA-identified service provider Axiom Space Inc. for the Axiom-4 mission to the ISS. Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla serves as the prime Mission Pilot, with Group Captain Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair as the backup, according to the National Mission Assignment Board's recommendations.

The finalized crewmembers will receive approval from the Multilateral Crew Operations Panel (MCOP) and start their training in early August, ISRO stated. They will conduct scientific research and technology demonstrations on the ISS, furthering India's Human Space Program and bolstering ISRO-NASA cooperation. The Gaganyaan project aims to demonstrate human spaceflight capability with a three-member crew in orbit for a three-day mission, expected to launch in 2024-25.