Axiom-4 return highlights: Shubhanshu Shukla to return to India by Aug 17, says minister

Shubhanshu Shukla Earth Return Highlights: The Axiom-4 mission crew, which includes ISRO's Shubhanshu Shukla made a successful splashdown off California coast in the Pacific ocean at 3:01 PM.

Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla waves after reaching Earth with other crew members of the mission aboard the Dragon spacecraft that splashed down off California. (PTI)

Shubhanshu Shukla Earth Return Highlights: SpaceX has confirmed that the Dragon spacecraft carrying the Axiom-4 crew, including ISRO astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, has successfully entered Earth’s atmosphere at 3:01 PM IST over the Pacific Ocean off the California coast....Read More

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• 15 Jul 2025, 07:38:29 PM IST

  Shubhanshu Shukla return live: Shubhanshu Shukla to return to India by August 17, says minister

  After spending 18 days at the International Space Station, Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla has returned to Earth with the rest of Axiom-4 crew, however, his will return to India by August 17, said Union minister Jitendra Singh. 

  Shukla will return following a series of post-mission procedures, Singh said.

  "There are certain SOPs to be followed... His rehabilitation, debriefing sessions and a series of discussions with Team ISRO. We might expect him in Delhi by August 17," Singh told PTI video.

• 15 Jul 2025, 05:19:42 PM IST

  Shubhanshu Shukla return live: President Droupadi Murmu welcomes Shubhanshu Shukla back

  President Droupadi Murmu welcomed Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla back on Earth as he returned from the ISS as part of the Axiom-4 mission. “A hea rty welcome to Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla as he comes back on Earth after his space journey. His role in piloting of Axiom Mission 4 to the International Space Station has created a new milestone for India’s space exploration as well as for international collaboration in science and technology. My congratulations to everyone involved in this mission,” she wrote on X. 

• 15 Jul 2025, 04:59:36 PM IST

  Shubhanshu Shukla return live: Indian astronaut's brother says, ‘Bhaiya scripted history’

  Shubhanshu Shukla return live: “He has scripted history and made our family and the entire nation proud,” news agency PTI quoted Vibhanshu Shukla, brother of Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla as saying. 

  He added, "we did not sleep the whole night awaiting his return from the space.'

   

• 15 Jul 2025, 04:43:34 PM IST

  Shubhanshu Shukla return live: Rajnath Singh speaks to Shubhanshu Shukla's father, expresses happiness

  Defence minister Rajnath Singh spoke with Shukla's father and expressed happiness on his return. Singh also told his father that the entire country is proud of his son, reported news agency ANI.

• 15 Jul 2025, 04:39:08 PM IST

  Shubhanshu Shukla return live: Astronaut’s father says, ‘felt amazing’ after safe splashdown

  Shubhanshu Shukla return live: Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla's father, Shambhu Dayal Shukla, expressed pride and joy after the successful splashdown of the Dragon spacecraft off the California coast.

  “We felt amazing that Shubhanshu’s mission was successful and that he had a safe landing. We are very proud of him. I thank God for this,” he told news agency PTI.

• 15 Jul 2025, 04:34:05 PM IST

  Shubhanshu Shukla return live: Rajnath Singh says, ‘proud moment for India’ as Dragon spacecraft returns to Earth

  Shubhanshu Shukla return live: Defence minister Rajnath Singh conratulated the ISRO astronaut on safe return to Earth. He said in a post on ‘X’: “Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla’s successful return from the historic Axiom-4 mission is a proud moment for every Indian.”

  Singh added, “He has not just touched space, he has lifted India’s aspirations to new heights.”

  Calling his achievement a proud moment for the country, he added, "His journey to the International Space Station and back is not just a personal milestone, it is a proud stride for India’s growing space ambitions. Wishing him great success in his future endeavours.”

• 15 Jul 2025, 04:19:11 PM IST

  Shubhanshu Shukla return live: Astronaut is all smiles as he exits the Dragon capsule after a successful return to Earth | Watch here

• 15 Jul 2025, 03:35:55 PM IST

  Shubhanshu Shukla return live: Peggy Whitson says appy to be back

  Shubhanshu Shukla return live: Happy to be back, says Axiom-4 commander Peggy Whitson as Dragon spacecraft makes successful splash down.

