Florida [US], July 8 (ANI): Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, the first Indian to reach the International Space Station (ISS), shared his reflections from orbit, saying, 'It is a privilege to be amongst the few who have got the chance to see the Earth from a vantage point that I have been able to see now. It has been a wonderful ride.'

His remarks came as Axiom Space highlighted the significance of its Ax-4 mission.

'Hear from the #Ax4 astronauts about the significance of the mission and how we are expanding access to LEO for countries to pursue their space exploration goals, leading to advancements #ForEarth. We are building era-defining space infrastructure that drives exploration and fuels a vibrant space economy for the benefit of every human everywhere,' Axiom Space said in a post on X.

https://x.com/Axiom_Space/status/1942238577825300837

Underscoring global collaboration, Axiom tagged key partners, including the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), the European Space Agency (ESA), Poland's space agency POLSA, and the Polish Ministry of Development and Technology, calling the Ax-4 mission a step forward for humanity.

Earlier, continuing his outreach from space, Group Captain Shukla interacted with students at the UR Rao Satellite Centre (URSC) in Karnataka on July 4 via ham radio, offering a glimpse into life aboard the ISS and emphasising the role of international cooperation in enabling such missions.

Speaking from orbit, the astronaut shared his experience of living and working in space, offering insights into the physical challenges, the awe of observing Earth from above, and the camaraderie with crew members from the US, Poland, and Hungary.

'International collaboration is key for the success of missions like the ISS and space. Even for our mission Axiom 4, agencies like ISRO, NASA, SpaceX, Axiom... everyone is coming together to make this mission happen,' he said, emphasising the power of global partnerships.

He also recounted moments of cultural exchange aboard the ISS, sharing traditional Indian delicacies with fellow astronauts. 'I was able to bring three different types of food... That was aam ras, gajar ka halwa, and moong daal ka halwa. I must tell you everybody here loved it,' he said, adding that the crew appreciated the unique flavours.

Describing the atmosphere onboard, Shukla remarked, 'Working with people from many different countries and nationalities, the entire experience is very, very exciting.' However, he noted the physical toll and difficulty in resting, saying, 'The most difficult task is to go to sleep because of the excitement all around... But you need to take rest.'

Reflecting on his view from space, Shukla said, 'The most exciting part of being in space is looking back at Earth from such an advantageous point. It makes you realise how fortunate you are to be on this planet.'

The astronaut, who is the second Indian to travel to space after Rakesh Sharma, launched on June 25 from NASA's Kennedy Space Center aboard SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket. As Mission Pilot of Axiom Mission 4, he helped pilot the Dragon spacecraft, which docked autonomously with the ISS on June 26 at 4:05 pm (IST).

Shukla and the Ax-4 crew were received by the seven-member Expedition 73 team on the ISS and began their mission with a safety briefing.

The Ax-4 crew comprises former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, ISRO's Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, ESA astronaut Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski of Poland, and Tibor Kapu of Hungary. The crew is expected to stay aboard the ISS for up to 14 days. (ANI)