Deja vu moment for India, reaffirmation of country's ever-expanding horizon: IAF on Axiom-4 mission

New Delhi: Hailing Axiom-4 mission, the IAF on Wednesday said Group Captain Shubahanshu Shukla has set forth on a landmark space odyssey, carrying the pride of the nation beyond the Earth, and asserted it is reaffirmation of India's ever-expanding horizon.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, too, shared his thoughts on the feat and posted on X, "The Space Mission carrying astronauts from four countries including India is going to be a significant milestone in the history of space exploration."

After the lift-off from the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida at 12.01 pm IST towards the International Space Station, the Indian Air Force's post on X called it a "deja vu moment for India", coming after astronaut Rakesh Sharma's mission in 1984.

"From conquering the skies to touching the stars - a journey powered by the indomitable spirit of the IAF Air Warrior. Group Captain Shubahanshu Shukla sets forth on a landmark Space Mission, carrying the pride of the nation beyond Earth," the IAF posted.

It also shared a profile photo of Lucknow-born Shukla, with a caption "Trained in Blue, Bound for the Stars" along with a tricoloured message, reading, "Wishing You Success in this Glorious Mission".

Shukla scripted history by embarking on the space odyssey along with three others to the ISS as part of a commercial mission by Axiom Space.

He became the first Indian astronaut to travel to the International Space Station, a journey that comes 41 years after Sharma's eight days in orbit as part of the then Soviet Union's Salyut-7 space station in 1984.

"This is a dèjà-vu moment for India, 41 years after the mission of Sqn Ldr Rakesh Sharma, who first carried our Tricolour beyond Earth. Being more than a mission — it is reaffirmation of India's ever-expanding horizon. #IndianAirForce #MissionSpace #IndianAstronaut," the IAF posted.

Singh also wrote on X, "The Indian Astronaut, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla who hails from Lucknow is set to be the first Indian to go to International Space Station. The country is proud of him. Wishing him and his fellow space travellers success in their endeavours." The much-delayed mission blasted off from the Kennedy Space Centre in the US amid cheers from watch parties organised across the world, including at Shukla's City Montessori School in Lucknow where his parents witnessed the historic launch.

Shukla, former NASA astronaut Mission Commander Peggy Whitson, Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski of Poland, and Tibor Kapu of Hungary are part of the Axiom-4 mission that marks the return to space for the three nations.