Shubhanshu Shukla's Space Odyssey Ends with Safe Splashdown

By siliconindia  |  Tuesday, 15 July 2025, 09:18:13 AM IST

Shubhanshu Shukla's Space Odyssey Ends with Safe Splashdown
  • Shubhanshu Shukla becomes the first Indian to reach the ISS under Axiom Space’s Ax-4 mission.
  • Splashdown in the Pacific marks the end of his 18-day mission aboard the ISS.
  • Joined by astronauts from the USA, Poland, and Hungary for scientific research in space.
Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, the first Indian to reach the International Space Station (ISS), is set to return to Earth, marking the completion of a landmark mission under Axiom Space’s Ax-4 program. Shukla spent 18 remarkable days aboard the orbiting laboratory, contributing to scientific research and international collaboration.
Shukla, along with fellow astronauts Peggy Whitson (USA), Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski (Poland), and Tibor Kapu (Hungary), boarded SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft Grace at 2:00 p.m. IST on Monday. The spacecraft undocked from the ISS’s Harmony module at 4:45 p.m. IST, with NASA confirming hatch closure at 5:07 a.m. EDT. Shortly after, SpaceX announced 'Dragon separation confirmed' via its official X account.
The crew is expected to splash down in the Pacific Ocean, off the coast of California, at approximately 3:01 p.m. IST (4:31 a.m. CT) on Tuesday, concluding a nearly 23-hour return journey. Recovery teams will retrieve the astronauts, after which Shukla will begin a 7-day rehabilitation protocol to readjust to Earth’s gravity.
Originally scheduled for 14 days, Shukla’s mission was extended to 18 days to accommodate additional research. His journey makes him only the second Indian to travel to space, following Rakesh Sharma’s iconic 1984 mission.
In a heartfelt farewell from orbit, Shukla expressed gratitude to ISRO, NASA, Axiom Space, and SpaceX, calling the mission 'an incredible journey'. Reflecting on his homeland from space, he added, 'India still looks better than the whole world'.
Shukla’s return marks a proud moment for India, underscoring the nation's growing role in international space exploration.

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