PM Modi on Saturday interacted with Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, who is currently aboard the International Space Station (ISS), marking the first Indian to make it to space in decades.
NASA reported that the spacecraft, SpaceX Dragon capsule Grace , achieved a “soft capture” at 4:01 pm IST over the North Atlantic Ocean, completing the docking sequence by 4:15 pm on Friday. Live footage showed the capsule smoothly approaching the orbiting laboratory before the hatch was opened and the crew floated inside.
“It is a privilege to be among the few who have had the chance to see the Earth from such a vantage point. It’s been a wonderful ride,” Shukla had said in his first remarks after arrival.
Shukla and three-member crew of the private Axiom-4 (Ax-4) mission were greeted with hugs and handshakes by the seven Expedition 73 astronauts already aboard the station. Grinning broadly, he described the view of Earth as surpassing everything he had imagined.
“I am confident the next 14 days will be amazing, advancing science, research, and working with the crew,” he radioed back to mission control.
The Indian Air Force captain is the second Indian to travel to space, following Rakesh Sharma, who spent nearly eight days on the Salyut 7 space station in 1984. The Ax-4 mission aims to conduct scientific experiments and educational outreach during the two-week stay.
NASA reported that the spacecraft, SpaceX Dragon capsule Grace , achieved a “soft capture” at 4:01 pm IST over the North Atlantic Ocean, completing the docking sequence by 4:15 pm on Friday. Live footage showed the capsule smoothly approaching the orbiting laboratory before the hatch was opened and the crew floated inside.
“It is a privilege to be among the few who have had the chance to see the Earth from such a vantage point. It’s been a wonderful ride,” Shukla had said in his first remarks after arrival.
PM @narendramodi interacted with Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, who is aboard the International Space Station. pic.twitter.com/Q37HqvUwCd
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) June 28, 2025
Shukla and three-member crew of the private Axiom-4 (Ax-4) mission were greeted with hugs and handshakes by the seven Expedition 73 astronauts already aboard the station. Grinning broadly, he described the view of Earth as surpassing everything he had imagined.
“I am confident the next 14 days will be amazing, advancing science, research, and working with the crew,” he radioed back to mission control.
The Indian Air Force captain is the second Indian to travel to space, following Rakesh Sharma, who spent nearly eight days on the Salyut 7 space station in 1984. The Ax-4 mission aims to conduct scientific experiments and educational outreach during the two-week stay.
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