- Astronaut: Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla (Indian Air Force officer and ISRO astronaut).
- Significance: Became the 634th person to enter space and the first ISRO astronaut to visit the International Space Station (ISS). He is India’s second citizen in space after Rakesh Sharma (1984).
- Mission: Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4), a commercial spaceflight operated by Axiom Space.
- Launch & Docking:
- Launched: June 25, 2025 (SpaceX Dragon capsule on a Falcon 9 rocket).
- Docked at ISS: June 26, 2025.
- Crew: Commander Peggy Whitson (USA), with crewmates from India, Poland, and Hungary.
- Mission Duration: The total mission length was 18 days (docked at the ISS for approximately 14 days).
- Key Focus: The mission emphasised scientific research and international collaboration. Shukla completed seven ISRO-led microgravity experiments focusing on:
- Myogenesis (muscle regeneration).
- Tardigrades (survival of the Indian strain in space).
- Seed Sprouting (of methi and moong seeds for future space farming).
- Microalgae and Cyanobacteria (for life support and food).
- National Impact: The mission provides critical hands-on experience and data for India’s upcoming indigenous Gaganyaan human spaceflight program and strengthens the nation’s role in the global space economy.
The video below shows the historic moment Group Captain Shukla was assigned the official astronaut PIN 634 aboard the International Space Station.