In a historic moment for India鈥檚 space journey, astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla greeted the nation from aboard the Dragon spacecraft during the Axiom-4 mission to the International Space Station (ISS), marking a significant milestone in India鈥檚 human spaceflight ambitions.After multiple delays, SpaceX鈥檚 Falcon 9 rocket successfully lifted off on Wednesday from NASA鈥檚 Kennedy Space Center in Florida, carrying Shukla and three other astronauts to the ISS. The launch occurred at 12:01 pm IST, with the mission expected to dock at the station after a 28-hour journey.鈥淣amaskar from space!鈥 Shukla said in a live webcast, flashing a smile and a floating wave as he addressed viewers watching back on Earth.Shukla, whose crew includes former NASA astronaut and mission commander Peggy Whitson, Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski of Poland, and Tibor Kapu of Hungary, shared his excitement and the challenges of adapting to life in space.鈥淚鈥檓 learning like a baby… how to walk, how to eat in space,鈥 he said, describing the disorienting but thrilling experience of microgravity.Watch live as the Ax-4 astronauts check in from orbit https://t.co/nn1GXw6JdQ鈥 SpaceX (@SpaceX) June 26, 2025Shukla, the first Indian to travel to the International Space Station, underscored the broader significance of his journey.鈥淭his is a small step, but a steady and solid step towards India鈥檚 human space programme,鈥 he said.His journey comes nearly 41 years after Rakesh Sharma鈥檚 landmark 1984 mission aboard the Soviet Union鈥檚 Salyut-7 space station, which marked India鈥檚 first human spaceflight.As he prepares to dock with the ISS, Shukla shared his anticipation: 鈥淚鈥檓 looking forward to spending time on the International Space Station and sharing my experiences with you.鈥漈he Axiom-4 mission carries around 60 scientific studies representing 31 countries, underscoring its global collaborative nature. It highlights international cooperation and advances microgravity research in low-Earth orbit.