Shubhanshu Shukla’s Space Debut: A Giant Leap for India’s Human Spaceflight

Last Updated Jun - 26 - 2025, 05:01 PM | Source : Fela News

On his maiden space mission, astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla calls zero gravity “like learning to walk,” as India celebrates its return to human spaceflight after f

Shubhanshu Shukla’s Space Debut

Shubhanshu Shukla made his debut in space as part of the Axiom Space mission. The spacecraft, launched aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon on a Falcon-9 rocket, took off from Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 12:01 pm IST on Wednesday. Shukla joins a four-member international crew that includes veteran astronaut Peggy Whitson and specialists from Hungary and Poland, making this India’s first human spaceflight since 1984.

In a live video call from the International Space Station, Shukla shared his initial experience of space travel, comparing the unfamiliar sensation of zero gravity to “a baby learning to walk.” Greeting the nation with a heartfelt “namaskar,” he said, adapting to the new environment is both challenging and exciting. With a smile, he added that he’s been “sleeping a lot” while adjusting to microgravity, and described the Earth’s view from 418 kilometers above as breathtakingly “beautiful.”

Shukla also highlighted the broader significance of the mission, calling it a stepping stone for India’s upcoming Gaganyaan project. “This mission represents more than science; it reflects the collective aspirations of our country,” he said. Seeing the Indian flag floating in space, he noted, made him feel connected with every citizen back home. Over the next two weeks, he will perform crucial experiments and record his journey to share insights with the Indian public and scientific community. As the second Indian to travel to space after Rakesh Sharma, Shukla’s mission symbolizes not just a technological achievement, but a renewed national pride in space exploration.