Union Defence Minister praised astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, highlighting his courageous journey to the ISS and his new memoir, The Second Orbit, as a source of inspiration for the next generation of Indian space dreamers.
Union Defence Minister Praises Shubhanshu Shukla
Union Defence Minister praised astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla and said that his journey would inspire countless young minds to dream fearless. The Union minister met with Shukla and posted about the meeting on X. “Today, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla presented me with his book, The Second Orbit, which captures a remarkable journey of courage, determination and achievement,” he said. “His extraordinary journey will inspire countless young minds to dream fearlessly, push boundaries and believe that no sky is beyond India’s reach. May his story inspire the next generation to aim high, believe in their potential and turn seemingly impossible dreams into reality!” the minister added.
The Journey to the International Space Station
Group Captain Shukla is the first Indian national to travel to the International Space Station (ISS) and the second Indian national to travel to space, more than 40 years after wing commander Rakesh Sharma traveled to the space station Salyut 7 along with two Soviet cosmonauts. The Second Orbit, a memoir detailing Shukla’s ISS visit and experience as an astronaut, was published on June 25, 2026, a year after Shukla launched to the ISS.
The Ax-4 Mission Details
It was in August 2024 that the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) announced about Shukla being the mission pilot for the Ax-4 mission to the ISS. Ax-4 was the first commercial human spaceflight mission undertaken by company Axiom Space. Along with SHukla, others on the flight mission included Comdr. Peggy Whitson (US), mission specialist Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski (a European Space Agency astronaut from Poland), and mission specialist Tibor Kapu (Hungary).
The crew performed around 60 microgravity science experiments in order to study cancer growth in space and to examine how spaceflight affects the development of crop seeds. Shukla is a recipient of India’s highest gallantry award during peacetime, the Ashoka Chakra.
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