Shubhanshu's space journey: Excitement grows at ISRO, training for Gaganyaan mission

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: As Indian Air Force Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla prepares to make history as the first Indian astronaut to travel to the International Space Station (ISS), excitement builds at ISRO and across the nation. Shubhanshu is one of the four astronauts selected by ISRO for India’s ambitious Gaganyaan mission, which has been in the works for over a decade.

This upcoming mission will serve as a testbed for various aspects of the Gaganyaan project, with Shubhanshu evaluating key elements prepared by ISRO. On the 10th, at 5:52 PM IST, Shubhamshu and three others will travel to the space station aboard SpaceX’s Axiom-4 capsule, launched on a Falcon 9 rocket. The mission is being conducted in collaboration with NASA.

Ax-4 crew:
Commander: Peggy Whitson (former NASA astronaut)

Crew Members: Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski (Poland), Tibor Kapu (Hungary), and Shubhanshu Shukla (India)

Shubhanshu will pilot the Ax-4 capsule and assist in navigation, including approaching and docking with the space station. During his stay, he will gather firsthand experience in microgravity, onboard communication systems, navigation failures, and contingency management — all crucial for Gaganyaan’s manned spaceflight.

Shubhanshu will become the first Indian to visit the ISS, and the first Indian astronaut in space since Rakesh Sharma. The Government of India is funding his mission.

Experiments on board (Total: 7)
Shubhanshu will conduct seven experiments in agriculture, food science, and biology aboard the ISS. One major study involves understanding how seeds grow and produce yield in microgravity. This experiment was jointly developed by Vellayani Agricultural College and the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST).

Gaganyaan mission:

1. Will send astronauts into low Earth orbit (LEO), 400 km above Earth. For this, the GSLV rocket has been modified to be human-rated.
2. The crew will orbit Earth for about a week, then return safely.
3. The selected crew includes Shubhanshu Shukla, Malayali astronaut Prasanth B. Nair, and two others.