| Exact Quote | “Even stars are attainable, Jai Hind!” |
| Date | Initial public mention on June 3, 2025, during crew press briefings; reaffirmed near launch rehearsals |
| Venue | NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral, Florida — Stadium-type briefing center, during Ax‑4 crew media interaction |
| Participants | U.S. and Indian media representatives; NASA and Axiom Space officials; fellow crew members Peggy Whitson (Commander), Sławosz Uznański‑Wiśniewski (ESA), Tibor Kapu (HSO); and technical support staff |
The Moment It Happened
On a crisp June morning, June 10, 2025, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, the cameras flashed as Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla—hero of India’s Air Force—made his way into the Falcon 9 launch pad. Surrounded by NASA engineers and Axiom Space teammates, he paused. Speaking into the mic with quiet pride, he declared:
“Even stars are attainable, Jai Hind!”
It was more than a patriotic salute. It echoed the trajectory of a young pilot from Lucknow named Shubhanshu Shukla—one whose ambition began in the sky and would soon transcend Earth’s bounds.
From Lucknow to the Skies
Born October 10, 1985, in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, Shubhanshu Shukla attended City Montessori School in Aliganj. Inspired by the valor of the Kargil War, he applied for India’s NDA and soared through training at the National Defence Academy and the Indian Air Force Academy .
Commissioned in June 2006, he quickly logged over 2,000 flight hours on platforms like Su-30 MKI, MiG‑21, MiG‑29, Jaguar, Dornier, and Hawk . His leadership and technical acumen propelled him to Group Captain status in March 2024.
From IAF to Astronaut
In 2019, Shukla’s life took a cosmic turn. As part of ISRO’s Vyomanaut Group, he was inducted into the astronaut program under the Indian Human Spaceflight Programme (Gaganyaan) .
Training took him from Russia’s Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center to Bangalore’s facilities, complemented by an M.Tech from IISc Bangalore . The final crew list was unveiled by Prime Minister Modi in February 2024 at ISRO’s Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre .
Axiom-4: NASA and Private Spaceflight
While Gaganyaan aimed to send Indians from Indian soil, Ax‑4 offered a testbed: Shubhanshu Shukla was assigned as pilot for the commercial Axiom Mission 4, bound for the ISS via SpaceX Crew Dragon .
This was more than private spaceflight—it was the intersection of NASA ambition, ISRO know-how, IAF discipline, and Indian technological pride. Shubhanshu carried musings, traditions, and experiments—four nation collaborations strong.
Science and Symbols in Orbit
Designed for 14 days aboard the ISS, Ax‑4 carried around 60 experiments involving 31 nations . Notably from India: microgravity sprouting of moong and fenugreek, muscle regeneration studies, and sustainable life support systems—using NASA’s zero gravity room setups and NASA deep space research protocols .
Shukla also brought symbolic items – Indian sweet halwas and a swan doll as a zero‑gravity indicator . A mission badge designed by Manish Tripathi featured ancient observatories, Indian culture, and the Gaganyaan insignia .
Delays & Determination
The journey wasn’t smooth. Launches postponed from May to June due to safety checks and ISS technical glitches . But Shukla remained unfazed—a reflection of his pilot’s discipline and IAF mindset.
Finally, NASA confirmed June 25, 2025, as the definitive launch date at 2:31 a.m. EDT (12:01 p.m. IST) from Launch Complex 39A .
The Hero Speaks
During quarantine in Florida, Shukhla offered profound thoughts:
“I carry… the hopes and dreams of a billion hearts… this mission is a milestone… Even stars are attainable, Jai Hind!”
A message of unity, aspiration, and Indian scientific pride—woven into a single line of resolve.
A Cinematic Journey
From dusty runways to space capsules, the narrative reads like a novel:
- Act I: The boy from Lucknow, eyes drawn to the sky, training in NDA academies.
- Act II: The fighter pilot, honing precision, earning respect and leadership.
- Act III: The astronaut in training, enduring harsh programs across continents.
- Climax: Boarding a Falcon 9, strapping into Crew Dragon, and proclaiming,
“Even stars are attainable, Jai Hind!”, with Earth retreating below in a serene blue curve. - Finale: Floating among experiments, sharing halwas, connecting with Rakesh Sharma, and representing India on the ISS—firmly within reach of “stars”.
What’s at Stake
- Shubhanshu Shukla’s mission isn’t just personal—it’s India’s return to human spaceflight, joined with NASA and ESA ambitions .
- His flight furthers Gaganyaan, India’s goal to launch astronauts from Indian soil by 2027 .
- It strengthens NASA-ISRO private partnerships, as demonstrated by microgravity research and experiments aboard the ISS.
Keywords in Context
- Shubhanshu Shukla CMS and mission: From CMS school in Aliganj to Axiom Mission 4.
- NASA, nasa 2025, nasa zero gravity room: Aligning with NASA’s ISS research and scheduling.
- IAF: His base career, the foundation of precision and discipline.
- Axiom mission 4 ISS, nasa gaganyaan, ISS mission, space travel: The frameworks of his achievement.
- Astronaut wife: Kamna Shubha Shukla, sharing in his journey.
- nasa deep space images, nasa new mission 2025, nasa youngest scientist: Context of NASA’s expanding missions and youth involvement.
Finale and Legacy
On that launch day, the words “Even stars are attainable” echoed far beyond SpaceX’s engines. They folded into Shubhanshu Shukla’s mission tapestry—of Indian Air Force grit, NASA precision, ISRO vision, and humble ambition rooted in CMS classrooms.
When he spoke Jai Hind, it wasn’t just a salute. It was a promise: India can touch the stars—literally and figuratively.
His journey redefines the cosmic narrative: through discipline, technology, international cooperation, and heartfelt symbolism. A test pilot becomes astronaut. A nation finds its reflection in a blue marble orbiting silently. A boy from Lucknow sees the cosmos and says:
Yes. Even stars are attainable.
Stay tuned for live coverage as Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla makes history—and reminds a billion people to look up, dream big, and believe that nothing is beyond reach.
Source:
- INDIA TODAY – “Shubhanshu Shukla has a message for India ahead of historic space launch”
- NDTV – “”Inspiring Generation Back Home”: Shubhanshu Shukla On What Success Means To Him”
- THE WEEK- “How Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla became the face of India’s return to space”
- The Times of India – “From classroom to cosmos: Shubhanshu Shukla’s wife looks back & ahead”
- India.com – “Indian Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla’s wife opens up about his school days, childhood, says he was a…”