Countdown for Shubhanshu Shukla’s Homecoming Journey Begins

Axiom-4 Mission: Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla and three other crew members of the Axiom-4 commercial mission are preparing to begin their journey back to Earth after completing an 18-day stay aboard the International Space Station (ISS).

Shukla, who became the second Indian astronaut to travel to space after Rakesh Sharma’s 1984 mission, is set to board the Dragon spacecraft around 2 pm IST on Monday, with an undocking scheduled approximately two hours later, marking the start of their return journey to Earth.

Emotional Farewell Ceremony Held Onboard

On Sunday, the Expedition 73 astronauts organised a traditional farewell ceremony for the Axiom-4 crew, which includes Shukla, mission commander Peggy Whitson, and mission specialists Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski of Poland and Tibor Kapu of Hungary. 

The Axiom-4 mission marked the return to space for India, Poland, and Hungary after more than four decades. During the ceremony, Shukla shared a heartfelt message:

“Jaldi hi dharti pe mulaqat karte hai (We will meet on Earth soon).”

Return Journey Plan and Splashdown Details

The descent of the Dragon spacecraft will be fully autonomous. After undocking, it will perform a series of engine burns to safely distance itself from the ISS before beginning re-entry procedures.

Final preparations will include detaching the capsule's trunk and orienting the heat shield for atmospheric entry, which will expose the spacecraft to temperatures of up to 1,600 degrees Celsius.

Parachutes will deploy in two stages during the descent: stabilising chutes at around 5.7 km altitude, followed by main parachutes at around 2 km above the ocean surface.

Splashdown is expected off the coast of California approximately 22.5 hours after undocking, after which the capsule will be recovered by a specialised recovery ship.

The return of Shubhanshu Shukla marks a significant step for India’s participation in private space missions, expanding the country’s role in international commercial space collaborations while inspiring a new generation of space enthusiasts.