India has chosen two astronauts for the upcoming Axiom-4 mission to the International Space Station (ISS). Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla and Group Captain Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair will travel to the U.S. to begin their training for this mission.
The National Mission Assignment Board has named Group Captain Shukla as the primary mission pilot and Group Captain Nair as the backup pilot. The Axiom-4 mission marks the fourth private astronaut mission to the ISS.
This selection follows the India-U.S. joint statement made during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the U.S. in June 2023. The statement highlighted a collaborative effort between ISRO and NASA to the ISS. The Human Space Flight Centre (HSFC) of ISRO has signed a Space Flight Agreement (SFA) with Axiom Space Inc., a NASA-identified service provider, for the Axiom-4 mission.
ISRO Chairman S. Somanath emphasized that this mission is part of a larger plan for the Gaganyaan mission. The final approval for the selected crew members to fly to the ISS will come from the Multilateral Crew Operations Panel (MCOP).
Training for the mission will begin in the first week of August 2024. The astronauts, referred to as Gaganyatris, will conduct scientific research, technology demonstrations, and space outreach activities aboard the ISS. The mission aims to benefit India's Human Space mission and enhance the cooperation between ISRO and NASA in human spaceflight.
Group Captain Shukla, a graduate of the National Defence Academy (NDA), was commissioned on June 17, 2006, in the Indian Air Force (IAF). He is an experienced Fighter Combat Leader and Test Pilot with around 2,000 flying hours on various aircraft, including the Su-30 MKI, MiG-21, MiG-29, Jaguar, Hawk, Dornier, and An-32.
Group Captain Nair, also an NDA alumnus and recipient of the Sword of Honour at the Air Force Academy, was commissioned on December 19, 1998. He is a Category A Flying Instructor and Test Pilot with approximately 3,000 flying hours. His experience includes flying the Su-30 MKI, MiG-21, MiG-29, Hawk, Dornier, and An-32. He has attended the United States Staff College and served as a Directing Staff at the Defence Services Staff College (DSSC) in Wellington and the Flying Instructors School (FIS) in Tambaram. He has also commanded a premier Su-30 fighter squadron.
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