He flew aboard Axiom-4, a private space mission launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. The crew includes astronauts from Poland and Hungary, marking their countries' return to space after four decades. Shukla is only the second Indian in space, 41 years after Rakesh Sharma. During the two-week mission, the crew will conduct 60 experiments, including seven by ISRO. Shukla described the experience as “amazing” and is gaining vital hands-on training for India’s future space missions.