Twenty-eight hours after lifting off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla made history by becoming the first Indian astronaut to reach the International Space Station (ISS). The successful docking of the Axiom-4 (Ax-4) mission with the ISS on Thursday, June 26, marks a significant chapter in India’s space journey, coming 41 years after Rakesh Sharma’s iconic mission in 1984.
Shukla, serving as mission pilot, travelled aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft alongside mission commander Peggy Whitson from the United States, and mission specialists Sawosz Uznanski of Poland and Tibor Kapu of Hungary. Notably, this mission is also the first time astronauts from Poland and Hungary have reached the ISS.
The Ax-4 spacecraft completed its 28-hour journey before flawlessly docking with the ISS’s Harmony module. Orbiting Earth at an altitude of 418 kilometers and travelling at a speed of over 17,000 kilometers per hour, the crew underwent medical checks and adjusted to the microgravity environment as they approached the station.
In a heartfelt message sent from orbit, Shukla greeted the nation with “Namaskar from space,” and reflected on the weight of carrying the hopes of 1.4 billion Indians. Shukla is India’s second astronaut going into space — four decades after Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma made history in 1984.
“Floating in space is beyond words – humbling, surreal,” he said. “This isn’t just my achievement; it belongs to all the people who supported and believed in me.”
Sharing his early impressions of life in space, Shukla added, “I’ve apparently been sleeping a lot up here! Getting used to zero gravity is like learning to walk again. I’m making mistakes, and that’s part of the fun – especially when others do too! Every moment has been incredible so far, and I can’t wait to see what’s next.”
The Ax-4 crew will spend around 14 days aboard the ISS, working alongside the Expedition 73 team. Their packed schedule includes more than 60 scientific experiments and outreach activities – the most ambitious research program of any Axiom mission to date. Areas of research include cancer treatment, DNA repair, and innovations in advanced manufacturing, highlighting the growing impact of international and commercial collaboration in space exploration.
PM Narendra Modi congratulated Shukla and the Ax-4 crew, describing the mission as a symbol of India’s growing presence and leadership in the global space arena.
The 39-year-old fighter pilot was chosen by ISRO as the prime astronaut for this historic flight. As Shukla settles into orbit, his journey stands not only as a personal triumph but as an inspiration for future generations and a milestone in the shared human pursuit of discovery beyond Earth.
