Indian Air Force Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, who was one of the private Axiom‑4 space mission astronauts, has landed back on Earth in safety. Following 18 days on the International Space Station (ISS), he splashed down in the Pacific Ocean off San Diego on July 15 at approximately 3 PM IST.
On July 14, the SpaceX Dragon ‘Grace’ capsule with Shukla and three colleagues—Peggy Whitson (USA), Sławosz Uznanski-Wisniewski (Poland), and Tibor Kapu (Hungary)—undocked from the ISS. The astronauts had spent almost three weeks in space conducting research in microgravity. NASA broadcast the undocking live before Axiom Space took over broadcasting.
Mission Highlights and Experiments
During their time aboard, the Ax‑4 crew conducted a diverse spectrum of research:
They studied microalgae growth to measure possible food and oxygen supplies in space.
They also tested human muscle and mental wellbeing in zero gravity.
Other research involved wearable health technology, virtual reality, and even performing water behavior tests in microgravity.
Shukla also took part in interactive sessions with world leaders and Indian students. It was a milestone for India’s Gaganyaan mission, providing actual mission data for ISRO’s upcoming crewed mission.
Return Journey & Re‑Entry
The journey back started with a de-orbit burn over the Pacific for approximately 18 minutes. Almost an hour after, “Grace” dumped its trunk and entered the atmosphere. Two parachute deployments were seen: stabilizing chutes at ~5.7 km and main chutes at ~2 km altitude. The capsule then splashed down off San Diego at around 3:01 PM IST with a faint sonic boom heard on the deck of the ship.
Family & Community Responses
In Lucknow, back home, Shukla’s family was visibly emotional but proud during his return. His family did Rudrabhishek prayers at a neighbourhood Shiva temple on the day of undocking. His mother chanted Sunderkand verses for safe returns.
Friends, neighbors, and fellow students at the City Montessori School watched the live splashdown broadcast. His father said they would be complete only when he was back on native soil.
A Milestone for India, Poland & Hungary
The Axiom‑4 mission was historic. It represented the first privately sponsored ISS flights for India, Poland, and Hungary in more than 40 years. For India, Shukla was the second astronaut to train on a US-led ISS mission, almost four decades after Rakesh Sharma.
Following splashdown, Shukla will be given a seven-day medical examination for safe recovery. He will then debrief with ISRO and Axiom Space to report findings on his mission. These findings will be crucial for India’s future Gaganyaan human spaceflight mission.
