The Axiom-4 (Ax-4) mission, carrying Indian Air Force Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla and three other astronauts—Peggy Whitson, Sławosz Uznanski-Wisniewski, and Tibor Kapu—is scheduled to undock from the International Space Station (ISS) on July 14 at 4:30 PM IST.

The crew will return to Earth aboard the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, with a splashdown expected on July 15 at 3:00 PM IST off the coast of California in the Pacific Ocean. These timings have a margin window of approximately one hour and are subject to weather and real-time operational conditions.

Shubhanshu Shukla’s mission marks several significant milestones:

He is the first Indian to visit the ISS and only the second Indian astronaut in space after Rakesh Sharma’s 1984 mission.

The Ax-4 mission, launched on June 25 and docked with the ISS on June 26, is a commercial, privately operated spaceflight, with Shukla trained by ISRO.

During their nearly two-week stay, the crew conducted over 60 advanced experiments across biology, artificial intelligence, and materials science, including seven India-specific experiments that are crucial for India’s future space ambitions, such as the Gaganyaan mission and the planned Bhartiya Antariksha Station.

Key India-specific experiments included:

Studying muscle loss in microgravity
Developing a brain-computer interface
Sprouting green gram (Moong) and fenugreek (Methi) seeds in space for crew nutrition
Research on the Indian strain of Tardigrades (focusing on survival and reproduction)
The Cyanobacteria experiment for life support systems

After splashdown, Shukla and the crew will undergo a seven-day rehabilitation program under the supervision of Flight Surgeons to readapt to Earth’s gravity and recover from the physiological effects of spaceflight.

This mission represents a major leap for Indian space science and technology, providing critical data and experience to support upcoming human spaceflight and planetary exploration initiatives.

Agencies