Shubhanshu Shukla creates history with entry into ISS; says "namaskar from space"

In a landmark achievement for India, IAF Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla has become the first Indian to enter the International Space Station (ISS). This historic event comes 41 years after Rakesh Sharma's pioneering journey into space in 1984. Shukla's mission, part of the Axiom-4 initiative, marks a significant milestone in India's space exploration efforts, showcasing the nation's growing prowess in space technology and research.

The Axiom-4 mission, which includes crew members from the United States, Poland, and Hungary, successfully docked at the Harmony module's space-facing port at 6:30 a.m. ET (4:00 pm IST). The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, named 'Grace,' carried Ax-4 Commander Peggy Whitson, Pilot Shubhanshu Shukla, and Mission Specialists Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski and Tibor Kapu. NASA confirmed that the crew had "emerged from the Dragon spacecraft and are getting their first look at their home in low Earth orbit."

Upon arrival, the AX-4 crew was warmly welcomed by the seven Expedition 73 crew members, including Anne McClain, Nichole Ayers, Kirill Peskov, Jonny Kim, Sergey Ryzhikov, Alexey Zubritsky, and Takuya Onishi. This mission underscores the spirit of international cooperation in space exploration, with India playing a pivotal role.

India's Role in Global Space Exploration

Dr. Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State for Science and Technology, expressed pride in India's achievement, stating, "The world watches as India scales the skies..." He emphasized that Shukla's presence on the mission signifies India's active participation in global space endeavors. Dr. S Somanath, former ISRO chief, highlighted the mission's importance for India's Gaganyaan mission, which aims to send Indian astronauts into space on an indigenous spacecraft.

The launch took place from NASA's Kennedy Space Centre in Florida, aboard a new SpaceX Dragon spacecraft on the company's Falcon 9 rocket. Shukla shared his excitement from space, saying, "Hello everyone, namaskar from space. I am thrilled to be here with my fellow astronauts. Wow, what a ride it was. When I was sitting in the capsule on the launchpad, the only thought in my mind was: let's just go." He described the experience of being pushed back into his seat during the launch and the sensation of floating in a vacuum once in space. "I am learning like a baby; how to walk and eat in space," he added, capturing the wonder and challenges of adapting to life in microgravity.

In addition to his duties as a pilot, Shukla is conducting pioneering experiments related to food and space nutrition. He is carrying carrot halwa, moong dal halwa, and mango nectar to satisfy his cravings for homemade food while in space. His research focuses on the effects of microgravity and space radiation on edible microalgae, a nutrient-rich food source with high potential for future space missions. The experiments aim to evaluate key growth parameters and examine transcriptomic, proteomic, and metabolomic changes in different algal species in space compared to their behavior on Earth.