'Sky Is Not The Limit': Lucknow Celebrates As Shubhanshu Shukla Prepares To Script Space History

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Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla is set to become the second Indian to travel to space after Rakesh Sharma and the first to dock with the International Space Station (ISS).
As the final countdown begins at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, nearly 12,500 miles away, the narrow lanes of Lucknow's Aliganj locality are brimming with colour, pride, and prayers. The air at the house of Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, set to visit the International Space Station (ISS), is electric. His house is wrapped in the Indian tricolour, its facade decked with larger-than-life posters, banners, and a life-size cutout of the astronaut himself. With every second ticking closer to his historic flight aboard the Axiom-4 mission, the family has turned to devotion — organising a Satyanarayan Katha, while neighbours light lamps and whisper silent prayers for his safe journey to the stars and back.
Though the mission was initially scheduled for June 10, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has now confirmed that the launch has been rescheduled to June 11 due to technical and scheduling adjustments. Shubhanshu will now fly to space on Wednesday evening, bringing him one step closer to achieving the childhood dream he once shared with his family — of 'roaming among the stars."
A Neighbourhood in Celebration
Back home in Lucknow, this delay hasn't dampened the festive spirit. Neighbours and well-wishers have been arriving with flowers, offerings, and heartfelt wishes. His sisters personally arranged posters and banners bearing Shubhanshu's image and patriotic quotes.
From rooftop to roadside, Aliganj looks like it's hosting its very own festival of the cosmos. Streets are strung with flags, children walk around with 'We are proud of you, Shubhanshu" badges, and the 20-feet hoardings flutter with patriotic slogans. Thematically styled in saffron, white, green, and Air Force blue, every corner echoes with emotion and excitement. Cutouts read, 'ALL THE BEST, GROUP CAPTAIN SHUX" and 'Shubhanshu Shukla Creates History." For the locals, it's not just a space mission — it's a neighbourhood's dream soaring into orbit.
Beneath the celebration lies deep sentiment. 'He is not just a pilot going to space, he is our boy from the next lane," says a local shopkeeper. Children, when asked who Shubhanshu is, respond with pride, 'He's the one going to space tomorrow — and he's from our mohalla!"
Prayers and Promises
Inside the Shukla household, the atmosphere is more spiritual than celebratory. Shubhanshu's family has performed the Satyanarayan Katha, a traditional Hindu ritual for auspicious beginnings. His mother, visibly emotional, sat through the prayers holding a framed photo of her son in his flight suit. His sisters have adorned the home with cutouts, lights, and garlands, while neighbours have committed to holding special prayer gatherings on both June 10 and 11.
'This is not just a mission; it is the culmination of a child's lifelong dream," says Shubhanshu's elder sister, Shuchi Mishra. 'He would often say, 'One day I'll roam among the stars.' Now, that boy is about to do exactly that."
India's Man in Space – Again
Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla is set to become the second Indian to travel to space after Rakesh Sharma and the first to dock with the International Space Station (ISS). He is also the pilot of the prestigious Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) — a private mission conducted by Axiom Space in collaboration with NASA and SpaceX.
The mission is now scheduled for launch on June 11, 2025, aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Kennedy Space Center. The spacecraft — the Dragon capsule — will ferry four astronauts representing India, the US, Poland, and Hungary.
A Mission Beyond Borders
Shubhanshu is joined by Hungary's Tibor Kapu, Poland's Slawosz Uznanski, and American astronaut Peggy Whitson. All four are part of the 14-day research mission designed to carry out critical experiments in microgravity, including seven Indian scientific payloads and five from NASA. These studies will aid India's upcoming Gaganyaan program and contribute to global research in medicine, material science, and space technology.
A Decorated Pilot's Journey
Hailing from a modest background in Lucknow, Shubhanshu's academic journey began at City Montessori School in Aliganj. He later cleared the highly competitive NDA entrance exam and graduated from the National Defence Academy, which trains cadets for the Army, Navy, and Air Force. Commissioned into the Indian Air Force on June 17, 2006, he rose through the ranks to become a Group Captain and a fighter test pilot.
Over the years, he has logged more than 2,000 flying hours, commanding aircraft like the Sukhoi-30 MKI, MiG-21, MiG-29, Jaguar, Hawk, Dornier, and An-32. His technical excellence, composure, and passion for aviation made him an ideal candidate for Ax-4.
In his rehearsal on Sunday, wearing the full astronaut suit, Shubhanshu was seen following the launch protocols at the Kennedy Space Center. After the simulation, he remarked, 'It's been an incredible journey. These moments remind you that you're becoming part of something much bigger than yourself. I just feel grateful."
Axiom and the New Frontier
The Ax-4 mission is part of Axiom Space's broader vision to establish the world's first private commercial space station. Building on the success of its previous missions launched in April 2022, May 2023, and January 2024, this fourth mission marks another leap forward in the realm of commercial human spaceflight and international space cooperation. The scientific objectives of Ax-4 encompass a wide spectrum, including microgravity research across multiple disciplines, technology demonstrations in low-Earth orbit, the promotion of space education and public awareness, and the strengthening of multinational partnerships in space exploration. The International Space Station (ISS), where the Ax-4 crew will conduct their experiments, orbits the Earth at a speed of 28,000 km/h and completes a revolution every 90 minutes. This unique environment provides an unparalleled platform for research, and the findings from this mission are expected to significantly contribute to the future of both Indian and global space programs.
A City's Pride, A Nation's Moment
As the engines of Falcon 9 ignite and the rocket climbs into the sky, it will carry more than astronauts and experiments — it will carry the hopes of a family, the prayers of a neighbourhood, and the pride of a nation. Shubhanshu Shukla's journey from a quiet boy in Lucknow to the threshold of the stars is a reminder that no dream is too distant. As one banner in his lane says: 'We are proud of you, Shubhanshu. The sky is not the limit."
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tags :
International Space Station nasa space mission
Location :
Lucknow, India, India
First Published:
June 10, 2025, 13:05 IST
News india 'Sky Is Not The Limit': Lucknow Celebrates As Shubhanshu Shukla Prepares To Script Space History