India’s Shubhanshu Shukla Blasts Off to the ISS on Historic Mission

Jun 25, 2025 Khushi Kumari

On June 25, 2025, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla lifts off aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9 from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center

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Shukla becomes the first Indian to fly to the ISS via a private mission, marking a milestone for commercial space travel

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Shubhanshu joins Commander Peggy Whitson, Poland’s Slawosz Uznański-Wiśniewski, and Hungary’s Tibor Kapu aboard the Dragon spacecraft

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After multiple postponements due to technical issues and weather, Shukla finally takes flight at 12:01 PM IST

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The 14-day mission will host over 60 scientific studies across 31 countries, including ISRO-led experiments

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Shukla is also training for India’s homegrown Gaganyaan program—this mission bolsters readiness

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This marks India’s second astronaut in space since Rakesh Sharma (1984) and the first via a commercial flight

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