On a quiet night in Lucknow, a young boy looked up at the sky, mesmerised by its vastness. The year was 1999, and as news of the Kargil War filled Indian television screens, he listened intently, captivated by the stories of courage from the frontlines. But for him, the battle wasn’t just on the mountains—it was also above, in the skies where fighter jets roared through the clouds.
That boy, Shubhanshu Shukla, would grow up to chase those very skies. Not just as a fighter pilot in the Indian Air Force (IAF) but as an astronaut, preparing to step beyond Earth’s atmosphere.
Now, at 39, he is on the brink of history—set to become the second Indian to travel to space after Rakesh Sharma. As India’s chosen astronaut for the Gaganyaan programme and mission pilot for Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4), he stands at the forefront of India’s space ambitions. But his journey, like all great ones, was anything but ordinary.
The Making of an Astronaut: A Childhood Rooted in Discipline
Born on 10 October 1985, Shukla was the youngest of three siblings, growing up in a home where discipline and ambition were valued. He studied at City Montessori School, Aliganj, and graduated in 2001, long before India had serious plans for human spaceflight.
His love for aviation found structure at the National Defence Academy (NDA), where he was selected in 2003. The rigorous training at NDA did more than prepare him for the military—it instilled the resilience and strategic thinking that would later define his career. After NDA, he pursued specialised training in aviation, setting himself on a course toward the Indian Air Force.
Life at Mach Speed: The Fighter Pilot Years
In June 2006, Shukla earned his commission into the IAF’s fighter stream, where he found himself at the controls of some of the country’s most formidable jets—MiG-21, MiG-29, Su-30 MKI, Dornier, and Hawk.
His flying hours added up—over 2,000 hours across different aircraft, each mission sharpening his ability to handle high-pressure situations. By 2019, he was promoted to Wing Commander, a rank that recognised not just his flying skills but his leadership.
That same year, India launched its search for astronauts under the Gaganyaan human spaceflight programme. Shukla’s military record, mental endurance, and combat experience made him a prime contender. Out of thousands, he was selected.
A Crash Course in Space: Training in Russia and India
Being an ace pilot was one thing. Being an astronaut was another. Shukla was sent to Russia’s Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre in 2021, where he trained for the extremes of spaceflight—zero gravity, emergency protocols, spacecraft operations, and high-G force simulations.
Once back in India, his training continued at ISRO’s Astronaut Training Facility in Bengaluru. The tests were relentless, designed to push every limit, but Shukla thrived. And on 27 February 2024, his name was officially announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as one of four astronauts selected for Gaganyaan.
Axiom Mission 4: A Step Before Gaganyaan
Even before Gaganyaan, Shukla was handed another milestone. In August 2024, ISRO announced that he would serve as mission pilot for Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4)—a private spaceflight mission to the International Space Station (ISS), in partnership with NASA and Axiom Space.
In 2025, he will board a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft alongside:
- Commander Peggy Whitson (United States)
- Mission Specialist Sławosz Uznański (Poland)
- Mission Specialist Tibor Kapu (Hungary)
Notably, his fellow Gaganyaan astronaut Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair has been named the backup pilot for Ax-4. For the first time, an Indian astronaut will step aboard the ISS—a moment that cements India’s growing role in global space exploration.
An Indian in Orbit: What Awaits Shukla in Space?
As mission pilot, Shukla will oversee:
- Navigation and docking of the spacecraft
- Scientific experiments aboard the ISS
- Critical operations for crew safety
This mission isn’t just a personal milestone—it’s a strategic moment for India’s space programme. It signals a move from satellite launches to human spaceflight, strengthening India’s space diplomacy.
But for Shukla, it is something even more profound—a fulfilment of the dreams that took flight in his childhood, when he first looked up at the stars from Lucknow.
What Comes Next?
After Ax-4, Shukla will prepare for Gaganyaan, a mission that will make India the fourth nation in the world to send humans to space on its own spacecraft. His journey—from fighter pilot to astronaut, from India to the ISS—is just beginning.
For a country that once watched Rakesh Sharma’s historic spaceflight in 1984, Shubhanshu Shukla represents the next era of Indian space exploration. This time, India isn’t just watching the space race—it’s competing in it.
