In a moment of immense pride for the nation, Indian astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla returned safely to Earth on Tuesday, completing a landmark 18-day scientific mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The SpaceX Dragon capsule, named 'Grace', carrying Shukla and his three multinational crewmates, made a splashdown off the coast of California.
The successful return marks the conclusion of the Axiom-4 (Ax-4) mission, which saw Shukla become the second Indian to travel to space and the first to visit the ISS. The entire nation, including his family, watched as the capsule completed its re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere after a 22.5-hour journey from the space station.
Before beginning his journey back to Earth, Shukla delivered a memorable farewell from space, calling modern India "ambitious, fearless, confident and full of pride." Echoing the words of India's first astronaut Rakesh Sharma, he said that from his vantage point, the country still looks "saare jahan se accha" (the best in the world).
Widespread celebrations erupted as SpaceX confirmed the safe splashdown. Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed the astronaut, posting on X, "he has inspired a billion dreams through his dedication, courage and pioneering spirit." President Draupadi Murmu, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Union Minister JP Nadda also celebrated the return, with Nadda calling it a "golden chapter in India's space odyssey."
Shukla's mother, Asha Shukla, expressed her relief, stating, "My son has safely returned, I thank god." His father and brother also shared their immense pride, saying he had "scripted history" and now "belongs to the entire nation."
During his mission, Shukla conducted seven critical India-specific experiments in microgravity, the data from which is considered vital for the country's own upcoming human spaceflight program, Gaganyaan. ISRO has stated that the mission was a major learning opportunity that will directly help in the development of its own crewed missions.
Axiom Mission 4 is part of NASA’s broader strategy to build a robust low Earth orbit economy. By enabling commercial missions like these, NASA aims to purchase services from private partners while shifting its own focus to deep space exploration under the Artemis programme.
