New Delhi: Indian Air Force Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla’s upcoming mission to the International Space Station (ISS) next week is set to proceed as planned, unaffected by the ongoing conflict between US President Donald Trump and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, sources confirmed on Thursday. The mission, known as Axiom Mission 4, is scheduled for launch at 5:52 pm IST on June 10 from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule on a Falcon 9 rocket.
This private astronaut mission is a collaboration between Axiom Space Inc, NASA, and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), with India investing over $60 million for the endeavor. If successful, Group Captain Shukla will become the first Indian to travel to the ISS, marking a historic milestone nearly 40 years after Rakesh Sharma’s 1984 spaceflight on Russia’s Soyuz spacecraft. Shukla will serve as the mission pilot and will be accompanied by former NASA astronaut and commander Peggy Whitson, along with astronauts Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski from Poland and Tibor Kapu from Hungary.
The astronauts are expected to spend up to 14 days aboard the ISS, conducting scientific research, outreach, and commercial activities. Shukla will carry out seven experiments focusing on agriculture, food, and human biology, contributing valuable data to ongoing space science.
Shubhanshu Shukla, a decorated IAF test pilot, was selected under ISRO’s Human Spaceflight Program and is a leading candidate for India’s upcoming Gaganyaan mission, the country’s first indigenous crewed spaceflight. His participation in Axiom Mission 4 will provide vital hands-on experience in spaceflight operations, launch procedures, microgravity adaptation, and emergency preparedness—critical elements for India’s crewed space ambitions.
The announcement comes after Elon Musk briefly declared the immediate “decommissioning” of SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft amid escalating tensions with President Trump over government contracts. Musk later retracted the decision, reaffirming his support for “Team America.” Despite this public spat, officials assured that Shukla’s mission timeline remains unaffected, underscoring the collaborative spirit and strategic importance of the mission for India’s space program.
