Shubhanshu Shukla Returns Highlights | First picture of Axiom-4 crew after splashdown near coast of California; Shukla to reach India on Aug 17

As Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla’s Earth touchdown nears, his family, along with the nation, is ecstatic. Earlier today, his mother Asha Shukla in Lucknow said, “Proud that our son wrote his name in history.”

While speaking to ANI, she further said, “We are very excited… When we saw the undocking, we knew he was on his way now… We are waiting for our son. He will reach by evening. We prayed for his well-being. We went to the temple and took Hanumaji’s Darshan. We did a Sundarkand recitation… We are proud that our son wrote his name in history… We will give him a grand welcome…”

Father Shambu Dayal Shukla also expressed happiness on his son’s return and said that hat the splashdown would be noted down in history.

(ANI inputs)

Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, who was aboard the ISS, now heading back home.

He is currently aboard the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft and will splash down around 3 pm today.

As astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla prepares to return to Earth after his 18-day mission aboard the International Space Station, his family in Lucknow is filled with pride.

They said it was a joy to see him share views from space “like a child,” but now the mood at home is one of nervous excitement as the Axiom-4 mission undocks on Monday. The crew is expected to splash down off the California coast on Tuesday.

PTI

Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, currently aboard the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, carried out several experiments on the International Space Station. These included studies on muscle loss in microgravity, how digestion works in space, and the mental well-being of astronauts.

Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, pilot of the Axiom-4 mission, captivated viewers with a fascinating zero-gravity experiment aboard the International Space Station (ISS), using water to demonstrate how microgravity alters basic physics.

As part of Axiom Space’s scientific and outreach efforts, Shukla showcased how water behaves in space — forming a suspended, floating bubble thanks to surface tension. “I’ve become a water bender here in the station,” he quipped.

Shukla, along with commander Peggy Whitson, and mission specialists Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski of Poland and Tibor Kapu of Hungary, began their return journey to Earth on Monday evening after spending 18 days aboard the ISS.

PTI

ISRO spent nearly Rs 550 crore on Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla’s journey to the International Space Station (ISS) – a mission seen as a key step towards India’s ambitious human spaceflight programme, Gaganyaan, scheduled for 2027.

This landmark trip made Shukla the first Indian to visit the ISS and only the second Indian in space, following Rakesh Sharma’s iconic 1984 mission to the Soviet Union’s Salyut-7 space station.

Watch what Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla’s mother had to say-

Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla and three other members of the Axiom-4 mission are all set to return to Earth today, with their capsule expected to splash down off the coast of San Diego, California, at 3:01 PM IST.

The critical de-orbit burn is scheduled for 2:07 PM IST over the Pacific Ocean, marking the beginning of the spacecraft’s re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere.

As part of the final preparations, the capsule’s trunk will be detached at around 2:26 PM IST. The spacecraft will then position its heat shield forward to withstand the intense re-entry phase, where temperatures could soar up to 1,600°C.

In the final descent, parachutes will deploy in two stages — small stabilising chutes at 5.7 km altitude around 2:57 PM IST, followed by the main parachutes at about 2 km altitude, slowing the capsule for a safe splashdown.

The crew experienced over 300 sunrises and sunsets in orbit, a rare and surreal view only possible in the fast-moving environment of low Earth orbit.

During his stay aboard the ISS, Shukla circled the Earth over 310 times, covering a staggering 1.3 crore kilometres, which is roughly 33 times the distance between Earth and the Moon.

Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, the country’s second person in space, has undocked from the International Space Station after a successful Axiom-4 mission. He now begins his 22.5-hour return journey to Earth.

The family of Indian Air Force Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla has said that they will pray for his safe landing. His father Shambu Dayal Shukla also expressed his joy over the undocking and said that the country is proud of him.

“We are very happy that the undocking took place safely. We expect that the landing will also take place smoothly tomorrow. We have faith in the Almighty. We are all very proud of our son. The country is very proud of him that he is coming back after successfully completing the mission,” Shambhu Dayal Shukla told ANI.

“The undocking has taken place successfully, and we hope that he will land successfully too. We pray that he lands successfully tomorrow,” his mother Asha Shukla added.

Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla showcased a zero-gravity experiment aboard the International Space Station last week — using water to illustrate how microgravity transforms everyday physics.

The experiment, part of Axiom Space’s outreach and scientific mission, highlighted the unique behaviour of water in space.

After an 18-day stay at the ISS, Shukla and three others — commander Peggy Whitson and mission specialists Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski of Poland and Tibor Kapu of Hungary — of the commercial Axiom-4 mission set off on a return journey to Earth on Monday evening.

Using surface tension to their advantage, Shukla formed a floating water bubble.

“I’ve become a water bender here in the station,” he joked.

The Dragon space craft is now on 22.5-hour journey to earth with splashdown expected off the California coast on Tuesday at 3:01 pm IST.

The Axiom crew has departed the International Space Station and are now approximately 900 metres away. The spacecraft just exited the approach ellipsoid (considered a major milestone) and is now on a 24 hour safe, free trip trajectory. It is a key safety parameter used to manage traffic and prevent collisions.

The SpaceX capsule has separated from the International Space Station — using short thruster firings to exit the docking area. The Axiom team has confirmed that these have been nominal. Dragon is now approximately 400 metres from the ISS.

The Axiom team shared some final words with their International Space Station counterparts — thanking them for their support.

“Axiom 4…godspeed and safe journey home to the best pilot in the solar system,” the support team responded.

The Dragon ‘Grace’ spacecraft has just officially left the International Space Station. It will now travel around 22.5 hours before splashdown off the coast of California.

Dragon Grace separates from ISS

Teams on ground as well as the Axiom crew members on board the Dragon spacecraft have greenlit the undocking process. The capsule will separate from the International Space Station within minutes.

The undocking has been delayed by 10 minutes with the Axiom crew now scheduled to begin the autonomous sequence around 4:45 pm.

The hatch of the Dragon Grace spacecraft that connected it to the International Space Station has already closed. The team is now conducting final checks before undocking.

After undocking, Dragon will perform a series of engine burns to safely distance itself from the ISS and begin re-entry procedures.

Final preparations include detaching the capsule’s trunk and orienting the heat shield ahead of atmospheric entry, which will expose the spacecraft to temperatures nearing 1,600 degrees Celsius.

Parachutes will deploy in two stages — first stabilising chutes at about 5.7 km altitude, followed by the main parachutes at roughly two km.

Splashdown is expected off the coast of California approximately 22.5 hours after undocking, and the space capsule will be recovered by a specialised ship.

The hatch of the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft ‘Grace’ which connected it to the International Space Station was closed at 2:37 PM IST. The indicator has also been aligned — marking the final preparations for the undocking of the Axiom-4 (Ax-4) crew from the International Space Station (ISS) after almost 20 days in space. The undocking from the space station is set for approximately 4:35 pm IST today.

Shubhanshu Shukla has just entered the Dragon Grace spacecraft and is currently suiting up for the return journey to earth. He will be piloting the SpaceX capsule for the next 22.5 hours. The three other Axiom-4 astronauts are also in the process of conducting final checks ahead of undocking.

The family of IAF Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla is “excited” to welcome him back home.

“If we had our way, we would rush to meet him there. But that is not possible. There is so much excitement… Today is a special day for Lord Shiv. We woke up early in the morning and went to the temple. We performed the Abhishek of Lord Shiv. We prayed to God that our child should come back safely and no harm should come to him after landing on earth,” his mother Asha Shukla told ANI.