Who is Shubhanshu Shukla? Who will become the first Indian astronaut to go to the International Space Station? How did he achieve this position?
Who is Shubhanshu Shukla? India is soon going to achieve another historic feat. India’s Shubhanshu Shukla is now going to become the second Indian to go to space. Not only this, he will be the first Indian to reach the International Space Station (ISS). During a recent press conference, Shubhanshu himself said that he has been selected for Axiom Mission 4. This mission is being carried out in collaboration with America’s space missions company Axiom Space and NASA.
Let us tell you that three more astronauts will be involved with Shubhanshu in this mission. In the press conference, Shubhanshu Shukla said that he will carry out many scientific missions during the campaign. Shubhanshu said that he hopes that his space journey will inspire future generations. He said that he is also going to the ISS with a personal agenda. There he will collect his experiences through photos and videos. Shubhanshu said, I will share these experiences so that all Indians can feel the things seen through my eyes. I may be doing this journey as an individual, but this journey is of 1.4 billion people.
After Shubhanshu Shukla’s name was finalized for the Axiom mission and the things he said in this press conference, it is important to know who he is. How deep is his relationship with India? Where did Shubhanshu study? What has been his experience, and how was Shubhanshu selected for this mission? Let’s find out… do you know What workouts are required before going into space?
Who is Shubhanshu Shukla?
Shubhanshu Shukla was born in Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh, on 10 October 1985. The youngest of three siblings, Shubhanshu studied at City Montessori School in Aliganj, Lucknow and completed his schooling in 2001. He was selected in NDA in 2003. After training, Shubhanshu specialized in aviation and became a part of the Indian Air Force. On 17 June 2006, Shubhanshu became a part of the fleet flying fighter jets of the Indian Air Force. After this, he never looked back. Moving forward in his career, he achieved the rank of wing commander in 2019. Shubhanshu is a fighter combat leader and a test pilot with nearly two thousand hours of flying experience. He has flown many types of aircraft, including the SU-30 MKI, MiG-21, MiG-29, Jaguar, Hawk, Dornier, and AN-32. It is worth noting that 2019 was the year when India started searching for astronauts for its first human space mission – Gaganyaan. Shubhanshu’s military record and combat experience proved to be important here, and he became one of those selected for the mission.
How did you get training for your first space journey?
Being a test pilot, Shubhanshu Shukla was a major reason for his selection for the space mission. However, to become an astronaut, he had to undergo long and rigorous training. As part of the agreement between India and Russia for training for the Gaganyaan mission, Shubhanshu was sent to the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Moscow in 2021 along with fellow Indians. Here he was trained in everything from zero gravity to emergency protocols and spacecraft operations. After returning to India, Shubhanshu also participated in the ongoing tests at ISRO’s training center in Bangalore. On 27 February 2024, one of the four astronauts finally announced for the Gaganyaan mission was Shubhanshu Shukla.
How was the selection done for the Axiom mission?
ISRO had announced last year that Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla and another Indian astronaut, Group Captain Prashant Balakrishnan Nair, have been selected for the Indo-US joint mission to be sent to the ISS. This was done on the recommendation of Axiom Space Inc., a service provider recognized by NASA. Shubhanshu Shukla has been selected as a prime astronaut. The prime astronaut is the one who is selected to fly. Apart from him, Prashant Balakrishnan Nair has been selected as a backup astronaut. In case of any accident, if there is a need to replace the astronaut at the last moment, then the backup is ready for it.
Who will be Shubhanshu’s co-passengers in Axiom’s mission?
Axiom and NASA will carry out this mission with the help of Elon Musk’s company, SpaceX. Apart from Shubhanshu Shukla and America’s commander Peggy Whitson, mission specialist Slavoj Ujnanski from Poland will be a part of SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft. Apart from this, Hungary’s mission specialist Tibor Kapu will also be a part of the expedition.
What is the Axiom mission, and what will be Shubhanshu’s work in it?
This mission will not only be important for Shubhanshu personally, but through Axiom-4, he will also prepare for India’s own Gaganyaan mission. Through the experience gained in this mission, Shukla will also be able to help the other co-passengers of Gaganyaan. Especially the direct experience of the space environment will prove to be very beneficial for him and the mission.
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