NEW DELHI, (IANS): India will send an
astronaut to space next month, a feat to be repeated 40 years after Rakesh
Sharma’s iconic 1984 flight aboard a Soviet Soyuz spacecraft, Union Minister of
State for Science and Technology Jitendra Singh said on Friday.
Singh said Group Captain
Shubhanshu Shukla of the Indian Air Force is all prepared to fly to the
International Space Station (ISS) next month as part of Axiom Space’s Ax-4
mission.
“India is ready for its next
space milestone,” said Singh, underscoring the significance of the upcoming
human spaceflight and a series of critical ISRO missions.
He said the mission will mark
the visit of the first Indian to the ISS and make Shukla the first Indian to
travel into space in over four decades after Rakesh Sharma.
The Minister made the
announcement after a high-level meeting held to review major future plans of
the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in the coming months.
Singh said that the
collaboration with international partners and the strategic momentum of
projects like Gaganyaan reflect India’s commitment to becoming a global leader
in space technology.
The Minister emphasised that
these efforts are not only scientific in nature but also aligned with the
vision of a developed and self-reliant India.
ISRO Chairman Dr V. Narayanan
said Shukla is fully prepared for the mission, which is expected to provide
valuable hands-on experience for India’s future crewed missions, including the
Gaganyaan project.
A decorated test pilot with the
IAF, Shukla was shortlisted under ISRO’s Human Spaceflight Program (HSP) and is
among the top contenders for the Gaganyaan mission, India’s first indigenous
crewed orbital flight.
His journey aboard the Ax-4
mission is expected to provide critical hands-on experience in spaceflight
operations, launch protocols, microgravity adaptation, and emergency
preparedness — all essential for India’s crewed space ambitions.
What sets Shukla’s mission
apart is its strategic importance. Unlike the symbolic undertones of India’s
first human spaceflight, this time the focus is on operational readiness and
global integration. His participation underscores India’s growing engagement
with public-private international partnerships in space and its resolve to
emerge as a serious contender in human space exploration.
