New Delhi [India], June 25 (ANI): Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge welcomed the launch of the Axiom-4 private spaceflight to the International Space Station on Wednesday. Sharing the Indian Air Force's motto- 'Touch the Sky with Glory', Kharge said that the entire nation is proud of Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla.

Kharge posted on X, 'Touch the Sky with Glory' We welcome the successful launch of the space mission carrying astronauts from India, Hungary, Poland, and the US. After Squadron Leader, Rakesh Sharma in 1984, our astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, is now en route to becoming the second Indian to travel to space, after 41 years. We pray for his successful mission. The entire nation is proud of this achievement.'

Group Captain Shukla who is the pilot of the Axopm 4 or Ax-4 mission along with other four crew members Commander Peggy Whitson of the US, Mission Specialist Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski of Poland, and Mission Specialist Tibor Kapu of Hungary embarked on a 28-hour journey to the ISS on a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft after launching on the Falcon 9 rocket from Kennedy Space Centre in Florida, US.

The Axiom 4 Mission was launched aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Centre in Florida at 2:31 am Eastern Time (12 Noon IST).

Indian Air Force Officer Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma had flown aboard Soyuz T-11 on 3 April 1984 as part of the Soviet Interkosmos programme. Sharma spent seven days in space on board the Salyut 7 space station.

This is the fourth private astronaut mission to the International Space Station. The crew is travelling to the orbiting laboratory on a new SpaceX Dragon spacecraft. The targeted docking time is approximately 7 am Eastern Time (4 pm IST) on Thursday, June 26.

Once docked, the astronauts plan to spend up to 14 days aboard the orbiting laboratory, conducting a mission comprised of science, outreach, and commercial activities. (ANI)