Bringing laurels to India, say Shubhanshu Shukla’s proud parents

Joy pride and excitement swept through Lucknow Uttar Pradesh as Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla prepares to make history with the Axiom4 mission launching from NASAs Kennedy Space Centre in Florida on WednesdayHailing from Lucknow the Indian Air Force Group Captain is headed to the International Space Station ISS as part of the Axiom4 crew reported news agency ANIHis father Shambhu Dayal expressed that his sonrsquos achievement is a source of pride not only for their city but for the entire nationHis mission is set to launch around noon IST We are very eager to see his mission launch We are delighted Our blessings are with him and we also pray to God for his mission to be completed well He is fully prepared It feels great to see all the posters that have been put up for him He is bringing laurels to Lucknow the state and our country We are proud of him Shambhu Sayal said reported news agency ANIWATCH Group Captain Shubhanshu Shuklas mother Asha Shukla says It is a moment of pride for us and everyone else Posters are being put up everywhere Everyone is delighted that a man from this country this Triveni Nagar is going to soar so highWe are sending all ourhellip httpstcoS7TZmuadww pictwittercomeqVXTDPthvmdash ANI ANI June 25 2025Asha Shukla Shubhanshus mother praised her daughterinlaw for her unwavering support ahead of the mission emphasising that this achievement wouldnt have been possible without herIt is a moment of pride for us and everyone else Posters are being put up everywhere Everyone is delighted that a man from this country this Triveni Nagar is going to soar so high We are sending all our wishes and blessings to him He has all the support of our daughterinlaw This could not have been possible without her She has played the biggest role here she added reported ANIThe Axiom4 mission is targeting a launch window of 231 am EDT or 12 noon IST on Wednesday from Launch Complex 39A at NASAs Kennedy Space Centre in Florida in the USThe crew piloted by Indias Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla will travel to the orbiting laboratory on a new SpaceX Dragon spacecraft after launching on the companys Falcon 9 rocket The targeted docking time is approximately 7 am EDT on Thursday or 4 pm ISTThe fourmember crew which has been in quarantine in Florida will be commanded by Peggy Whitson a former NASA astronaut and now Axiom Spaces Director of Human Spaceflight The mission specialists are ESA project astronaut Slawosz UznanskiWisniewski from Poland and Tibor Kapu from Hungary according to news agency ANIThe Ax4 mission will realise the return to human spaceflight for India Poland and Hungary with each nations first governmentsponsored flight in more than 40 years While Ax4 marks these countries second human spaceflight mission in history it will be the first time all three nations will execute a mission on board the International Space StationFor Group Captain Shukla this will be an opportunity to emulate fellow Indian Air Force Officer Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma who flew aboard Soyuz T11 on 3 April 1984 as part of the Soviet Interkosmos programme Sharma spent seven days in space on board the Salyut 7 space station reported ANIThe Ax4 mission is also conducting major research The research complement includes around 60 scientific studies and activities representing 31 countries including the US India Poland Hungary Saudi Arabia Brazil Nigeria the UAE and nations across EuropeFor ISRO and Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla this mission lays the groundwork for Indias space roadmap to land an Indian on the Moon by 2040With inputs from ANI