As India returned to human spaceflight after more than four decades, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, pilot of the Axiom Mission 4, revealed that his launch day playlist included the soulful and inspiring ‘Yuh Hi Chala Chal’ from the 2004 Bollywood film Swades, starring Shah Rukh Khan.
The motivational track, composed by Oscar-winner AR Rahman, with lyrics by Javed Akhtar and vocals by Udit Narayan, Kailash Kher, and Hariharan, holds special significance for Shukla, who said it resonates with his journey and mission. The song famously accompanies Shah Rukh Khan’s character—a NASA scientist rediscovering his roots—as he travels through the Indian countryside.
The playlist, shared by Axiom Space on social media, also included selections from other astronauts. Commander Peggy Whitson, a veteran NASA astronaut, chose Thunder by Imagine Dragons as her go-to anthem for liftoff.
Axiom-4, the fourth private astronaut mission to the International Space Station (ISS), launched aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Centre in Florida at 2:31 am EDT (12 Noon IST) on Wednesday.
Shukla is joined on the mission by Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski of Poland, Tibor Kapu of Hungary, and mission commander Peggy Whitson. Once docked, the crew will spend up to 14 days aboard the ISS conducting science, outreach, and commercial experiments, including around 60 research studies representing 31 countries.
The mission is historic for India, Poland, and Hungary, marking a return to human spaceflight for all three nations after more than 40 years. It also highlights international cooperation, with contributions from NASA, ISRO, ESA, and others pushing the boundaries of microgravity research in low-Earth orbit.
As Shukla carries India’s hopes back to space, his choice of Swades serves as a poignant reminder of home, purpose, and perseverance.