Shubhanshu Shukla breaks mentor Rakesh Sharma's 41-year-old space record
Shubhanshu Shukla calls Rakesh Sharma his mentor
Shukla has been conducting critical muscle health research
Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla has made history by becoming the longest-staying Indian astronaut in space, surpassing the 41-year-old record set by Rakesh Sharma.
As of July 3, 2025, Shukla has spent over 7 days, 21 hours, and 40 seconds in orbit, overtaking Sharma's milestone from his 1984 mission aboard the Soviet Salyut 7 space station.
Shukla, 39, is currently serving as the mission pilot for the Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) to the International Space Station (ISS), a landmark collaboration between NASA, SpaceX, and ISRO. Rakesh Sharma is India's first astronaut to go to space. (Photo: AFP)
Launched from NASA's Kennedy Space Center on June 25, 2025, Shukla's journey marks India's return to human spaceflight after more than four decades. He is the first Indian astronaut to visit the ISS and only the second Indian to travel to orbit, following Sharma's pioneering flight.
The Ax-4 crew, led by veteran astronaut Peggy Whitson, includes Shukla as pilot and mission specialists Sawosz Uznaski-Winiewski and Tibor Kapu.
Their mission involves conducting around 60 scientific experiments, with Shukla leading seven of them, focusing on microgravity research and international collaboration. The mission also shows India's growing role in global space exploration and the evolution of ISRO into a world-class space agency.
Shuykla recently partnered with astronaut Sawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski in the Space Station's Columbus laboratory module to analyse near-infrared technology to record brain activity. Gp Capt Shubhanshu Shukla enters Space Station. (Photo: Nasa)
He has been working on seven Indian studies in space that will bolster India's human spaceflight program, Gaganyaan Mission.
Shukla has been conducting critical muscle health research inside the Kibo laboratory's Life Sciences Glovebox aboard the ISS.
His work focuses on muscle stem cell cultures to understand how microgravity causes muscle degradation and how this loss might be prevented or mitigated.
Shux, who considers Rakesh Sharma as his idol, had said befoe leaving for space that he is carrying something special for his mentor and will give it to him when he returns.
"I owe much of my inspiration and guidance to India's first astronaut, Rakesh Sharma. He has been a mentor in every sense, supporting me from the early stages of selection to the Ax-4 mission preparation. As a fellow IAF test pilot, he understands the physical and mental readiness this journey demands. Although he won't be traveling to US due to certain constraints, he has been with me every step of the way," Shukla had said before launch.
As Shux continues his two-week stay aboard the ISS, his record-breaking mission not only honours India's space heritage but also inspires a new generation of Indian scientists and explorers, reaffirming the nation's commitment to advancing human spaceflight.
Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla has made history by becoming the longest-staying Indian astronaut in space, surpassing the 41-year-old record set by Rakesh Sharma.
As of July 3, 2025, Shukla has spent over 7 days, 21 hours, and 40 seconds in orbit, overtaking Sharma's milestone from his 1984 mission aboard the Soviet Salyut 7 space station.
Shukla, 39, is currently serving as the mission pilot for the Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) to the International Space Station (ISS), a landmark collaboration between NASA, SpaceX, and ISRO. Rakesh Sharma is India's first astronaut to go to space. (Photo: AFP)
Launched from NASA's Kennedy Space Center on June 25, 2025, Shukla's journey marks India's return to human spaceflight after more than four decades. He is the first Indian astronaut to visit the ISS and only the second Indian to travel to orbit, following Sharma's pioneering flight.
The Ax-4 crew, led by veteran astronaut Peggy Whitson, includes Shukla as pilot and mission specialists Sawosz Uznaski-Winiewski and Tibor Kapu.
Their mission involves conducting around 60 scientific experiments, with Shukla leading seven of them, focusing on microgravity research and international collaboration. The mission also shows India's growing role in global space exploration and the evolution of ISRO into a world-class space agency.
Shuykla recently partnered with astronaut Sawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski in the Space Station's Columbus laboratory module to analyse near-infrared technology to record brain activity. Gp Capt Shubhanshu Shukla enters Space Station. (Photo: Nasa)
He has been working on seven Indian studies in space that will bolster India's human spaceflight program, Gaganyaan Mission.
Shukla has been conducting critical muscle health research inside the Kibo laboratory's Life Sciences Glovebox aboard the ISS.
His work focuses on muscle stem cell cultures to understand how microgravity causes muscle degradation and how this loss might be prevented or mitigated.
Shux, who considers Rakesh Sharma as his idol, had said befoe leaving for space that he is carrying something special for his mentor and will give it to him when he returns.
"I owe much of my inspiration and guidance to India's first astronaut, Rakesh Sharma. He has been a mentor in every sense, supporting me from the early stages of selection to the Ax-4 mission preparation. As a fellow IAF test pilot, he understands the physical and mental readiness this journey demands. Although he won't be traveling to US due to certain constraints, he has been with me every step of the way," Shukla had said before launch.
As Shux continues his two-week stay aboard the ISS, his record-breaking mission not only honours India's space heritage but also inspires a new generation of Indian scientists and explorers, reaffirming the nation's commitment to advancing human spaceflight. Join our WhatsApp Channel
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