Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla and his three crew-mates from the Axiom-4 mission have officially begun their return journey to Earth after spending 18 days aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Their spacecraft, Dragon Grace, successfully undocked from the orbital laboratory, marking the start of a 22-hour journey back home.
The splashdown is scheduled to take place off the coast of California at approximately 3:00 pm IST on Tuesday. Before re-entering the Dragon spacecraft, the crew—which included Commander Peggy Whitson, Mission Pilot Shubhanshu "Shux" Shukla, and Mission Specialists Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski and Tibor Kapu—were observed getting dressed. After a series of last-minute system checks by the astronauts prior to departure, the hatch was formally sealed at 2:37 pm IST.
The Dragon space capsule was launched from Florida to the ISS on June 25 by a Falcon 9 rocket, marking the start of the mission. As India, Poland, and Hungary returned to space after more than 40 years, this flight was a historic occasion. After Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma became the first Indian in space in 1984 while aboard the Soviet Salyut-7 station, it was a significant moment for India.
As part of the mission's farewell, NASA's Expedition Crew hosted a traditional send-off ceremony on the ISS.Speaking during the event, Shukla reflected on the spirit of international collaboration, saying, “One thing that sticks with me is what humanity is capable of when all of us come together from different parts of the world and work for a common goal or a common objective.It is truly incredible.”
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Axiom Space Inc., NASA, and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) have partnered to develop the Axiom-4 mission, also known as Akash Ganga.It opens the door for future initiatives like the Gaganyaan mission and the planned Bhartiya Antariksha Station and represents a significant advancement for India's aspirations in human space exploration.
Shukla carried out seven microgravity experiments unique to India while he was on board the ISS with the goal of expanding India's scientific presence in space. The foundation for India's future in space science and technology will be laid by these experiments, which are anticipated to provide insightful information for long-duration space habitation and planetary exploration.
Also Read: India looks ‘fearless’ from space, says Shukla on ISS farewell
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