After an 18-day mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS), Indian Air Force pilot Shubhanshu Shukla is set to return to Earth on July 15, 2025. The entire nation is eagerly awaiting his arrival. Shukla traveled to the ISS as part of the Axiom-4 mission. The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, named 'Grace', undocked from the Harmony module of the ISS on July 14, 2025, at approximately 7:05 am EDT (4:35 pm IST). The spacecraft is en route to a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Southern California. The splashdown is expected to occur at 5:30 am EDT (3:01 pm IST) on July 15, 2025, with a margin of error of approximately one hour.
Union Minister for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, Dr. Jitendra Singh, expressed the nation's anticipation for Shukla's return. Shukla, in his farewell address from the ISS, spoke in both English and Hindi, conveying a message of India's ambition, fearlessness, confidence, and pride. He stated that India still looks "saare jahan se acha" (the best in the world) from space and acknowledged that while the journey into space exploration may be long and arduous, it has begun.
Shukla's 18-day stay at the ISS involved conducting several scientific experiments, including the study of space microalgae to understand their potential for producing food, oxygen, and biofuels. He also performed centrifugation of cyanobacteria, comparing two strains to understand how microgravity affects their growth, cellular behavior, and biochemical activity. ISRO mentioned that Shukla successfully completed all seven microgravity experiments and other planned activities. These experiments included research on the Indian strain of Tardigrades, Myogenesis, Sprouting of methi and moong seeds, Cyanobacteria, Microalgae, Crop seeds, and Voyager Display.
Nilesh M Desai, Director of the Space Applications Centre, ISRO, stated that this mission is a major learning opportunity for ISRO and will help them in their Gaganyaan programme. Shukla's family in Lucknow is filled with pride and emotion, eagerly awaiting his safe return. His mother has been reciting Sundarkand, and his family has been glued to every update, offering prayers.
The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft is on a 22.5-hour journey back to Earth. It exited the approach ellipsoid and the "keep out sphere" of the ISS, which are safety zones around the space station. The return journey includes multiple orbit-lowering maneuvers, jettisoning the trunk, and re-entry into Earth's atmosphere. During re-entry, the spacecraft will experience temperatures nearing 1,600 degrees Celsius. The Dragon spacecraft will temporarily lose communication with ground control for approximately seven minutes during this phase. The final descent will involve two parachute deployments before splashdown off the coast of San Diego, California. SpaceX has stated that the Dragon will announce its arrival with a brief sonic boom prior to splashing down in the Pacific Ocean.
Following the splashdown, ground crews will be dispatched to retrieve the spacecraft. The Ax-4 crew will be pulled aboard the Shannon, the SpaceX Dragon recovery vessel. Shukla will then undergo a seven-day rehabilitation program to readjust to Earth's gravity. He will also undergo medical evaluations and be debriefed about the mission.
Shukla's mission marks a significant milestone for India's space program. It is the first time in over 40 years that India has sent an astronaut to the ISS as part of a government-sponsored mission. The Axiom-4 mission also marked the first time that Poland and Hungary sent astronauts to the ISS as part of a government-sponsored mission. During his time on the ISS, Shukla completed over 310 orbits, traveling more than 1.3 crore kilometers. The Dragon spacecraft is returning with more than 580 pounds of cargo, including NASA hardware and data from over 60 experiments conducted during the mission.
