New Delhi: In a historic milestone for India’s space journey, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla has become the second Indian to travel into space, more than four decades after Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma’s iconic mission in 1984. Shukla lifted off aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket as part of the Axiom-4 mission from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Tuesday. The launch, which took place from the legendary Launch Complex 39A—the same site that sent Apollo 11 to the Moon—was briefly delayed due to a last-minute glitch in uploading wind data, but the issue was swiftly resolved, allowing a smooth liftoff at 12:01 PM IST.
The 39-year-old Indian Air Force fighter pilot now embarks on a journey to the International Space Station (ISS), with docking expected around 4:30 PM IST on June 26. Selected by ISRO as India’s representative on this collaborative Indo-US space venture, Shukla’s participation marks a major step in strengthening India’s space ties with NASA. The mission, dubbed “Mission Akash Ganga,” is part of a commercial agreement between Axiom Space and NASA and stems from the 2023 joint statement during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Washington.
Back home, emotions ran high. In Lucknow, Shukla’s mother, Asha Shukla, watched the launch with teary eyes and folded hands. Earlier in the day, she had performed a traditional ritual, offering her son dahi-cheeni (curd and sugar) via video call for good luck. His father, Shambhu Dayal Shukla, beamed with pride, calling the launch a dream come true for their family and the nation.
Shukla is joined on this mission by three other astronauts: Commander Peggy Whitson from the USA, and mission specialists Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski of Poland and Tibor Kapu of Hungary. During their two-week stay at the ISS, the crew will conduct 60 scientific experiments, including seven proposed by Indian researchers. Shukla is also expected to participate in educational outreach activities from space and is likely to interact with a prominent Indian VIP during the mission.
This mission’s success follows several delays due to weather and technical issues, including a suspected oxidizer leak. June 25 was the sixth scheduled launch date. The Falcon 9 rocket, built by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, has a strong safety record, with 16 successful crewed missions. The spacecraft’s reusable design also underscores cost-effective innovation in modern spaceflight.
India reportedly spent ₹550 crore to secure a seat for Shukla on this mission. Beyond its symbolic significance, the journey signals India’s readiness to take larger strides in space exploration, especially as it prepares for its indigenous human spaceflight mission, Gaganyaan, expected in 2026.
Group Captain Shukla’s voyage rekindles the national pride once ignited by Rakesh Sharma’s “Saare Jahan Se Accha” moment and reaffirms India’s ambitions as a global space power. His journey is not just a personal triumph but a beacon of aspiration for the next generation of Indian scientists, researchers, and dreamers.
