Indian Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla Returns to Earth After Historic Space Mission
Shubhanshu Shukla's Journey Back Home
New Delhi: Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla has commenced his return journey to Earth after an impressive 18-day stay aboard the International Space Station (ISS).
On June 26, Shukla made history as the first Indian to reach the orbital laboratory, becoming the second Indian astronaut to venture into space since Rakesh Sharma's mission in 1984.
Originally planned for 14 days, his mission was extended to 18 days, and he boarded SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft, named 'Grace', at 03:30 am CT (2 pm IST).
According to NASA's blog, the hatch between the SpaceX Dragon and the ISS was sealed at 5:07 a.m. EDT.
Shukla, along with fellow astronauts Peggy Whitson from the US, Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski from Poland, and Tibor Kapu from Hungary, undocked from the ISS's Harmony module around 7:15 a.m. ET (4:45 pm IST).
SpaceX confirmed via a post on X, stating, "Dragon is GO to undock from the Space Station," followed by a confirmation of the separation.
The crew is anticipated to splash down off the California coast after a 22.5-hour journey, expected at approximately 4:31 am CT (3:01 pm IST, Tuesday), as stated by Axiom Space.
In a touching farewell message from space, Shukla reflected on his time at the ISS, calling it an "incredible journey" and expressing gratitude to ISRO, Axiom Space, NASA, and SpaceX for their support.
He remarked, "India still looks better than the whole world," and added, "Today’s India looks ambitious, brave, confident, and full of pride," highlighting the nation's spirit.
As Shukla's mission concludes, his family is filled with excitement and anxiety, eagerly awaiting his safe return.
His sister, Shuchi Mishra, shared, "We’re feeling superbly excited and nervous, just like it felt on the first day of his lift-off. There’s a sense of nervousness because this is such a crucial stage; it’s the final one. Once he splashes down safely, only then will we feel relieved and relaxed."
In Varanasi, residents performed a special 'yagya-havan' ceremony for Shukla's safe return, with priests chanting Vedic mantras as flames rose, symbolizing the heights from which he is returning.
During his time in orbit, Shukla conducted seven India-specific experiments, significantly contributing to India's Gaganyaan human spaceflight mission.
These experiments included studies on muscle loss, the development of a brain-computer interface, and the sprouting of green gram and fenugreek seeds in space.
These initiatives mark a substantial advancement in space science and technology, providing essential insights for Gaganyaan and future planetary missions.
Upon landing, Shukla and his fellow crew members will participate in a rehabilitation program lasting about seven days, supervised by Flight Surgeons to help them readjust to Earth's gravity.