‘Proud beyond words’: Family cheers IAF’s Shubhanshu Shukla as Axiom-4 mission heads to ISS

‘Proud Beyond Words’: Family Cheers IAF’s Shubhanshu Shukla as Axiom-4 Mission Heads to ISS

It was a day of emotions and pride in Lucknow. Families, friends and teachers gathered at Shubhanshu Shukla’s former school to watch history unfold. The Indian Air Force Group Captain, now an astronaut, is soaring towards the International Space Station as pilot of the Axiom-4 mission. His journey is not just his own but one shared with the hopes of a nation.

A Mission of Global Pride
The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Kennedy Space Centre, Florida. Axiom-4 carries four astronauts, including India’s Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla. He is joined by Hungary’s Tibor Kapu and Poland’s Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski as mission specialists. Commanding the flight is NASA veteran Peggy Whitson, now Director of Human Spaceflight at Axiom Space.

Their new SpaceX Dragon spacecraft is heading for a planned docking with the ISS around 7 am EDT (4 pm IST) on June 26. Once docked, the crew will spend 14 days on board, conducting science experiments, outreach work and commercial projects. The ISS acknowledged the significance of the mission for India, Poland and Hungary, calling it a proud moment for the world.

‘We Are Not Scared, Only Proud’
Back in Lucknow, Shukla’s family was filled with joy and pride. His mother, Asha, said, “We cannot describe this in words. We are not scared, only proud and happy.” His sister, Nidhi Mishra, added, “This is a proud moment not only for us but for every Indian. I just wish Shubhanshu all the best for this mission.”

The Axiom-4 astronauts are also testing the advanced Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit (AxEMU) spacesuit. This next-gen suit is designed for future Moon missions and supports a wide range of crew needs.

Science at the Heart of the Mission
The Ax-4 mission is packed with major research goals. The astronauts will conduct 60 scientific studies involving 31 countries, including India, the US, Poland, Hungary, UAE, Brazil, Nigeria and Saudi Arabia. Key experiments will focus on muscle regeneration, plant growth in microgravity and the survival of aquatic microorganisms.

The mission holds special importance for India as it supports ISRO’s human spaceflight plans under the Gaganyaan programme. As Shukla heads towards the ISS, his family’s pride echoes the dreams of 1.4 billion Indians watching the skies.

(Inputs From ANI)