Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, the first Indian astronaut to visit the International Space Station (ISS), has launched his debut memoir The Second Orbit: Belief of a Man… Dreams of 1.4 Billion Hearts in Bengaluru. Published by Penguin Random House India under its Vintage Books imprint, the 342-page book chronicles his journey from a fighter pilot in the Indian Air Force to becoming the second Indian in space after Rakesh Sharma. The memoir offers readers an intimate look at the discipline, setbacks, and human spirit behind one of India’s most significant space missions.
About Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla
Born on October 10, 1985, in Lucknow, Shubhanshu Shukla was commissioned into the IAF fighter stream in June 2006. He is a qualified test pilot and fighter combat leader with over 2,000 flying hours across a wide range of aircraft including the Su-30 MKI, MiG-21, MiG-29, Jaguar, Hawk, Dornier, and An-32. He was promoted to the rank of Group Captain in March 2024.
In 2019, Shukla was selected as one of the four astronauts for the Indian Space Research Organisation’s Gaganyaan mission, India’s first indigenous human spaceflight programme. He underwent basic astronaut training at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, from 2020 to 2021, followed by mission-specific training at ISRO’s Astronaut Training Facility in Bengaluru.
In June 2025, Shukla served as the mission pilot on Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4), a privately organised spaceflight to the ISS, becoming the first Indian to reach the orbital laboratory and the second Indian in space after Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma (1984). He spent 20 days, 2 hours, and 59 minutes in space, travelling approximately 1.4 crore kilometres. In 2026, he was awarded the Ashoka Chakra, India’s highest peacetime gallantry award, for his contribution to the nation’s space programme.
The Second Orbit: What the Book Covers
The title The Second Orbit is a layered reference. It alludes both to Shukla’s actual journey in space and to the second chance at life and purpose that his journey represents. The book opens with a letter written by a 14-year-old Shubhanshu to his future self, setting the tone for a deeply personal narrative. It includes a foreword by Wing Commander (Retd) Rakesh Sharma, the first Indian in space.
The memoir moves beyond the celebrations of a successful space mission to reveal the behind-the-scenes reality. It covers the gruelling selection process, the intense training modules, the physical toll of spaceflight on the human body (including what Shukla describes as his body’s “quiet mutiny”), and the ego-stripping lessons of teamwork. He uses relatable analogies to make complex space concepts accessible. The book also describes his experience aboard the ISS, conducting experiments, and the profound shift in perspective that comes from seeing Earth from outside its atmosphere.
Published at ₹799, the book aims to reach a wide readership, especially young Indians, and encourage them to engage with science and space exploration.
Book Launch in Bengaluru
Shukla launched The Second Orbit at the Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium in Bengaluru on July 4, 2026, in an event that drew a large crowd of fans, students, and aspiring astronauts. The Bengaluru launch followed an earlier release in New Delhi on June 25, 2026, at the Prime Minister’s Museum and Library (PMML), where Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh, Chief of the Air Staff, released the book.
Speaking at the Bengaluru event, Shukla said that visiting every part of a country as vast as India is impossible in person, and the book serves as a medium to reach millions and motivate them to contribute to the nation’s space programme. Former ISRO chairman A.S. Kiran Kumar described the book as providing first-hand knowledge that is valuable for the next generation to learn about the experience of someone who has been to space and returned.
Why It Matters
The Second Orbit arrives at a significant moment for India’s space ambitions. The country is preparing for its first indigenous human spaceflight mission, Gaganyaan, which aims to send three astronauts into low Earth orbit for a three-day mission. If successful, India will become only the fourth nation after the United States, Russia, and China to independently achieve crewed spaceflight capability.
Shukla’s memoir is significant not just as a personal story but as a document of India’s transition from a spacefaring nation that relied on other countries for human spaceflight to one that is building its own capability. His journey from a classroom in Lucknow to the ISS embodies the aspirations of a generation of young Indians looking to contribute to science and exploration.
The book also contributes to science communication in India, a field that remains relatively underdeveloped compared to the country’s scientific achievements. By making the realities of space exploration accessible through personal narrative, Shukla is helping bridge the gap between India’s scientific community and the general public.
Key Takeaways
- Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla is an IAF fighter pilot and ISRO astronaut who served as mission pilot on Axiom Mission 4 to the ISS in June 2025.
- He is the first Indian to visit the International Space Station and the second Indian in space after Rakesh Sharma (1984).
- His debut memoir The Second Orbit: Belief of a Man… Dreams of 1.4 Billion Hearts is published by Penguin Random House India under the Vintage Books imprint, spanning 342 pages.
- The book was launched in Bengaluru at the Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium on July 4, 2026, following a New Delhi launch on June 25, 2026.
- Shukla was awarded the Ashoka Chakra in 2026, India’s highest peacetime gallantry award.
- He is one of the four astronaut-designates for ISRO’s Gaganyaan mission, India’s first indigenous human spaceflight programme.
