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Gp Capt Shubhanshu Shukla and Axiom‑4 crew safely return to Earth after 18‑day ISS mission
Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla of the Indian Air Force and three fellow astronauts—Commander Peggy Whitson, Poland’s Slawosz Uznański-Wiśniewski, and Hungary’s Tibor Kapu, successfully exited the SpaceX Dragon “Grace” capsule on July 15, 2025, after completing an 18‑day mission aboard the International Space Station as part of the Axiom‑4 expedition. They splashed down in the Pacific Ocean near San Diego and were promptly assisted onto a recovery vessel by SpaceX and Axiom Space teams
The historic flight carried over 60 microgravity experiments, with Shukla conducting several scientific studies that support India’s upcoming Gaganyaan crewed mission. The capsule, loaded with more than 580 lb of research cargo, undocked on July 14 and reached Earth in a 22‑hour reentry from orbit.
Shukla, India’s first astronaut to visit the ISS and the second Indian in space since Rakesh Sharma (1984), exited the spacecraft smiling and waving, receiving a warm welcome from recovery crews. He is expected to undergo a standard rehabilitation period to readjust after microgravity exposure.
This landmark mission marks a milestone in India’s space journey, strengthening international collaboration and providing crucial experience ahead of its 2027 Gaganyaan programme.