E-Paper
Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla to undergo 7-day rehab programme after ISS mission
ISRO flight surgeons constantly monitor his health through regular medical and psychological conferences
Mumbai: Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla will undergo a seven-day rehabilitation programme after his splashdown off the California coast on July 15 as he returns to the Earth after an 18-day stay on board the International Space Station (ISS), the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) said on Saturday.
Shukla and three other astronauts – commander Peggy Whitson and mission specialists Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski and Tibor Kapu of Poland and Hungary –docked at the ISS on June 26 as part of the commercial Axiom-4 mission.
The four astronauts are scheduled to undock from the ISS on Monday, July 14, at 4.35pm IST, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration said in a statement.
According to ISRO, following a series of orbital manoeuvres after undocking Crew Dragon spacecraft is expected to splash down near the coast of California on July 15, 2025, at 3 pm IST.
Post splashdown, the Gaganyatri will undergo a rehabilitation program (about seven days) under supervision of Flight Surgeon to adapt back to Earth’s gravity.
“Gaganyatri Shubhanshu is in good health and in high spirit. Isro’s flight surgeons are continuously monitoring and ensuring the overall health and fitness of the Gaganyatri through participation in private medical/psychological conferences,” Isro said.
The Dragon spacecraft will return with more than 580 pounds of cargo, including NASA hardware and data from over 60 experiments conducted throughout the mission, NASA said.
Isro said of the seven homegrown microgravity experiments, four experiments have been successfully completed and three are nearing completion. The four completed include Indian strain of Tardigrades involving survival, revival, reproduction and transcriptome; Myogenesis studying the impact of space environment on human muscle cells; Sprouting of methi and moong seeds with relevance to crew nutrition; Cyanobacteria experiment studying the growth of two varieties with relevance to life support systems.
These are being readied for their journey back to earth for further analysis, said Isro.
The three experiments that are nearing completion include studying microalgae, crop seeds and Voyager Display. “These Indian-led microgravity experiments represent a significant leap in space science and technology, contributing critical knowledge to support Gaganyaan, Bhartiya Antariksha Station, and future planetary missions,” read Isro statement.
As the crew gets ready, NASA said the Dragon spacecraft will return with more than 580 pounds of cargo, including NASA hardware and data from over 60 experiments conducted throughout the mission.
On Saturday, the Ax-4 members will finalise science experiments including an electrical muscle stimulation study, testing suit fabrics that promote thermal comfort while exercising, and filming crew activities for a behavioral health study.
On Sunday, the quartet will begin packing science gear filled with research samples and loading personal items and other cargo inside Dragon for retrieval on Earth, read a statement from NASA. ISS station flight engineer Anne McClain from NASA began helping with gathering hardware and other items for packing inside Dragon.
