Shubhanshu Shukla Begins Space Mission with Axiom-4 Crew
Indian astronaut and Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla has reached space, embodying the dreams of millions of Indians. He is an astronaut on the Axiom-4 mission that took off on Wednesday afternoon on a Falcon 9 rocket. Along with three other astronauts, he is currently orbiting Earth.
First Message from Space
Shubhanshu Shukla sent a message from space to the people of India. He referred to the journey as significant and emotional.
"Hello, my countrymen. We have arrived in space after 41 years. It is a tremendous journey. We are traveling at 7.5 kilometers per second in Earth's orbit now. I have our tricolor on my shoulder. When I look at it, I feel all of you with me. It is not my journey alone. This is the start of India's human spaceflight program. I welcome all of you to join me. Let us embark on this mission together. Jai Hind. Jai Bharat," he declared.
Launch Timings and Mission Schedule
- The Falcon 9 rocket blasted off from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 12:01 PM (IST) on Wednesday.
- After a few minutes of launching, the spacecraft broke away from the rocket and joined orbit.
- The spacecraft will dock with the International Space Station (ISS) at approximately 4:30 PM (IST) on Thursday.
- The entire trip to the ISS will take approximately 28 hours.
Activities Scheduled on the ISS
Shubhanshu Shukla and his crew will remain on the ISS for 14 days. They will:
- Perform scientific experiments in a zero-gravity state
- Meet Prime Minister Modi
- Talk with school children and other groups from space
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