PM Modi Interacts With Axiom-4 mission Pilot Shubhanshu Shukla Aboard International Space Station

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday interacted with Axiom-4 mission Pilot and Indian Air Force (IAF) Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, who is aboard the International Space Station (ISS), the Prime Minister’s Office announced in a post on X.

Calling it a “privilege” to become the 634th human in space and the first Indian to enter the ISS, Shukla had on Thursday said the experience of seeing Earth from such a vantage point was “wonderful” and added that with the Tricolour on his shoulder and the blessings of fellow Indians, the upcoming days would be “truly exciting.”

Axiom Space’s Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) crew successfully reached the ISS on Thursday in a journey that lasted approximately 28 hours. The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft docked with the space station’s Harmony module at 6:21 a.m. ET while soaring over the expansive North Atlantic, according to Axiom’s statement.

After receiving his official astronaut pin from Ax-4 Mission Commander Peggy Whitson, Shukla had said, “I am #634; that’s a privilege.”

“To be fair, it is a privilege to be among the few who have gotten the chance to see the Earth from a vantage point that I have been able to see now. It has been a wonderful ride. I was looking forward to coming to space—it is something to look forward to. But the moment I entered the ISS, I felt welcomed. You (Expedition 73 crew) guys opened up your doors like your house doors for us; that was fantastic. The expectations I had were surpassed, so thank you so much; this was fantastic. I’m confident the next 14 days are going to be amazing doing science and research,” Shukla had said in his ‘arrival remarks’ after entering the ISS, as reported by news agency ANI.

Echoes of Rakesh Sharma’s Legacy

With Shukla now aboard the ISS, Indians were reminded of Rakesh Sharma’s memorable lines in 1984. When Indira Gandhi requested to know what India appeared like from space, Sharma had famously replied at the time with “Saare Jahaan Se Accha.”

Shukla had, before the successful docking, spoken with the nation in a similar patriotic vein, reportedly saying, “After 41 years, we’ve gone back to space. It was an amazing flight. the Tricolour on my shoulder reminds me I have all of you with me. This is the start of India’s human space programme. Jai Hind. Jai Bharat.”

“It may appear easy to stand here, but it is not; my head is pounding. But we will get used to it. This is a milestone for India,” he had said while interacting in Hindi.

What Is Axiom Space’s Mission 4?

• The Ax-4 mission will “realise the return” to human spaceflight for India, Poland and Hungary, with each nation’s first government-sponsored flight in more than 40 years.
• While Ax-4 marks these countries’ second human spaceflight mission in history, it will be the first time all three nations will execute a mission on board the International Space Station. 
• Their schedule includes work in areas such as biology, muscle regeneration, edible microalgae, digital interface testing, and the survival of aquatic organisms, with research jointly designed by NASA, ISRO and Axiom Space.
• The Ax-4 crew launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Centre in Florida at 3:21 am ET on Wednesday, June 25, aboard a Falcon 9 rocket.
• This marks Axiom Space’s most research-intensive mission to date, with over 60 scientific experiments and technology demonstrations planned.
• This mission marks the first time since 1984 that an Indian astronaut has reached the ISS, symbolising not just Shukla’s achievement but also India’s growing role in international space exploration.
• The Ax-4 crew is expected to stay aboard the space station for up to 14 days. 

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