Axiom-4 Mission / Shubhnshu Shukla returned to earth from space, splashdown happened; spent 18 days in space

Axiom-4 Mission: Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla along with his four fellow astronauts returned to Earth on 15 July 2025 after completing an 18-day mission on the International Space Station (ISS). As part of this historic mission, his Dragon spacecraft landed on the coast of California with a splashdown at around 3:00 pm IST. The mission was part of a joint effort by NASA and SpaceX, which included astronauts from India, the US, Poland and Hungary.

Mission launch and journey

Shubhanshu Shukla and his colleagues left for the ISS on 25 June 2025 via Falcon 9 rocket from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. After a 28-hour journey, they reached the International Space Station, where they spent 18 days. During this time they conducted more than 60 scientific experiments, including seven experiments from India. On 14 July 2025 at 4:45 pm IST, they left for Earth from the ISS and landed safely on the coast of California after a 23-hour journey.

Why is Shubhanshu's mission special?

Shubhanshu Shukla is the second astronaut from India to achieve this feat, 41 years after Rakesh Sharma's historic space journey in 1984. This mission is an important step for India's space program, as it can pave the way for the establishment of commercial space stations and the development of new technologies in the future. This mission is also an important step towards the launch of India's human spacecraft in 2027.

Experiments conducted in space

Indian Air Force Squadron Commander Shubhanshu Shukla, who has more than 2000 hours of flight experience, conducted several important experiments during this mission. These included growing fenugreek and moong seeds in space, whose pictures were revealed recently. The aim of these experiments was to understand the possibilities of food production in space and lay the groundwork for future long-term missions. Apart from a total of more than 60 scientific studies, more than 20 outreach programs were also organized in the mission.

Return to Earth and family happiness

After the Dragon spacecraft undocked from the ISS under the Axiom-4 mission, Shubhnshu's parents prayed for his safe return. His father said, "We are very happy that the undocking happened safely. We hope the landing will also go smoothly. We have full faith in God." After returning to Earth, Shubhnshu's parents became emotional and expressed pride in his achievement.

Global significance of the mission

This mission is important not only for India but also for global space research. With the cooperation of astronauts from four countries, this mission is an excellent example of international cooperation. SpaceX shared the information on its official X handle and said that the spacecraft successfully re-entered the Earth's atmosphere before landing off the coast of San Diego.

Future prospects

This mission of Shubhnshu Shukla will take India's space program to new heights. This mission will prove to be important not only for scientific research but also for India's ambitious space goals, such as launching human spacecraft in 2027 and establishing a commercial space station. This achievement of Shubhanshu has inspired youth not only in India but across the world to pursue space research.