Isro names Shubhanshu Shukla for US mission, set to be 2nd Indian citizen in space

BENGALURU: More than a year after PM Modi said during a visit to the US that an Indian astronaut would travel to the International Space Station as part of a US mission, Isro is set to send Wing Commander Shubhanshu Shukla as part of a space flight agreement with Axiom Space, a Nasa-identified service provider.
Isro’s Human Space Flight Centre has recommended that Shukla be the prime mission pilot and Group Capt Prashanth Nair a backup.Final approval will be given by the multilateral crew operations panel. Shukla and Nair are among the four astronauts-designate selected for India’s Gaganyaan mission, to send astronauts to space.
Shukla and Nair to begin training for flight to ISS this month: Isro
Indian astronaut-designates Shubhanshu Shukla and Prashanth Nair will begin training for the flight to the International Space Station in the first week of Aug 2024, Isro said.
The agreement with Axiom Space is for the upcoming Axiom-4 mission to the ISS.
“This collaboration follows a joint statement made during PM Narendra Modi’s state visit to the US in June 2023, which envisioned an Isro-Nasa effort on the ISS,” Isro said Friday.

Shubhanshu Shukla set to be 2nd Indian citizen in space

“During their time on the ISS, the astronauts (including one Indian) will conduct scientific research, tech-nology demonstrations and engage in space-outreach activities. This mission is expected to provide valuable experience for India’s Human Space Programme a-nd strengthen space-flight cooperation between Isro and Nasa,” Isro said.