Shubhanshu Shukla in space: IAF celebrates 'deja vu moment', 41 years after Rakesh Sharma's iconic flight

Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla on Tuesday became the first Indian astronaut to head to the ISS as part of the Axiom-4 mission.

Updated on: Jun 25, 2025, 16:51:07 IST

By HT News Desk

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The Indian Air Force (IAF) described as a "déjà vu" moment for India, the lift off of Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla on Wednesday for the International Space Station (ISS) as part of the Axiom-4 mission.

In this screenshot via @Axiom_Space on X on June 25, 2025, Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla and three others aboard the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft bound for the International Space Station. (@Axiom_Space)

The Axiom-4 mission launch made Shubhanshu Shukla the first Indian astronaut head to the space for the ISS and only the second Indian in history to travel to space.

The mission, which took off from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 12:01 pm IST, includes astronauts from four countries - India, the United States, Poland, and Hungary.

Shubhanshu Shukla in space

Shubhanshu Shukla, a native of Uttar Pradesh's Lucknow, was selected for this commercial spaceflight by Axiom Space, alongside veteran NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski of Poland, and Tibor Kapu of Hungary.

The IAF hailed the milestone, calling it a reaffirmation of India's "ever-expanding horizon" and a proud continuation of the legacy started by Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma in 1984.

"From conquering the skies to touching the stars - a journey powered by the indomitable spirit of the IAF Air Warrior," the IAF said in a post on social media platform X.

"Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla sets forth on a landmark Space Mission, carrying the pride of the nation beyond Earth," the IAF wrote

Accompanying the post was a captioned image of Shukla titled "Trained in Blue, Bound for the Stars", and a tricolour-themed message that read: "Wishing You Success in this Glorious Mission."

Déjà vu moment

Calling it a "déjà vu moment for India," the IAF compared the mission to Rakesh Sharma's 1984 journey aboard the Soviet Salyut-7 space station. "More than a mission - it is reaffirmation of India's ever-expanding horizon," the IAF said in its X post.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the successful launch of the Axiom 4 mission and stated that Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla is carrying the wishes, hopes and aspirations of 1.4 billion Indian citizens.

Defence minister Rajnath Singh also extended his congratulations, calling the mission a historic achievement. "The Space Mission carrying astronauts from four countries including India is going to be a significant milestone in the history of space exploration," he said in a post on X.

"The Indian Astronaut, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla who hails from Lucknow is set to be the first Indian to go to International Space Station. The country is proud of him. Wishing him and his fellow space travellers success in their endeavours," Rajnath Singh's post read.

Watch parties were held at various locations in Shubhanshu Shukla's hometown of Lucknow, including his alma mater - City Montessori School - where his proud parents watched the historic liftoff.

The Axiom-4 mission marks a major step for India in commercial space collaboration and signals a return to human space presence after a four-decade-long gap since Rakesh Sharma's mission.

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