India's Cosmic Leap: Shubhanshu Shukla's Return Journey Begins Today

The epic journey of any Indian in space in the 21st century is beginning at its end. India's Gaganyatri, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, is packing his bags for his day-long ride to come back to Earth after spending nearly three weeks in space.

India's cosmic leap's phase one is ending with the Axiom-4 mission, which is also referred to as Mission Akash Ganga, but this was the easy part. Now, when Astronaut Shukla returns, the hard part will begin when he gets down to translate his learnings to India's own human space flight program, Gaganyaan. India has allocated nearly Rs 33,000 crore for the entire Gaganyaan program, leading up to landing an Indian on the moon by 2040.

Axiom Space, the Houston-based private company that spearheaded this trip, announced that after spending 18 eventful days aboard the International Space Station, the Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) crew is preparing for their journey home. Commander Peggy Whitson, Pilot Shubhanshu "Shux" Shukla, and Mission Specialists Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski and Tibor Kapu spent their final day in orbit packing and making final preparations for departure.

We don't get in our flight suits often, but chance had us all decked out so we took advantage and took some photos with our new crewmates.

In this picture we have eight astronauts representing the United States, Japan, India, Hungary and Poland. It's been a pleasure getting to… pic.twitter.com/l3AWgG9quD

— Jonny Kim (@JonnyKimUSA) July 13, 2025

This mission not only marks Mr Shukla as the second Indian astronaut in space-following Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma's historic flight in 1984-but also positions India as a serious contender in the global space community. Mr Sharma spent a little over 7 days in space aboard the Soviet space station Salyut-7. Now, Mr Shukla became the first Indian to visit the ISS and has spent nearly three weeks in space. Incidentally, Mr Shukla was not even born when Mr Sharma undertook that journey, but 39-year-old Shukla is truly defining the future of human space flight for India.

India's Gaganyatri or astronaut is likely to return to Earth around 3 pm India time on July 15, and he will reach terra firma near the coast of California, said the Indian space agency, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

Axiom Space said to celebrate the end of their mission, the Ax-4 astronauts participated in a traditional farewell ceremony alongside NASA's Expedition crew - a moment that highlighted the camaraderie, collaboration, and global unity.' Speaking at the farewell ceremony, Mr Shukla said, "One thing that really 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." 

This mission, dubbed Akash Ganga, is a collaborative effort between Axiom Space Inc., NASA, and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), and represents a significant step forward in India's human spaceflight ambitions, including the upcoming Gaganyaan mission and the proposed Bhartiya Antariksha Station.

Mr Shukla and three crew lifted off from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on June 25. They docked to the space station on June 26, and if all goes well, especially weather permitting in the descent corridor, the mission, which Mr Shukla is piloting, will safely splash down on July 15. 

India's cosmic leap is now nearing the beginning of its end. ISRO has revealed that the splashdown will take place on July 15, at 15:00 IST. Earlier, according to NASA's Commercial Crew Program Manager Steve Stitch, the undocking of the Crew Dragon spacecraft carrying Mr Shukla and three other astronauts is scheduled for July 14, at 16:30 IST. Following a series of orbital manoeuvres, the spacecraft is expected to splash down in the Pacific Ocean near the coast of California, USA.

During his stay aboard the ISS, Mr 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.

The Indian space agency said, "ISRO's flight surgeons are continuously monitoring & ensuring the overall health and fitness of the Gaganyatri through participation in private medical/psychological conferences. Gaganyatri Shubhanshu is in good health condition and in high spirit."

Mr Shukla said, "Now as my journey is about to end, your and my journey is still very long. Our human space mission journey is very long and very difficult as well. But I assure you that if we make a decision, even stars are attainable. 41 years ago, an Indian went to space, and he told us what India looks like from space. And somewhere, I feel that we all want to know how India looks today. Let me tell you. Today's India looks magnificent from space. Today's India looks fearless. Today's India looks confident. Today's India looks full of pride. And because of all these reasons, I can once again say that today's India still looks better than any other country. Let's meet on Earth soon."