Namaskar from Space’: Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla Sends Heartfelt Message En Route to ISS on Axiom‑4

June 26, 2025: With a heartfelt “Namaskar” from space, Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla delivered a powerful message during the Axiom-4 mission, which launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center on Wednesday. The historic mission marks a significant step forward for India’s presence in space exploration and the country’s upcoming human spaceflight ambitions.

Speaking from orbit, Shukla reflected on his journey, saying, “Learning like a baby… how to walk and eat in space; this is a small step, but a steady and solid step towards India’s human space programme.” He added, “When I was sitting on the launch pad yesterday, the only thought in my mind was ‘let’s just go’… after 30 days of quarantine, I just wanted to launch. The excitement was just far away.”

The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, carrying Shukla and three other international crewmates, lifted off at 12:01 PM IST on June 25 and is scheduled to dock with the International Space Station (ISS) at 4:30 PM today.

Cabinet Praises the Historic Launch

In a gesture of national pride, the Union Cabinet passed a resolution congratulating Shukla and the Axiom-4 team. “He carries with him the wishes, hopes and aspirations of 1.4 billion Indians. We wish him and other astronauts all the success,” the official statement read.

Delays and Technical Challenges

The Axiom-4 mission faced multiple delays since its original launch date of May 29. Technical concerns involving the Zvezda module of the ISS, which had experienced a pressure leak first detected in 2019, led to postponements. Space agencies worked meticulously to ensure safety, performing critical repairs before the mission’s green light.

This mission is seen as a precursor to India’s Gaganyaan programme, with Shukla’s participation symbolizing growing international collaboration and India’s rising profile in the field of space science.

What’s Next?

Following docking, the crew will spend several days aboard the ISS conducting scientific experiments and technology demonstrations. The success of Axiom-4 is expected to further India’s roadmap in sending astronauts to space under its indigenous missions in the near future.