In a proud moment for India, astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla has successfully reached the International Space Station (ISS) aboard the Crew Dragon capsule, completing a 28-hour spaceflight from Florida’s Kennedy Space Center as part of the Axiom-4 mission.
Precise Docking Over the Atlantic
The docking procedure, which took place at 4:03 PM IST, involved a series of complex orbital maneuvers to align the spacecraft with the ISS. A “soft capture” was confirmed first, followed by a secure “hard capture” to ensure stability and safety.
#Ax4‘s @SpaceX Dragon spacecraft docked with the @Space_Station at 6:31am ET (1031 UTC). Next, the mission crew and our NASA astronauts will prepare to open the hatches. pic.twitter.com/Qj1sgy7RzC
— NASA (@NASA) June 26, 2025
Hatch Opening and System Checks
Though docking is complete, Shukla and his three crewmates—Peggy Whitson (USA), Slawosz Wisniewski (Poland), and Tibor Kapu (Hungary)—will wait until 6:10 PM IST for the hatch to open. Engineers are currently running checks to confirm there are no leaks or seal breaches.
Launch Delayed Six Times
The journey began Wednesday at 12:01 PM IST, when SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from the historic Launch Complex 39A, the same site that sent Apollo 11 to the Moon. The launch faced six prior delays, and a last-minute software issue nearly caused a seventh, but was resolved just in time.
Busy Days Ahead in Space
Shukla and the team are set for a 14-day mission, conducting 60 experiments, including seven from India. Key studies include research on water bears (microscopic organisms) and the effects of microgravity on living systems, as well as work in bio-manufacturing and bio-astronautics.
This milestone not only marks India’s return to human spaceflight but also showcases its growing contribution to cutting-edge space science and international missions.
