Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla on Thursday said he was "really excited" go into microgravity conditions as pilot for the Axiom Mission 4 to the International Space Station later this year.
Shukla will create history as the first Indian astronaut to travel to the International Space Station aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft from the space station in Florida "no earlier than spring 2025" as part of a joint effort between NASA and the Indian Space Research Organisation, the US space agency announced on Thursday.
In an online press conference, Shukla said he was "really excited to go into microgravity" and would also try to perform some yoga postures on the ISS.
Shukla, a group captain in the Indian Air Force, has been designated as the pilot for the Axiom Mission 4.
He also plans to take items representing different regions of India and the country as a whole with him to the ISS.
He said ISRO had asked a university in India to select different items, representing the country's diversity, to send to space.
In reply to a question, Shukla said he had been trying his hand at different types of Indian food with his fellow crew members and looked forward to taking those to the ISS.
Former NASA astronaut and Axiom Space's Director of Human Spaceflight, Peggy Whitson, will command the commercial mission and Shukla will be the mission pilot, the US space agency said.
The two mission specialists are European Space Agency project astronaut Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski of Poland and Tibor Kapu of Hungary.
"Once docked, the private astronauts plan to spend up to 14 days aboard the orbiting laboratory, conducting a mission consisting of science, outreach, and commercial activities," NASA said.
The private mission will also carry the first astronauts from Poland and Hungary to stay aboard the space station.
"As NASA looks toward the future of low-Earth orbit, private astronaut missions help pave the way and expand access to the unique microgravity environment," said Dana Weigel, manager of NASA's International Space Station Program at Johnson Space Centre in Houston.
Whitson said, "Working with the talented and diverse Axiom Mission 4 crew has been a deeply rewarding experience."
"Witnessing their selfless dedication and commitment to expanding horizons and creating opportunities for their nations in space exploration is truly remarkable. Each crew member brings unique strengths and perspectives, making our mission not just a scientific endeavour but a testament to human ingenuity and teamwork," she added.
Shukla said the experience on the Axiom Mission 4 would be very well utilised on India's Gaganyaan mission.
© 2025