Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, along with his Axiom-4 (Ax-4) crewmates, has begun his return journey to Earth after spending 18 days aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The crew undocked from the ISS aboard SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft on Monday at around 4:50 pm IST, with landing scheduled for Tuesday, July 15, around 3 pm IST, off the coast of California.
Who Are the Ax-4 Crew Members?
The Ax-4 mission crew includes:
- 🇮🇳 Shubhanshu Shukla (India, ISRO) – Pilot
- 🇵🇱 Slawosz Uznański-Wiśniewski (Poland, ESA)
- 🇭🇺 Tibor Kapu (Hungary, HUNOR)
- 🇺🇸 Peggy Whitson (USA, former NASA astronaut, now with Axiom Space)
Mission Highlights
Launched on June 25 from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, the Ax-4 mission marked several milestones:
- Shukla became only the second Indian to fly into space, after Rakesh Sharma (1984).
- The mission focused on critical research, including:
- Muscle and bone loss in microgravity (Shukla’s key experiment)
- Cancer research, blood circulation, and mental health
- Growing microgreens and microalgae for future space nutrition
The Dragon spacecraft is also bringing back 250 kg of scientific equipment and experiment samples, according to NASA.
Collaboration with ISRO
NASA acknowledged that Shukla’s participation came through a collaborative commitment between ISRO and NASA, first discussed during meetings between PM Narendra Modi and then-US President Donald Trump. The mission underscores growing Indo-US cooperation in space science.
Updates from Space and Family’s Reaction
On June 28, Shukla spoke directly with Prime Minister Narendra Modi from the ISS. Back home in Lucknow, his family described the emotional experience of watching him live from space.
“He showed us how astronauts float, sleep while standing with belts, and shared stunning views of Earth, sunrises, and the moon,” said his father, Shambhu Dayal Shukla.
“On the first Monday of Sawan, I prayed to Lord Shiva for his safe return,” added his mother, Asha Devi.
What’s Next
The 22.5-hour return journey is expected to end with a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean near California. While undocking saw minor delays, NASA confirmed the process went smoothly overall.
The success of the Ax-4 mission boosts India’s presence in international space missions and provides valuable data for long-duration spaceflight and human health in microgravity.