'What a ride', says Shubhanshu Shukla as India returns to human spaceflight

New Delhi: “Kya kamaal ki ride thi (what an amazing ride),” India's astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla remarked as SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft entered the orbit around the earth within 10 minutes of launch from NASA’s spaceport in Florida.

Shukla, who became the second Indian to travel to space, spoke in chaste Hindi to announce India’s return to space after a gap of 41 years, and urged everyone to be a part of his journey.

"The Tiranga (Tricolour) on my shoulders tells me that I am not alone and I am with all of you," the 39-year-old fighter pilot-turned-astronaut said in his first remarks from the earth's orbit.

"Namaskar, my dear countrymen. What a ride! We have returned to space after a gap of 41 years and what an amazing ride it was ('kya kamaal ki ride thi')," he said.

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"We are orbiting the earth at a speed of 7.5 km per second... This is not just the beginning of my journey to the International Space Station, but the beginning of India’s human space programme and it is my desire that all the countrymen become a part of this journey," Shukla said.

"Your chest, too, should swell with pride... Together, let's embark on this journey of India's Human Space Programme. Jai Hind! Jai Bharat," Shukla said.

Shukla scripted history by embarking on a space odyssey along with three others to the International Space Station as part of a commercial mission by Axiom Space on Wednesday, 41 years after astronaut Rakesh Sharma's spaceflight onboard a Russian spacecraft.

The Dragon spacecraft -- named Grace by the astronauts -- is expected to dock at the International Space Station at 4:30 pm IST on Thursday.

The 14-day mission on board the ISS will "realise the return" to human spaceflight for India, Poland and Hungary.