IAF Pilot Shubhanshu Shukla Will Be The First Indian To Fly To ISS

Come June 8, the Indian Air Force (IAF) pilot Shubhanshu Shukla will become the first Indian to fly to the International Space Station (ISS) and the second to go to space.

The US-based Axiom Space said the Axiom Mission-4 (Ax-4) launch is targeted for no earlier than 9.11 a.m. ET on Sunday June 8.

The company had earlier said the Ax-4 mission would be in May this year.

Elon Musk’s SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the Ax-4 crew aboard a Dragon spacecraft to the space station from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Centre in Florida.

The Ax-4 Mission to ISS will be flown by Commander Peggy Whitson of the US, Mission Pilot Shukla, Mission Specialist Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski of the European Space Agency (ESA)/Poland, and Mission Specialist Tibor Kapu of Hungary.

According to Axiom Space, the Ax-4 mission represents a pivotal moment in the growth of commercial human spaceflight.

“For the first time in history, astronauts from India, Poland, and Hungary will fly together to the International Space Station as part of a government-sponsored mission — with each nation returning to human spaceflight after more than four decades,” Axiom Space said.

Astronaut health, growth of life in space, amongst others will be the focus of the 60 research activities from India and 30 other countries, Axiom Space had earlier said.

The 31 countries for which the 60 scientific studies and activities will be carried out are the USA, India, Poland, Hungary, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, Nigeria, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and several European nations.

“This will be the most research and science-related activities conducted on an Axiom Space mission aboard the International Space Station to date, underscoring the mission’s global significance and collaborative nature to advance microgravity research in low-Earth orbit (LEO),” Axiom Space said.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) led research, collaborating with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the European Space Agency (ESA) focuses on advancing microgravity research aboard the ISS to enhance understanding of biological processes in microgravity and develop strategies for long-duration space missions.

“The scientific experiments are set to drive significant advancements in space science and technology while also inspiring the next generation of Indian scientists and engineers. Ax-4 strengthens India’s presence in space and promotes the country’s dedication to contributing to global scientific progress,” Axiom Space had said.

Research studies will focus on:- Investigating the physical and cognitive impact of computer screens in microgravity.

-Studying the growth, metabolism, and genetics of three microalgae strains in microgravity versus ground.

-Comparing growth, cellular responses, and biochemistry of two cyanobacteria strains in microgravity.

-Identifying pathways of skeletal muscle dysfunction in microgravity and exploring therapies.

-Investigating the impacts of spaceflight on the germination and growth of crop seeds.

-Examining spaceflight impacts on six crop seed varieties.

-Identifying molecular mechanisms of resilience in extreme environments.

Axiom Space Headed By A Person With Indian Roots

Meanwhile, Axiom Space, which is also building the next space station, elevated Tejpaul Bhatia as its Chief Executive  Officer (CEO). Bhatia was earlier the company’s Chief Revenue Officer.

Bhatia will now accelerate Axiom Space’s delivery of the world’s first commercial, human-rated space station, leveraging its exclusive authorisation to connect its first module to the International Space Station (ISS) in 2027.

Bhatia, who had joined Axiom Space four years back from Google, replaces CEO, Executive Chairman and Co-Founder Dr.Kam Ghaffarian, Axiom Space had said.

Ghaffarian will continue as Executive Chairman, the company added.

Born in the US to parents who had emigrated from India to the US years back Bhatia holds a bachelor’s degree in computer science from Columbia University.

He has served in non-profit leadership and board positions at the Make-A-Wish Foundation and the Startup Leadership Programme.

Bhatia lives in New York with his wife and son.

“I’ve been inspired by space exploration since childhood, and leading Axiom Space at this critical inflection point in human spaceflight is the realization of a lifelong ambition,” commented Bhatia on his elevation.

As Chief Revenue Officer of Axiom Space Bhatia secured over $1 billion in contracts and oversaw Axiom Space’s four groundbreaking human spaceflight missions, transforming spaceflight into a repeatable and scalable commercial offering.

He pioneered several deals and missions, including the industry’s first-ever sovereign government purchases of commercial human spaceflight missions to the ISS -Ax-1 to the upcoming mission Ax-4.

Bhatia also oversaw high-impact, cross-industry collaborations, such as partnering with Prada on NASA-awarded, next-generation spacesuits for the Artemis III lunar mission, and with Nokia to integrate high-speed cellular connectivity into the lunar exploration spacesuits — establishing Axiom Space’s position as a leading innovator and commercial integrator for human space exploration, Axiom Space said.

 “I’ve been inspired by space exploration since childhood, and leading Axiom Space at this critical inflection point in human spaceflight is the realization of a lifelong ambition,” commented Bhatia on his elevation.

“We are accelerating our investment in next-generation technologies — spacesuits, orbital infrastructure, and microgravity research and manufacturing — and we’re actively seeking passionate, visionary engineers, technologists, and entrepreneurs who want to help build humanity’s future in space,” he added.

Bhatia brings more than two decades of experience as a seasoned technology and business leader and founder of three investor-backed startups with two acquisitions under his belt.

Bhatia joined Axiom Space from Google, where he led strategic narrative and ecosystem management for Google Cloud, engaging Fortune 100 executives, venture capital firms, and startup founders, supporting over $4 billion in sales pipeline.

As a founder and executive, Bhatia led startups Explain Everything, Chatwala, and Kaptur, and was an early pioneer in modern-day video streaming at ESPN, where he spearheaded the company’s international digital expansion across the United States, Mexico, Brazil, and Europe.

According to Bhatia, he has titled his autobiography as `Angels and Astronauts’ and yet to proceed further on that project.

(Venkatachari Jagannathan can be reached at venkatacharijagannathan@gmail.com)