Axiom-4, Shubhanshu Shukla`s Homecoming: SpaceX Dragon Spacecraft Undocks, Splashdown Tomorrow | Latest Updates-OxBig News Network

Axiom-4 Mission: Indian Air Force (IAF) Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, part of the Axiom-4 space mission, began his return journey to Earth on Monday, marking the end of his 18-day stay aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The Dragon Grace spacecraft will re-enter Earth’s atmosphere and is scheduled to splash down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California after a 22.5-hour journey.

Shukla became the first Indian astronaut to visit the International Space Station (ISS) and became an inspiration for millions. He also became the second Indian astronaut to travel to space after Rakesh Sharma’s 1984 odyssey. 

Ax-4 was launched on June 25, 2025, aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Centre in Florida, according to ANI. The Dragon spacecraft successfully docked with the ISS on June 26 at 4:05 pm (IST), ahead of schedule, connecting to the space-facing port of the station’s Harmony module.

As per a statement of Axiom Space, after approximately 433 hours, 18 days, and 288 orbits around Earth, covering nearly 7.6 million miles since docking with the International Space Station, the Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) crew is officially homeward bound. Furthermore, the 14-day mission was extended to 18 days, and Shukla boarded SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft, named ‘Grace’, at 03:30 am CT (2 pm IST). 

The latest key updates from the Axiom-4 Mission are: 

-SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, carrying Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, along with the crew, successfully undocked from the ISS on Monday.
-Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla and the crew are expected to splash down tomorrow (Tuesday). 
-Axiom 4 aboard the SpaceX Dragon undocked from the station’s Harmony module at 7:15 am ET on Monday, completing a two-and-a-half-week space research mission.
-Commander Peggy Whitson, Pilot Shubhanshu Shukla, and Mission Specialists Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski and Tibor Kapu undocked from the orbiting laboratory on Monday at 6:15 a.m. CT, marking the conclusion of their onboard mission.
-The spacecraft will also execute a series of departure burns to move away from the ISS. 

Shubhanshu Shukla’s Farewell Speech 

Shubhanshu Shukla, in his farewell speech for the Axiom-4 mission, quoted the iconic words of Cosmonaut Rakesh Sharma, the first Indian in space, and said, “Aaj ka Bharat abhi bhi saare jahaan se acha dikhta hai” (Today’s India is still more splendid than the entire world).”

As per NASA, the Dragon spacecraft will return to Earth with more than 580 pounds of cargo, including NASA hardware and data from over 60 experiments conducted during the mission.

Ax-4: Experiments, Rehabilitation 

On the orbital post, Shukla carried out seven India-specific experiments, taking a major step in advancing India’s Gaganyaan human space flight mission.

After landing, the crew members will undergo a rehabilitation programme for about seven days under the supervision of the Flight Surgeons to adapt back to Earth’s gravity.

(with agencies’ inputs)