The Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) crew, including Indian astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, is preparing to return to Earth aboard the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft. The mission is set to undock from the International Space Station (ISS) on Monday, July 14, 2025, with an expected splashdown off the coast of California on Tuesday, July 15, 2025.
Mission Details and Timelines Mission managers have given the "go" for the Ax-4 crew to board the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft and undock from the ISS's space-facing port on the Harmony module at 7:05 a.m. EDT on July 14. Live coverage of the hatch closure and departure will begin at 3:30 a.m. CT on axiom.space/live, NASA+, and SpaceX's website. Undocking from the ISS is scheduled for no earlier than 6:05 a.m. CT.
The journey back to Earth is estimated to take 22.5 hours, with splashdown expected off the coast of California at approximately 4:31 a.m. CT on July 15. Union Minister Jitendra Singh announced that the undocking is scheduled for 4:30 pm IST on July 14, with splashdown at 3:00 pm IST on July 15, with a margin of error of approximately one hour.
The Ax-4 crew consists of Commander Peggy Whitson, Pilot Shubhanshu Shukla, and Mission Specialists Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski and Tibor Kapu. This mission marks the completion of a two-and-a-half-week research mission aboard the orbiting lab.
Shukla's Contributions and Experiments During his time on the ISS, Shubhanshu Shukla conducted several microgravity research experiments proposed by Indian R&D laboratories and academic institutions. One key experiment involved studying space microalgae to understand their potential to produce food, oxygen, and biofuels, which could support long-duration space missions. He also conducted experiments on sprouts and microalgae to study the effects of microgravity. Additionally, Shukla performed centrifugation of cyanobacteria, comparing two strains to understand how microgravity affects their growth, cellular behavior, and biochemical activity.
SpaceX's Dragon Spacecraft "Grace" The Ax-4 crew will be returning in SpaceX's Dragon capsule named "Grace". This is the fifth and final Crew Dragon capsule that SpaceX plans to build, as their business model focuses on reusing rockets and spacecraft. The return journey will involve a series of departure burns to move away from the space station, followed by multiple orbit-lowering maneuvers. The Dragon will then jettison its trunk and re-enter Earth's atmosphere for splashdown.
Historical Significance Shubhanshu Shukla is the second Indian to travel to space, and the first to enter the International Space Station. His mission is a significant milestone for India's space ambitions and marks a new chapter in the Gaganyaan program, which aims to send more Indians into space and eventually to the Moon by 2040. The Axiom-4 mission also represents the return to human spaceflight for India, Poland, and Hungary, with each nation's first government-sponsored flight in over 40 years.
Farewell and Future Plans To celebrate the end of their mission, the Ax-4 astronauts participated in a traditional farewell ceremony alongside NASA's Expedition crew. In his farewell address, Shukla said that India looks ambitious, fearless, and confident from space. He added that the journey into space exploration may be long and arduous, but it has begun. Upon his return, Shukla will undergo a seven-day rehabilitation program to adapt back to Earth's gravity, under the supervision of a flight surgeon.
