The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) announced that a University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill graduate will be a commander for a SpaceX mission to the International Space Station.

Shukla’s mission began with a launch from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center on July 1, as part of the privately operated Axiom Space Mission-4. His arrival at the ISS marked a national milestone — the second Indian in space since Rakesh Sharma’s 1984 mission, and the very first to reach the orbiting laboratory.

During his time aboard the International Space Station, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla carried out seven India-specific microgravity experiments, highlighting the country's advancing expertise in space science and technology.

Peggy Whitson, a retired NASA astronaut, returned from her fifth ISS mission with crewmates from India, Poland, and Hungary, marking their countries' first mission. They landed safely in the Pacific Ocean.