After approximately 20 days in space, the Axiom-4 mission team has begun their journey back to Earth aboard SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft, named ‘Grace’. The spacecraft undocked from the International Space Station (ISS), marking the beginning of the return trip. The mission is notably led by Indian Air Force Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, who is piloting the spacecraft. The Dragon Grace spacecraft is expected to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere and land in the Pacific Ocean off the California coast around 3 pm IST on Tuesday, July 15, after a journey of roughly 22.5 hours. ISS Commander Takuya Onishi expressed his appreciation to the Axe-4 crew, highlighting their positive energy, inspiration, and scientific dedication. The crew included Mission Commander Peggy Whitson, ISRO pilot Shubhanshu Shukla, ESA’s Slawosz “Swaw” Uznanski-Wisniewski, and Tibor Kapu. Before departure, Shubhanshu Shukla conveyed an emotional message from the ISS, echoing Rakesh Sharma’s famous words, rephrased to reflect modern India. During the mission, the crew actively participated in scientific and social programs on the ISS. The ‘Grace’ spacecraft is bringing back over 263 kg of cargo, including data from scientific experiments and NASA equipment. The mission commenced on June 25 with the launch of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, and docking with the ISS occurred on June 26. Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh emphasized the global benefits of the scientific experiments conducted by Shukla, which were supported by the Department of Biotechnology and institutions like IISc Bangalore and IIT. He noted that the equipment used in these experiments was entirely indigenous and would now be utilized internationally. The minister highlighted that it was the first time experiments of Indian origin have been conducted by an Indian for the world.