• 15 Jul 2025, 03:26:44 PM IST

  Shubhanshu Shukla return live: Family celebrates in Lucknow

  Shubhanshu Shukla return live: Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla's family rejoices in Uttar Pradesh's Lucknow as he and the entire crew return to the earth after an 18-day stay aboard the International Space Station (ISS)

• 15 Jul 2025, 03:20:48 PM IST

  Shubhanshu Shukla return live: PM Modi reacts as Shubhanshu Shukla returns to Earth

  Prime Minster Narendra Modi said in a post on ‘X’: “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.”

• 15 Jul 2025, 03:11:47 PM IST

  Shubhanshu Shukla return live: Ground team conducts necessary safety checks after successful splashdown

  Shubhanshu Shukla return live: SpaceX has confirmed that the Dragon spacecraft carrying the Axiom-4 crew, including ISRO astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, has successfully entered Earth’s atmosphere at 3:01 PM IST over the Pacific Ocean off the California coast.

  Splashdown has been successfully completed. Recovery teams are now conducting post-landing safety and medical checks, which are expected to take over 10 minutes.

• 15 Jul 2025, 03:04:28 PM IST

  Shubhanshu Shukla return live: 'Welcome home.' says SpaceX

  Shubhanshu Shukla return live: "Splashdown of Dragon confirmed – welcome back to Earth," says SpaceX as 4 astronauts including Shubhanshu Shukla return to the Earth.

• 15 Jul 2025, 03:02:04 PM IST

  Shubhanshu Shukla return live: Watch Dragon and Ax-4 return to Earth

• 15 Jul 2025, 02:59:03 PM IST

  Shubhanshu Shukla return live: Visual from the Dragon spacecraft as all 4 crew members prepares for splashdown

  

• 15 Jul 2025, 02:44:12 PM IST

  Shubhanshu Shukla return live: Indian astronaut's father ‘Praying for his safe landing’

  Shubhanshu Shukla return live: As Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla makes his return to Earth after completing an 18-day space mission, his family in Lucknow is hoping for a smooth splashdown and gearing up to celebrate his homecoming.

  Their residence in the Triveni Nagar area has been lit up with decorative lights and adorned with posters of Shukla, affectionately called “Shux” by loved ones.

  His mother, Asha Shukla, and sister, Suchi Shukla, have been receiving congratulatory calls from friends, relatives, and well-wishers throughout the day.

  Speaking to PTI Videos, his father, Shambhu Dayal Shukla, expressed pride and anticipation as they awaited the final leg of the mission.

  "Today is a very joyous day for us. We are praying to God for his safe landing. It is a matter of great happiness that he is returning after successfully completing his mission," he said.

• 15 Jul 2025, 02:39:37 PM IST

  Shubhanshu Shukla return live: Splashdown in ~23 minutes, says SpaceX

  Shubhanshu Shukla return live:  SpaceX has confirmed that Dragon’s nosecone is now closed and secured, clearing the way for atmospheric reentry. Splashdown is expected in approximately 23 minutes as the spacecraft continues its controlled descent.

• 15 Jul 2025, 02:32:42 PM IST

  Shubhanshu Shukla return live: De-orbit burn complete; Dragon jettisons trunk, says SpaceX

  Shubhanshu Shukla return live: The Dragon spacecraft has successfully completed its de-orbit burn, initiating its return to Earth, says SpaceX.

• 15 Jul 2025, 02:31:11 PM IST

  Shubhanshu Shukla return live: Dragon and Ax-4 crew currently on-orbit

  Shubhanshu Shukla return live: The Dragon spacecraft, carrying the Ax-4 crew including Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, remains safely on-orbit as it prepares for its return journey. 

• 15 Jul 2025, 02:26:37 PM IST

  Shubhanshu Shukla return live: De-orbit burn to last 18 minutes; Dragon capsule to lose signal for 7 minutes

  Shubhanshu Shukla return live: The crucial de-orbit burn has begun and is expected to last just under 18 minutes. During this phase, the Dragon spacecraft will temporarily lose communication with ground control for approximately seven minutes.

