Shubhanshu Shukla's father reflects on son's historic space launch
On June 25, 2025, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla became the first member of India's astronaut corps to pilot a government-backed mission to the International Space Station.
He launched from NASA's Kennedy Space Center aboard SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft, alongside an international crew—marking a big step for India in global space exploration.
Dragon capsule to dock with ISS on June 26
The mission is led by veteran astronaut Peggy Whitson, with crew members from Poland and Hungary.
Their Dragon capsule is set to dock with the ISS around 7:00am EDT on June 26.
If you're curious, NASA will stream the docking live on NASA+ starting at 5:00am EDT.
'Happiest day of my life'
Shukla's dad called launch day "the happiest of his life," sharing how proud he is of his son's dedication.
He encouraged young people to work hard for their dreams, saying "God protects everyone."
Across India, students tuned in live—excited to see one of their own make space history.