It is an honor to view Earth from a different perspective, according to Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, who is presently on board the ISS as a member of Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4).
Reflecting on his experience in orbit, the Indian astronaut said, “It is a privilege to be amongst the few who have got the chance to see the Earth from a vantage point that I have been able to see now. It has been a wonderful ride.”
Shukla's comments coincided with a video posted on Axiom Space's X account that highlighted the mission's importance and how it was enabling nations to reach their space exploration objectives by increasing access to low Earth orbit (LEO), which would benefit Earth.
“Hear from the #Ax4 astronauts about the significance of the mission and how we are expanding access to LEO for countries to pursue their space exploration goals, leading to advancements #ForEarth. We are building era-defining space infrastructure that drives exploration and fuels a vibrant space economy for the benefit of every human everywhere,” Axiom Space said in a post on X.
Around 3:47 p.m. on Friday, July 4, Shukla was live on ham radio for fewer than 10 minutes as the ISS was approaching the horizon.
He also discussed the importance of international cooperation for the accomplishment of such missions.
Before returning to Earth, Shukla will have his second and last ham radio communication with the Human Spaceflight Center at the North Eastern Space Applications Centre (NESAC) in Meghalaya at 2:08 PM on July 8.
The crew is expected to return to Earth on July 10 after taking off from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, on June 25. They include Pilot Shukla, Commander Peggy Whitson, and Mission Specialists Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski and Tibor Kamu.