Indian Air Force Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla has become the first Indian in over four decades to travel to space, as the Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) successfully launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center on Wednesday, 25 June.
Piloting the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft, Shukla now carries the hopes of 1.4 billion Indians, marking India’s triumphant return to crewed spaceflight since Rakesh Sharma’s iconic mission in 1984. The spacecraft, launched atop a Falcon 9 rocket at 12:01 pm IST (02:31 EDT), is on course to dock with the International Space Station (ISS) within 26 hours.
Shukla, a seasoned IAF fighter pilot and ISRO astronaut, is joined by mission commander Peggy Whitson (a former NASA astronaut with a record 675 days in space), and mission specialists Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski of Poland and Tibor Kapu of Hungary. For all three countries, the Ax-4 mission represents a long-awaited return to human spaceflight.
Before take-off, the 39-year-old from Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, described his mission as a deeply personal yet collective endeavour:
“It has been an amazing journey. These are moments that tell you that you are part of something larger than yourself. I hope to ignite curiosity among children. Even if one life is changed by this story, it will be a success.”
Moments after reaching orbit, Shukla sent a message back to Earth:
“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. The Tiranga embossed on my shoulders tells me that I am with all of you.”
“This journey of mine is not a beginning to the International Space Station (ISS) but to India’s Human Space Programme. I want all of you to be part of this journey. Your chest, too, should swell with pride…Together, let’s initiate India’s Human Space Programme. Jai Hind! Jai Bharat!”
India’s space agency ISRO paid around 5 billion rupees (approx. AUD 90 million) for Shukla’s training and seat aboard the Ax-4 mission, which is being operated by US-based private firm Axiom Space.
Shukla was among four Indian Air Force officers shortlisted for India’s maiden human spaceflight under the Gaganyaan mission, scheduled for 2027. With India’s broader ambitions to establish its own space station by 2035 and land astronauts on the Moon by 2040, the Ax-4 mission is viewed as a crucial preparatory step.
The Indian government, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, hailed the launch. Modi posted on social media:
“Group Captain Shukla carries with him the wishes, hopes and aspirations of 1.4 billion Indians. We are proud of this milestone. Wish him and the team all success.”
Back in Shukla’s hometown, hundreds gathered with his parents to watch the launch live. Celebrations broke out at his former school in Lucknow, where teachers and students cheered as the rocket soared skyward.
The Ax-4 crew will spend up to 14 days aboard the ISS, conducting more than 60 scientific experiments, including seven led by ISRO. These include studies on the growth of microalgae in microgravity, the viability of crop seeds in space conditions, and investigations into muscle loss and cognitive impact from screen use in low gravity.
Tardigrades—tiny, resilient micro-animals—will also be tested in space as part of Indian experiments to understand survival mechanisms in extreme conditions.
ISRO has announced plans to host virtual interactions between Shukla and Indian students during the mission. A video call with Prime Minister Modi is also being planned.
The Ax-4 flight marks the debut of SpaceX’s fifth and final Crew Dragon vehicle, which joins Endeavour, Resilience, Endurance and Freedom in the active fleet. The mission symbolises not just India’s renewed presence in human spaceflight, but also the return of Poland and Hungary, whose astronauts last flew in the 1980s aboard Soviet missions.
Hungary reportedly paid $100 million for its seat, while India and Poland have not disclosed financial details.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk expressed national pride, saying:
“Poland has reached for the stars. Who knows how many future astronauts were inspired by this launch today?”
Despite earlier delays and political distractions involving Elon Musk and former US President Donald Trump, the successful liftoff of Axiom-4 reaffirms the critical role of international partnerships in shaping the future of space exploration.
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