Axiom 4 Space Mission: As the Axiom-4 mission lifted off to the International Space Station, Indian Air Force Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla made history as the first Indian astronaut to visit the ISS. The mission, which includes three other astronauts, launched at 12.01 PM IST on Wednesday from Launch Complex 39A at Nasa’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Story continues below this ad

Before leaving for his space mission, Shukla expressed his gratitude, especially towards those who made the mission possible, and to his wife, Kamna, on Instagram. “As we plan to leave the planet early morning of 25 Jun, I wish to thank everyone who has been involved in this mission for their support and also to all the people back home for their blessings and love,” he wrote.