Shubhanshu Shuka carries forward Rakesh Sharma's legacy after 41 years: Axiom Mission 4?launches?today

Shubhanshu Shukla has made history today on June 25 by becoming the second Indian astronaut to go into space, 41 years after Rakesh Sharma first crossed that milestone in 1984. Shubhanshu Shukla is a part of Axiom Mission 4 or Ax-4. The space mission launched from NASA¡¯s Kennedy Space Center from Launch Complex 39A at 2:31 am Eastern Time.

Axiom Mission 4 utilized SpaceX¡¯s Falcon 9 rocket to launch the four-person crew into space. The mission¡¯s destination is the International Space Station (ISS) currently in orbit above earth. Aside from Shubhanshu Shukla, the mission crew also includes former NASA astronaut and mission commander Peggy Whitson, ESA (European Space Agency) project astronaut S?awosz Uzna¨½ski-Wi?niewski from Poland and HUNOR (Hungarian to Orbit) Tibor Kapu.

Shubhanshu Shukla documented Axiom Mission 4 on social media

After 41 years, India's flag will fly in space again.

Jai Hind ?? pic.twitter.com/9BJKHeCjNZ

¡ª Shubhanshu Shukla (@IndiaInSky) June 25, 2025

Shubhanshu Shukla was very open about chronicling his time on Axiom Mission 4 on social media, with him offering a play-by-play account of events as they unfolded on X (formerly Twitter). He was not unaware of the significance his mission held for India, tweeting ¡°After 41 years, India¡¯s flag will fly in space again! Jai Hind!¡± The astronaut also shared a number of tweets from Space X and Axiom Space detailing the launch, including a post detailing the crew¡¯s launch day music playlist. Shubhanshu¡¯s choice in music was Yun Hi Chala Chal sung by Udit Narayanan, Hariharan and Kailash Kher.

Pass the Aux! The #Ax4 crew share their launch-day playlist. pic.twitter.com/YwCp0Is6cF

¡ª Axiom Space (@Axiom_Space) June 25, 2025

The Axion Mission 4 crew was ultimately successful in entering outer space, with the crew's Dragon Capsule detaching from the Falcon 9 rocket, and the rocket coming back to Earth safely.

Falcon 9 lands at LZ-1 after launching @Axiom_Space's fourth mission to the @Space_Station pic.twitter.com/EOpzMMBN6A

¡ª SpaceX (@SpaceX) June 25, 2025

Shubhanshu Shukla succeeds Rakesh Sharma with his achievement

Shubhanshu Shukla follows in the footsteps of Rakesh Sharma, the first Indian astronaut to make it to space all the way back in 1984. Rakesh Sharma¡¯s mission wasn¡¯t backed by the United States, but the Soviet Union. As part of the Soviet Interkosmos programme, Rakesh flew on the Soyuz T-11 spacecraft which launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome located at what was then the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic. The mission began on 3rd April, and lasted for 7 days, 21 hours and 40 minutes.

Both Rakesh Sharma and Shubhanshu Shukla share the distinction of being the only two Indian citizens who have been part of spaceflight operations, although other foreign citizens of Indian origin, such as Sunita Williams, have been part of spacefaring missions as well.

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