In Space, Shubhanshu Shukla Became The 634th Astronaut

India’s Shubhanshu Shukla made history as the 634th astronaut to reach space, arriving at the International Space Station on Thursday, June 26, 2025, following a 28-hour journey.

Mr. Shukla and three fellow astronauts received a warm welcome on the space station from the Expedition 73 crew, complete with hugs and handshakes.

Axiom mission commander Peggy Whitson presented astronaut pins to Mr. Shukla, Polish astronaut Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski, and Hungarian Tibor Kapu, celebrating their first journey into space.

“I’m astronaut 634. It’s such an honor to be here”, Mr. Shukla mentioned during his short speech at the welcome ceremony in the space station. “Thanks to your love and support, I’ve made it to the International Space Station. It may seem simple to stand here, but my head feels a bit heavy, and I’m having some trouble. However, these are just small challenges”, he continued.

“We’ll adapt to it. This is just the beginning of this journey”, he mentioned.

Mr. Shukla mentioned that for the next 14 days, he and his fellow astronauts will be doing scientific experiments and connecting with people back on Earth. “This is also a part of India’s space adventure. I’ll keep in touch with you all. Let’s make this journey thrilling. I have the tiranga with me, and I’m bringing all of you along. The next 14 days are going to be amazing”, he stated.

The astronaut shared that the journey to the space station was absolutely amazing, and he felt really touched by the warm welcome from the crew of the orbital lab. “As soon as I stepped into the International Space Station and met everyone, it felt like you opened your doors wide for us, just like welcoming us into your home”, he expressed.

“That’s right. It was incredible. I feel even better now. Any expectations I had about being here were totally exceeded, especially by the view, which is a huge part of it, but also thanks to all of you”,Mr. Shukla mentioned.

“So, a big thank you! This is fantastic, truly wonderful, and I’m really optimistic that the next 14 days will be extraordinary, pushing forward science and research while collaborating together”, he continued.

Back in Shukla’s hometown of Lucknow, his family, friends, teachers, and many students celebrated the successful docking with a huge round of applause.

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