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India’s Space Dreams Take Flight
Aditya Prasad Ghosh
Member, ARDF
Come June 11, 2025, India will script a defining moment in its space odyssey as Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla of the Indian Air Force Boards Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4), bound for the International Space Station (ISS). This landmark flight, launching from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, marks India’s return to human spaceflight after over four decades—an era last witnessed in 1984 when Rakesh Sharma soared into orbit aboard a Soviet Soyuz. Captain Shukla’s journey to the ISS is far more than a symbolic reprise. It is a powerful declaration of India’s growing ambitions in space exploration and a practical bridge to our next giant leap: Gaganyaan, India’s first indigenous human spaceflight mission, scheduled for 2027.
Image Credits: AXIOM SPACE
The Ax-4 mission is unique in more ways than one. It features astronauts from India, Poland, and Hungary—each returning to human spaceflight after decades—under a government-sponsored arrangement. For India, the mission is not just a diplomatic or prestige exercise. Captain Shukla will conduct seven scientific experiments aboard the ISS, with research focused on human physiology, plant biology, and microbiology in microgravity—critical domains for preparing future Indian astronauts for long-duration space missions. India’s investment of ₹548 crores in Ax-4 is neither extravagant nor impulsive. It is a strategic spend that emphasizes the country’s seriousness in developing the technical and human capital required for a self-reliant space program. As ISRO prepares for Gaganyaan, insights from Ax-4 will directly feed into mission planning, crew health protocols, and life support systems.
Gaganyaan aims to place a three-member crew in low Earth orbit for three days—a first for India. More than just sending humans to space, this mission will showcase India’s technological self-sufficiency, from propulsion systems to space suits. A series of preparatory steps, including three uncrewed test flights and the launch of Vyommitra—a humanoid robot that will simulate astronaut conditions—reflects ISRO’s commitment to safety, precision, and innovation. This mission also dovetails neatly into the broader Make in India vision, where indigenous development is not just encouraged but seen as essential for technological sovereignty. ISRO’s future plans are as ambitious as they are inspiring. By 2035, India intends to launch and operate the Bharatiya Antariksh Station, reducing its reliance on international platforms like the ISS and enabling home-grown space research. Even more audacious is the target of sending astronauts to the Moon by 2040—a goal that, while distant, is now firmly on the national agenda. What’s notable is not just the scale of these ambitions, but the strategic roadmap and incremental steps India is taking to achieve them. These are not flights of fancy, but grounded aspirations, built on scientific rigor and institutional resolve. Captain Shukla’s upcoming mission is a personal milestone, certainly—but also a national one. It speaks to a resurgent India that is confident, competent, and increasingly central in shaping the future of global space exploration. It strengthens international collaborations—with NASA, SpaceX, and Axiom Space—and reflects India’s readiness to lead, not just follow, in the space race. The countdown is not just to launch day, but to a new era. An era where India is no longer a peripheral player but a defining force in the cosmos. The world is watching—and rightfully so. -Abhibyakti Research and Development Foundation (ARDF)