Indian Air Force test pilot Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla scripted history by becoming the first Indian to set foot on the International Space Station (ISS) after docking SpaceX Dragon spacecraft at the end of a 28-hour journey around the earth.
Before docking with the ISS, as the Dragon spacecraft circled the Earth, Shukla shared his early experiences in space. He said he was learning to live in microgravity “like a baby” and described the feeling of floating in space as amazing.
On reaching the ISS, Shukla and the other three astronauts were greeted with warm hugs and handshakes. “With your love and blessings, I have reached the International Space Station. It looks easy to stand here, but my head is a little heavy, facing some difficulty; but these are minor issues,” he said in brief remarks in Hindi at the formal welcome ceremony at the ISS.
“I am astronaut 634. It is a privilege to be here,” he added.
When is Shubhanshu Shukla going to return?
Shukla, who is the second Indian to travel to space after Rakesh Sharma, reached ISS on Thursday along with three other astronauts as part of the Axiom-4 mission for a 14-day stay during which the crew will be part of a series of science experiments. Shukla is scheduled to return to Earth on July 10, exactly 14 days after his arrival at the ISS.
Astronaut No. 634 first message aboard ISS
In his first message aboard the International Space Station, Shukla thanked the mission commander and said he feels “privileged” to be here.
“Thank you Peggy (Whitson, the mission commander). I am number [Astronaut Number] 634, that’s a privilege (laughs). But, to be fair, it is a privilege to be among the few who have got a chance to see the earth from a vantage point that I have been able to see now.
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“It has been a wonderful ride. It has been great. I was looking forward to come to space. It is something to look forward to. But the minute I entered the International Space Station… this crew (points at the Expedition-73 crew already aboard the ISS) made me feel so welcome. You literally opened the doors to your house for us. It was fantastic. I feel even better.
Shukla said that his head felt heavy upon reaching ISS but the tricolour on his shoulder reminded him that the Indians were with him.
PM Modi’s Interaction with Shubhanshu Shukla
In an interaction with Prime Minister Narendra Modi from the ISS, Shukla said he was scheduled to conduct an experiment on the growth of microalgae, which are highly nutritious, in microgravity conditions. The astronaut also said he was studying whether specific supplements can delay muscle loss in microgravity conditions, which could help develop medicines for muscle degeneration in elderly people.
The Prime Minister encouraged Shukla to carefully document all his observations, saying they would be of great value for India’s future space missions.
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“India must move forward with Mission Gaganyaan, build its own space station, and achieve the landing of an Indian astronaut on the Moon,” Modi said.
In his message for the youth, Shukla said, “The sky has never been the limit, not for me, not for you, and not for India.” He urged youngsters to hold onto this belief.
Shukla’s mission marks a major step in India’s growing role in international space exploration and signals a new era for Indian astronauts on the global stage.