Ahead of the Axiom Space Mission 4, the Indian Air Force (IAF) on Tuesday wished Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, to ‘touch the sky with glory’. With the success of the flight, Shukla will become the first Indian to set foot on the International Space Station (ISS).
He will also be the second to go to space after Rakesh Sharma flew to space station Salyut 7 in 1984. The US-based Axiom Space is scheduled to carry Shukla along with three others, to the ISS from the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on June 11 at 8 a.m. ET (5.30 p.m. IST).
The mission was initially scheduled for launch on May 29, but was later deferred to June 8 and then June 10. “As Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla prepares to embark on the Axiom-4 space mission tomorrow, the Chief of the Air Staff and all Air Warriors of IAF wish him and the entire crew of Axiom-4 all the best for a safe and successful trip to the International Space Station,” the Indian Air Force - Media Co-ordination Centre, shared in a post on social media platform X.
“This will add a new chapter to the Indian Space Odyssey. Touch the sky with glory!” the post added.Shukla will pilot the mission alongside Commander Peggy Whitson from the US. Other crew members include mission specialists Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski (Poland), and Tibor Kapu (Hungary).
Air Vice Marshal Sanjay Bhatnagar VM VSM (Retd) called Shukla an inspiration. The IAF officer is the youngest astronaut-designate under India's Gaganyaan mission the country’s first human spaceflight mission.
“Highly inspiring story of IAF Gp Capt Shubanshu Shukla, Mission Pilot for Axiom 4,” Bhatnagar wrote on X. Ahead of his much-awaited lift-off, his family called it a moment of "immense pride" for the nation as well as for his loved ones.
"We are definitely feeling proud; our son has done something that brings pride in itself...", Shukla's mother told IANS from Lucknow.Shukla's hometown is also celebrating with posters and car stickers. Cutouts are also being displayed proudly at his residence.
“From the land of Lord Shri Ram to space! Heartiest congratulations to Uttar Pradesh's son, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla is now going to create history he will set out on a journey to space carrying the dreams of India.
This is a proud moment for every Indian and every family of Uttar Pradesh,” Yogi Adityanath, UP Chief Minister said earlier on X. After reaching the ISS, the Group Captain is expected to conduct exclusive food and nutrition-related experiments.
The experiments developed under a collaboration between the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), with support from NASA -- aim to pioneer space nutrition and self-sustaining life support systems vital for future long-duration space travel.
He will also “study physical, cognitive and physiological responses in space, as also the cognitive impact of continuous electronic displays in microgravity,” said Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology, Jitendra Singh.