Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla shares his first in-flight experience on the Axiom-4 mission

While the Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) crew shared their first in-flight update from orbit during the early hours of Wednesday, their visuals offered a glimpse into their experience inside the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft en route to the International Space Station (ISS).

First opportunity to talk live with the Ax-4 crew on-orbit will be in roughly 15 minutes at ~1:47 a.m. ET this morning pic.twitter.com/iMJOlbZn4U

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) June 26, 2025

While posting on social media handle X, Axiom Space said, "Tune in LIVE with the #Ax4 crew for their FIRST in-flight event at 01:47 AM EDT."

American space agency SpaceX also confirmed the interaction between the crew members and the space station by posting, "First opportunity to talk live with the Ax-4 crew on-orbit will be in roughly 15 minutes at ~1:47 a.m. ET this morning."

During the live session, Indian Air Force (IAF) Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, who is serving as the mission pilot, described the launch as "magical" and reflected on his journey, as per ANI.

Watch live as the Ax-4 astronauts check in from orbit https://t.co/nn1GXw6JdQ

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) June 26, 2025

Subhanshu Shukla said, "I am thrilled to be here with my fellow astronauts--what a ride it was. Honestly, as I sat in the capsule 'Grace' on the launchpad yesterday after 30 days of quarantine, all I could think was 'just go'. When the launch finally happened, it was something else entirely. You're pushed back into the seat--and then suddenly, there's silence. You're just floating in the vacuum, and it's absolutely magical."

The Indian Air Force captain who is currently one of the crew members of the Axiom-4 mission expressed gratitude to the mission team, calling the overall experience a "collective achievement".

Shukla also said, "I truly appreciate the efforts of each and every individual who made this journey possible. It's not just a personal accomplishment--it belongs to all of us."

Referring to the swan mascot aboard Dragon, Shukla added, "This swan symbolises wisdom and grace. It may seem like a coincidence, but to me, it carries deeper meaning--of serenity, strength and purpose."

Recounting the final moments before liftoff, Shubanhsu said, "We were in the capsule for nearly three hours, and while that wait can feel long, when the moment of the launch came, it was unlike anything we'd imagined. We've been training for those few minutes and seconds for so long. I was just grateful to finally live the moment."

Along with Shubhanshu Shukla, the mission specialist Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski, while expressing his views, said, "We had so much fun, so much joy. Every time I look at our mascot 'Joy', I think about the future and how far we've come."

Considering that Shubanshu Shukla has been following the footsteps of Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma—the first Indian to travel to space in 1984 aboard the Soviet spacecraft Soyuz T-11—this mission is particularly significant for him.

Subhanshu Shukla’s other fellow crew member and mission specialist Tibor Kapu remarked on the diversity of the Ax-4 team. "The four of us represent a significant part of the planet--three continents and four countries, including India, the United States, and the European Union. Together, we stand for about 20-30% of the world's population. When we look out of the window, we see all of you. We are proud to represent you in space."

Astronaut Peggy Whitson added, "It's been a fantastic experience so far. We have so many people cheering for us down on Earth, and we're excited for the mission ahead."

Earlier, the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft lifted off from NASA's Kennedy Space Centre at around 12 noon on Wednesday with Shukla, Whitson, Uznanski-Wisniewski, and Kapu onboard. The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft is scheduled to dock with the ISS's Harmony module at 4:30 pm IST on Thursday.

(With ANI Inputs)

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