From Fighter Skies To Starry Heights: Meet Wing Commander Shubhanshu Shukla, A Gaganyaan Astronaut-Designee

from fighter skies to starry heights: meet wing commander shubhanshu shukla, a gaganyaan astronaut-designee

As India gears up for the Gaganyaan Mission, three Indian Air Force group captains and a wing commander have been training for about four years as astronauts designated for Gaganyaan. Group Captain Prashanth Nair, Ajit Krishnan, Angad Pratap and Wing Commander Shubhanshu Shukla will join the most-awaited mission.

Wing Commander Shubhanshu Shukla, a decorated pilot and native of Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, has etched his name in the annals of Indian history by becoming one of the four astronauts chosen for the prestigious Gaganyaan mission.

Who Is Wing Commander Shubhanshu Shukla?

Born in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh on October 10, 1985, wing commander Shubhanshu Shukla is an alumnus of NDA and was commissioned June 17 2006 in the fighter stream of the Indian Air Force. He is a Fighter Combat Leader and a Test Pilot with approximately 2000 hours of flying experience. He has flown a variety of ac including Su-30 MKI, MiG-21, MiG-29, Jaguar, Hawk, Dornier, An-32 etc.

Shukla’s journey to becoming a Gaganyaan astronaut began with his rigorous training at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Moscow. He underwent comprehensive training in various aspects of spaceflight, including spacecraft systems, space physiology, and emergency procedures.