Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla and his three crewmates from the Axiom-4 mission are set to begin their journey back to Earth today, Monday at 4:15 pm IST, after spending nearly two weeks aboard the International Space Station (ISS). This is a major achievement for India’s space programme and its collaboration with global space agencies.

When will the Axiom-4 crew land?

After undocking from the ISS as scheduled, the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft is expected to splash down off the coast of California on Tuesday, July 15, around 3 pm IST, bringing the crew safely home.

The Axiom-4 mission lifted off on June 25 from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, aboard a SpaceX Dragon capsule. The spacecraft docked at the ISS the following day.

Who were on board the Axiom-4 mission?

The four-member crew included:

  • Shubhanshu Shukla from ISRO, serving as the mission’s pilot

  • Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski of Poland from the European Space Agency (ESA)

  • Tibor Kapu, a Hungarian astronaut from the HUNOR programme

  • Peggy Whitson, a former NASA astronaut and current Director of Human Spaceflight at Axiom Space

On June 28, Shukla had a space-to-Earth conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, talking about the mission’s strategic importance for India.

What did the astronauts work on?

The Axiom-4 crew conducted several scientific experiments related to space medicine, agriculture, and microgravity research.

  • Captain Shukla focused on how space travel affects human muscles and bones.

  • He also led an experiment on growing microalgae, a sustainable food source for future deep space missions.

  • Other crew members worked on cancer studies, plant biology, and blood circulation in space.

  • The astronauts also participated in a mental health study, helping researchers better understand the psychological effects of long-term space travel.

According to NASA, the mission reflected a growing collaboration between ISRO and NASA.

“A collaboration between NASA and ISRO allowed Axiom Mission 4 to deliver on a commitment highlighted by President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to send the first ISRO astronaut to the station,” said NASA.

“The space agencies participated in five joint science investigations and two in-orbit science, technology, engineering, and mathematics demonstrations,” the agency added.

With Axiom-4 wrapping up, India’s role in global space exploration has taken a leap forward, making it the first time an ISRO astronaut has lived and worked aboard the ISS.

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