In a historic moment for India, Indian Air Force (IAF) pilot Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla has become the first Indian to travel to space in 41 years as Axiom Mission-4’s Dragon spacecraft successfully lifted off from Florida on Wednesday.
In his first message from space, Grp Cpt Shukla said “Jai Hind, Jai Bharat”.
“Namaskar Mere Pyare Deshwasiyon. Kaafi Saal Baad Hum Phir Wapas Antariksh Mein Pohonch Gaye Hain. Kamaal Ki Ride Thi. Mere saath Mere Kande Pe Tiranga Hai (Namaskar, my beloved countrymen. After so many years we reached space. It was a very exciting ride. Tircolour is with me on my shoulder),” the Indian astronaut said.
He finished his message with “Jai Hind, Jai Bharat”.
Grp Cpt Shukla has become the second India to travel to space after Squadron Leader Rakesh Sharma. On April 3, 1984, Sharma scripted history by becoming the first Indian to reach outer space. Sharma’s eight days in orbit as part of the then Soviet Union’s Salyut-7 space station in 1984. When asked by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi how India looked from space, he replied, “Saare jahaan se achcha (better than the whole world)”.
Rakesh Sharma’s Message From Space:
The much-delayed Axiom-4 mission blasted off from the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida at 12:01 pm IST towards the ISS. The Lucknow-born Shukla, former NASA astronaut Mission Commander Peggy Whitson, Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski of Poland, and Tibor Kapu of Hungary are part of the Axiom-4 mission that marks the return to space for the three nations.
Axiom-4 Launch:
The targeted docking time of Shukla’s spacecraft is approximately 4.30 pm IST on Thursday, June 26, NASA said in a statement.