NEW DELHI: India is all set to send another astronaut into space this May, marking a historic step forward in the country’s space ambitions.The announcement came late on Friday evening following a high-level meeting in Delhi, where Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, Dr Jitendra Singh, and senior ISRO officials convened to review major upcoming plans for the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).Dr Singh stated that the mission would mark the first time an Indian visits the International Space Station (ISS), as well as being the first Indian astronaut to travel to space in over four decades, following Rakesh Sharma’s iconic 1984 mission aboard a Soviet Soyuz spacecraft.According to an official statement, Dr V Narayanan, Secretary of the Department of Space and Chairman of ISRO, presented an overview of the status of various forthcoming space missions.During the meeting, the ISRO Chairman confirmed that Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla of the Indian Air Force is fully prepared to embark on a journey to the ISS next month as part of Axiom Space’s Ax-4 mission.Scheduled for May 2025, Group Captain Shukla’s mission represents a significant milestone in India’s expanding international space collaboration. A highly decorated test pilot, Shukla was shortlisted under ISRO’s Human Spaceflight Programme (HSP) and is considered one of the leading candidates for Gaganyaan – India’s first indigenous crewed orbital mission.His journey aboard Ax-4 is expected to deliver critical practical experience in spaceflight operations, launch procedures, adaptation to microgravity, and emergency preparedness – all of which are essential for India’s future crewed spaceflight plans.
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