"We are proud, praying for his safe return": Parents of Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla ahead of Axiom Mission 4

Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], June 9 (ANI): Brimming with pride and emotion, the family and neighbours of Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla are praying for his safe and successful mission as he gears up to travel to the International Space Station (ISS) as part of Axiom Space's fourth private astronaut mission (Ax-4), marking a historic moment for India's space collaboration with NASA.
The mission is scheduled to lift off at 8:22 am IST on June 10 from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida aboard SpaceX's Falcon-9 rocket.
Speaking to ANI, Group Captain Shukla's mother, Asha Shukla, shared her emotions ahead of the historic journey.

"We pray to god that his mission is successful and he makes India proud. We are already proud of him... We pray for his healthy journey and a safe return... Everyone says they are proud of him. It makes us very happy... I wished him luck and said we would be waiting for him," she said.

His father, Shambhu Dayal Shukla, also shared the same sentiments and told ANI, "We are very proud of him, not just the family, but the whole country. The country's space mission is being sent after 40 years. It feels good that people are talking about my son, and his posters are being put up everywhere. Only 24 hours are left for his mission. We are constantly praying to God for his well-being and the success of his mission."
"He is ready to face all that comes his way. He has been preparing for the mission for a long time... We are not scared at all. He always performs all his tasks to perfection... He was honoured by PM Narendra Modi in Thiruvananthapuram, we were also there and it was a proud moment for us," he told ANI.
The family home in Triveni Nagar, Lucknow, is decorated with congratulatory posters, and the entire neighbourhood is excited. Locals say they have been eagerly waiting for this day and are planning a grand welcome on his return. "Shubhanshu is a role model for all of us. Because of him, the name of our locality is being recognised across the country," said a resident.
In a post on its official X handle, SpaceX wrote that the Ax-4 crew and SpaceX teams had successfully completed a full rehearsal of launch day activities ahead of their scheduled liftoff on Tuesday, June 10.
"The Ax-4 crew and SpaceX teams completed a full rehearsal of launch day activities ahead of liftoff on Tuesday," SpaceX stated.
Representing India is Ax-4 mission pilot Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, announced by Axiom Space on their X handle, alongside acknowledgement from ISRO.
The International Space Station also acknowledged the upcoming mission on their official X handle.
According to Axiom Space, the Ax-4 mission will "realise the return" to human spaceflight for India, Poland, and Hungary, marking each nation's first government-sponsored flight in more than 40 years. While this is the second human spaceflight mission in history for these countries, it will be the first time all three will execute a mission aboard the International Space Station. This historic mission highlights how Axiom Space is redefining access to low-Earth orbit and elevating national space programs globally.
The Ax-4 crew includes members from India, Poland, and Hungary, marking each nation's first mission to the space station in history and the second government-sponsored human spaceflight mission in over 40 years, according to Axiom Space. (ANI)