Axiom-4 Mission Update: Indian Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla and Crew Set to Return to Earth on July 15

Union Minister of State for Science and Technology, #JitendraSingh, on Sunday shared a key update regarding the highly anticipated return of the #Axiom4 mission crew from the International Space Station (#ISS).

According to the latest information, the astronauts are expected to complete their journey and splash down on Earth on July 15 at 3:00 PM IST, weather and other mission conditions permitting.

The return crew includes #ShubhanshuShukla, India’s representative aboard the ISS, alongside three internationally renowned astronauts: Peggy Whitson, Sławosz Uznanski-Wisniewski, and Tibor Kapu.

All four have been part of a landmark mission under the Axiom-4 program, contributing to a range of scientific experiments and collaborative initiatives in low Earth orbit.

Minister Singh took to the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to update the nation and the scientific community on the return schedule.

 

“As of now, undocking has been scheduled for tomorrow, 14th July at 4:30 PM IST. Arrival back to Earth — splashdown scheduled for 15th July at 3:00 PM IST,” he posted.

He further clarified that these timings include a margin of approximately one hour, allowing flexibility depending on operational and environmental conditions.

Any changes in this schedule will be communicated through official channels.

The undocking procedure will begin aboard the #SpaceXDragon spacecraft, which is currently attached to the space-facing port of the Harmony module on the ISS.

The Dragon capsule will carefully separate from the station and commence its descent toward Earth, concluding with a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean, off the coast of California.

This marks a significant milestone for India’s growing presence in the global space arena, as #ShubhanshuShukla becomes one of the few Indian astronauts to participate in an international space mission of this scale and complexity.

The Axiom-4 mission has been instrumental in fostering #InternationalCollaboration in space research and diplomacy, and the safe return of the crew is being closely watched by space agencies, scientific institutions, and the general public around the world.

As excitement builds back on Earth, agencies including #NASA, #ISRO, and private sector partners continue to coordinate behind the scenes to ensure the successful completion of this return phase — a critical stage in every space mission.

The world now awaits the safe splashdown of these spacefarers, as their historic journey concludes and they re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere after completing a mission that has advanced both scientific knowledge and international partnership in space exploration.