• 15 Jul 2025, 02:18:59 PM IST

  Shubhanshu Shukla return live: Indian astronaut, crewmates from Poland, Hungary and US head for splashdown | Watch live here

• 15 Jul 2025, 01:52:37 PM IST

  Shubhanshu Shukla return live: ISRO astronaut's parents ‘excited for return’, say son ‘scripted history’

  Shubhanshu Shukla splashdown live: Ahead of the splashdown of the Dragon spacecraft led by Group Captain Shubanshu Shukla, the ISRO astronauts parents stated they are “excited for his return”. 

  “We are very excited... When we saw the undocking, we knew he was on his way now... We are waiting for our son. He will reach by evening. We prayed for his well-being. We went to the temple and took Hanumaji's Darshan. We did a Sundarkand recitation... We are proud that our son wrote his name in history... We will give him a grand welcome,” Shukla's mother, Asha Shukla told news agency ANI. 

  Father Shambu Dayal Shukla also expressed happiness on his son's return and said that the splashdown would be noted down in history.

  "We are very excited that our son is returning from the mission and landing on Earth. He had made us so proud. It will be noted down in history... We are waiting for his safe landing. It is a day of joy for the entire nation. I thank the entire nation for their prayers... He is our son, but he belongs to the entire nation... We prayed and remembered God..." the father told ANI.

• 15 Jul 2025, 01:43:51 PM IST

  Shubhanshu Shukla return live: Shukla carried out seven experiments at ISS 

  Shubhanshu Shukla return live: ISRO astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla carried out a total of seven experiments during his 18-day mission at the International Space Station. 

  As per ISRO, the experiments on the Indian strain of Tardigrades, Myogenesis, Sprouting of methi and moong seeds, Cyanobacteria, Microalgae, Crop seeds and Voyager Display, were completed by the astronaut successfully. 

• 15 Jul 2025, 01:30:40 PM IST

  Shubhanshu Shukla return live: Axiom 4 mission a milestone for India, Hungary and Poland

  Shubhanshu Shukla return live: The Axiom-4 mission, which launched on June 26, 2025, marked a significant milestone for three nations.

  This space mission marked the first time India, Poland, and Hungary, sent astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) as part of a government-sponsored mission in over 40 years.

• 15 Jul 2025, 01:27:57 PM IST

  Shubhanshu Shukla return live: What is a sonic boom?

  Shubhanshu Shukla return live:The  Dragon spacecraft, carrying the Ax-4 crew, will announce its arrival into Earth with a brief sonic boom prior to splashing down in the Pacific Ocean. 

  A sonic boom is a loud, thunderous noise created when an object travels through the air faster than the speed of sound. The loud boom occurs when the object breaks the sound barrier due to its speed.

• 15 Jul 2025, 12:51:31 PM IST

  Shubhanshu Shukla Earth Return Live Updates: Ax-4 landing on ‘track’ says SpaceX

  Shubhanshu Shukla Earth Return Live Updates: As per SpaceX, the landing for Axiom-4 mission crew is on ‘track’. The four astronauts, including Shubhanshu Shukla, are expected to splash down on Earth around 3 PM IST.

• 15 Jul 2025, 12:39:54 PM IST

  Shubhanshu Shukla Earth Return Live Updates: Splash down in a few hours

  Shubhanshu Shukla Earth Return Live Updates: The Ax-4 team is set to make its splash down back on Earth today. As per SpaceX, the crew is set to re-enter the Earth and splash down off the coast of San Diego at around 3 PM IST

• 15 Jul 2025, 12:15:43 PM IST

  Axiom 4 splash down live: Shubhanshu Shukla's farewell message from ISS

  A formal farewell ceremony on the ISS was held for the Ax-4 crew. 

  In his farewell speech, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla reprised the words of , Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma, the first Indian to go to space in 1984. 

  "We all are still curious to know how India looks today from above. Aaj ka Bharat mahatvakanshi dikhta hai. Aaj ka Bharat nidar dikhta hai, Aaj ka Bharat confident dikhta hai. Aaj ka Bharat garv se purn dikhta hai. (Today's India looks full of ambition, fearless, confident and full of pride). It is because of all these reasons, I can say it once again that today's India still looks 'saare jahan se accha'," Shukla said.

