Onlykashmir.in News Desk
In a landmark moment for India’s space journey, Indian Air Force Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla created history on Thursday, June 26, 2025, by becoming the first Indian astronaut to enter the International Space Station (ISS).
The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, carrying Shukla and three international crew members, successfully docked with the ISS at 4:15 p.m. IST, after achieving a soft capture while orbiting above the North Atlantic Ocean at 4:01 p.m. IST. NASA broadcasted the docking live, showcasing the precise and seamless operation.
Shukla is part of the Axiom-4 (Ax-4) mission, which launched a day earlier, on June 25, aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The crew includes:
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Commander Peggy Whitson (USA)
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Mission Specialist Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski (Poland)
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Mission Specialist Tibor Kapu (Hungary)
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Pilot: Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla (India)
The Dragon spacecraft carried them on a 28-hour journey to the ISS.
Earlier in the day, speaking through a live link from space, Shukla described his experience of adjusting to microgravity as “like a baby learning to live again.” He called the sensation of floating in space “amazing,” and said the excitement of launch was only surpassed by the feeling of finally being in orbit.
In a warm gesture, before docking, he greeted everyone on Earth with a “Namaskar from space.”
Shukla also reflected on his 30-day pre-mission quarantine, saying he felt completely cut off from the outside world and that the only thing on his mind before launch was: “Let us just go.”
The successful docking of Axiom-4 not only marks a milestone for private space missions but also a proud moment for India, as Shukla becomes the first Indian to physically enter the ISS, taking the nation’s presence in human space exploration to new heights.
