Indian Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla Becomes First to Set Foot on ISS
Group Captain Indian Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla has become the first Indian to board the International Space Station (ISS). This is a historic event for space exploration. This is a proud moment for the country and shows how its goals in the global space arena are growing.
A Historic Arrival on the ISS
On Thursday at 06:31 EDT, the Axiom-4 (Ax-4) mission docked with the ISS. Group Captain Shukla was in charge of the mission. The crew ceremoniously entered the orbiting lab shortly after docking. This moment marked India’s first human presence on the ISS and a big step forward in working together in space with other countries.
Axiom Space, a private aerospace company based in Houston, runs the Ax-4 mission. Shukla is joined by Peggy Whitson, a veteran of NASA, Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski from Poland, and Tibor Kapu from Hungary. For the next two weeks, the team will do scientific experiments and work closely with researchers from other countries who are also on the station.
India Returns to Space After 41 Years
Shukla is only the second Indian to go to space. The first was Rakesh Sharma, who went in 1984 on a Russian Soyuz spacecraft. NASA, ISRO, SpaceX, and the European Space Agency all worked together to make his trip happen.
ISRO paid ₹5 billion (about $59 million) to get Shukla on Ax-4. This covered training and mission costs. Officials see this as a smart move for India’s future in human spaceflight.
Science, Symbolism, and Space
During the mission, the Ax-4 crew will carry out 60 scientific experiments, including seven developed by ISRO. These studies are expected to contribute to India’s long-term goals, such as launching a crewed mission by 2027, building a national space station by 2035, and sending astronauts to the Moon by 2040.
In a lighter moment, the crew revealed their zero-gravity mascot—a white toy swan named Joy. According to Shukla, Joy represents “wisdom and clarity in an age of distractions.”
A New Chapter for India in Space
Shukla spoke live from the ISS and said how happy he was. “What a trip!” “Floating in space is an amazing feeling,” he said. He said the experience was surreal, “like learning everything again,” even though he had some minor space sickness at first.
This mission means more than just a symbol. It shows that India is ready to take on a bigger role in space exploration around the world. Shukla is leading the way, and the country is now well on its way to reaching its ambitious space goals.
