Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, an Indian Air Force officer and ISRO’s first astronaut to work aboard the International Space Station (ISS), has returned to Earth after completing an 18-day space mission under NASA’s Axiom-4 program. The mission concluded with a successful splashdown of the SpaceX Dragon capsule “Freedom” off the coast of San Diego, California, on July 15, 2025, at approximately 3:01 PM IST.
Shukla became the first Indian to live and conduct experiments aboard the ISS, and the second Indian to travel into space, after Rakesh Sharma in 1984. During his stay on the ISS, he conducted over 60 scientific experiments, including seven developed by ISRO. These experiments focused on topics such as stem cell behaviour in microgravity, brain function, microbial growth, and crop sustainability in space.
The Axiom-4 crew included Commander Peggy Whitson from the U.S., along with astronauts from Hungary and Poland. The crew launched on June 28, 2025, and spent 14 days aboard the ISS before beginning their return journey. In total, Shukla orbited the Earth approximately 288 times, covering over 12 million kilometers.
His safe return was met with widespread national pride. President Droupadi Murmu called it a “milestone in India’s space journey,” and Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated that the mission inspires a billion dreams and strengthens India’s preparation for the upcoming Gaganyaan mission, expected in 2027.
Shukla’s mission marks a significant step in India’s human spaceflight program. His experience is expected to provide valuable insights for ISRO’s future manned missions, especially in astronaut training, space medicine, and microgravity research.
