Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla Becomes First Indian to Enter International Space Station on Ax-4 Mission.

Bengaluru: In a proud moment for India, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla entered the International Space Station (ISS) on Thursday evening, becoming the first Indian astronaut to do so as part of the Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4).

The historic entry took place at 5:54 PM IST, shortly after the spacecraft named ‘Grace’ successfully docked with the ISS ahead of schedule. The docking occurred when the station was flying over the North Atlantic at an altitude of about 400 kilometers.

Shukla, who serves as the mission’s pilot, was joined by commander Peggy Whitson from the US and two other crew members from Poland and Hungary. The crew was greeted warmly by astronauts from Japan and Russia already aboard the ISS.

The spacecraft performed the entire docking operation autonomously, completing it in just 13 minutes. Only a minor technical delay was reported before the crew opened the hatch and stepped into the station.

Over the next two weeks, the Ax-4 team will carry out over 60 scientific experiments. Captain Shukla will lead several important studies focused on crop growth in space, the behavior of microorganisms like microalgae and cyanobacteria, and the effects of microgravity on human physiology and cognitive functions.

He will also engage with Indian students as part of STEM outreach activities, sharing insights from space and inspiring the next generation.This mission marks a significant step for India’s human spaceflight ambitions and highlights the importance of international cooperation in space exploration.