Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla piloted Axiom Mission 4 to the International Space Station, marking India's return to space after 41 years.
As Axiom Mission 4 soared into the skies from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, it wasn’t just a historic lift-off — it was a deeply emotional moment for one family watching from their home in Lucknow.
At the Shukla household, pride and emotion ran high as Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, an Indian Air Force officer, piloted the mission to the International Space Station. His mother, Asha Shukla, wiped away tears as she watched her son blaze a trail through space. “Everyone is happy. These are tears of joy,” she said, her voice trembling as relatives gathered around the screen.
His father, Shambhu Dayal Shukla, spoke with quiet pride: “We are happy,” he said, his few words carrying the weight of a lifetime of dreams. Friends, neighbours, and well-wishers joined the family to cheer for the astronaut’s achievement, one that has placed India on the global space map once again.
Addressing the nation from space, Shubhanshu Shukla said, “What a ride! We are back in space once again after 41 years… The Tiranga embossed on my shoulders tells me that I am with all of you.”
Return to space after 41 years
Shubhanshu Shukla said that India is returning to space after 41 years and called it an "amazing ride." Stating that the journey is the beginning of India's human space programme, he said the chest of Indians "should swell with pride."
The Axiom Mission 4 launched aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Centre in Florida. Shukla, addressing the nation from onboard the Dragon spacecraft, said, "Namaskar, my dear countrymen, what a ride. We are back in space once again after 41 years... The Tiranga embossed on my shoulders tells me that I am with all of you."
Shukla's mission is a significant milestone in India's human space program. He is following in the footsteps of fellow Indian Air Force officer Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma, who flew aboard Soyuz T-11 in 1984 as part of the Soviet Interkosmos program.
Axiom Mission 4 overview
The Axiom Mission 4 is the fourth private astronaut mission to the International Space Station. The crew, led by Commander Peggy Whitson, a former NASA astronaut, will spend up to 14 days aboard the orbiting laboratory, conducting science, outreach, and commercial activities.
Shukla is joined by mission specialists Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski of Poland and Tibor Kapu of Hungary. The astronauts are utilizing the new Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit (AxEMU) spacesuit, which provides advanced capabilities for space exploration.
As the crew targets docking at the International Space Station on Thursday, June 26, Shukla's message to Indians is one of pride and unity. "This journey of mine is not just a beginning to the International Space Station, 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."