Sun May 25 15:57:15 UTC 2025: ## India’s Group Captain Shukla Enters Quarantine Ahead of Historic ISS Mission

**Bengaluru, May 25, 2025 (The Hindu)** – Indian Air Force Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, a pilot selected for ISRO’s Gaganyaan mission, is entering quarantine along with his Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) crewmates in preparation for their scheduled launch to the International Space Station (ISS) on June 8th. The mission, launching from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, will see Shukla become the first Indian astronaut to reach the ISS and the first Indian in space in four decades.

The Ax-4 crew, comprised of Commander Peggy Whitson (U.S.), Mission Specialist Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski (Poland), and Mission Specialist Tibor Kapu (Hungary), received a send-off from Axiom Space employees on Sunday.

“Thank you so much for your contribution,” Shukla told Axiom Space employees. “I may not know you personally but I understand that it is each one of you that have contributed to this mission being a success and am sure it will be a success.”

Axiom Space celebrated the crew’s departure with a social media post stating, “Crew Send-off is a tradition that pays tribute to the dedication and tireless efforts of staff prior to the crew embarking on their mission.”

The Ax-4 crew will be launched aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft atop a Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A. They are expected to spend up to 14 days at the orbiting laboratory. This mission marks a significant milestone for India in space exploration, further solidifying its presence on the global stage.

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