‘Jai Hind, Jai Bharat’: Shubhanshu Shukla’s first message to India from ISS; says ‘not easy to stand right here’ | India News

NEW DELHI: Hours after getting into the International Space Station (ISS), Axiom-4 crew member Shubhanshu Shukla on Thursday mentioned his arrival on the area station marks India’s first step in its personal area journey.In his first message from ISS, delivered in Hindi, Shukla mentioned he’s excited to participate within the science experiments deliberate for the following 14 days.“A small message for my fellow countrymen. With your love and blessings, I have safely reached the International Space Station. It may look easy to stand here, but it’s not that easy. My head feels heavy and there’s a little discomfort, but these are very small things, and in a few days we’ll get used to them,” Shukla mentioned.“For the next 14 days, we will stay here, conduct many scientific experiments, and stay in touch with you. This phase also marks the first step in our own space journey. I spoke to you a little while ago from the Dragon spacecraft, and I will keep speaking from here as well. Let’s make this journey exciting and participate with great enthusiasm. I’m carrying the Indian Tricolour on my shoulder, and I believe the next 14 days will be thrilling. Jai Hind, Jai Bharat,” he added.Shukla additionally thanked the ISS crew for his or her heat welcome, saying all his expectations had been surpassed.“It has been a wonderful ride – I was looking forward to coming to space. The minute I entered the ISS and met this crew, you made me feel so welcome, as if you literally opened your house doors for us. Whatever expectations I had have been surpassed – by the view, of course, but also by you. Thank you so much,” he mentioned.“I’m very confident the next 14 days will be amazing as we advance science and research together,” he added.The newly launched spacecraft, the fifth in SpaceX’s Dragon collection and named Grace, accomplished docking with the ISS whereas orbiting above the North Atlantic Ocean.“At 6:31 am EDT (4:01 pm IST) on Thursday, the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft docked to the International Space Station for the fourth private astronaut mission to the orbiting laboratory, Axiom Mission 4,” NASA mentioned in an announcement.After the preliminary soft-docking, a safe connection often known as hard-mating was achieved when 12 units of hooks locked the spacecraft and station collectively, enabling communication and energy hyperlinks. Hatch-opening procedures took about two hours earlier than the astronauts may enter the ISS.Shubhanshu Shukla is now the second Indian to journey to area, after Rakesh Sharma’s 1984 mission. Joining him on Axiom-4 are Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski, Poland’s second astronaut since 1978, and Tibor Kapu, Hungary’s second area traveller in 45 years. The crew launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center on Wednesday en route to the ISS.