Image Source : X/@AXIOM_SPACE ISRO astronaut and Indian Air Force officer Shubhanshu Shukla It is the first time ever for India that ISRO astronaut and Indian Air Force officer Shubhanshu Shukla has been named as pilot for Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4). It will be the first crewed ISS mission by an Indian astronaut aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft. The mission, scheduled for spring 2025, will launch from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, signifying India’s growing role in global space exploration. Crew and mission details The Ax-4 mission will be commanded by former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, who currently serves as Director of Human Spaceflight at Axiom Space. Other crew members include: Sławosz Uznanski-Wisniewski (Poland) – ESA project astronaut, mission specialist Tibor Kapu (Hungary) – Mission specialist Shukla’s selection is not only a milestone for ISRO but also aligns with his role in India’s Gaganyaan mission, the country’s first indigenous human spaceflight program. NASA’s perspective on private space missions Dana Weigel, manager of NASA’s ISS Program, emphasised the importance of private astronaut …