"Learning like a baby ....Learning how to walk, learning how to control yourself ....It was an amazing ride ....Since yesterday I am told I have been sleeping a lot" -- Shubhanshu Shukla describes his space debut

"Seeing the Indian tricolour reminded me that all of you are with me on this journey"  

Like baby learning to walk: Shubhanshu Shukla describes his space debut in live call

Shukla shared the view from the spacecraft, currently 418 km above the Earth, and called it "beautiful."

In his first call from space, Shubhanshu Shukla said that this mission was 'a strong step forward for India's human space program and for the upcoming Gaganyaan mission.'   

"It was an amazing ride ....Since yesterday I am told I have been sleeping a lot"

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In his first call from space, Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla reflected on Wednesday’s launch, calling the experience “indescribable.” Greeting with a “namaskar” from space, Shukla said he is getting used to zero gravity.

"I’m still getting used to zero gravity — like a baby learning how to walk, figuring out how to move and control myself. But I’m really enjoying every moment," he said.

Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla (nicknamed Shux) is an Indian Air Force test pilot and ISRO astronaut. He is the first of four astronauts who has flown to space as part of the Indian Human Spaceflight Programme and is currently on-board Axiom Mission 4.

“But I’m really enjoying every moment,” he said, breaking into laughter as he revealed that he has been “sleeping a lot.”  

In the live call, Shukla also said that this mission was "a strong step forward for India’s human space program and for the upcoming Gaganyaan mission."

"Seeing the Indian tricolour reminded me that all of you are with me on this journey. 

This is a strong step forward for India’s human space program and for the upcoming Gaganyaan mission. 

"I want each one of you to feel like a part of this mission. It’s not just about technical ambition — it’s about the spirit and purpose behind the entire journey. Over the next 14 days, I aim to complete key tasks and capture my experiences, so I can share them with you all," Shukla added.  

Shukla was on Wednesday headed to the International Space Station (ISS) on a historic odyssey marking India's return to human spaceflight after a gap of 41 years following a successful launch of the Axiom Space mission in the US with a four-member multi-country crew.

After multiple delays, Elon Musk's SpaceX launch vehicle with Crew Dragon spacecraft atop a Falcon-9 rocket blasted off from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 12:01 pm (IST) carrying mission pilot Shukla, a Group Captain in the Indian Air Force(IAF), former NASA astronaut Commander Peggy Whitson and mission specialists Tibor Kapu of Hungary and Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski of Poland.