It has been three days since the first Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla stepped on the International Space Station. On the third day, June 27, the crew of Axiom Mission 4, including Commander Peggy Whitson, Pilot Shubhanshu Shukla, and Mission Specialists Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski and Tibor Kapu, completed their first full day aboard the International Space Station, marking the end of flight day three. They were adjusting to life in microgravity and focusing on integration with the resident Expedition 73 crew. Together, they completed training on handover protocols and emergency procedures to ensure seamless coordination.
Transferred high-priority cargo and more
The crew also transferred high-priority cargo and emergency equipment between the Dragon spacecraft and the space station, which included payloads, essential supplies, and safety gear—everything was carefully logged and stowed for operations.
Additionally, they began preparing for their research studies, initiating setup for several experiments and transferring samples to designated modules. Looking ahead, they planned to continue finalising the setup for research and technology demonstrations the following day.
First Indian on ISS
Astronaut Shukla, who goes by the call sign 'Shux', successfully docked with the Harmony module of the ISS at 6:31 a.m. ET (4:01 p.m. IST) after an impressive 28-hour journey. Their arrival was celebrated around 8:14 a.m. ET (5:44 p.m. IST). This milestone followed their launch from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, which took place at 2:31 a.m. ET (12:01 p.m. IST) on June 25. Shukla skillfully piloted the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, which was propelled into orbit by a Falcon 9 rocket. His journey began at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, marking another significant achievement in space exploration.
ALSO READ:
