Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla to begin journey back to Earth today evening
Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla has spent 18 days on the International Space Station and is all set to return to Earth tomorrow.
After an 18-day stay at the International Space Station (ISS), astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, along with three other members of the commercial Axiom-4 mission, was set to return to Earth on Monday. Shukla, who had become the second Indian astronaut to travel to space following Rakesh Sharma's 1984 journey, is set to board the Dragon spacecraft at around 2 PM IST and begin the return journey two hours later. Axiom Space stated that undocking from the ISS was scheduled for no earlier than 6:05 AM CT (4:35 PM IST). The crew was expected to splash down off the coast of California approximately 22.5 hours after undocking, at around 4:31 AM CT (3:01 PM IST on Tuesday).
Traditional farewell ceremony
On Sunday, the Expedition 73 astronauts held a traditional farewell ceremony for the Axiom-4 crew, which included Shukla, commander Peggy Whitson, and mission specialists Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski from Poland and Tibor Kapu from Hungary. The Axiom-4 mission marked a significant return to space for India, Poland, and Hungary after more than four decades.
During the farewell ceremony onboard the ISS, Shukla remarked, expressing hope for a quick reunion on Earth. He noted that the descent of the Dragon spacecraft was designed to be entirely autonomous.
Re-entry procedure
Following undocking, the Dragon was expected to execute a series of engine burns to safely distance itself from the ISS and initiate re-entry procedures. Final preparations involved detaching the capsule's trunk and orienting the heat shield for atmospheric entry, which would subject the spacecraft to temperatures nearing 1,600 degrees Celsius.
Parachutes were set to deploy in two stages, with stabilising chutes at approximately 5.7 km altitude, followed by the main parachutes at around two km.
Shukla shared experience
Shukla reflected on the time when his idol, Rakesh Sharma, traveled to space 41 years ago, sharing his curiosity about how India looks from above. He expressed that today’s India appeared to be full of ambition, fearless, confident, and brimming with pride. He further stated that, for these reasons, India still looks ‘saare jahan se accha’ in his eyes.
The farewell ceremony on the ISS included brief remarks from the Axiom-4 crew, many of whom became emotional as they hugged members of Expedition 73, with whom they had forged new friendships during their stay.
Shukla shared that he had not anticipated such an incredible experience when he embarked on the Falcon-9 mission on June 25, crediting the people involved for making it truly special. He felt immense joy in working alongside the professionals from Expedition 73.
Seven days in rehabilitation
Following their return, the four astronauts were expected to spend seven days in rehabilitation as they adjusted back to life on Earth, experiencing the influence of gravity after the weightlessness of their orbit.
Shukla’s trip was historic, marking him as the first Indian to travel to the ISS, and the second overall Indian in space after Sharma's groundbreaking flight as part of the then-Soviet Union's mission to the Salyut-7 space station in 1984.
It was reported that ISRO paid approximately Rs 550 crore for Shukla's trip to the ISS, an experience that would aid the agency in the planning and execution of its human spaceflight program, Gaganyaan, scheduled for orbit in 2027.
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