By Sushant Agarwal
Published on | Jun 25, 2025
Shubhanshu Shukla embarks on a historic journey to the ISS — India’s first human spaceflight in 41 years.
At 12:01 PM IST, SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket launched the Axiom-4 crew from Kennedy Space Center to orbit.
“Kamaal ki ride thi,” said Shukla. “We’ve reached space after 41 years… with the tricolour on my shoulders.”
The Axiom-4 crew includes Shubhanshu Shukla (India), Tibor Kapu (Hungary), Peggy Whitson (USA) and Slawosz Uznanski (Poland).
The crew is now en route to the ISS — orbiting around 400 km — and expected to dock by 4:30 PM (IST) on Thursday after a 28-hour journey.
Once docked, the astronauts will stay for 14 days at the ISS, conducting 60 experiments in various disciplines.
The astronauts brought traditional food—Indian curry & mango nectar, Polish pierogies, and Hungarian paprika paste.
Shukla’s flight sets the tone for India’s Gaganyaan mission — ISRO’s first crewed spaceflight, expected to launch soon.
Watch parties erupted across the world — including Shukla’s school in Lucknow, where his proud parents witnessed the launch.
Shukla’s space journey marks India’s real-time re-entry into global crewed missions — inspiring future astronauts.