International Space Station (ISS)

Inspiring The Next Generation of Indian Explorers (Space People)

Indian Air Force test pilot Shubhanshu Shukla, born in Lucknow in 1985, was selected as a Gaganyaan astronaut and pilot of Axiom Mission 4 Ax-4, marking India’s space resurgence after a 41-year hiatus. Shukla graduated from NDA with a BSc in Computer Science and an M.Tech in Aerospace Engineering. He is married to Dr. Kamna Shubha Shukla, a dentist. She has known Shubhanshu since having been classmates since primary school, maintaining a close friendship that developed into marriage. The couple has a son together. His journey underlines India’s new phase in space ambitions.

Private Space News (9-13 June)

The major private companies offering space tourism services in 2025 include SpaceX, Blue Origin, and Virgin Galactic. SpaceX leads in orbital space tourism with its Starship program, offering multi-day missions and lunar flybys. Blue Origin specializes in suborbital tourism with its New Shepard vehicle, providing automated flights with large windows for Earth viewing. Virgin Galactic operates suborbital flights using SpaceShipTwo and is developing “Delta-class” spaceplanes for enhanced experiences. Over 10 companies are entering the market, with suborbital tourism dominating and orbital demand expected to rise by 2030.

Public Space News (9-13 June)

NASA, Roscosmos, China, India, and the European Union are all undergoing updates from June 9-13, 2025. SpaceX’s Axiom Mission 4 is set to launch, and NASA plans ISS spacewalks. Roscosmos plans lunar power plant, satellite network expansion, and lunar exploration.

Meet Axiom-4 Pilot Shubanshu Shukla (Space People)

Axiom Space is set to launch the first Indian astronaut to orbit since 1984, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, on the Ax-4 mission. The four-person mission will conduct research and tech demonstrations aboard the ISS for 14 days, with contributions from over 30 countries.