NEW DELHI: Minutes after lifting off on the Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) to the International Space Station (ISS), Indian Air Force Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla delivered an emotional message from space. The historic launch marks India’s return to human spaceflight after more than four decades.“Hello my fellow countrymen,” Shukla said in Hindi. “What a ride. After 41 years, we have returned to space. And it has been a wonderful journey,” Shukla said in his message aboard the Dragon Space capsule.“Right now, we are orbiting the Earth at a speed of 7.5 km per second. And on my shoulder, I carry our tricolour flag, which shows that I am with all of you.”Describing the moment as more than personal achievement, Shukla said, “This is not just the beginning of my journey to the International Space Station. This is the beginning of India’s human space programme, and I want all of you, my fellow countrymen, to be part of this journey.”The Ax-4 mission lifted off aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft from NASA’s Kennedy Space Centre in Florida at 12 noon IST on Wednesday. Shukla is serving as pilot on the multinational crew, led by former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson. The team is expected to dock with the ISS on Thursday and remain for up to 14 days.The mission will carry out over 60 scientific studies from 31 countries. India’s research, done in partnership with NASA and ESA, includes studies on muscle regeneration, microalgae growth, and the effects of microgravity on the human body.