The capsule bringing Group Captain Shukla splashed off the coast of San Diego around 3 pm
- Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla returned to Earth after 18 days in space aboard SpaceX's Grace capsule
- He is the second Indian in space and the first to visit the International Space Station
- The mission cost India nearly $70 million and involved 288 orbits covering 12.2 million kilometres
Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, India's Gaganyatri, is back on earth. The SpaceX crew capsule Grace, carrying Group Captain Shukla and others, splashed down off the coast of California near San Diego right after 3 pm IST. About 50 minutes later, he was helped out of the spacecraft. Group Captain Shukla will return to Delhi on August 17, Union Minister Jitendra Singh said after the spacecraft returned to earth.
Group Captain Shukla, an Indian Air Force pilot, is only the second Indian to visit space after Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma in 1984. He is the first Indian to visit the $150-billion International Space Station, an orbiting space laboratory.
Welcoming Group Captain Shukla, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he "inspired a billion dreams". "I join the nation in welcoming Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla as he returns to Earth from his historic mission to Space. As India's first astronaut to have visited International Space Station, he has inspired a billion dreams through his dedication, courage and pioneering spirit. It marks another milestone towards our own Human Space Flight Mission - Gaganyaan," the Prime Minister posted on X.
Axiom Space, the private space company that brokered this visit for NASA and ISRO costing India nearly $70 million, earlier said that "after approximately 433 hours, 18 days, and 288 orbits around Earth covering nearly 12.2 million kilometres since docking with the International Space Station, the Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) crew is officially homeward bound".
The crew capsule has taken about 22.5 hours for its journey home. Besides Group Captain Shukla, the crew comprised American astronaut Commander Peggy Whitson and Mission Specialists Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski from Poland and Tibor Kapu from Hungary.
Axiom Space says Ax-4 was not only a scientific success but also a historic milestone for India, Poland, and Hungary. For the first time in over four decades, these nations launched national astronauts into space, and for the first time, their astronauts lived and worked aboard the International Space Station. This mission marked a new chapter in space exploration for these nations, paving the way for future missions and inspiring broader participation in the global space community.
The crew has brought back impactful scientific data and testaments of teamwork, perseverance, and a mission that united people from across the globe.
This mission also positions India as a serious contender in the global space community. Sharma spent a little over seven days in space aboard the Soviet space station Salyut-7. Now, Shukla has become the first Indian to visit the ISS and has spent nearly three weeks in space.
During his stay aboard the ISS, Shukla conducted seven India-specific microgravity experiments, showcasing India's growing capabilities in space science and technology. These experiments are designed to generate critical data for future planetary missions and long-duration space habitation. Group Captain Shukla will now undergo a medical rehabilitation of about a week to adjust to the gravity.
