Axiom-4 Mission: Group Captain IAF Subhanshu Shukla's FIRST message from space, says, 'Namaskar...', watch

Indian astronaut group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, set to become the first Indian to reach the International Space Station (ISS). Shubhanshu Shukla has sent his first message from space in Hindi. He said, "Hello everyone, Namaskar from Space."

The Axiom Space on X, posted the glimpse of the mission, with caption, "Ax-4 Mission | In-Flight Update". In the video, Subhanshu Shukla and other three crew member shared their messages and how they were feeling in space. Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla said, “It was a great ride." 

"Hello everyone, Namaskar from Space, I am thrilled to be here with my fellow astronauts--what a ride it was. Honestly, as I sat in the capsule 'Grace' on the launchpad yesterday after 30 days of quarantine, all I could think was: just go. When the launch finally happened, it was something else entirely. You're pushed back into the seat-and then suddenly, there's silence. You're just floating in the vacuum, and it's absolutely magical," Shukla said.

“Since yesterday, I've been told that I'm sleeping a lot, which is a good sign. I'm getting used to this quite well, enjoying the views, enjoying the entire experience. Learning like a baby... how to walk and eat in space…. It's good to make mistakes, but it is better to see someone else do that too,” he added.

"We were in the capsule for nearly three hours, and while that wait can feel long, when the moment of launch came, it was unlike anything we'd imagined. We've been training for those few minutes and seconds for so long. I was just grateful to finally live the moment, " he said in the last.

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June 26, 2025

When Shubhanshu Shukla was in orbit moments after launch, he said "Namaskar, my dear countrymen We are back in space after 41 years. We are orbiting the Earth at a speed of 7.5 kilometres per second. The Tiranga on my shoulder reminds me that I am with all of you. This journey isn't just about reaching the International Space Station--it's about kickstarting India's Human Space Programme. I invite all of you to be part of this mission. Let your hearts swell with pride. Jai Hind! Jai Bharat!".

“This is a small step, but steady and solid step towards India's human space programme,” he added.

Axiom-4 mission

The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft is currently at a distance of 400 meters from the ISS and is orbiting the Earth at an altitude of 418 km at a speed of 28,000 km/hr. IAF Group captain Shubhanshu Shukla, is a part of Axiom Space Mission Ax4, along with commander Peggy Whitson, a former NASA astronaut, Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski from Poland and Tibor Kapu from Hungary. The SpaceX Dragon with crew onboard was lauched from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Centre in Florida on June 25. The docking of the Axiom Mission 4 crew is expected around 4:30 PM IST.  The crew onboard will spend 14 days in ISS and will conduct scientific experiments.