LIVE: Falcon 9 launches Axiom-4 to ISS with India's Shubhanshu Shukla onboard
SpaceX is launching Axiom Space's fourth private mission (Ax-4) to the International Space Station. On board are Peggy Whitson, Shubhanshu Shukla (India), Slawosz Uznanski (Poland), and Tibor Kapu (Hungary). Tune in for a live countdown and launch from the Kennedy Space Centre.
Show more
Show less
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Indian Express
29 minutes ago
- New Indian Express
'Mere Pyare Deshvasiyo' Ax4 Mission Pilot Shubhanshu Shukla addresses India from Space
Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla had a message in Hindi for all the people in the India subcontinent eagerly awaiting news about him from space
News18
29 minutes ago
- News18
Shah Rukh Khan's Interstellar Moment Is Here, Thanks To Shubhanshu Shukla's Playlist
The song, composed by A.R. Rahman and penned by Javed Akhtar, played in Shubhanshu Shukla's ears as he piloted the NASA-backed Axiom 4 mission. When Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla blasted off into space, his launch playlist featured a track that resonated far beyond the cockpit: 'Yun Hi Chala Chal" from Shah Rukh Khan's 2004 film 'Swades'. The song, composed by A.R. Rahman and penned by Javed Akhtar, played in Shubhanshu Shukla's ears as he piloted the NASA-backed Axiom 4 mission aboard SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft- marking the first time in 41 years that an Indian traveled to space since Rakesh Sharma's mission in 1984. In Swades, Shah Rukh Khan plays a NASA scientist who returns to India in search of belonging. For Shubhanshu Shukla, the connection felt personal as the film's quiet anthem of forward motion mirrored his own path from Indian Air Force pilot to astronaut, now carrying the tricolour into orbit. 'This is not just the start of my journey to the ISS, but also of India's human spaceflight," Shubhanshu Shukla said in a message from space, adding, 'Let us embark on this journey together." What Were Other Astronauts Listening To? The other astronauts aboard the Axiom 4 mission also brought personal soundtracks to the launch. Mission commander Peggy Whitson, a veteran American astronaut, chose 'Thunder" by Imagine Dragons. Polish astronaut Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski went with 'Supermoce", a high-energy collaboration by Igo, Mrozu and Vito Bambino. Hungary's Tibor Kapu picked 'Búvóhely" by Quimby, a moody, atmospheric track. Axiom 4 Mission After multiple delays, the Axiom 4 mission finally launched from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. All four astronauts- representing India, Hungary, and Poland- lifted off aboard SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft, marking a significant moment for international spaceflight. Shubhanshu Shukla addressed the nation moments after reaching orbit saying, 'Namaskar, my dear countrymen; we have reached space after 41 years. It was a great ride. We are orbiting Earth at a speed of 7.5 km per second. I have the Indian tricolour on my shoulders. It tells me I am with you all." First Published: June 25, 2025, 16:04 IST
NDTV
31 minutes ago
- NDTV
"Shubhanshu Shukla Carrying Aspirations Of 1.4 Billion Indians": PM Modi
Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla carries with him the wishes, hopes, and aspirations of 1.4 billion Indians, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi as India took a cosmic leap this afternoon with the Indian astronaut lifting off for the International Space Station (ISS). A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the four-crewed Crew Dragon capsule blasted off at 12:05 pm (IST) from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. "We welcome the successful launch of the Space Mission carrying astronauts from India, Hungary, Poland and the US. The Indian Astronaut, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla is on the way to become the first Indian to go to International Space Station. He carries with him the wishes, hopes and aspirations of 1.4 billion Indians," said PM Modi. The Prime Minister also wished success to Group Captain Shukla, the spacecraft pilot, and the three other astronauts, mission commander Dr Peggy Whitson of the US, and mission specialists Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski from Poland and Tibor Kapu from Hungary. His remarks follow President Droupadi Murmu comparing the mission, whose four crew members are from different countries, with the Sanskrit phrase " Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam", meaning the world is one big family. "As Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla creates a new milestone in space for India, the whole nation is excited and proud of an Indian's journey into the stars. He and his fellow astronauts of Axiom Mission 4 from the US, Poland, and Hungary prove the world is indeed one family - ' Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam '," said President Murmu. The wide-ranging experiments to be performed by the crew will lead to new frontiers of scientific studies and space exploration, she added. The Axiom-4 mission is a commercial venture between the Houston-based Axiom Space and NASA. During their 14-day mission, the astronauts will conduct 60 scientific experiments, seven of which have been proposed by Indian researchers. Group Captain Shukla, who has become the second Indian astronaut to travel to space over 40 years after Rakesh Sharma's 1984 feat, will also participate in a space-to-earth outreach programme and will likely interact with a VIP from space as well. The mission, referred to as Mission Akash Ganga, paves the way for India's first human spaceflight. "This is the start of India's human space program. Jai Hind, Jai Bharat," the Group Captain said in his first message from the orbit after a successful lift-off.
