As Indian Air Force Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla nears the end of his groundbreaking mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS), his family eagerly awaits his safe return to Earth on July 15. His father, Shambhu Dayal Shukla, shared his excitement with reporters ahead of the homecoming. “We are all very excited! His return will begin tomorrow on 14th July, and we are eagerly waiting for him to arrive on Earth on the 15th,” said Shambhu Dayal Shukla. He also expressed gratitude to Akhilesh Yadav and Dimple Yadav, leaders of the Samajwadi Party, for sending their best wishes to his son.
Shubhanshu Shukla has become the first Indian astronaut in over 40 years to travel to space, following in the footsteps of Rakesh Sharma, who made history in 1984. As part of the Axiom-4 mission, Shukla launched from Kennedy Space Center in Florida on June 25, and reached the ISS the next day after a 28-hour journey aboard SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft.
NASA announced that the Axiom-4 crew, which includes Shukla, will undock from the ISS on July 14 at 4:35 pm IST (7:05 am ET). After several orbital maneuvers, the spacecraft is set to splash down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California on July 15 at 3 pm IST.
Shukla’s team, which includes former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, Polish astronaut Slawosz Uznanski, and Hungarian astronaut Tibor Kapu, completed a 14-day mission aboard the ISS. Their work focused on gathering vital research data, including:
Human Perception in Space: One experiment studied how astronauts adapt to their environment in orbit, helping scientists design mentally supportive living spaces for future long-term missions.
Cardiovascular Function: Another study observed how microgravity and high carbon dioxide levels influence blood flow to the brain and overall heart function.
Microalgae Experiment: Shukla also contributed to research on microalgae, examining its potential as a sustainable source of food, oxygen, and biofuels for long-duration deep-space missions.
After returning to Earth, Shukla will undergo a seven-day rehabilitation program to help his body readjust to gravity following his stay in microgravity aboard the ISS.
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) paid around ₹550 crore to send Shukla to space, in a move that marks a crucial milestone for India’s human spaceflight ambitions. Insights from this mission are expected to benefit ISRO’s upcoming Gaganyaan project, which aims to launch Indian astronauts into orbit by 2027.
