Books & Authors

Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh Releases Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla's Memoir 'The Second Orbit'

By TestNeeti Editorial TeamPublished Thursday, 25 June 2026 2 min readSource: News On AIRArticle 5 of 9

On 25 June 2026, Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh, Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), released 'The Second Orbit: Belief of a Man… Dreams of 1.4 Billion Hearts', the memoir of Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, in New Delhi. The launch commemorated roughly the first anniversary of Shukla's Axiom-4 (Ax-4) mission to the International Space Station (ISS) — he is the first Indian to visit the ISS. Published by Vintage Books / Penguin Random House India, the memoir traces his journey from an Indian Air Force (IAF) fighter pilot to astronaut, covering selection, training, life aboard the ISS and personal reflections, and aims to inspire youth and promote STEM education. Shukla was conferred the Ashoka Chakra on Republic Day 2026.

Key Facts & Details

9 points

1
ACM Amar Preet Singh (Chief of the Air Staff) released the memoir 'The Second Orbit' on 25 June 2026 in New Delhi.
2
The book is the memoir of Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, the first Indian to visit the ISS.
3
Its full title is 'The Second Orbit: Belief of a Man… Dreams of 1.4 Billion Hearts'.
4
It is published by Vintage Books / Penguin Random House India.
5
The launch marked roughly the first anniversary of Shukla's Axiom-4 mission to the ISS.
6
Shukla was conferred the Ashoka Chakra on Republic Day 2026 for his contribution to India's space programme.

Deep Dive

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Axiom-4 was a commercial mission to the ISS operated by Axiom Space, with Shukla representing India.
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The memoir aims to make space exploration accessible to young readers and promote STEM.
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Shukla is an IAF fighter pilot who trained as an astronaut, symbolising India's growing human-spaceflight ambitions ahead of Gaganyaan.

Exam Focus

Whose memoir is 'The Second Orbit', who released it in June 2026, and what space milestone is the author known for?

Exam Relevance & Angle

Books & Authors items — the title and author — are staple GA MCQs. This one bundles high-value facts: Shubhanshu Shukla (first Indian on the ISS), Axiom-4, and the Ashoka Chakra, all recurring across banking, SSC and UPSC papers.

Target Exams

SBI POSBI ClerkIBPS POIBPS ClerkIBPS RRB OfficerIBPS RRB AssistantRBI AssistantSSC CGLSSC CHSLRRB NTPCLIC AAOUPSC CSEState PCS

Background & Context

Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla is an Indian Air Force fighter pilot selected as an astronaut who became the first Indian to travel to the International Space Station (ISS) aboard the Axiom-4 (Ax-4) commercial mission. The ISS is a multinational orbiting laboratory; commercial missions by firms such as Axiom Space carry national and private astronauts to it. The Ashoka Chakra is India's highest peacetime gallantry award. A memoir is an autobiographical account of personal experiences; this one is published under Penguin Random House India's Vintage imprint. The release aligns with India's broader human-spaceflight programme, including the upcoming Gaganyaan mission.