The Axiom-4 mission crew, including Indian Air Force Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, have initiated their return to Earth aboard the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft ‘Grace’ after roughly 20 days in space. Having separated from the International Space Station (ISS), the spacecraft is now en route to a Pacific Ocean landing near the California coast, expected around 3 pm IST on Tuesday, July 15, following a 22.5-hour journey. Before departing, ISS Commander Takuya Onishi lauded the Axe-4 crew for their contributions, including Mission Commander Peggy Whitson, ISRO pilot Shubhanshu Shukla, ESA’s Slawosz “Swaw” Uznanski-Wisniewski, and Tibor Kapu. Shubhanshu Shukla delivered an emotional message from the ISS. The mission involved active participation in numerous scientific and social programs. The ‘Grace’ spacecraft is carrying over 263 kg of scientific data and equipment back to Earth. The mission commenced on June 25 with the launch from Kennedy Space Center, followed by docking with the ISS on June 26. Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh highlighted that the scientific experiments conducted by Shukla would benefit the global community. The minister noted that Shukla’s experiments, backed by India’s Department of Biotechnology and top institutions, used entirely indigenous equipment. He further stated that these Indian-origin experiments will be utilized internationally.
