E-Paper
Shubhanshu Shukla to undergo seven-day rehab after returning to Earth
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
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,” Isro said in an update on the Axiom-4 mission.
Isro paid approximately ₹550 crore for Shukla’s travel to the ISS — an experience that will help the space agency in planning and execution of its human spaceflight programme, Gaganyaan, set to take to orbit in 2027.
“Isro’s flight surgeons are continuously monitoring and ensuring the overall health and fitness of the Gaganyatri through participation in private medical/psychological conferences. Gaganyatri Shubhanshu is in good health and in high spirit,” Isro said.
Shukla and the three other astronauts are expected to board the spacecraft at 2.25 pm IST, wear their space suits and carry out the necessary tests before they begin their journey to the Earth.
The ISS is orbiting the Earth at a speed of 28,000 kilometres per hour, and the spacecraft will initiate the autonomous undocking process to gradually slow down and re-enter the planet’s atmosphere for a splashdown off the coast of California.
“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.
Axiom-4 mission commander Peggy Whitson said in a post on X: “Enjoying our last few days on the @Space_Station with rehydrated shrimp cocktails and good company! #Ax4.”
On the experiment front, Shukla worked on the microalgae experiment, deploying and stowing samples that could one day provide food, oxygen and biofuels for deep-space missions, Axiom Space said in a statement.
The resilience of the microalgae makes them a promising asset to sustain life beyond the Earth, it added.
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 & 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.
