India hails Shubhanshu Shukla's historic spaceflight with widespread praise

India Today

a day ago

With Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla's safe return to Earth after his groundbreaking voyage to the International Space Station (ISS), leaders from across India's scientific and space communities have lauded the mission as a critical precursor to India's human space exploration goals, most notably the upcoming Gaganyaan mission and long-term ambitions of lunar expeditions.Shukla, who became the first Indian to visit the ISS, spent 18 days in space as part of the multinational Axiom-4 (Ax-4) mission, conducting over 60 scientific experiments, including seven designed and coordinated by Isro and Indian research institutions.advertisementPraising his contributions, Lt. Gen. AK Bhatt (retd.), Director General of the Indian Space Association (ISpA), said, 'We congratulate Axiom and Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla on completing a successful mission. This achievement is a stepping stone for India's future crewed space journeys, including the Gaganyaan mission and our ambitious goal of landing an Indian on the Moon by 2040. It will support Isro and energize both global and Indian private space industries.'
Echoing the sentiment, astrophysicist Somak Raychaudhury, Vice Chancellor of Ashoka University, stated, 'This mission is not just a step forward – it is a giant leap in translating ambition into capability... The insights gained will be vital as we prepare for Gaganyaan in 2027, an Indian space station by 2035, and a Moon landing by 2040. It's a foundation for capability-driven space exploration.'Dr. Subba Rao Pavuluri, CMD of Ananth Technologies, emphasised the scientific success of the mission, 'Group Capt Shubhanshu Shukla successfully completed all seven Indian-designed experiments, including studies on tardigrades, muscle cell growth, and crop germination. This mission is a precursor to our own Gaganyaan mission, aligning with the vision of Viksit Bharat where planetary exploration is driven by experimentation.'Adding to the chorus, Anil Prakash, Director General of SIA-India, celebrated the mission's biotech impact, 'This mission launches India into the space-biotech frontier. It showcases the power of public–private partnerships—featuring Isro, SpaceX, Axiom Space, Skyroot—and sets the stage for sustainable, orbit-based life-support systems.'As India steps into a new era of human spaceflight, Shubanshu Shukla's mission is being hailed as a defining launchpad for India's future among the stars.- EndsTune InMust Watch