NEW DELHI: Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, an Indian Air Force officer and India’s second astronaut to travel to space, successfully lifted off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Centre in Florida at 12:01pm IST on Wednesday as pilot of Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4). The 14-day private mission to the International Space Station includes astronauts from Hungary and Poland and is being carried out by Axiom Space in collaboration with NASA, ISRO, and the European Space Agency.
Shukla’s family was welcomed at his former school in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. His mother, Asha Shukla, grew emotional at the time of lift-off as she watched the historic moment unfold.His father, Shambhu Dayal Shukla, said: “This feels great. I feel very proud and fortunate that I am the father of such a child. This is the most joyous day of my life.”
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The launch marks India’s return to space nearly 41 years after Rakesh Sharma became the first Indian in space. Shukla, who considers Sharma a mentor, is expected to play a vital role in ISRO’s upcoming Gaganyaan human spaceflight programme, targeted for 2027.Also read: Axiom-4 launch successful: Shubhanshu Shukla is 1st Indian in space in 40 years; will be first ever at ISS tomorrowIndia’s space achievements have already included a Mars orbiter and a successful lunar landing near the moon’s south pole. Human spaceflight is the next milestone.
In a video message released by Axiom, Shukla said: “These are moments that really tell you that you are getting to be a part of something that is much larger than yourself. I want to use this opportunity to ignite curiosity among kids.” The Ax-4 crew includes commander Peggy Whitson (USA), and mission specialists Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski (Poland) and Tibor Kapu (Hungary). India’s Department of Space called the mission a reflection of the country’s growing role in international space collaboration and its determination to be a serious player in human space exploration.Also read: Axiom-4 launch: Mission with India’s Shubhanshu Shukla set to take-off today; check launch time“It has been an amazing journey. I want to use this opportunity to ignite curiosity among kids. Even if this story, my story, is able to change one life, it would be a huge success for me,” Shukla said.The Ax-4 crew includes US astronaut Peggy Whitson, Poland’s Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski, and Hungary’s Tibor Kapu. The mission is being carried out by Axiom Space in collaboration with NASA, ISRO, and the European Space Agency.