New Delhi: After completing a historic 20-day journey aboard the Axiom-4 mission to the International Space Station, Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla on Friday recounted the surreal experience of readjusting to life back on Earth — including mistaking gravity’s return for a glitch.
“Even the mobile felt heavy in my hand,” Shukla said, laughing during a virtual press conference with fellow Axiom-4 crew members. “I dropped my laptop, thinking it would float right next to me. Thankfully, the floor was carpeted.”
Shukla, who became only the second Indian to travel to space after Rakesh Sharma in 1984, described the mission as a turning point for India’s ambitions beyond the stratosphere. “After 41 years, a Bharatiya returned to space. But this time, it was not a solitary leap; it was the beginning of India’s second orbit. And this time, we are ready — not just to fly, but to lead,” he said.
The Axiom-4 mission launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on June 25 and splashed down safely on July 15, marking a landmark moment for India’s presence in human spaceflight.
For Shukla, who was born in Lucknow, one of the most memorable moments came on June 28, when he spoke with Prime Minister Narendra Modi from space, the national flag floating behind him. “It was a defining moment,” he said, “India re-entered the global conversation — not as a passenger, but as an equal partner.”
Back on Earth, however, the transition has not been entirely seamless. Shukla described how ordinary tasks have taken on new dimensions. “We use our phones every day, but when I picked it up post-landing, it suddenly felt like lifting a small dumbbell,” he joked.
The astronaut also reflected on his broader role in the mission, describing himself not just as a spacefarer but as a “messenger showing what’s possible.” He said the mission surpassed his expectations and has equipped him with critical insights for India’s upcoming human spaceflight project, Gaganyaan.
“I did all the homework that the PM asked me to do on the space station,” Shukla said. “Everything has been documented, and I’m confident it will prove crucial for our own Gaganyaan mission.”
Expected to return to India in mid-August, Shukla emphasized that the purpose of such missions goes beyond science and geopolitics. “It’s about inspiring the next generation,” he said. “And it’s working — children are already asking how to become astronauts.”
The Axiom-4 mission is the latest in a series of international private spaceflight efforts aimed at expanding global access to orbital missions, and Shukla’s participation has further cemented India’s growing stake in that future.
