History Created for India: SpaceX Dragon ‘Grace’ Carrying Shubhanshu Shukla Docks at Space Station
After a 41-year hiatus, India marked its return to human spaceflight as Indian Air Force Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla successfully docked at the International Space Station (ISS) on Thursday. With this, Shukla becomes the first Indian to reach the ISS and the second Indian ever in space after Rakesh Sharma’s legendary flight in 1984.
The Axiom Mission-4 (Ax-4), carried aboard SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft ‘Grace’, docked to the Harmony module’s space-facing port at 6:30 a.m. ET (4:00 p.m. IST). The mission includes a four-member crew: Commander Peggy Whitson (USA), Pilot Shubhanshu Shukla (India), and Mission Specialists Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski (Poland) and Tibor Kapu (Hungary).
“Docking confirmed!” SpaceX posted on X, confirming the moment that will be etched in India’s space history.
The crew lifted off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Centre in Florida at 2:31 a.m. EDT (12 noon IST), aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket. Shukla, born in Lucknow, became the face of India’s modern space ambitions as he joined the orbiting laboratory.
“Namaskar from space. I’m thrilled to be here,” Shukla said in a message from orbit. “Wow, what a ride it was… When the ride started, it pushed me into my seat, and then suddenly, I was floating in vacuum.” He shared his early experience of space travel, joking, “I am learning like a baby—how to walk and eat in space.”
The Axiom-4 mission is more than symbolic. It reinforces India’s rising status as a global technology and innovation hub. As Shukla joins the ISS crew, he will conduct critical experiments in space nutrition and food sustainability, developed in collaboration between ISRO, the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), and supported by NASA.
Among the key experiments is a study on microalgae—a highly nutritious, sustainable food source. Researchers will analyze how space radiation and microgravity affect algae growth, nutrition levels, and cellular responses compared to Earth-based behavior. The outcomes could help develop sustainable food systems for future long-duration missions.
Shukla is also carrying Indian delicacies such as carrot halwa, moong dal halwa, and mango nectar to give a cultural and emotional touch to his journey.
This mission represents a milestone for India’s human spaceflight program, offering momentum toward Gaganyaan and other future crewed missions. Shukla’s journey is not just a solo flight—it carries the pride, dreams, and aspirations of 140 crore Indians.
