Thu Apr 03 11:08:16 UTC 2025: ## Indian Astronaut to Make History on Upcoming ISS Mission
**Bengaluru, April 3, 2025** – Group Captain Shubanshu Shukla will become the first Indian astronaut to travel to the International Space Station (ISS) in a landmark mission scheduled for May 2025. He will pilot the Axiom-4 (Ax-4) mission, a privately funded trip organized by Axiom Space and launching from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.
This historic journey marks India’s return to space after a 40-year hiatus. Shukla, already selected as one of four astronaut-designates for ISRO’s Gaganyaan mission, will spend 14 days aboard the ISS conducting scientific experiments. The Ax-4 crew includes former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson (mission commander), and astronauts Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski from Poland and Tibor Kapu from Hungary.
Axiom Space, in a statement on X, highlighted its role as a trusted provider for international space missions, emphasizing the research conducted to benefit Earth. NASA confirmed the mission’s May launch window. The mission promises to be a significant step forward for India’s space program.
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