By Sheetal Kumari | June 25, 2025
Witness India’s proud moment as astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla launches aboard Axiom-4. These photos capture his historic journey to the International Space Station with SpaceX.
(Image: SpaceX)
Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla becomes the first Indian to pilot a commercial space mission.
(Image: SpaceX)
SpaceX Falcon 9 blasted off at 2:31 a.m. EDT (12:01 p.m. IST) from NASA’s Kennedy Space Centre.
(Image: SpaceX)
Shukla is now the second Indian in space, after Rakesh Sharma’s 1984 mission.
(Image: SpaceX)
Axiom-4 crew will dock with the ISS on June 26 and stay for 14 days.
(Image: SpaceX)
Commanded by Peggy Whitson, joined by Shukla as pilot, with Poland’s Slawosz and Hungary’s Kapu as mission specialists.
(Image: SpaceX)
Ax-4 includes 60+ experiments from 31 countries, including India, US, and Poland.
(Image: SpaceX)
Crew tests the AxEMU spacesuit, designed for future Moon missions under NASA’s Artemis programme.
(Image: SpaceX)
“It’s a responsibility and an honour,” says Shukla. His mission inspires 1.4 billion Indians.
(Image: SpaceX)
As the Dragon cruises to the ISS, Shukla’s flight marks India’s growing presence in space.
(Image: SpaceX)