India, June 8 -- India is poised to make a historic return to space as Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, an Indian Air Force pilot and astronaut, will take off as a part of Axiom Space's Ax-4 mission. He, along with three other astronauts, will leave from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida (USA) on June 10 (IST 5.52pm) to the International Space Station (ISS) that they will dock in 28 hours (on June 11).

Back in the 39-year-old's hometown, Lucknow (UP), his family is praying for a successful mission, as it will make him the second Indian astronaut to pilot a spaceflight since Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma's 1984 mission.

"He has been quarantined for a fortnight now, but once a day, he joins us for a group call, as his wife, Dr Kamna Shub...