Shubhanshu Shukla to PM Modi from Space: “16 Sunrises, 16 Sunsets – Earth Has No Borders”
New Delhi: In a landmark moment for India’s space journey, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla of the Indian Air Force became the first Indian to enter the International Space Station (ISS) and spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi via live video link on Saturday. Shukla, who made history this week as part of the Axiom-4 mission, described his awe-inspiring experience aboard the orbiting laboratory and emphasized the unity of Earth witnessed from space.
PM Modi Congratulates the Astronaut: “You Are Closest to Indians’ Hearts”
Addressing the astronaut from Earth, PM Modi said:
“You are away from our motherland, but you are the closest to the hearts of Indians… Aapke naam mein bhi shubh hai, aur aapki yatra naye yug ka shubharambh bhi hai.”
Responding warmly, Shukla called his mission “not just a personal journey, but India’s journey”, adding that he is “absorbing the experience like a sponge.”
“Earth Looks One, No Borders From Space”: Shukla’s First Reflections
Pressed by the Prime Minister to share his first thoughts upon seeing Earth from space, Shukla said:
“The Earth looks completely one. No borders, no states, no countries are visible… We all are part of humanity. The Earth is our one home.”
He described seeing 16 sunrises and 16 sunsets a day while orbiting and remarked how India looks “grand and much bigger” than how it appears on maps.
Living in Microgravity: “Even Sleeping is a Challenge”
Shukla shared that despite a year of training, the reality of microgravity is vastly different:
“Everything is different here… even small tasks become big challenges. Sleeping is not easy. We’re still adapting.”
He added that the experience of floating in vacuum and adapting to zero gravity is “like learning to live again — like a baby.”
Journey to the ISS and Warm Welcome
Shukla and three international astronauts docked with the ISS on Thursday at 4:15 PM IST after a 28-hour journey aboard the Dragon spacecraft ‘Grace’, launched by SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. The Axiom-4 crew includes:
- Peggy Whitson (Mission Commander, USA)
- Shubhanshu Shukla (Mission Pilot, India)
- Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski (Engineer, Poland, ESA)
- Tibor Kapu (Mechanical Engineer, Hungary)
Veteran astronaut Whitson led the crew into the ISS, and Shukla was officially welcomed as astronaut number 634.
Upcoming Missions and Scientific Work
During his 14-day stay, Shukla and his crewmates will conduct scientific experiments and interact with people on Earth. He also pledged to carry the Indian tricolour and the dreams of all Indians with him on this historic voyage.
“This is also a phase of India’s space journey. I will keep talking to you. Let us make this journey exciting,” he said.
Shubhanshu Shukla is India’s second astronaut in space, following Rakesh Sharma’s mission in 1984. His journey signals the dawn of India’s new era in human spaceflight, paving the way for future missions under the Indian Human Spaceflight Programme (Gaganyaan).
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