Shubhanshu Shukla And Axiom-4 Mission Crew to Undergo Seven-Day Rehab : What It Means

The Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla and three other crew members from the Axiom-4 space mission started their journey back to earth on Monday, around 4:35 pm (IST), after spending 18 days aboard the International Space Station (ISS).

Following his return, there will be a seven-day long rehabilitation programme which the entire team of astronauts will undergo.

Shukla and the other three astronauts - commander Peggy Whitson and mission specialists Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski and Tibor Kapu of Poland and Hungary - had docked at the ISS on June 26, 2025 as part of the Axiom-4 mission.

When Are The Four Astronauts Scheduled To Return?

The four astronauts have undocked from the ISS on Monday, July 14, at 4:35 pm (IST), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration said in a statement.

After a series of orbital manouevres after undocking Crew Dragon spacecraft is expected to splash down near the coast of California on July 15, 2025, at 3 pm IST.

Seven-Day Rehab

While astronauts are in space, their muscles get weaker quickly, bones weaken which is an added risk for potential fracture threats, their skin becomes thinner and tears easily and their vision also blurs raising risks of cataract.

Additionally, astronauts also face several issues such as motion sickness and disorientation and their immunity weakens significantly.

So once they return to Earth, they need to readjust to Earth's gravity and recover from the physical and mental effects of space travel.

Some of these rehabilitation activities may include physical therapy, balance training, cardiovascular exercises, strength training, vision testing, medical evaluations as well as counselling and support.

This needs to be done as it is very important for astronauts to readjust to Earth's gravity, after prolonged exposure to microgravity.

It is also important for them to recover from any physical effects such as muscle loss, bone density changes, and vision impairment.

Further, it is all the more important for astronauts to focus on their mental health post landing.

Also Read: 'RDX Inside BSE?' Bomb Threat Email Sends Shockwaves Through Dalal Street — What We Know So Far