How Shubhanshu Shukla's Triumph Accelerates India's Space Economy Boom

Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla became history's first Indian astronaut to travel to the International Space Station (ISS) on Axiom Mission 4 in June 2025.

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Not only did this milestone fulfill a national aspiration, but it also marked a turning point for the boom in India's space economy.

A Historic Leap for India

Shubhanshu Shukla's mission began on June 25, 2025, from NASA's Kennedy Space Center aboard SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket. The docking of the ISS on June 26 made him the 634th individual to arrive in space and the second Indian after Rakesh Sharma to have gone outside Earth's atmosphere.

The mission was a partnership between NASA, SpaceX, and the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), which was a testament to the increasing role that India was playing in global space exploration.

Pioneering Experiments in Microgravity

Throughout his 14-day journey, Shukla conducted several pioneering experiments, of which the growth of 'moong' and 'methi' seeds in microgravity stands out. These experiments focused on creating sustainable food systems for long-term space travel, an essential factor in future space missions.