Sun Jun 08 16:35:58 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a news article summarizing the provided text:

**Indian Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla Poised for Historic ISS Mission**

**New Delhi – June 8, 2025** – Indian Air Force pilot Shubhanshu “Shux” Shukla is set to become only the second Indian to travel to space, 41 years after Rakesh Sharma’s pioneering flight. The Lucknow-born astronaut will join Commander Peggy Whitson and mission specialists Tibor Kapu and Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski on the Axiom-4 (Ax-4) mission to the International Space Station (ISS).

The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, mounted on a Falcon 9 rocket, is scheduled to launch from Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Tuesday, June 10, 2025, at 5:52 p.m. IST. The crew completed pre-flight checks of the spacecraft on Saturday. A backup launch opportunity is available on Wednesday, June 11, 2025.

In a video released by Axiom Space, Shukla described the preparations as an “amazing journey,” stating, “I can only say how extremely fortunate I am to be a part of this, something that is much larger than yourself.”

His crewmates have praised Shukla’s expertise and focus. Whitson, a veteran astronaut with 675 days in space, lauded his operational savvy and knowledge of spacecraft technologies. Kapu, the second Hungarian astronaut to travel to space, joked that Shukla’s “wisdom” made him seem “130-years-old.” Uznanski-Wisniewski noted Shukla’s quick and efficient response to situations.

Shukla, in turn, expressed his admiration for his crew, calling them a “fantastic squad” and “friends for life.” He also hopes to inspire the next generation of Indians to pursue careers in space science, following in the footsteps of his idol, Rakesh Sharma.

Read More