India's Shubhanshu Shukla sends new message from space, ‘sleeping a lot, enjoying the view…'
Captain Shubhanshu Shukla on Thursday sent another message from space, saying, 'What a ride it was with my fellow astronauts.' He also asserted that though he is sleeping a lot after a hetic ride, he is enjoying the viewfrom up above.
Here's the full message:
Hello everyone, namaskar from the space. I am thrilled to be here with my fellow astronauts, one vetaran andthree rookies. And wow, what a ride it was. Frankly when we were at the launchpad yesterday the only thought in my mind was 'let just go'.
After 30 days of quarantine, it was feeling that I just wanted to go. Then when the flight started it was something. It was an amazing ride. Then suddenly nothing. Everything silent and you are just floating. You unbuckle and keep floating inside balancing the vaccum. An amazing feeling.
Shukla scripted history by embarking on space travel, along with three others from the US, Poland and Hungary, to the International Space Station as part of a commercial mission by Axiom Space.
In the podcast released Wednesday night, Sharma, who had famously said, 'Sare Jehan Se Acha...' during his time in the orbit, said he was a test pilot in the Indian Air Force when the selection happened.
He later retired as wing commander from the IAF.
"Because I was a test pilot when the selection happened.. that time, I was young, I was fit, and I had the qualification, so I was lucky enough to have been chosen. Then, after selection, we moved to Star City, just outside Moscow, for our training.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
28 minutes ago
- The Hindu
ZeroG indicator Joy fifth ‘crew' member of Axiom-4 mission
A new 'crew' member of the Axiom-4 mission — a toy swan named Joy — was seen floating in the Dragon spacecraft as astronauts interacted with the mission control via a videolink on Thursday (June 26, 2025). Joy is the zero gravity indicator carried by the astronauts of the Axiom-4 mission which was selected because astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla's son Kiash's love for animals. The tradition of flying a toy to mark the moment gravity gives way to weightlessness began with Yuri Gagarin, the first human in space, and has since become a ritual in space missions. Also Read | Axiom-4 mission: Dragon spacecraft docks with International Space Station "We are here, not just the four of us, we also have with us our Zero-G indicator — Joy — that started to float with us just when we were injected into orbit. Joy is floating all over the capsule, sometimes we have to find him/ her here with us," Polish astronaut Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski said. Group Captain Shukla said the swan is a great symbol that symbolises wisdom and also has the ability to discern in the age of distraction. "This means a lot more than just a ZeroG indicator. I think we all have symbolism, in Poland and Hungary and India as well," Group Captain Shukla said. Joy, the baby swan, embodies the shared pursuit of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Hungarian to Orbit program (HUNOR) to soar high above our home planet, Axiom Space said in a statement. Also Read | Why does the Axiom-4 mission need 28 hours to reach the ISS? "In this way, Joy represents cultural unity as three nations realize the return to human spaceflight, together as one crew," it said. In India, it symbolizes wisdom and purity, representing the pursuit of truth. In Poland, the swan stands for purity, loyalty, and resilience, while in Hungary, it epitomizes loyalty, grace, and the beauty of nature. "By choosing a swan as the zero-g indicator, the Ax-4 crew celebrates the diversity of their cultures, united in the shared human experience of space exploration," Axiom Space said.
News18
28 minutes ago
- News18
Shubhanshu Shukla Delivers Welcome Remarks From ISS: 'Privileged To Be...'
Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla delivered his first message from the International Space Station on Friday, calling it a 'privileged moment" to represent India in space. Speaking shortly after docking as part of the Axiom-4 crew, Shukla said he was 'privileged to see Earth from this vantage point".
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
29 minutes ago
- First Post
How Shubhanshu Shukla entered ISS, what he will do next
The Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) team on the Crew Dragon spacecraft successfully docked with the International Space Station (ISS) on Thursday. Shubhanshu Shukla and the other crew have now entered the ISS. But how did they board the space station? What happens next? read more This image provided by NASA shows from second left, Poland's Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski, Axiom Space's Peggy Whitson, India's Shubhanshu Shukla and Hungary's Tibor Kapu aboard the International Space Station. AP The Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) team on the Crew Dragon spacecraft has reached the International Space Station (ISS). The craft piloted by Shubhanshu Shukla and the team led by Mission Commander Peggy Whitman successfully docked with the ISS. Shukla has become the first Indian to reach the ISS and the second Indian to get to space. Shukla and the others including Captain Whitman have successfully entered the ISS. But how did it go down? Let's take a closer look STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD How did it go down? The Crew Dragon successfully docked with the ISS. Then, the post-docking cabin configuration was carried out to to allow Shukla and the others to board the ISS. First came the soft capture – the crew dragon making contact with the docking port of the International Space Station. Next came the hard capture with the locking mechanism being sealed. A cable linking the capsule to the station – known as the 'umbilical cords' – were connected. This allowed the capsule's power and communication lines to sync up with the ISS' systems. The Axiom-4 mission, with a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9 rocket, lifts off from Launch Complex 39A at Nasa's Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. AFP Pressure leak checks were then carried out. The doors of the ISS were first opened – followed by that of the Crew Dragon. Axiom-4 Commander Peggy Whitson was the first one to board the International Space Station. She was followed by Shukla, who was greeted by smiles and hugs. 'We were waiting for days and praying everyday for the successful lift off and docking. This has happened today. We are very happy and proud of him…This is not easy to reach here. It takes a lot of hard work, effort and time. He gave it his all and reached here,' Shukla's sister Shuchi said. What will Shukla do on the ISS? Shukla and the crew will be on the ISS for the next two weeks. Shukla is carrying kits developed by IITs, IISc and the Department of Biotechnology (DBT). He will conduct seven indigenously developed scientific experiments. This includes growing moong and methi in zero gravity to study the effects of microgravity on plant growth. He will also study tardigrades also known as water bears. These small creatures are famed for their ability to survive extreme environments including space. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Shukla will also study the effects of space on muscle degradation – a key worry for astronauts. Another study will chart how astronauts respond and react to digital screens in microgravity. These experiments will be of vital importance to India for the upcoming Gaganyaan mission and such future voyages in space. With inputs from agencies
