Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla returned to Earth with Grace, the Dragon capsule the Axiom-4 crew members were travelling in, splashing down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego in Southern California, around 3.01 PM IST
The crew had departed from the orbiting laboratory on Tuesday (July 14, 2025) onboard the SpaceX Dragon.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the nation I. extending welcome to Shukla on his return to Earth from his landmark mission aboard the International Space Station.
The PM said that as India’s first astronaut to have journeyed to the ISS, Group Captain Shukla’s achievement marks a defining moment in the nation’s space exploration journey.
“I join the nation in welcoming Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla as he returns to Earth from his historic mission to Space. As India’s first astronaut to have visited International Space Station, he has inspired a billion dreams through his dedication, courage and pioneering spirit. It marks another milestone towards our own Human Space Flight Mission – Gaganyaan,” he wrote on X
