NASA's Axiom-4 mission takes off successfully: Shubhanshu Shukla makes history for India | Watch video

With the successful launch of NASA, SpaceX and ISRO's joint Axiom-4 commercial mission on June 25, astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla has made history as first Indian to visit the International Space Station (ISS).

Delayed multiple times in May and earlier in June, the Ax-4 mission lifted off from the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida at 12:01 pm IST towards the ISS, according to a PTI report.

Axiom Space's fourth private astronaut mission is set to arrive at the ISS and dock at approximately 4.30 pm IST on June 26. Check full timeline of Axiom-4 mission's journey here. 

Axiom-4 Mission Launch: WATCH

Minutes after the historic launch, SpaceX Falcon 9’s first stage booster safely landed at Landing Zone 1. Later, the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft separated from Falcon 9’s second stage.

Shubhanshu Shuka's first message after launch

While riding on the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, Shubhanshu Shukla's first message from space started with a “namaskar”.

Shukla said, “Namaskar, mere pyaare deshwasiyo...41 saal baad waapas hum antriksh mein pahoch gaye hain aur kamaal ki ride thi...Is samay, hum 7.5 km per second ki raftaar se prithvi ke chaaron taraf ghoom rahe hain...aur mere kandhe par mere saath mera tiranga hai jo mujhe bata raha hai k main aap sabke saath hun. Ye Bharat ki human space program ki shuruaat hai aur main chahta hun ki aap sabhi deshwasi is yatra ka hissa banein.”

Translation: “Greetings, my dear countrymen. We have reached space and what a fun ride it was! We have reached the space again after 41 years. At this time, we are cruising around Earth at a speed of 7.5 km per second...I have my tricolor with me on my shoulder which is telling me that I am with all of you. This is the beginning of India's human space program and I want all of you countrymen to be a part of this journey.”

Axiom-4 mission: Meet the multi-cultural crew

Lucknow-born IAF pilot Shubhanshu Shukla is the mission pilot for the Ax-4, with former NASA astronaut and American Peggy Whitson serving as Mission Commander. Other crew members are Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski of Poland, and Tibor Kapu of Hungary.

The launch was tracked by audiences in the India, the US, Poland, and Hungary (nationalities of the multi-country crew members). Cheers rung out at Shukla's City Montessori School in Lucknow, where his parents were among the audience, the report added.

Rakesh Sharma's message: ‘Have a fun time’

Notably, Shubhanshu Shukla has became the first astronaut to travel to the ISS, a journey that comes 41 years after Rakesh Sharma’s eight days in orbit as part of the then Soviet Union's Salyut-7 space station in 1984. "Greetings from India.. have a fun time guys," Sharma said in a video message.

Axiom -4 also lays the groundwork for India's Ganganyaan mission and itthe country's space roadmap to land an Indian on the Moon by 2040.

(With inputs from PTI)