• Source:JND
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Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, who made history as the first Indian to step aboard the International Space Station (ISS) and the second Indian in space, shared his first reactions after reaching orbit. Speaking in Hindi during a live interaction, he described his initial sensations in microgravity and the warm welcome he received from the ISS crew.

“I have reached safely. Standing here looks easy, but it is slightly difficult. My head is heavy, but we’ll get used to this in a few days. I am very excited to conduct the experiments,” he said.

Shukla emphasised how humbled he felt seeing Earth from such a unique vantage point. “The minute I entered the International Space Station, this crew made me feel so welcome. You literally opened the doors to your house for us. It was fantastic. I am very confident that the next 14 days are going to be amazing, advancing science and research, and working together,” he added.

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Warm Welcome Aboard

Shukla is part of the Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4), which launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Centre in Florida aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on June 25 at 2:31 am IST. The crew includes mission commander and former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, Polish astronaut Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski (ESA), and Hungarian researcher Tibor Kapu. Upon their arrival at the ISS, they were greeted with hugs and smiles from the Expedition-73 crew already stationed onboard.

A Floating Symbol: 'Joy' The Swan

During the journey aboard the Dragon spacecraft, observers spotted a floating toy swan named Joy, which served as the mission's zero-gravity indicator. The swan has a special connection to Shukla; it was chosen to accompany him to space because of his son Kiash’s love for animals.

This toy isn’t just sentimental. Carrying a floating object to indicate the moment of weightlessness is a long-standing space tradition, dating back to Yuri Gagarin’s historic mission in 1961. “We are here, not just the four of us, we also have with us our Zero-G indicator, Joy, that started to float with us just when we were injected into orbit,” said astronaut Uznanski. “Joy is floating all over the capsule; sometimes we have to find him or her here with us.”

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As the 14-day mission unfolds, Shukla's presence aboard the ISS represents a proud milestone for India, with many looking forward to the scientific collaborations and experiments ahead.

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