Spacecraft Separation Confirmed: Shubhanshu Shukla Soars as Axiom-4 Dragon Flies Free in Space

The Space Mission carrying astronauts from four countries including India is going to be a significant milestone in the history of space exploration. The Indian Astronaut, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla who hails from Lucknow is set to be the first Indian to go to International Space Station. The country is proud of him. Wishing him and his fellow space travellers success in their endeavours.

India's Shubhanshu Shukla is now on a historic space journey on board Axiom-4 mission to International Space Station.

Axiom-4 Mission LIVE Updates: Sharing thoughts on what could be the possible future challenges for the Axiom-4 mission, carrying India's Shubhanshu Shukla, Union Minister Jitendra Singh said, "Technically, one challenge was successful launching. But more important than that is successful docking, which is scheduled to be held tomorrow around 4.30 pm IST and then finally, the safe coming back."

Axiom-4 Mission LIVE Updates:  IAF Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla's sister, Nidhi Mishra, opened up about the mission. “The experience was good. As of now, all the stages have been completed successfully. I want the mission to be completed successfully…," said Nidhi to ANI. 

Axiom-4 Mission LIVE Updates: As the Group Captain, Shubhanshu Shukla becomes the first Indian to visit space after 41 years, Union Minister, Jitendra Singh revealed how Shubhanshu was chosen for the mission. 

“We are also proud of the fact that they offered to have one of the Indians...When this Mission was being planned, it was about 2-3 years back, when PM Modi was on a visit to DC...Then the offer came that a Mission like this is being planned and they would like to have one of the Indians also on board. Incidentally, we had four Air Force officers who were already unergoing training for Gaganyaan...Shubhanshu being youngest of the four...So, the choice had to zero down on one of them. Finally Shubhanshu's name was picked up and standby was Nair (Group Captain Prasanth Nair),” said Jitendra Singh. 

Axiom-4 Mission LIVE Updates: Congratulating Shubhanshu Shukla and the Ax-4 crew, President Droupadi Murmu took to her X account to wish success for the mission. “He and his fellow astronauts of Axiom Mission 4 from the US, Poland and Hungary prove the world is indeed one family – ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’. My best wishes for the success of this mission…,” wrote President Murmu in her X post. 

Axiom-4 Mission LIVE Updates: Born on January 13, 1949, in Punjab's Patiala, Rakesh Sharma went to space on April 2, 1984, onboard a Soyuz T-11 rocket, becoming the first Indian to go to space. The mission was eight-day long joint effort of ISRO and the Soviet Intercosmos.

Axiom-4 Mission LIVE Updates: Congratulating the Axiom-4 crew on the successful launch, Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote on X, “The Indian Astronaut, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla is on the way to become the first Indian to go to International Space Station. He carries with him the wishes, hopes and aspirations of 1.4 billion Indians.” 

Axiom-4 Mission LIVE Updates: As the much-anticipated Axiom Mission 4 successfully launched on Wednesday, at exactly 12:01 PM IST, the mission became a historic feat for India with India's Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla going into space and becoming the second Indian in space.

'Wait for Me, I'm Coming,' Shubhanshu Shukla said to his parents reassuring them before Axiom-4 liftoff.

Axiom-4 mission live updates: The Indian Air Force Group Captain, Shubhanshu Shukla, just wrote history as he traveled to the International Space Station as the mission pilot of Axiom-4 with three other crew members. 

Shukla became the first astronaut to travel to the International Space Station in the last 41 years, after Indian Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma, who spent eight days in orbit as part of the then Soviet Union's Salyut-7 space station in 1984.

Axiom-4 Mission LIVE Updates: Following the successful launch of the Axiom-4 mission, the Indian Air Force has congratualted Shubhanshu Shukla for making history. 

“From conquering the skies to touching the stars— a journey powered by the indomitable spirit of the IAF Air Warrior. Group Captain Shubahanshu Shukla sets forth on a landmark Space Mission, carrying the pride of the nation beyond Earth. This is a dèjà-vu moment for India, 41 years after the mission of Sqn Ldr Rakesh Sharma, who first carried our Tricolour beyond Earth. Being more than a mission — it is reaffirmation of India’s ever-expanding horizon,” posted IAF on X. 
 

Axiom-4 Mission LIVE Updates: “𝘕𝘢𝘮𝘢𝘴𝘬𝘢𝘳, 𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘱𝘺𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘩𝘷𝘢𝘢𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘺𝘰. 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘢 𝘳𝘪𝘥𝘦! 41 𝘴𝘢𝘢𝘭 𝘣𝘢𝘢𝘥 𝘩𝘶𝘮 𝘸𝘢𝘱𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘬𝘴𝘩 𝘮𝘦𝘪𝘯 𝘱𝘢𝘩𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘨𝘢𝘺𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘪 𝘢𝘶𝘳 𝘬𝘢𝘮𝘢𝘢𝘭 𝘬𝘪 𝘳𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪!” (Namaskar, my dear countrymen; we have reached space after 41 years. It was a great ride!), said Shubhanshu after the liftoff. 

Axiom-4 Mission LIVE Updates: SpaceX has shared a link to track Dragon and Ax-4 during their flight. 

Axiom-4 Mission LIVE Updates: Dragon has separated from Falcon 9’s second stage.

Axiom-4 Mission LIVE Updates: After the successful launching of Ax-4, and landing of the first stage booster, over the next 28.5 hours, the teams will prepare for docking, and in the meantime, the crew will change from their space suits into something comfortable and have their first meal. 

Axiom-4 Mission LIVE Updates: The main engine of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, which launched the Axiom-4 mission with Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, successfully landed safely on a drone ship after stage separation, according to SpaceX.

Axiom-4 Mission LIVE Updates: Boost back burn complete. Everything is right on track.

Axiom-4 Mission LIVE Updates: Liftoff of Ax-4

Axiom-4 Mission LIVE Updates: The glitch regarding the wind upload data has been resolved, clearing the Ax-4 crew for launch. At T-35 minutes, NASA and SpaceX are targeting a launch time of 2:31 am EDT.

Axiom-4 Mission LIVE Updates: 

AXIOM-4 Mission LIVE Updates: 

Axiom-4 mission timeline (IST)

Wednesday, June 25:

12:30 a.m. – Launch coverage begins on Axiom Space and SpaceX channels.
1:40 a.m. – NASA joins coverage via NASA+.
2:31 a.m. – Launch scheduled

Thursday, June 26:

5:00 a.m. – Arrival coverage begins (NASA+, Axiom Space, SpaceX).
7:00 a.m. – Targeted docking at the Harmony module’s space-facing port on the ISS.

Axiom 4 Mission LIVE Updates:  "I wish the launch every success. It will be such a huge achievement for India. It's taken time to get here and I know the nation will be overjoyed once we hear news of its successful launch," Frances Adamson AC, Governor of South Australia.

Axiom 4 Mission LIVE Updates: Minutes before the launch of the Falcon-9 rocket under the Axiom-4 mission, the Australian High Commissioner to India, Philip Green's statement highlighted India's growing abilities in the space sector.

"...India is coming of age as a player in space. You look back decades to when space was a province for countries like the United States and the Soviet Union. Now it's much more varied, and we see that India is one of the truly fastest-growing countries in space. Our country is too... we congratulate India on all its successes," Philip Green in a statement to ANI. 

Axiom 4 Mission LIVE Updates: Watch the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft flying on Falcon-9 rocket launch from Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida live.