Shubhanshu Shukla Begins Journey Home as Dragon Undocks from ISS After Historic Mission

India’s Shubhanshu Shukla Begins Return Journey After 18 Days Aboard ISS.

India’s Shubhanshu Shukla and three fellow astronauts from the Axiom-4 mission have officially begun their journey back to Earth following an 18-day stay aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, named Grace, undocked from the orbital outpost and is now en route to Earth, with splashdown expected off the coast of California at 3 PM IST on Tuesday.

Commander Peggy Whitson, pilot Shubhanshu ‘Shux’ Shukla, and mission specialists Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski (Poland) and Tibor Kapu (Hungary) were seen entering the capsule suited and ready ahead of the return. The hatch of Dragon Grace was sealed at 2:37 PM IST, followed by final departure checks conducted by the crew.

The Axiom-4 mission was launched on June 25 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Florida, marking a significant milestone for India, Poland, and Hungary — each making a return to human spaceflight after more than four decades.

Mr. Shukla is now India’s second astronaut to enter space, following Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma’s landmark 1984 mission aboard the Soviet space station Salyut-7.

On Monday, NASA’s Expedition Crew hosted a traditional farewell ceremony for the Axiom-4 team. Reflecting on his experience, Mr. Shukla said,

“One thing that sticks with me is what humanity is capable of when all of us come together from different parts of the world and work for a common goal or a common objective. It is truly incredible.”

The Axiom-4 mission — titled Akash Ganga — is a collaboration between Axiom Space, NASA, and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). It represents a crucial step in India’s human spaceflight program, aligning with upcoming goals such as the Gaganyaan mission and the proposed Bhartiya Antariksha Station.

During his time on the ISS, Mr. Shukla conducted seven India-specific microgravity experiments. These studies were aimed at advancing research crucial to long-duration space travel, planetary missions, and building self-sustaining systems for future deep-space habitation.