Indian Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla All Set To Return To Earth After Historic ISS Mission

Astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, the first Indian to visit the International Space Station (ISS), is preparing to return to Earth after an 18-day mission aboard the orbiting laboratory. Along with three fellow crew members from the Axiom-4 mission, Shukla will complete a nearly 23-hour journey back, with splashdown scheduled in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California on Tuesday.

According to Axiom Space, “Undocking from the ISS is scheduled for no earlier than 6:05 a.m. CT (4:35 p.m. IST),” after which the crew will begin their return journey. They are expected to land in the ocean at 4:31 a.m. CT (3:01 p.m. IST) on Tuesday, July 15.

Shukla, an Indian Air Force test pilot and aerospace engineer selected by ISRO under a partnership with NASA, served as pilot on this commercial spaceflight. Known as “Shux” to his colleagues, he becomes the second Indian to travel to space after Rakesh Sharma’s historic mission in 1984. During his time aboard the ISS, Shukla conducted seven India-specific microgravity experiments, designed to enhance the country’s space science capabilities. These experiments aim to generate valuable insights for future planetary exploration and long-duration space habitation.

Shukla was chosen for the Axiom Mission 4 under a collaborative agreement between NASA and ISRO, marking a major step forward in India’s human spaceflight ambitions. His experience is expected to play a vital role in India’s upcoming Gaganyaan mission, scheduled for launch in 2027, which aims to send Indian astronauts, called Gagannauts, to low-Earth orbit and safely return them.

Ahead of his return, Shukla addressed the nation from the ISS on Sunday (July 13), sharing a message of pride and optimism. “Forty-one years ago, an Indian went to space, and he also described how India looks from above, and you all want to know how India looks from here. Let me tell you, today’s India from space looks ambitious, fearless, confident, and full of pride. Because of these reasons, I am telling you again, ‘Aaj ka Bharat abhi bhi sare jahan se acha dikhta hai’ (today’s India still looks the best in the world). Let’s meet on Earth soon,” Shukla said during the ISS farewell ceremony.

Reflecting on the mission, he added: “My journey [to the ISS] is going to get over. But your and my journey is still on; the journey of our human space mission is a long and also difficult one. But I can assure that if we are determined, even stars are attainable,” he said. Shukla’s return marks not just the end of a remarkable personal journey, but a new chapter in India’s growing presence in space exploration.

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