Watch | Shubhanshu Shukla’s First Words From International Space Station After Axiom-4 Historic Docking

The successful docking of the SpaceX Dragon ‘Grace’ spacecraft at the International Space Station as part of the Axiom-4 (Ax-4) mission has created history for Shubhanshu Shukla — and India, which has sent its first citizen to the ISS. Shukla, joined by Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski of Poland and Tibor Kapu of Hungary, and veteran astronaut and commander Peggy Whitson of the United States, is the first Indian to reach the ISS and the second to travel to space on a crewed mission.

Adding to his zeal over achieving these milestones, the 39-year-old Indian Air Force pilot said in Hindi:

Ek Chhota sa sandesh mere pyare deshwasiyon ke liye:
Aapke pyaar aur aashirvaad se mai international space station par surakshit mein pahunch chuka hun aur bahut aasan dikh raha hai yahan khade hona lekin ye mushkil hai. Thoda sa sir bhari hai, thodi takleef ho rahi hai. Lekin ye sab bahut chhoti cheezein hai aur kuchh dino mein hum iske used to ho jayenge.

Aur ye pehla padaav hai is journey ka aur aage 14 din yahan par rehkar hum kaafi saare science experiments karenge, logon se baatcheet karenge lekin kahin na kahin ye jo padaav ye ye bhi dikhata hai ki hamari apni space journey ka bhi padaav hai toh maine baat ki thi aapse kuchh der pehle jab mai dragon par tha aur abhi yahan se aage bhi baat karta rahunga.

Chaliye is journey ko aur excited banate hain aur utsah se isme participate karte hain. Mai bahut utsahit hun. Mai apne shoulder pe jo tiranga lekar chal raha hun, mai maanta hun aap sab mere sath hain, mai ye samajh leta hun ki aap sab bhi mere sath utsahit hain. Agle 14 din bahut hi excited jane wale hain. Dhanyawaad!

(In English) A small message for my beloved fellow countrymen:
With your love and blessings, I have safely arrived at the International Space Station. It may look easy to stand here, but it’s actually quite difficult. There’s a bit of heaviness in the head, some discomfort — but these are all minor things, and in a few days, we’ll get used to them.

This is just the first milestone of this journey. Over the next 14 days, we will conduct many scientific experiments, interact with people, and in a way, this moment also marks a step forward in our own space journey.

I spoke to you a little while ago when I was aboard the Dragon capsule, and I will continue to speak with you from here as well. Let’s make this journey more exciting and participate in it with enthusiasm. I am truly excited.

Carrying the tricolour on my shoulder, I feel as though all of you are with me. I believe that you all share this excitement with me. The next 14 days are going to be incredibly thrilling.

Thank you!

Shukla and the crew of the Ax-4 mission will stay aboard the ISS for 14 days, conducting about 60 trials and experiments on microalgae, sprouting greengram and methi (fenugreek) and how resilient microscopic tardigrades can be in space. Their results will be closely shared with ISRO and ESA to help them formulate their upcoming crewed space missions. India's first crewed mission Gaganyaan will be in focus as Shukla's participation in the mission will help ISRO determine the nuances of sending humans to space.

What is Axiom-4 mission?

The Axiom-4 mission is a private spaceflight organised by Axiom Space in collaboration with NASA and SpaceX, aimed at advancing commercial human spaceflight. As the fourth in a series of crewed missions to the International Space Station (ISS), Axiom-4 carries a multinational crew of private astronauts aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft. The mission focuses on conducting microgravity research, technology demonstrations, and outreach activities, contributing to both scientific progress and the broader goal of building a commercial space economy. It also serves as a critical step toward Axiom’s long-term vision of constructing the world’s first commercial space station, set to succeed the ISS later this decade.

Shukla's historic feat

By stepping out of the Grace capsule, Shukla penned a new chapter for India, becoming the first citizen to reach the ISS. Alongside him are astronauts from Poland and Hungary who have created the same history for the two European countries. In addition to acting as a crucial part of India's underway crewed mission, Shukla will also help bolster India's position on the global landscape by acting as a bridge between the US, Europe, and the Global South. The Lucknow-born astronaut's fortnightly stay, coupled with emergency-return drills, is exactly the kind of scenario simulators struggle to recreate, per experts. For ISRO, this is an opportunity — an economical one — to learn how to design its first EVA suit with Shukla's first-hand experience on environment anomalies on the cabin, orbital-debris alerts and life-support tweaks.

Read more: Watch Exact Moment When Shubhanshu Shukla, Other Astronauts Enter International Space Station From Dragon Spacecraft