The Axiom-4 mission concluded its time in space as the crew, including Indian Air Force Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, began their journey home on the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, ‘Grace’. After undocking from the International Space Station (ISS), the spacecraft is heading towards the Pacific Ocean, with an estimated landing time of 3 pm IST on Tuesday, July 15, after a 22.5-hour journey. ISS Commander Takuya Onishi expressed appreciation for the Axe-4 crew during a send-off ceremony. The crew also included Mission Commander Peggy Whitson, ISRO pilot Shubhanshu Shukla, ESA’s Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski, and Tibor Kapu. Shubhanshu Shukla shared an emotional message from the ISS before departure. During their time on the ISS, the crew actively participated in various scientific and social initiatives. The ‘Grace’ spacecraft is bringing back over 263 kg of scientific research and NASA equipment. The mission began with a launch on June 25 from the Kennedy Space Center and docking with the ISS on June 26. Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh stated that Shukla’s scientific work, particularly experiments related to life sciences and plants, would provide significant benefits globally. He also mentioned that the experiments utilized entirely indigenous equipment and kits developed in India and would now be used internationally.
