Indians will soon travel to space on indigenously made rocket: Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla

Indians will soon be able to travel to space aboard an entirely indigenous rocket and crew capsule developed and launched from within the country, Indian astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla has said. Shukla, who served as mission pilot on the commercial Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4), shared his experience and vision for India’s space future at the Bengaluru Tech Summit on Thursday.

Shukla spent 18 days aboard the International Space Station (ISS) during Ax-4 — the fourth private astronaut mission to the orbiting laboratory — where he conducted seven microgravity experiments before returning to Earth on July 15, 2025.

‘A collective national effort’

Addressing a packed audience, Shukla emphasised that missions of such scale must be collaborative, drawing contributions from students, start-ups, researchers, and policymakers across India. He noted that India’s rapidly growing space sector already includes more than 300 active start-ups capable of playing vital roles in future missions.

Recalling his time on the ISS, Shukla detailed the extreme physical demands placed on astronauts — from enduring up to eight Gs during launch and experiencing disorientation in microgravity, to rapid muscle and body weight loss and the challenge of relearning to walk after returning to Earth.

India from space — and Bengaluru shining bright

Shukla added that India looks “beautiful” from orbit, with Bengaluru standing out as one of the brightest and most striking views from space. He urged young Indians and innovators to help propel the nation toward its goal of becoming a developed country by 2047.

“India looks bright from space, but our future is even brighter. The sky was never the limit — not for me, not for you, and not for Bharat,” he said.

A lighter moment

Wrapping up the event, Karnataka Minister for IT and BT Priyank Kharge joked about Shukla’s struggle to reach the venue at BIEC on Tumakuru Road.
“It was easier for him to get from space to Earth, but getting from Marathahalli to here was difficult,” Kharge quipped, assuring the audience that the government is committed to improving the city’s infrastructure.