PM Modi welcomes Shubhanshu Shukla back to Earth, says he has ‘inspired a billion dreams’

Prime Minister Narendra Modi warmly welcomed Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla upon his return from the International Space Station (ISS), where he spent nearly three weeks as part of the Axiom-4 mission.

PM Modi praised Shukla for inspiring millions across India with his dedication, courage, and pioneering spirit, calling him the first Indian astronaut to visit the ISS. Shukla’s journey marks a significant milestone in India’s space journey, bringing the nation closer to its own human spaceflight mission, Gaganyaan.

The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft carrying the Axiom-4 crew splashed down safely on Tuesday, July 15 (Indian time), after a more than 22-hour journey back to Earth. The spacecraft had undocked from the ISS on July 14, completing the planned experiments and activities.

In a post on X, PM Modi wrote, “I join the nation in welcoming Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla as he returns to Earth from his historic mission to space. As India’s first astronaut to visit the International Space Station, he has inspired a billion dreams through his dedication, courage and pioneering spirit. It marks another milestone towards our own Human Space Flight Mission - Gaganyaan.”

Hailing from Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, Group Captain Shukla is the first Indian to travel to the ISS and only the second Indian in space after Rakesh Sharma. He piloted the Axiom-4 mission, which launched on June 25 alongside Mission Commander Peggy Whitson from the United States, and mission specialists Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski and Tibor Kapu.

During their nearly three-week stay aboard the ISS, the crew conducted over 60 microgravity experiments. They returned with a cargo of scientific samples that will be sent to researchers on Earth for further analysis.

The Axiom-4 mission also marks the first human spaceflight for India, Poland, and Hungary in 40 years, highlighting a major achievement for all three countries.

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