India's Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla launched into space aboard the Axiom-4 mission, marking the nation's return to space after 41 years. He's the second Indian in space and the first to visit the International Space Station (ISS). The Ax-4 mission, a collaboration between NASA, ISRO, ESA, and SpaceX, also includes astronauts from Poland and Hungary. India invested 5 billion rupees to secure Shukla's seat, reflecting its ambitious space program, which includes plans for a space station and a lunar mission.

Prepared by Olivia Bennett and reviewed by editorial team.