First Indian Astronaut's ISS Mission Concludes as Ax-4 Crew Prepares to Return

Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, the first Indian astronaut to venture aboard the International Space Station (ISS) as part of the Axiom-4 mission (Ax-4), is preparing for a scheduled return today with his crew. Having spent an intensive 18 days on the ISS, the crew will begin their departure procedures at approximately 4:35 PM IST.

According to NASA, the undocking process will commence with hatch closure at 4:30 am EDT or 2:00 PM IST, followed by crew entry into the spacecraft and the eventual undocking set for 7:05 am EDT or 4:30 PM IST. NASA will provide live coverage through NASA+, extending around 30 minutes post-undocking.

In addition, Axiom Space and SpaceX will continue to offer detailed coverage of the Dragon Grace spacecraft's re-entry, concluding with a splashdown off the Californian coast, expected at 3 PM IST on Tuesday, July 15. Axiom Space notes the entire return to Earth is anticipated to take roughly 22.5 hours.

Group Captain Shukla delivered a moving farewell speech from the ISS, echoing the legendary words of Rakesh Sharma while proudly declaring India's ambitious, fearless, and confident presence from space. He extended gratitude to ISRO, NASA, Axiom Space, and SpaceX, acknowledging the extensive collaboration and its significant global impact.

The Ax-4 team, overseen by Commander Peggy Whitson and comprising key astronauts from ISRO, the European Space Agency, Poland, and Hungary, engaged in vital research and educational activities during their mission. The Dragon craft is returning with over 580 pounds of cargo, including crucial data from 60 experiments.

The Axiom Mission 4 initially launched on June 25 aboard SpaceX's Falcon 9 from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, successfully docking with the ISS ahead of schedule. (ANI)

(With inputs from agencies.)