Shubhanshu Shukla is a distinguished astronaut of Indian origin and Group Captain of the Indian Air Force. It will mark his return to Earth after a historic trip to the International Space Station (ISS). Early life Shukla was born on 10 October 1985 in Lucknow. He has created history by becoming the second Indian to go into space. His recent trip on the Ax-4 spacecraft has entranced the country. It has inspired tremendous excitement about India’s eventual human spaceflight efforts.
Shukla comes from an equally distinguished career as a fighter pilot. The accomplished test pilot has flown everything from MiGs, Sukhois, Dorniers, Jaguars to Hawks. He is an active commercial pilot with over 2,000 hours of flying experience. Upon Sep 27, 2017, after joining the Indian Air Force in 2006, he soon emerged as a leading figure in India’s aerospace community. His selection for the Ax-4 mission is the latest testament to his accomplishment. He will join three other Indian Air Force officers, evidence of the growing ambitions of India’s space program.
The Ax-4 mission had an expected two-week duration at the ISS, but ended up lasting several days longer. In that time, Shukla was able to gain invaluable hands-on experience that will pay huge dividends during India’s future human spaceflights. His vision and experience will be invaluable toward realizing our nation’s aspirations in deep space.
As Shukla and his fellow astronauts undocked from the ISS, he expressed his enthusiasm for the mission and shared a poignant sentiment about his homeland.
“Even today we want to know how it looks from space. I’ll tell you. From space, today’s India looks ambitious. It looks fearless. It looks confident. It looks proud. And so, I can once again say that today’s India still looks better than the rest of the world.” – Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla.
Shukla’s mission is a demonstration of India’s emerging capabilities in space. It cultivates an impressive degree of local pride – with citizens often bragging. The enthusiasm around his trip is palpable. We know that millions will be waiting for him to return and then continue his ride as he shares amazing stories from his trips far beyond Earth’s atmosphere.
Besides drawing attention to India’s achievements in developing indigenous space technology, Shukla has focused on the emotional dimension of his mission. He stated,
“As I go into space, I carry not just instruments and equipment, I carry hopes and dreams of a billion hearts. I request all Indians to pray for the success of our mission.” – Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla.
The Ax-4 spacecraft is expected to splash down on July 15 at approximately 15:00 IST, marking the conclusion of an extraordinary journey that has captured the imagination of millions. With India’s ambition to expand its presence in space, Shukla’s experience is poised to play a pivotal role in shaping future missions.
Reflecting on his journey, Shukla remarked,
“It has been an amazing journey so far, but the best is yet to come.” – Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla.
