Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, a pilot in the Indian Air Force, returned to Earth on Tuesday after spending 18 days in space, marking India’s second-ever human space journey.
The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, which he helped pilot, landed safely in the Pacific Ocean near San Diego at 3:01 pm IST on July 15.
Shukla was part of the Axiom Mission 4, which included three other astronauts—Peggy Whitson from the United States, Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski from Poland, and Tibor Kapu from Hungary. The crew had launched on 25 June and reached the International Space Station (ISS) the following day. Although their stay was initially planned for 14 days, the mission was extended by nearly three days due to poor weather conditions that delayed their return.
During their time aboard the ISS, the team carried out scientific experiments and orbited Earth more than 310 times. On 14 July, the spacecraft began its journey back, gradually slowing down before re-entering Earth’s atmosphere. Parachutes were deployed in the final minutes to ensure a gentle landing.
Shukla is the first Indian to travel to space in 41 years. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) believes the experience gained from this mission will be essential as it prepares for its own human spaceflight project, Gaganyaan.
“This has been an unforgettable experience for him,” said Nilesh M Desai, Director of ISRO’s Space Applications Centre. “He conducted several experiments in space. The knowledge we have gained from this mission will support our next steps in human space travel.”
Shukla not only represented India on this international mission but also played a key role in piloting the spacecraft back to Earth, another proud moment in the country’s growing space journey.
