Shubhanshu Shukla’s Space Journey: India’s First ISS Mission Blends Heart and Science
Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, a 39-year-old from Lucknow, became India’s first astronaut on the International Space Station (ISS) during the 18-day Axiom-4 (Ax-4) mission, ending July 15, 2025. His journey blended human dreams with scientific breakthroughs, inspiring millions and uniting nations.
From Lucknow to Space
Born October 10, 1985, Shukla, an Indian Air Force pilot with 2,000+ flight hours, joined ISRO’s Gaganyaan program in 2019. Trained in Russia, India, and the U.S., he piloted the SpaceX Dragon Grace for Ax-4, a NASA-ISRO mission backed by President Trump and Prime Minister Modi. “I carry India’s dreams,” he said, his voice full of pride.
The Ax-4 Mission
On June 25, 2025, Shubhanshu Shukla and his team—Peggy Whitson (USA), Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski (Poland), and Tibor Kapu (Hungary)—launched from Florida on the Ax-4 mission aboard the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, named Grace. Despite some delays, they reached the International Space Station (ISS) on June 26. The team conducted over 60 experiments, including ISRO’s studies on tiny plants (microalgae), tough micro-creatures (tardigrades), and muscle health, helping improve space missions and medical treatments on Earth.
On July 14, 2025, at 4:30 a.m. Eastern Time (2:00 p.m. IST), the crew closed the hatch of their SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, named Grace. A few hours later, at 7:05 a.m. Eastern Time (4:35 p.m. IST), Grace undocked from the ISS’s Harmony module, a part of the space station. After leaving the ISS, Grace carried over 260 kilograms of equipment and experiment results back to Earth, landing safely in the ocean near California on July 15.
During the Axiom-4 mission, Shubhanshu Shukla greeted the world with a heartfelt “Namaskar from space” and connected with students through video calls, holding a toy swan named Joy. These moments filled Indian hearts with pride and thrilled people worldwide, inspiring young dreamers.
On July 15, 2025, the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft Grace safely returned to Earth, landing in the ocean near California, carrying over 260 kilograms of equipment and experiment results. Shukla’s warm messages and chats with students, while holding Joy the swan, spread happiness and wonder across India.
A Shared Dream
The Axiom-4 mission, costing ₹548 crore, was a historic achievement as India, Poland, and Hungary sent their first astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS). Shubhanshu Shukla’s journey sparked immense pride and joy across 1.4 billion Indians, a moment when the nation’s dreams soared to the stars. His courage and dedication turned a childhood aspiration into a reality, inspiring countless young minds to look skyward with hope.
Working with NASA, ISRO conducted five groundbreaking experiments during the mission, studying tiny plants (microalgae), tough micro-creatures (tardigrades), and muscle health. These efforts aim to make space travel safer and improve medical treatments on Earth, showing science’s power to uplift humanity. The mission also laid a strong foundation for India’s Gaganyaan project in 2027 and its goal of building a space station by 2035, proving that space unites people across borders.
Now back on Earth, Shukla is undergoing a week-long recovery to readjust to gravity after his 18-day adventure. His journey, blending passion with scientific discovery, shows that when heart and science come together, humanity can achieve greatness, inspiring generations to chase their dreams among the stars.
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