‘The sky was never the limit’: Astronaut Shukla on how his ISS mission is powering Gaganyaan

New Delhi, November 18. Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla as said that the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) engineers are closely studying his experience aboard the Axiom-4 mission to the International Space Station (ISS) as they fine-tune plans for Gaganyaan, India’s first human spaceflight programme.

Shukla, the first Indian to travel to the ISS, said here on November 18 that formal astronaut training for Gaganyaan is expected to start soon. Four Indian astronauts have already completed basic training for the mission, which is slated for 2027 and will see the indigenously developed LVM-3 rocket carry at least two crew members into low-Earth orbit.

The Indian Air Force pilot-turned-astronaut noted that ISRO teams are analysing differences between Gaganyaan and other global human spaceflight missions to identify potential gaps and strengthen systems.

“These missions are incredibly complex, and you want absolute certainty before launching,” Shukla told reporters on the margins of the India International Space Conclave, organised by the Indian Space Association. “All systems are being reviewed and refined. The entire mission philosophy is being re-examined. A very detailed debriefing process is underway.”

At the event, Shukla was also formally felicitated for becoming the first Indian to dock at the ISS – an achievement that organisers said reflects both national pride and the enduring human drive for exploration.

Sharing a personal reflection, Shukla recalled being designated “astronaut number 634” after crossing the boundary of space.

“When I returned, children told me they cared about the ISS because I was there,” he said. “Seeing someone like yourself do the impossible gives you the courage to dream. India has set extremely ambitious goals, and achieving them requires all of us to participate. The sky was never the limit – not for me, not for you, and not for Bharat.”