Florida [US], June 25 (ANI): Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, the Indian Air Force officer piloting the Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4), delivered an emotional message from space after the historic launch on Wednesday, calling it an “amazing ride” and marking India’s return to human spaceflight after 41 years.
Speaking from aboard the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, Shukla said, “Namaskar, my dear countrymen, what a ride. We are back in space once again after 41 years. It’s an amazing ride. We are revolving around the Earth at a speed of 7.5 kilometres per second. The Tiranga embossed on my shoulders tells me that I am with all of you. This journey of mine is not a beginning to the International Space Station (ISS), but to India’s Human Space Programme. I want all of you to be part of this journey. Your chest, too, should swell with pride. You all also show excitement. Together, let’s initiate India’s Human Space Programme. Jai Hind! Jai Bharat!”
The Ax-4 mission lifted off at 2:31 am Eastern Time (12 Noon IST) from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Group Captain Shukla now joins the ranks of Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma, who flew aboard the Soviet Soyuz T-11 spacecraft on April 3, 1984, becoming the first Indian in space.
This mission marks the fourth private astronaut flight to the ISS. Shukla is joined by mission commander Peggy Whitson, a veteran NASA astronaut and now Director of Human Spaceflight at Axiom Space. The crew also includes European Space Agency project astronaut Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski from Poland and Tibor Kapu from Hungary.
The spacecraft is expected to dock with the International Space Station at approximately 7 am ET (4 pm IST) on Thursday, June 26. The astronauts are scheduled to spend up to 14 days aboard the ISS, conducting science, outreach, and commercial activities.
The Ax-4 mission also introduces the advanced Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit (AxEMU) — next-generation spacesuits designed to support space exploration and future Moon missions under NASA’s Artemis program.
With participation from 31 countries, including India, this mission is poised to be the most research-intensive private mission to the ISS. The collaborative scientific studies will cover muscle regeneration, microalgae growth, aquatic organism survival, and human interaction with displays in microgravity.
NASA and ISRO are jointly overseeing several experiments during this mission, which paves the way for India’s upcoming milestones — the Gaganyaan human spaceflight mission set for 2027, and the country’s ambitious plan to land an Indian on the Moon by 2040.
This historic flight not only marks India’s reentry into human spaceflight but also symbolizes a major leap in global collaboration, science, and the spirit of exploration. (ANI)
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