Historic Launch: Axiom-4 Mission Reaches ISS with Indian Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla

Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, alongside astronauts from Poland and Hungary, successfully docked at the International Space Station aboard the Dragon spacecraft. This marks Shukla's first trip as part of the Axiom-4 mission. Landing at 4:01 pm IST, the spacecraft achieved a historic soft capture over the North Atlantic Ocean.

In an unprecedented mission, Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla and his international team successfully docked at the International Space Station. Their spacecraft, named Grace, marks the fifth in the Dragon series and completed its docking procedure on Thursday, July 4th at 4:01 pm IST.

This mission, officially known as Axiom Mission 4, highlights significant progress in private astronaut missions. It signifies Shukla's first journey to the space station and the first for India since 1984, marking a new chapter in space exploration for the country.

Aided by veteran astronaut Peggy Whitson as mission commander, the crew also includes Polish and Hungarian participants, symbolizing international collaboration in space endeavors. The mission launched from Kennedy Space Centre, adding another milestone in global space travel history.

(With inputs from agencies.)