Overview

• Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh confirmed the May 2025 launch of Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla to the International Space Station (ISS).
• This will be India's first human spaceflight since Rakesh Sharma's historic 1984 mission aboard a Soviet spacecraft.
• The mission, part of Axiom Space's Ax-4 program, emphasizes operational readiness and international collaboration in space exploration.
• Shukla’s participation is expected to provide critical experience for India’s upcoming indigenous Gaganyaan crewed mission.
• ISRO continues to advance its broader space roadmap, including plans for a crewed lunar mission by 2040 and an Indian space station by 2035.