Shubhanshu Shukla, Second Indian launch into space

After more than four decades cosmic thrill is back. India scripted its next space chapter today as Shubhanshu Shukla soared into orbit — the second Indian ever to do so, and the first on a mission to the International Space Station (ISS).

Indian Air Force's Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, now also an astronaut, launched aboard the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft from the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida to the International Space Station as part of the Axiom Space's Ax-4 Mission. Shukla soared into space alongside three astronauts from three different nations, embarking on a mission to live and work aboard the International Space Station. This is the same launchpad from which Neil Armstrong took off for the moon on Apollo 11 in 1969.

Group Captain Shukla is the second Indian astronaut travelling to space, four decades after Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma made the cosmic journey as part of a Soviet mission in 1984. The Indian Air Force pilot has been in quarantine for over a month to ensure he stays healthy. Born in 1985, a year after Rakesh Sharma’s historic flight, Shukla grew up not just under the stars — but aiming for them.

The four-member crew of the Axiom-4 Mission is headed to the International Space Station. During the fortnight-long mission, they will conduct 60 scientific experiments, seven of which have been proposed by Indian researchers. Group Captain Shukla is likely to interact with a VIP from space.

The Axiom-4 launch was delayed multiple times due to weather and technical glitches. June 25 is the sixth date NASA announced. In a recent media interaction, Group Captain Shukla said, "I carry with me not just instruments and equipment, but the hopes and dreams of a billion hearts."

Hours before his historic journey, Group Captain Shukla sent a message to his family: "Just wait for me, I'm coming." The Axiom-4 crew is scheduled to dock at the International Space Station around 4.30 pm tomorrow, following a roughly 28-hour orbital journey.