India is brimming with pride after Shubhanshu Shukla became the first astronaut from the country to blast off to the International Space Station (ISS) Wednesday, in a boost to the South Asian giant’s bid to become a space power.

Pilot Shukla is sharing the capsule with four other astronauts as part of a mission by Axiom Space will contribute to microgravity research in areas including human physiology, nutrition, and seed germination in space.

Shukla and three other astronauts were formally welcomed on the space station by the members of Expedition 73 with warm hugs and handshakes.