Smiling 'Shux' exits Dragon spacecraft after successful splashdown | Video
Shubhanshu Shukla smiled and waved at the camera as he stepped out of the Dragon spacecraft, greeted by the ground team.
The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft carrying Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla and three other crew members from the Axiom-4 (Ax-4) mission successfully splashed down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California at 3:01 PM IST on Tuesday, July 15. The re-entry marked the end of an 18-day research mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS).
SpaceX confirmed the spacecraft — piloted by Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) — safely entered the Earth’s atmosphere and made a successful splashdown. Boats were immediately dispatched to retrieve the astronauts, and the ground team conducted medical evaluations to assess their health. The crew will now undergo a re-acclimatisation process over the coming days.
Shubhanshu Shukla smiled and waved at the camera as he stepped out of the Dragon spacecraft, greeted by the ground team. After spending 18 days in space, he was seen receiving support while standing up, re-acclimating to Earth’s gravity. This moment marked a historic milestone — the first time an Indian astronaut has visited the International Space Station (ISS).
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Axiom-4 returns after 18-day space mission
The Ax-4 mission crew spent over two weeks on the ISS, conducting more than 60 scientific experiments related to agriculture, medicine, water systems, and human physiology in microgravity. The spacecraft undocked from the ISS around 4:50 PM IST on Monday and took approximately 22.5 hours to return to Earth.
NASA confirmed that the spacecraft — named Grace — was piloted by Shukla, with Commander Peggy Whitson, a veteran NASA astronaut now with Axiom, leading the crew. This mission was the fourth human spaceflight under Axiom’s private astronaut program and the 18th overall by SpaceX since 2020.
PM Modi says, Shubhyanshu 'inspired a billion dream'
Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted a welcome message on X, saying:
“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.”
Symbolic step towards Gaganyaan mission
For India, Shukla’s participation in the Ax-4 mission represents a significant step toward the country's independent crewed space program — Gaganyaan — which is scheduled for 2027.
It is also a symbolic return to space for several other nations, including Poland and Hungary, whose astronauts Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski and Tibor Kapu were also part of the Ax-4 crew.
This mission follows a similar re-entry pattern as that of Indian-origin US astronaut Sunita Williams and NASA astronaut Butch Wilmore, who returned in March via a SpaceX capsule named Freedom, landing in the Atlantic Ocean.
