Indian Air Force Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla made history on Thursday evening, June 26, by reaching the International Space Station (ISS) along with three other astronauts. He is now the first Indian astronaut to travel to the ISS, marking a proud moment for India’s space journey.
Warm Welcome at the Space Station
After a long journey of 28 hours around Earth, their Dragon spacecraft finally docked with the ISS. As soon as they entered the space station, the astronauts were greeted with hugs and handshakes from those already aboard.
"Namaste from space! I'm truly excited to be here with my fellow astronauts. What an incredible journey it has been," says Indian astronaut Group Captain Subhanshu Shukla, who is currently piloting Axiom Mission 4. Sharing his experience from aboard the spacecraft, he proudly holds up a soft toy swan and adds, "In Indian culture, the swan holds special significance."
"Namaskar from space! I am thrilled to be here with my fellow astronauts. What a ride it was," says Indian astronaut Group Captain Subhanshu, who is piloting Axiom Mission4, as he gives details about his journey into space.
— Shubhanshu Shukla (@IndiaInSky) June 26, 2025
Carrying a soft toy Swan, he says, in Indian culture,… pic.twitter.com/pnlmjnCYk8
Dragon ‘Grace’ Successfully Docks
The spacecraft they traveled in, named Grace, is the fifth one in SpaceX’s Dragon series. It made a soft docking with the Harmony module of the ISS at 4:01 pm IST. However, the process wasn’t over yet. It took another two hours to set up communication systems, connect power, and balance the air pressure before the astronauts could move into the station safely.
LIVE: @Axiom_Space's #Ax4 mission is scheduled to dock with the @Space_Station at approximately 6:30am ET (1030 UTC). Watch with us as the multinational crew starts their two-week stay aboard the orbiting laboratory. https://t.co/NrThYrmRrN
— NASA (@NASA) June 26, 2025
This mission highlights India's growing presence in international space exploration.