ISRO’s Shubhanshu Shukla lifts off to ISS aboard Axiom-4 mission

New Delhi: Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla scripted history on Wednesday as he lifted off to the International Space Station (ISS) along with three international crewmates as part of Axiom Space's commercial Axiom-4 mission.

The much-delayed mission launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 12.01 pm IST, amid applause from watch parties across the globe — including a celebratory gathering at City Montessori School in Lucknow, Shukla’s alma mater, where his parents watched the historic moment.

Joining Shukla on the mission are Peggy Whitson, a former NASA astronaut and now mission commander, Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski from Poland, and Tibor Kapu from Hungary. The mission marks a return to space for all three nations.

With this flight, Shukla becomes the first Indian astronaut to reach the International Space Station, and only the second Indian in space after Rakesh Sharma, who flew aboard the Soviet Union’s Salyut-7 station in 1984.

“Greetings from India… have a fun time, guys,” Sharma said in a congratulatory video message played during the launch event.

According to NASA, the targeted docking time with the ISS is around 4:30 pm IST on Thursday, June 26, reported PTI.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed the mission's successful launch. "We welcome the successful launch of the Space Mission carrying astronauts from India, Hungary, Poland and the US," Modi said in a post on X.

He said Group Captain Shukla is on his way to becoming the first Indian to reach the International Space Station.

"He carries with him the wishes, hopes and aspirations of 1.4 billion Indians. Wish him and other astronauts all the success," Modi said.

President Droupadi Murmu said that the nation is "excited" and "proud" of Shukla's journey to the stars. 

"As Group Captain Subhanshu Shukla creates a new milestone in space for India, the whole nation is excited and proud of an Indian’s journey into the stars. He and his fellow astronauts of Axiom Mission 4 from the US, Poland and Hungary prove the world is indeed one family – ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’," the president said in a post on X.

"My best wishes for the success of this mission, which reflects the enduring partnership between NASA and ISRO. The wide-ranging experiments to be performed by the crew will lead to new frontiers of scientific studies and space exploration," Murmu said.