Subhanshu Shukla, Pilot of Axiom-4 Loves to Read Horoscopes. Know More Unknown Facts About the 40-year-old Group Captain of Indian Air Force

Subhanshu Shukla is the second Indian to go to space after Rakesh Sharma and the first one to pilot a spacecraft to space.

Forty-year-old Group Captain Subhanshu Shukla of the Indian Air Force is piloting the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft carrying the 4-member Axiom-4 crew.

Immediately after liftoff, Shukla said, “Namaskar mere pyare deshwasiyon. After 41 years, we are back in space. And what a magnificent journey it was. Right now, we are orbiting the Earth at a speed of 7.5 kilometres per second. The tricolour is on my shoulder, showing that I am with all of you.This is not just the beginning of my journey to the International Space Station — this is the beginning of India’s human spaceflight programme, and I want all of you to be a part of this journey.”

Subhanshu Shukla is the second Indian to go to space after Rakesh Sharma and the first one to pilot a spacecraft to space. Shukla along with three other crew members – Commander Peggy Whitson of the U.S., Mission Specialist Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski of Poland, and Mission Specialist Tibor Kapu of Hungary embarked on a 28 hour journey to the international Space Station (ISS) on a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft after launching on the Falcon 9 rocket.

They will be in space for 14 days after docking at the ISS tomorrow at 4:30 PM (IST) 400 km above earth orbiting at a speed of 28,000 km per hour or 8 km per second. The ISS orbits the Earth 16 times a day. So Subhanshu Shukla will be witnessing 224 sunrise and sunsets in his 14 day stay at the ISS.

Group Captain, Shubhanshu Shukla, a distinguished pilot in the Indian Air Force (IAF), has been handpicked as one of the four astronauts for the Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) historic Gaganyaan mission—India’s maiden human space flight endeavor.

Born on October 10, 1985, in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, Shubhanshu completed his schooling at City Montessori School, Aliganj. Inspired by the 1999 Kargil War, he wanted to get into the forces. He cleared the UPSC NDA examination, completed his military training and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science from the National Defence Academy in 2005. He was then selected for the flying branch and underwent training at the Indian Air Force Academy. His journey began when he was commissioned into the IAF fighter wing in June 2006. As a combat leader and seasoned test pilot, he boasts an impressive 2,000 hours of flight experience across various aircrafts, including the Su-30 MKI, MiG-21, MiG-29, Jaguar, Hawk, Dornier, and An-32. His ascent to the rank of group captain in March 2024 reflects his exceptional contributions.

How Shubhanshu Prepared for Axiom-4

In 2019, Shubhanshu received a momentous call from ISRO. He embarked on rigorous training at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Moscow, Russia—a year-long preparation that would shape his destiny. He then returned to India and attended training at the Astronaut Training Facility in Bangalore. During this time period, he completed his Master of Technology degree from IISc Bangalore in Aerospace Engineering. On February 27, 2024, Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled Shukla as one of the elite astronauts undergoing intensive training for India’s maiden human spaceflight mission, Gaganyaan, scheduled for launch in 2027.

Shubhanshu’s Proud Family Members

Shubhanshu is married to his classmate from school Dr. Kamna Mishra, a dentist by profession and they have a son. His father, Shambhu Dayal Shukla, is a retired government officer, and his mother, Asha Shukla, is a homemaker. He is the youngest of three siblings – his elder sister, Nidhi, holds an MBA degree, and his other elder sister, Suchi Mishra, works as a school teacher.

Shubhanshu prefers to spend his leisure time doing physical exercise and reading science-related books. He has recently developed an interest in reading horoscopes, despite identifying as an agnostic. His passion extends to astrophotography as well.

Also Read: “All systems looking good”: SpaceX ahead of Axiom Mission 4 to ISS

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