India, Jan. 31 -- Indian Air Force (IAF) group captain Shubhanshu Shukla is set to represent the country as the first Indian astronaut to travel to the International Space Station (ISS) aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft from the space station in Florida soon.

Shubhanshu Shukla is designated as pilot of the Axiom Mission 4 to the ISS, as part of a joint effort between NASA and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). The US space agency announced on Thursday that the spaceflight will lift off "no earlier than spring 2025".

IAF Group captain Shubhanshu Shukla said on Thursday he is looking forward to sharing his experience with "Bharatvaasis", adding that he plans to take items representing the country on his spaceflight and hopes t...