'Sleeping a lot, learning like a baby,'—Shubhanshu Shukla from space
What's the story
Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, an Indian Air Force pilot-turned-astronaut, has shared his first personal message from space. The historic launch marks India's return to human spaceflight after a 41-year hiatus. "Hello everyone, namaskar from space. I am thrilled to be here with my fellow astronauts," he said in the video message after lifting off aboard the Axiom-4 mission to the International Space Station (ISS).
Space experience
'When the ride started, it was something'
Shukla shared his experience of the space journey, saying, "When I was sitting in the capsule on the launchpad, the only thought in my mind was: let's just go." He described the launch as an amazing ride. "When the ride started, it was something - you getting pushed back in the seat. It was an amazing ride," he said.
Microgravity adaptation
First hours aboard the spacecraft
Shukla is one of four astronauts on the Ax-4 mission, with Commander Peggy Whitson, Tibor Kapu from Hungary, and Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski from Poland. He described his first hours aboard the spacecraft as a surreal experience of microgravity. "I was not feeling very great when we got shot into the vacuum," he admitted candidly, "but I have been told I am sleeping a lot since yesterday." "I am learning like a baby, how to walk and eat in space," he added.
Twitter Post
'I am sleeping a lot since yesterday,' says Shukla
Ax-4 Mission | In-Flight Update https://t.co/Lqu0QiGGrA
— Axiom Space (@Axiom_Space) June 26, 2025
Journey details
Mission was originally scheduled for May 29
With this flight, Shukla becomes only the second Indian citizen in space and the first to reach the ISS. The mission was originally scheduled for May 29 but was delayed due to weather-related constraints and technical issues with the Falcon-9 rocket and Dragon capsule. NASA, Axiom, and SpaceX teams spent nearly a month resolving anomalies before successfully launching.