India’s space endeavors, ISRO is set to send Wing Commander Shubhanshu Shukla to the International Space Station (ISS) as part of a collaboration with Axiom Space, a NASA-identified service provider. This announcement comes more than a year after Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared during his visit to the US that an Indian astronaut would join a US mission to the ISS.
ISRO’s Human Space Flight Centre has recommended Shukla as the prime mission pilot, with Group Captain Prashanth Nair serving as his backup. Both Shukla and Nair are among the four astronauts designated for India’s Gaganyaan mission, which aims to send astronauts into space. Final approval for their roles will come from the multilateral crew operations panel.
In an official statement, ISRO confirmed that Shukla and Nair will commence their training for the ISS flight in the first week of August 2024. This training is part of the upcoming Axiom-4 mission, which will see the Indian astronauts prepare alongside their international counterparts.
“This collaboration follows a joint statement made during PM Narendra Modi’s state visit to the US in June 2023, which envisioned an ISRO-NASA effort on the ISS,” ISRO said on Friday.
During their tenure on the ISS, the astronauts, including one from India, will engage in scientific research, technology demonstrations, and space outreach activities. The mission aims to provide invaluable experience for India’s Human Space Programme and enhance the cooperative relationship between ISRO and NASA.
The participation of an Indian astronaut in this mission marks a significant milestone in India’s space journey, offering a unique opportunity for international collaboration and advancing scientific and technological research in space.