The family of Group Captain Subhanshu Shukla expressed immense pride and joy following the successful launch of the Axiom-4 mission from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Shukla, an astronaut, is piloting the mission. Watching the liftoff from Lucknow, his family shared tears of happiness and voiced hopes for his safe return. His sisters, Shuchi Mishra and Nidhi Mishra, expressed wishes for a successful mission and a safe homecoming after a 15-day space journey. Their mother, Asha Shukla, was visibly emotional during the launch, while his father, Shambhu Dayal Shukla, attributed the achievement to divine blessings. The Axiom-4 mission, aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, launched from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Centre. Shukla, in his remarks from the Dragon spacecraft, addressed his fellow countrymen, emphasizing the significance of the mission and its connection to India’s Human Space Programme, aiming to inspire national pride. The mission marks a return to space after 41 years for an Indian, echoing the experience of Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma in 1984. The crew is scheduled to dock at the International Space Station on June 26.
