Shubanshu Shukla's ISS Experience 'Extremely Valuable' for Gaganyaan: ISRO
- IAF Group Captain Shubanshu Shukla became the first Indian to visit the International Space Station (ISS).
- ISRO stated that his ISS experience will be extremely valuable for India’s upcoming Gaganyaan human spaceflight mission.
- Shukla returned safely after 18 days in space, completing over 310 Earth orbits and traveling 1.3 crore kilometers.
In a historic moment for Indian space exploration, Indian Air Force Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla returned safely to Earth on Tuesday after completing an 18-day mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS) as part of Axiom Space’s Mission-4 (Ax-4). His journey marks a significant leap in India’s space ambitions, as he becomes the first Indian to visit the ISS and only the second Indian astronaut to travel to space after Rakesh Sharma in 1984.
The mission, which began on June 26, concluded with the safe splashdown of SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft 'Grace' in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California at 3:01 p.m. IST (4:31 a.m. CT). Shukla was part of a four-member crew that included renowned US astronaut Peggy Whitson, Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski from Poland, and Tibor Kapu from Hungary.
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) hailed the mission as a milestone for India's human spaceflight program. “The experience gained by Shubanshu Shukla during his time on the ISS will be extremely valuable for the Gaganyaan programme planned over the next two years”, said Nilesh M. Desai, Director of ISRO’s Space Applications Centre.
Union Minister of State for Science and Technology Dr. Jitendra Singh also lauded the successful mission, noting that it has firmly positioned India in the global space domain. “This is truly a historic moment. With this success, India has established a permanent place in the domain of space”, he said in a statement to IANS.
Group Captain Shukla and the crew boarded the Dragon spacecraft 'Grace' at 3:30 a.m. CT (2 p.m. IST) on Monday before making their journey back to Earth. During his stay aboard the ISS, Shukla completed over 310 orbits around Earth, covering an astonishing 1.3 crore kilometers equivalent to nearly 33 round trips between the Earth and the Moon. He also witnessed more than 300 sunrises and sunsets from the orbital laboratory.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh took to social media to express his pride. “Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla’s successful return from the historic Axiom-4 mission is a proud moment for every Indian. He has not just touched space, he has lifted India’s aspirations to new heights”, Singh posted on X (formerly Twitter).
Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri also congratulated Shukla, saying his mission has 'opened new horizons and endless opportunities for India’s rapidly growing space sector'.
Meanwhile, Shukla’s family expressed overwhelming pride at his achievement. “This is a matter of great pride for me and my family that my son traveled to space”, said his father Shambhu Dayal Shukla. “We are especially grateful to the Hon'ble Prime Minister, under whose efforts this became possible”.
Following the return, the astronauts, including Shukla, will undergo a week-long rehabilitation programme to readjust to Earth’s gravity under the supervision of flight surgeons.
As India eyes ambitious future missions including Gaganyaan, Shukla’s mission is expected to play a pivotal role in shaping the country's path in human space exploration.
