Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla made history on Wednesday as he became the first Indian to travel to the International Space Station (ISS), 41 years after Rakesh Sharma’s iconic spaceflight in 1984.
Just 10 minutes into the flight aboard the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, Shukla addressed the nation with emotion and pride.
“Namaskar, my dear countrymen; after 41 years, we have reached space. It was a great ride,” he said, moments after the Axiom-4 mission entered Earth’s orbit.
Born in Lucknow and serving as an Indian Air Force officer, Shukla added:“I have the Indian tricolour on my shoulders. It tells me I am with you all.”
Shukla’s flight marks India’s first human mission to the ISS, and in his words, it’s not just about reaching space, but the beginning of India’s human spaceflight era.
The Axiom-4 mission launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon-9 rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 12:01 pm IST on Wednesday. The four-member crew is scheduled to dock at the ISS by 4:30 pm IST on Thursday, following a 28-hour journey through space at speeds of 7.5 km per second.
This moment represents a major step forward for India’s ambitions in space exploration and human spaceflight.
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