Indian Air Force Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla is set for a historic journey to the International Space Station as part of the Axiom-4 mission. Alongside him will be an unexpected companion — Joy, a white plush swan chosen as the mission’s Zero-G indicator. “Joy represents unity, tradition, and hope,” said Shukla, adding it connects him to Indian values even in space. The swan, symbolic of Goddess Saraswati’s vehicle, was unanimously picked by the international crew. As per tradition, Joy will float once the spacecraft enters zero gravity. The SpaceX Dragon launch was rescheduled for June 11 due to bad weather. (PC: Instagram)

The launch of the Axiom-4 (Ax-4) mission, featuring Indian astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, has been further delayed, with SpaceX now targeting June 11 at 8:00 a.m. ET (5:30 p.m. IST) from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. A backup window has been set for June 12 at 7:37 a.m. ET (5:07 p.m. IST), due to persistent bad weather. The crew—comprising astronauts from India, the US, Poland, and Hungary—will travel aboard SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft to the International Space Station for a 14-day research mission. The launch marks India’s first human spaceflight mission in over 40 years since Rakesh Sharma's historic journey in 1984. (PC: X)

SpaceX is set to launch Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) to the International Space Station on June 11 at 8:00 a.m. ET from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. A backup date is available on June 12 at 7:37 a.m. ET in case of delay. The live webcast will begin two hours before liftoff on X and the X TV app. This is the first flight for the Dragon capsule and the second for the booster, which previously launched a Starlink mission. The crew will carry out over 60 science experiments, including human research, Earth observation, and biological studies. (PC: SpaceX)

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has postponed the launch of the Axiom‑4 mission carrying Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla—India’s next astronaut to the ISS—by one day. Previously scheduled for June 10, unfavorable weather at the Kennedy Space Center and along the ascent corridor has pushed liftoff to June 11 at approximately 5:30 PM IST . The crew, including specialists from the US, Poland, and Hungary, will travel aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9 and Crew Dragon to conduct up to 14 days of scientific experiments on microgravity, life sciences, and material science . ISRO emphasizes safety and weather considerations as launch priorities. (PC: India Today)  

Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, known as “Shux,” expressed profound gratitude ahead of the June 10 launch to the ISS on SpaceX’s Dragon as part of Axiom Mission 4. Calling his journey “much larger than yourself,” he described the experience as an “amazing journey” . At 39, Shukla will pilot the Crew Dragon, a critical role involving manual control readiness, orbital insertion, docking, and reentry . His international crewmates praised him as “operational‑savvy,” “wicked smart,” and notably focused . As India’s first ISS astronaut and second ever in space, this mission marks a historic step 41 years after Rakesh Sharma, potentially inspiring a new generation of space enthusiasts.  

Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla is all set to make history as the first Indian to reach the International Space Station (ISS). He will lift off aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9 at 5:52 PM IST on June 10, as part of Axiom Space’s Ax-4 mission from Kennedy Space Center, Florida. Shukla, a decorated Indian Air Force officer, will conduct space nutrition experiments involving microalgae, developed by ISRO and the Department of Biotechnology. This marks India’s first space presence since Rakesh Sharma in 1984. The Ax-4 crew has completed all launch rehearsals. A backup launch window is scheduled for June 11, 5:30 PM IST.

Indian Group Captain and astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla will carry traditional Indian delicacies—including moong dal halwa, gajar halwa, aamras, and rice—to the ISS on Axiom Mission 4, launching June 10 from Kennedy Space Center . Approved after special permissions, the spice-laden meals were prepared in collaboration with DRDO and Mysuru's Defence Food Research Laboratory to suit microgravity and dietary protocols . Alongside culinary comforts, Shukla will conduct seven India-led microgravity experiments—such as sprouting moong and methi and studying superfoods—for two weeks aboard the ISS, marking India’s resurgence in human spaceflight post-Rakesh Sharma’s 1984 mission

Shubhanshu Shukla, India’s pioneering astronaut, is set to make history by becoming the first Indian on the ISS in 41 years since Rakesh Sharma. His father, Shambhu Dayal Shukla, tells NDTV how Shubhanshu has always been unwaveringly determined joining the NDA at 16, excelling academically, and later becoming a decorated IAF test‑pilot. “When he decides to do something, he puts in all his hard work and dedication,” his father says. His mother recalls his studious childhood, noting he rarely played outdoors. Born in Lucknow in October 1985, Shukla earned his BSc in Computer Science in 2004, was commissioned into the IAF in 2006, and was selected for Gaganyaan in 2020. The US-based Axiom Space is set to launch its Mission-4, carrying Mr Shukla, along with three others, from the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on June 10 at 5:52 pm IST. The mission was deferred three times before. According to NASA, the delay was to "account for weather during vehicle transportation and completing final processing of the vehicle ahead of launch". (PC: India Today & The New Indian Express)

Indian Air Force pilot Shubhanshu Shukla will pilot Axiom Mission 4 (Ax‑4), launching aboard a SpaceX Dragon from NASA’s Kennedy LC‑39A on 10 June 2025, 8:22 am EDT, reaching ISS on 11 June (~10 pm IST). Over a 14‑day mission, Shukla and crew Peggy Whitson, Sławosz Uznański‑Wiśniewski, and Tibor Kapu will conduct 60 experiments—including seven ISRO-led studies, five NASA human research projects involving Shukla, plus five NASA‑coordinated investigations. This marks the first government-backed human spaceflight in 40+ years for India, Poland, and Hungary. Expressing excitement, Shukla plans to document space experiences to share with India’s 1.4 billion people through photos and video, calling it ”the journey of 1.4 billion people.” (PC: Millennium Post & India Today)

Indian astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla—nicknamed “Shux”—has completed a full dress rehearsal for the Axiom-4 mission at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, including suit-up procedures, assembly building exit, spacecraft boarding, and a successful Falcon 9 static fire test . The launch is scheduled for 10 June 2025 at 5:52 pm IST, marking India's return to human spaceflight after 41 years since Rakesh Sharma’s 1984 Soyuz mission . Shukla, an IAF pilot and ISRO astronaut, described the journey as “amazing” and says he feels “extremely fortunate” to be part of something “much larger than yourself” . The crew—led by veteran Peggy Whitson—will spend 14 days aboard the ISS conducting over 60 scientific experiments. (PC: India Today)