Axiom-4 Splashdown LIVE: Shubhanshu Shukla Takes First Step on Earth As He Steps Out of SpaceX Dragon Capsule

Shubhanshu Shukla, Peggy Whitson, and others will be sent into a seven-day rehabilitation programme at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. As the last leg of a space journey, rehabilitation allows astronauts to readjust to Earth's gravity and recover from the physiological and psychological effects of prolonged exposure to microgravity in space.

Shukla landed his foot on Earth with a smile after creating history for India. Check out the photos as he stepped out of the SpaceX Dragon capsule:

On the return of Shukla, his mother, Asha Shukla, said, "Excitement is endless, and we are very proud. We were afraid at first... The upcoming generation should take inspiration and move ahead as well..."

Captain Shubhanshu Shukla and Commander Peggy Whitson took their first step on Earth after their 18-day-long voyage in the International Space Station, along with their Axiom-4 mission crew members. This marks the successful return of the Lucknow-born astronaut, who has emerged as the second Indian to visit space after Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma in 1984, and the veteran US astronaut.

Moments before the astronauts could be dispatched for rehab, Shukla and his crew were seen smiling inside the SpaceX Dragon capsule's cabin.

Right after the hatch was opened, the rescue team, including medical experts, made the first contact with the Axiom-4 mission crew. The crew will now be medically assessed for fitness before they are sent for rehabilitation.

The rescue team has successfully opened the hatch of the SpaceX Dragon capsule, after the cabin pressure was stabilised for disembarkment of the astronauts, who will take their first breath of fresh air on Earth after 18 days. SpaceX's medical team will be present at the site to assess the health of the Axiom-4 mission crew, Shukla, Whitson, Kapu, Uznański-Wiśniewski before they are sent for rehabilitation at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. 

Modi, in his greetings for Shukla and the rest of the Axiom-4 mission crew, said the successful culmination of the spaceflight will help India's first manned mission, Gaganyaan. Here is how Shukla will contribute to ISRO's upcoming space programme.

Axiom-4 Mission: How Shubhanshu Shukla’s Stay at ISS Will Benefit India’s Gaganyaan
 

Greeting Shukla and the rest of the Axiom-4 mission crew, Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted on X (formerly Twitter), saying: 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.

Shukla's family, including his mother, Asha Shukla, organised a cake-cutting ceremony after his return from the ISS to Earth, spanning 18 days — the longest manned Axiom mission ever.

The SpaceX Dragon capsule is now being onboarded to the rescue ship, which will take the Axiom-4 crew to the main ship. They will then disembark the capsule before being sent to the rehabilitation centre. The debriefing is expected to follow minutes after the rehab. 

After a successful splashdown of the SpaceX Dragon capsule into the Pacific Ocean near San Diego, two recovery ships have approached to hoist the capsule out of the water and onto the deck. These are large vessels specifically designed or modified for recovery operations. The rescue team has to ensure whether there are any explosives remaining from the deployment of the parachutes.

With tears of joy in a pompous ambience in Lucknow, Shubhanshu Shukla's family celebrated the return of their son from the International Space Station (ISS) after an 18-day stay, tasked with conducting experiments in various streams.

Closely watching the return of Shubhanshu Shukla and the rest of the Axiom-4 mission crew, Union Minister Jitendra Singh, greeted the Lucknow-born captain, saying, “Bharat today has truly found an enduring space in the world of Space. It is a moment of glory for India as one of our illustrious sons returns after completing a successful voyage…Shubhanshu has created history for India. We can say he has established India's prominence in space, which will remain etched into the country's history for years to come. For the entire mankind, experiments that were never conducted before were done by Shukla and the entire crew."

Asha Shukla broke into tears as her son, Indian Air Force Captain, Shubhanshu Shukla, returned to Earth along with his crew from the Axiom-4 mission, spanning 18 days at the ISS.

Shubhanshu Shukla and the entire Axiom-4 mission crew have returned to Earth, marking a successful voyage to the ISS, where they carried out over 60 experiments over a duration of 18 days. The splashdown of the Dragon capsule happened at around 3:02 pm IST.

The SpaceX Dragon capsule has unfurled its parachute to make the splashdown into the Pacific Ocean.

After the de-orbiting ends, which began at around 4:45 pm IST, the SpaceX Dragon capsule will splash down into the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego in California. Watch the descent LIVE:

The SpaceX team has confirmed that the Dragon spacecraft is in good condition for re-entry. It is currently about 200 kilometres above Earth and will soon begin its intense descent through the atmosphere.

The Ax-4 crew has entered the re-entry phase as the Dragon spacecraft begins its intense descent through Earth's atmosphere. All four astronauts are safely secured in their seats and are currently in a planned communication blackout.

This marks Dragon’s second crewed mission to splash down off the California coast, following the Fram2 mission, which brought recovery operations back to the West Coast in April.

The de-orbit burn has started. The Draco thrusters are now firing and will remain active for approximately 18 minutes to reduce the spacecraft's speed and adjust its angle for re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere.

Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla and three fellow crew members from the commercial Axiom-4 mission are scheduled to return to Earth on Tuesday, with a splashdown expected off the coast of San Diego, California, at 3:01 PM IST.

The de-orbit burn is planned for 2:07 PM IST over the Pacific Ocean, allowing the spacecraft to begin its descent through the Earth’s atmosphere. Final procedures before re-entry include detaching the capsule’s trunk at 2:26 PM IST and positioning the heat shield to face forward, as the spacecraft will face temperatures of up to 1,600°C during re-entry.

Parachutes will deploy in two phases: stabilising parachutes will open at around 5.7 km altitude at 2:57 PM IST, followed by the main parachutes at approximately 2 km before landing in the ocean.