Family of Shubhanshu Shukla celebrates as Axiom-4 Mission lifts off to ISS | Watch

Indian astronaut Shubhanshu 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.

The much-delayed Axiom-4 mission blasted off from the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida at 12:01 pm IST towards the ISS amid cheers from watch parties organised across the world, including at Shukla's City Montessori School in Lucknow,  where his parents witnessed the historic launch.

The Lucknow-born Shukla, former NASA astronaut Mission Commander Peggy Whitson, Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski of Poland, and Tibor Kapu of Hungary are part of the Axiom-4 mission that marks the return to space for the three nations.

Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh, Australian High Commissioner to India Philip Green, Frances Adamson, Governor of South Australia and others share sweets to celebrate the launch of #Axiom4Mission piloted by Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla

(This is a developing story)