PM Modi Interacts with Shubhanshu Shukla Aboard International Space Station

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has interacted with Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, who made history by becoming the first Indian to reach the International Space Station aboard the Axiom-4 mission.

“PM @narendramodi interacted with Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, who is aboard the International Space Station,” a post shared on handle X of the PMO said.

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Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla’s journey to the ISS is a significant milestone in India’s space program. As part of the Axiom-4 mission, Shuklais set to conduct seven experiments designed by Indian research institutes during his time on the ISS.

The mission is a precursor to India’s own human spaceflight ambitions under the Gaganyaan program, expected to launch in the coming years.

While embarking on his journey to the ISS, Shukla had said, “Namaskar, my dear countrymen! What a ride! We are back in space once again after 41 years. It’s an amazing ride. We are revolving around the Earth at a speed of 7.5 kilometers per second.”

He added, “This is not my journey alone, but I am carrying the Indian flag with me, and this is the journey of India’s human space flight.”
Prime Minister Modi had Wednesday extended his congratulations to Shukla, who had then embarked on his trip to the International Space Station. Shukla is part of the Axiom-4 mission, a collaborative effort with astronauts from Hungary, Poland, and the US.

“Wish him and other astronauts all the success!” PM Modi had said adding that Shukla carries “the wishes, hopes and aspirations of 1.4 billion Indians” on this historic mission.

Axiom-4 Mission is a private spaceflight to the International Space Station operated by Axiom Space in partnership with SpaceX and NASA.
The Axiom-4 mission aims to promote international cooperation in space exploration and development. Although the launch has faced multiple delays due to technical issues with the ISS, the mission is expected to mark a significant milestone in India’s space program.

The flight was earlier scheduled to lift off from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center on 11 June, but it was scrubbed due to a liquid oxygen leak. It finally lifted off successfully on Wednesday.