“These Are Tears of Joy”: Shubhanshu Shukla’s Mother Cries as Son Soars Into Space, Watch Video

Lucknow: As Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla soared into space aboard the Axiom-4 mission, his family in Lucknow watched the moment with pride, joy, and emotion. The rocket, launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Centre in Florida at 12:01 am IST on Wednesday, June 25, marked a historic milestone for the Indian Air Force officer — and an unforgettable occasion for his loved ones back home.

A video now circulating on social media captures the emotional moment his mother, Asha Shukla, watched the launch live. Seen clapping and tearing up with joy, she later told news agency reporters, “We cannot describe this in words… We are not scared for Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla at all… We are delighted, we are very proud.”

Shukla’s alma mater in Lucknow turned the launch into a community celebration. Teachers, students, and his parents gathered around a large LED screen to watch the live telecast. The school organised a ceremonial welcome for his family with festive decorations and a marching band, turning the moment into a heartfelt tribute to one of their own.

The Axiom-4 mission, which had initially been scheduled for May 29, faced multiple delays due to technical issues — including a liquid oxygen leak in the Falcon 9 rocket booster and safety checks on the Russian Zvezda module aboard the International Space Station (ISS). After multiple reschedulings on June 8, 10, 11, 19, and 22, the launch finally took place on June 25.

In a statement, NASA said: “NASA, Axiom Space, and SpaceX are targeting 2:31 am EDT (12:01 IST), Wednesday, June 25, for launch of the fourth private astronaut mission to the International Space Station, Axiom Mission 4.”

The mission is led by veteran astronaut Peggy Whitson, with Shubhanshu Shukla as mission pilot, accompanied by Tibor Kapu of Hungary and Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski of Poland.