Shubhanshu Shukla Smiles After Axiom Splashdown | Homecoming Success

Shubhanshu Shukla Smiles After Axiom Splashdown: SpaceX Dragon spacecraft with Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla and 3 other members that included a Japanese astronaut and 2 American astronauts of the Axiom-4 (Ax-4) mission landed successfully on the Pacific Ocean off the California coast at 3:01 PM IST on Tuesday, July 15. The re-entry was the conclusion of an 18-day research trip in the International Space Station (ISS).

SpaceX also substantiated that the spacecraft manned by Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) hit the atmosphere of the earth safely and successfully splashed down. Boats were sent out at once to bring back the astronauts and a team in the ground was involved in examining the astronauts and evaluate their health. A re-acclimatisation process will now be done on the crew members within the next few days.

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Shubhanshu Shukla smilingly waved at the camera as he emerged out of the Dragon spacecraft and was greeted by the ground team. Once he returned to Earth after an 18 days space stint, he was observed being assisted as he stood up, re-adjusting to the Earth gravity. This is going to be a historic occasion because this is the first time an Indian astronaut has been to the International Space Station (ISS).

VIDEO | Axiom-4 Accomplished: Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla steps out of the Dragon capsule beaming with pride, marking a historic return to Earth after 18 groundbreaking days aboard the International Space Station (ISS)

(Source: Third party)

(Full video available on PTI… pic.twitter.com/DzalvlAo1C

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) July 15, 2025

The Ax-4 mission crew also spent considerable time aboard the ISS (more than two weeks) performing more than 60 scientific experiments in such fields as agriculture, medicine, water systems, and human physiology in a microgravity environment. The vessel detached itself with the ISS around 4: 50 PM IST on Monday and it took them about 22.5 hours to reach back to the Earth.

NASA also reported that Shukla was piloting the spacecraft which was called Grace, and the entire crew was under the leadership of Commander Peggy Whitson, a veteran NASA astronaut, now working at Axiom. That was the fourth human space flight in the Axiom private astronaut program, and the 18th in total launched by SpaceX since 2020.

PM Modi says, Shubhyanshu 'inspired a billion dream'

Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed people on X sharing the following message:

“I join the nation in welcoming Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla as he returns to Earth from his historic mission to Space. As India’s first astronaut to have visited International Space Station, he has inspired a billion dreams through his dedication, courage and pioneering spirit."

"It marks another milestone towards our own Human Space Flight Mission — Gaganyaan.”

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Symbolic step towards Gaganyaan mission

In the case of India, Shukla is involved in the Ax-4 mission to mark a crucial path toward the achievement of an independent crewed space push in the country, Gaganyaan, planned in 2027.

It also defines a symbolic reentry into space of several other countries, Poland and Hungary have their astronaut Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski and Tibor Kapu, also Ax-4 crew members.

This mission has a pattern that is similar to the one of Indian-origin astronaut Sunita Williams and NASA astronaut Butch Wilmore, who returned to Earth in March through a SpaceX capsule called Freedom and landed in the Atlantic Ocean.

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