On Thursday evening (Indian time), Indian Air Force Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla made history when he reached the International Space Station (ISS). He travelled on the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft, which lifted off on a Falcon 9 rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
This mission makes Shukla the first Indian to step inside the ISS and only the second Indian to travel to space. The last time an Indian astronaut made such a journey was back in 1984 when Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma flew as part of a Soviet mission.
A Warm Welcome at the ISS
Shukla, fondly known as ‘Shux’, and his three fellow astronauts docked their Dragon spacecraft at the ISS at 4:01 pm IST. The ISS works on Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).
When they arrived, the crew already at the station greeted them warmly. The astronauts hugged each other, exchanged smiles, and shared a ‘welcome drink’—a healthy beverage that’s a small tradition to mark the start of their stay. Laughter and friendly chatter filled the station as the new crew settled in.
“A Proud and Exciting Moment”
Not long after reaching the station, Group Captain Shukla spoke about his feelings in space.
“I am feeling lightheaded. But that is not much of an issue compared to the things we will do here for the next 14 days. It is a very proud and exciting moment, a big step in our space journey,” he said.
After his speech, Shukla went through a mandatory safety briefing with the seven astronauts who were already living on the ISS.
Settling Into Space Life
That first night, Shukla joined his fellow astronauts for dinner—a shared meal is a tradition for every new crew. With 11 people now onboard—seven who were already there and the new four-member team—the dinner symbolised teamwork beyond borders.
If all went as hoped, Shukla likely followed in the footsteps of Rakesh Sharma and visited the station’s cupola. From there, astronauts enjoy breathtaking views of Earth—a sight that never gets old.
A New Daily Routine 400 km Above Earth
Though space can make astronauts feel heavy-headed and a bit sick at first, this is normal. Shukla would have slept for eight hours that night, adjusting to life in zero gravity.
The next morning, like every astronaut, he got two hours for daily ablutions—a simple but important routine even in space.
His workday officially began afterward. Every minute of Shukla’s day is planned, lasting about 12 and a half hours. During this time, he’ll run scientific experiments and squeeze in exercise at the station’s small gym. Staying fit in zero gravity is vital for astronauts to maintain muscle strength.
16 Sunrises and Sunsets a Day
During his stay, Shukla will witness 16 sunrises and 16 sunsets every day, thanks to the ISS orbiting about 400 km above Earth at incredible speed. In this unique weightless environment, even a regular lunch turns into a special moment.
India’s Cosmic Leap Forward
The mission, named Axiom-4, is a combined effort by Axiom Space, NASA, and SpaceX. It’s not just big for India but also historic for Poland and Hungary, which have sent astronauts to space again after decades.
American astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson told NDTV that Shukla’s journey has deep meaning for India’s future in space.
“While that (Rakesh Sharma’s space flight) was kind of a one-off mission, right now, this voyage of an Indian astronaut can be seen as part of a broader context of India’s reach into space and as a stepping stone, if you will, towards India having independent launches with its own astronauts as a nation going forward. And so, this has a little more significance than just a single astronaut gaining access to space. It has significance to the larger ambitions of India as a space-faring nation.”
