India is set to make history as Shubhanshu Shukla becomes the first Indian astronaut to travel to the International Space Station (ISS). Scheduled for launch on Tuesday from the US, the mission is part of a private collaboration with Axiom Space, utilizing a SpaceX capsule.

Shukla, 39, is an experienced Indian Air Force fighter pilot. He joins a four-person international crew that includes mission commander Peggy Whitson, a former NASA astronaut now with Axiom, Polish astronaut Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski from the European Space Agency, and Hungary’s Tibor Kapu. Together, they will spend 14 days aboard the ISS conducting 60 scientific experiments covering microgravity, Earth observation, life sciences, and materials research.

Shukla is the third astronaut of Indian origin to reach space, following Rakesh Sharma in 1984 and Kalpana Chawla, who flew as a US citizen before tragically losing her life in the 2003 Columbia disaster. Reflecting on his mission, Shukla said, “Even though I am traveling alone, this is the journey of 1.4 billion Indians. I hope to inspire a new generation.”

The Indian government, through its Department of Space, described the mission as a “defining chapter” for the country. With a reported cost of over $60 million, the mission symbolizes India's increasing presence in the global space arena.

India’s space ambitions are accelerating. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has pledged to send an Indian to the Moon by 2040, and ISRO is preparing its own human spaceflight program—Gaganyaan—set for 2027, with Shukla a potential candidate. His earlier training at Russia’s Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center and ISRO’s Bengaluru facility has primed him for this historic role.

This landmark mission reflects India’s growing capabilities in space exploration, positioning it alongside global leaders while maintaining cost efficiency and innovation.