Last Updated:June 26, 2025, 17:47 IST
Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla will be the first Indian to reach the ISS on the Axiom-4 mission. He won’t receive a salary but will earn…
Shubhanshu Shukla heads to space as Falcon 9 with Axiom-4 crew lifts off. | Image/(@Axiom_Space)
Axiom-4 Mission: Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla on Wednesday made history by becoming only the second Indian to venture into space and the first on an International Space Station (ISS) mission. As the nation celebrates this milestone, one question is echoing across social media and curious minds: Will Shukla be paid a salary for this prestigious mission?
The short answer is — no, Shukla will not receive any salary for his 14-day stay in space.
That’s because Axiom-4, the mission he is part of, is a privately operated spaceflight organised by Axiom Space in collaboration with NASA, and India’s participation is entirely funded by ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) and the Indian government. The nature of this collaboration means that Shukla is not flying as an employee or astronaut on the payroll of NASA or Axiom, but rather as a guest astronaut fully sponsored by India.
The Indian government has allocated Rs 548 crore (about $65 million) towards the Axiom-4 mission. This cost includes astronaut training with NASA and Axiom, launch logistics and travel to the ISS, accommodation and support during the mission, and research and scientific experiments in orbit.
No Salary, But Shukla Will Earn…
Though Shukla won’t be earning a conventional salary, his mission offers immense prestige, critical experience for future astronauts, and momentum for India’s own Gaganyaan programme.
The mission is viewed as a stepping stone to Gaganyaan, India’s first manned spaceflight program scheduled for 2027.
During the mission Shukla will gain access to advanced spaceflight systems, real-time exposure to space research protocols, and in-orbit experimentation in collaboration with global agencies.
Shukla’s 14-day stint aboard the ISS will focus on space nutrition studies, food sustainability experiments, and seed regeneration under zero gravity.
These cutting-edge experiments are designed to advance knowledge that could benefit not only space travellers but also agriculture and food science back on Earth.
With this mission, Shubhanshu Shukla becomes the second Indian ever to travel to space, after Rakesh Sharma, who flew on a Soviet Soyuz spacecraft in 1984. Unlike Sharma’s state-sponsored mission, Shukla’s journey is occurring in a new era of commercial and international cooperation in space exploration.
Axiom-4 Mission Lifted Off, To Reach By 4:30 PM IST On June 26
Shubhanshu Shukla’s Axiom-4 mission on Wednesday lifted off to the International Space Station from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Centre in Florida. This is the fourth private astronaut mission to the International Space Station by NASA, Axiom Space, and SpaceX.
The crew will travel to the orbiting laboratory on a new SpaceX Dragon spacecraft after launching on the company’s Falcon 9 rocket.
The targeted docking time is approximately 4.30 pm IST on Thursday, June 26, NASA said in a statement.
A team of writers and reporters decodes vast terms of personal finance and making money matters simpler for you. From latest initial public offerings (IPOs) in the market to best investment options, we cover al…Read More
A team of writers and reporters decodes vast terms of personal finance and making money matters simpler for you. From latest initial public offerings (IPOs) in the market to best investment options, we cover al… Read More
- First Published:
#Axiom4 #Mission #Salary #Shubhanshu #Shukla #Receive #Business #News
