In a proud moment for India and a milestone in global space collaboration, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla has become the first Indian citizen to reach the International Space Station (ISS), and only the second Indian in space after Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma’s mission in 1984.
After a 28-hour journey aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule, the Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) spacecraft successfully docked with the ISS at approximately 4:45 PM IST (June 26). The capsule, named “Grace”, made a “soft capture” with the orbital station, followed by a hard-mating procedure where 12 mechanical hooks locked the spacecraft and station together. The hatch was opened around 6:00 PM IST, marking the formal start of the mission aboard the ISS, reports news agencies.
“Hello everyone, namaskar from space. I am thrilled to be here with my fellow astronauts. What a ride it was,” said an elated Shukla in his first message from orbit. “You get pushed back into your seat, and then suddenly — nothing. You’re floating in a vacuum.”
He added with a smile, “I’m learning like a baby — how to walk and eat in space.”
Launched on June 25 (IST) from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the Ax-4 mission is a privately organized flight by Axiom Space in collaboration with SpaceX and space agencies across the globe.
The crew consists of Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla (India) – Pilot, ISRO astronaut and fighter pilot; Commander Peggy Whitson (USA) – Former NASA astronaut, now with Axiom Space; Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski (Poland) – Mission Specialist, second Polish astronaut and Tibor Kapu (Hungary) – Mission Specialist, second Hungarian in space after 45 years.
The Falcon 9 rocket powered the crew to orbit, and the mission is being celebrated globally as a showcase of multinational collaboration, private spaceflight potential, and scientific advancement.
During their 14-day stay aboard the ISS, the Ax-4 crew will conduct more than 60 advanced scientific experiments, many of them designed specifically for Indian research objectives.
Key research themes include studying “water bears” (tardigrades) to understand biological adaptation in microgravity; examining muscle regeneration, sprout growth, and aquatic organism survival in space and assessing human-computer interaction in zero gravity.
This is in addition to exploring the behavior of edible microalgae, a potential future food source for astronauts. Scientists will measure how space conditions affect its growth and study changes at the molecular and cellular level using transcriptomic, proteomic, and metabolomic analysis.
Group Captain Shukla’s mission marks India’s re-entry into human space exploration after four decades, ahead of ISRO’s planned Gaganyaan mission. It reflects the growing role of Indian astronauts in global space missions, made possible through partnerships with private companies and international space agencies.
This journey is expected to inspire a new generation of Indian scientists, engineers, and explorers.
“This flight of Shubhanshu Shukla is a new beginning for India,” space experts said. “It symbolizes our rising presence in international scientific missions and the value of partnerships beyond borders.”
Axiom Mission 4 stands as one of the most scientifically ambitious private spaceflights to date, with each crew member representing a different nation and discipline. For India, Shukla’s presence aboard the ISS is not just a national achievement, but a global contribution to the future of science and space exploration.
“This is not just a mission for India,” one space analyst noted, “but a mission for humanity — unlocking knowledge that may one day help us live and thrive beyond Earth.”
