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Shubhanshu Shukla Axiom-4 Mission: A screenshot shows Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla aboard the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft. (@Axiom_Space via PTI Photo)
Shubhanshu Shukla Axiom-4 Mission: Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, the Indian Air Force officer piloting Axiom-4 Mission, has sent a powerful message to India from aboard the Dragon spacecraft as it orbits the Earth. His words, brimming with emotion and patriotism, marked a historic return for the nation to space after a 41-year gap.
“Namaskar, my dear countrymen, what a ride. We are back in the 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!” Shukla said.
Shukla’s spaceflight comes years after the journey of Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma, India’s first astronaut, who flew into space in 1984 aboard the Soviet Soyuz T-11 mission and spent seven days on the Salyut 7 space station.
Launched aboard a new SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) is the fourth private astronaut mission to the International Space Station. The mission is scheduled to dock at 4 pm IST on June 26. Over the next 14 days, the crew will undertake an intensive agenda of scientific research, commercial initiatives, and outreach activities.
Commanded by former NASA astronaut and Axiom Space’s Director of Human Spaceflight, Peggy Whitson, the Ax-4 crew also includes Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski from Poland and Tibor Kapu from Hungary as mission specialists, with Shukla serving as pilot.
Ax-4 is set to become Axiom’s most research-heavy mission yet, featuring approximately 60 experiments from 31 countries—including India, the United States, Hungary, Poland, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Brazil, and several European nations.
A collaborative effort between NASA and ISRO, the mission’s science program includes investigations into muscle regeneration, microalgae growth, survival of aquatic organisms in space, and human interaction with electronic interfaces in microgravity conditions.
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The astronauts are also testing Axiom’s advanced AxEMU spacesuits, tailored to enable high-performance mobility in space while supporting NASA’s lunar exploration goals. Designed to accommodate a diverse astronaut corps, the suits represent a leap forward in commercial spacewear innovation.
With Shukla’s presence in orbit and his message of national pride, India’s journey in space has taken a new turn—one that blends global cooperation with renewed ambition in human space exploration.
English (US) ·