  "Jaldi hi dharti pe mulaqat karte hai (we will meet on earth soon)," Shukla said at the farewell ceremony.

• 15 Jul 2025, 12:03:33 PM IST

  Axiom 4 splash down live: A look at the return journey

  Axiom 4 splash down live: After the undocking, the spacecraft will undergo departure and phasing burns before starting its orbit around the Earth, adjusting its position and timing for atmospheric re-entry.

  The spacecraft's service module will then jettison at around 350 kilometres altitude, and the capsule will perform a deorbit burn to slow down enough to drop from orbit and begin a controlled re-entry into the atmosphere.

  In the next three phases of the return journey, the capsule's nosecone will close, turning to point the entry shield down towards the Earth. The shield will help the capsule absorb extreme 1,600 degrees Celsius, and the crew is expected to experience a strong G-force coming down.

• 15 Jul 2025, 11:17:00 AM IST

  Axiom 4 splash down live: How much did ISRO pay for Shukla's mission?

  Axiom 4 splash down live: As per reports, the Indian Space Research Organisation paid around ₹550 crore for the mission to the International Space Station.

  BBC reported ISRO paid around ₹500 crores ($59m; £43m) to secure a seat for Group Captain Shukla on Axiom-4 mission and his training.

• 15 Jul 2025, 10:49:00 AM IST

  Axiom 4 splash down live: Shubhanshu Shukla completed 7 experiments at ISS

  Axiom 4 splash down live: ISRO Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla has successfully completed all seven microgravity experiments and other planned activities, achieving a significant milestone in the Axiom-4 mission, ISRO said on Monday.

  It said that experiments on the Indian strain of Tardigrades, Myogenesis, Sprouting of methi and moong seeds, Cyanobacteria, Microalgae, Crop seeds and Voyager Display have been completed as planned.

• 15 Jul 2025, 10:20:03 AM IST

  Axiom 4 splash down live: Splash down expected around 3 PM

  Axiom 4 splash down live: The Aciom 4 crew, including Shubhanshu Shukla are set to return to Earth today. As per the announcement from SpaceX, the splash down is expected around 3 PM IST.

  "Dragon and the Axiom Space Ax-4 crew are on track to re-enter Earth's atmosphere and splash down off the coast of San Diego at ~2:31 a.m. PT tomorrow. Dragon will also announce its arrival with a brief sonic boom prior to splashing down in the Pacific Ocean," SpaceX stated.

  The crew currently aboard SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft, Grace, are on their return journey, which will take approximately 22.5 hours back to Earth from the ISS.

• 15 Jul 2025, 10:02:15 AM IST

  Axiom 4 splash down live: Shubhanshu Shukla and crew to return today

  Axiom 4 splash down live: The Dragon spacecraft carrying India's Shubhanshu Shukla and three other members of the Axiom-4 mission are set to return to Earth today. The spacecraft is scheduled to splash down off the coast in San Diego, California at 3 PM IST.  

• 15 Jul 2025, 09:27:59 AM IST

  Axiom 4 splash down live: Who is the crew onboard?

  Axiom 4 splash down live: The Ax-4 crew comprises of four astronauts from four different countries. These are -

  United States - Commander Peggy Whitson

  India - ISRO astronaut and pilot Shubhanshu Shukla

  Poland - European Space Agency (ESA) project astronaut Slawosz "Suave" Uznanski-Wisniewski

  Hungary - HUNOR astronaut Tibor Kapu

• 15 Jul 2025, 09:24:12 AM IST

  Axiom 4 splash down live: Over 580 pounds of cargo coming back to Earth

  Axiom 4 splash down live: As per NASA, the Dragon spacecraft and Axiom crew will return with over 580 pounds of cargo, including NASA hardware and data from over 60 experiments conducted during their two-week mission.

• 15 Jul 2025, 09:23:43 AM IST

  Axiom 4 splash down live: Axiom-4 crew set to splashdown off San Diego

  Axiom 4 splash down live: SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft, which is carrying the Axiom-4 crew, is expected to splash down off the coast of San Diego, California. As per SpaceX, the splash down is set for 5:31 AM ET.