Shubhanshu Shukla, Ax-4 crew back on Earth after 18-day ISS mission
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Indian astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla and his three international crewmates safely returned to Earth on Tuesday after completing an 18-day mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Their SpaceX Dragon capsule, named ‘Grace’, made a successful splashdown in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California at 3.01 PM IST, concluding the privately funded Axiom-4 (Ax-4) mission.
The spacecraft undocked from the ISS at approximately 4.50 PM IST on Monday and took nearly 22.5 hours to reach Earth. Upon landing, recovery boats secured the capsule, and the crew disembarked around 4 PM IST for preliminary medical evaluations. Helicopters were on standby to transport the astronauts for post-mission rehabilitation and health assessments.
Shukla, a pilot with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), made history as the first Indian astronaut to visit the ISS, marking a milestone in India’s ambitions for human spaceflight. His participation also signals a significant step forward in India’s Gaganyaan programme, which aims to launch its first independent crewed mission by 2027.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed Shukla’s return with a message on X, stating, “As India’s first astronaut to have visited the International Space Station, he has inspired a billion dreams through his dedication, courage and pioneering spirit. It marks another milestone towards our own Human Space Flight Mission — Gaganyaan.”
The Ax-4 mission included Commander Peggy Whitson — former NASA astronaut and now with Axiom Space — along with Poland’s Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski and Hungary’s Tibor Kapu. For the non-American crew members, the mission marked a historic return to space for their respective countries after several decades.
During their stay aboard the ISS, the crew conducted over 60 scientific experiments focused on health, agriculture, water management, and the effects of microgravity on the human body — critical data for the future of long-term space habitation and exploration.
Launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center on June 25, Ax-4 was the 18th crewed mission by SpaceX since 2020 and the fourth conducted in collaboration with Axiom Space. Axiom, a nine-year-old private space company, continues to position itself as a key player in commercial spaceflight and is actively developing its own space station to eventually replace the ISS, which is set to retire by 2030.
Shukla’s journey adds a significant chapter to India’s growing space legacy, symbolising the country’s advancing role in international space collaboration and future missions beyond Earth’s orbit.
