India's Shubhanshu Shukla returns safely after historic space mission

India’s space journey entered a new chapter as Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, the country’s first astronaut to live and work aboard the International Space Station (ISS), returned safely to Earth. The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft carrying Shukla and three international crewmates splashed down in the Pacific Ocean off San Diego at approximately 3:01 PM IST, marking the successful end of the 18-day Axiom-4 (Ax-4) mission.

Welcome back to Earth, #Ax4! Today the Dragon spacecraft successfully splashed down marking the end of their successful mission to the International Space Station. pic.twitter.com/eeAyPCmWgG

— Axiom Space (@Axiom_Space)

Welcome back to Earth, #Ax4! Today the Dragon spacecraft successfully splashed down marking the end of their successful mission to the International Space Station. pic.twitter.com/eeAyPCmWgG

— Axiom Space (@Axiom_Space) July 15, 2025

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As the spacecraft re-entered Earth’s atmosphere at speeds exceeding 27,000 km/h, a sonic boom echoed across California, moments before the drogue parachutes deployed, cushioning the descent into a gentle ocean landing. The 22-hour return journey followed the undocking of the Dragon capsule from the ISS on Monday evening (IST).

Also Read: Four astronauts, including India’s Shubhanshu Shukla, to return to Earth today after Axiom-4 mission

Shukla’s return was met with national pride as he became the second Indian in space after Rakesh Sharma, and the first to conduct research aboard the ISS. During the mission, he participated in several cutting-edge experiments, including studies on plant growth in microgravity, cellular health, and robotics—contributing valuable data for space exploration and Earth-based applications.

His presence on the international mission, praised by crew commander Peggy Whitson, offered India crucial experience ahead of the upcoming Gaganyaan mission, positioning the nation closer to independent human spaceflight capabilities.