“What a ride! The Tiranga embossed on my shoulders tells me that I am with all of you.” These were the first words spoken from space by Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, who has now become the second Indian to reach orbit after Rakesh Sharma’s landmark 1984 mission.
Speaking from the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft shortly after launch as part of the Axiom-4 mission, the Indian Air Force pilot from Lucknow declared that “India is back in space after 41 years,” calling it the beginning of India’s human spaceflight era under the Gaganyaan programme.
After liftoff, #Ax4 Commander @AstroPeggy revealed the name of the new @SpaceX Dragon spacecraft headed to the @Space_Station. Meet Grace! https://t.co/wb27kTMwHh pic.twitter.com/7QnyFOfRu7
— Axiom Space (@Axiom_Space) June 25, 2025
“Namaskar, my dear countrymen! What a ride! We are back in space once again after 41 years. It’s an amazing ride. We are revolving around the Earth at a speed of 7.5 kilometres per second,” he said, as the spacecraft orbited Earth at an altitude of 200 km.
Shukla Links ISS Mission to Gaganyaan Ambitions
In a stirring message, Shukla, the mission pilot, emphasised that his flight to the International Space Station (ISS) was not just a mission milestone, but a symbolic launch of India’s future in manned space exploration.
“This journey of mine is not the beginning to the International Space Station but to India’s human space programme. I want all of you to be part of this journey,” he added.
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Shukla, one of four astronauts shortlisted for India’s ambitious Gaganyaan mission, will spend 14 days aboard the ISS conducting experiments proposed by Indian scientists. The data and experience gathered are expected to significantly contribute to Gaganyaan, which is scheduled for launch in 2027.
Axiom-4 Crew and Delayed Launch Timeline
Shukla is joined on the Axiom-4 mission by Dr Peggy Whitson (Mission Commander, USA), Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski (Mission Specialist, Poland), and Tibor Kapu (Mission Specialist, Hungary).
The mission faced multiple delays, originally scheduled for May 29, due to technical repairs on the spacecraft and launchpad as well as unfavourable weather conditions.
Shukla’s words echo a renewed sense of national pride and global ambition for India in the space frontier. His journey marks not just a return to orbit, but a bold leap toward India’s long-term space exploration goals.
