'What a ride!': Shubhanshu Shukla's first message from space
25 Jun 2025

Indian astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, the pilot of the Axiom-4 mission to the International Space Station (ISS), has shared his first message from space.

As he soared into the cosmos, Shukla greeted fellow Indians with a warm "namaskar."

"Greetings, my dear countrymen...we have reached space...and the Tricolour on my shoulder tells me that I am with all of you," Shukla said in Hindi.

'This is not just my journey...'
Historic milestone

Shukla's message marks a major milestone in India's space exploration journey, ending a 41-year wait since Rakesh Sharma's mission.

"Namaste mere deshwasiyon, what a ride! 41 saal baad hum waapas antrishk mei pahunch gaye hain (Namaste my countrymen, what a ride! After 41 years we have reached space again)," he said.

He also stressed that this is not just his journey to the ISS but also India's human space program.

Axiom-4 mission was launched from NASA's Kennedy Space Center
Invitation

Shukla also invited all Indians to be a part of this journey. "I want every Indian to be part of this program with great excitement," he said.

The Axiom-4 mission was launched from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, and will dock at the ISS tomorrow.

The targeted docking time is approximately 4:30pm IST, NASA said in a statement.

IAF congratulated Shukla
Space mission

The Indian Air Force congratulated Shukla, saying his journey is "a deja-vu moment for India, 41 years after the mission of Sqn Ldr Rakesh Sharma."

The Axiom-4 mission also includes former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson as commander and two mission specialists ESA project astronaut Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski from Poland and HUNOR (Hungarian to Orbit) astronaut Tibor Kapu from Hungary.