Pilot Shukla is sharing the capsule with four other astronauts as part of a mission by Axiom Space will contribute to microgravity research in areas including human physiology, nutrition, and seed germination in space.

Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla is set to become the first Indian in the International Space Station after taking off on the Axiom-4 mission on Wednesday. Before he left planet Earth, Shukla thanked his family and friends for having supported and making sacrifices for him in the journey.

India celebrated its return to human spaceflight as Shubhanshu Shukla became the first Indian astronaut to reach the ISS, 41 years after Rakesh Sharma. The Axiom-4 mission, launched from Florida, aims to inspire innovation and rekindle national pride in space exploration.