International: Lucknow’s own Shubhanshu Shukla today etched his name into the annals of space exploration, embarking on a commercial mission to the International Space Station (ISS) alongside three international crewmates. The much-anticipated Axiom-4 mission, spearheaded by Axiom Space, saw its successful launch from Florida’s Kennedy Space Centre at 12:01 pm IST, igniting celebrations globally, including a particularly emotional watch party at Shukla’s alma mater, City Montessori School in Lucknow, where his proud parents witnessed the historic event.
The mission, which had faced previous delays, sees Shukla, a native of Lucknow, join former NASA astronaut and Mission Commander Peggy Whitson, Poland’s Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski, and Hungary’s Tibor Kapu. This voyage marks a significant return to space for these three nations, but for India, it holds a special resonance. Shukla’s journey to the ISS comes a remarkable 41 years after Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma’s pioneering eight-day orbital stay aboard the Soviet Union’s Salyut-7 space station in 1984. Paying tribute to the new generation of space explorers, Sharma himself sent a warm video message, stating, “Greetings from India.. have a fun time guys.” The Axiom-4 crew is expected to dock with the International Space Station tomorrow, Thursday, June 26, at approximately 4:30 pm IST, as confirmed by NASA.
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