Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, the first Indian astronaut to fly to the International Space Station (ISS) on the Axiom-4 mission, has called his journey a mission for the entire nation. Speaking at a press conference with ISRO Chairman Dr V. Narayanan, Shukla described spaceflight as an “unbelievable experience.”
“It was entire nation’s mission. The experience is very different from what you learn on the ground. It was an unbelievable experience,” Shukla said. He thanked the Indian government, ISRO, and researchers for making the mission possible.
Mission Pilot on Crew Dragon
Explaining his role, Shukla said he flew as the mission pilot. “My profile in this mission was the mission pilot. There are four seats in the Crew Dragon. I was the mission pilot and I had to work with the commander and interact with the systems of the Crew Dragon.”
Shukla added that he carried out experiments designed by Indian researchers and also conducted STEM demonstrations. He captured photos and videos during the mission.
However, the first few days in orbit were not easy. “Grateful for people’s support. The first few days in space were tough. Re-adjusting to gravity was a challenge,” he shared.
A Dream of Launching from India
Shukla expressed hope that the next generation of astronauts will launch from Indian soil. “Want to thank the Indian Government, ISRO, the researchers… I hope very soon someone will travel to space from our own capsule, from our rocket, from our soil.”
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Remembering India’s first astronaut Rakesh Sharma, he added that from space, India still looks “saare jahaan se achcha (better than the entire world).”
Lessons for Gaganyaan Mission
Reflecting on his experience, Shukla said it will play a major role in shaping India’s upcoming human spaceflight programme, Gaganyaan.
“No matter how much training you have done, even after that, when you sit in the rocket and the engines ignite… it is a very different feeling,” he recalled. “From that moment until the time we splashed down, the experience was unbelievable.”
He said the insights from Axiom-4 would be useful for India’s future missions.
ISRO Lauds the Achievement
ISRO Chairman Dr Narayanan praised Shukla’s achievement. He said the Axiom-4 mission was “prestigious” and highlighted India’s rapid progress in space.
“In the last 10 years, the progress has been phenomenal and exponential. The missions completed from 2015 to 2025 are almost double those from 2005 to 2015,” Narayanan noted. “The Axiom-4 mission is a prestigious mission. The first Indian was taken to the International Space Station and was brought back safely, Shubhanshu Shukla.”
After his return on July 15, Shukla met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, marking a proud moment for the country.
