Axiom-4 mission: Spacecraft carrying Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla returns to Earth

Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla and his fellow crew members on the Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) returned to Earth on Tuesday afternoon (July 15), as their SpaceX Dragon splashed down at 3:02 p.m. IST.

They returned from an 18-day sojourn on the Worldwide House Station that was a primary step for India’s personal ambitions for indigenous human spaceflight, with Mr. Shukla — a Group Captain within the Indian Air Drive — chosen as one of many Indian astronauts on the Gaganyaan Mission.

The Dragon’s splashdown occurred off the coast of San Diego in america, 22-and-a-half hours after it departed from the ISS on July 14. Fifty minutes later, the astronauts made their manner out of the Dragon, helped by the medical crew aboard the House X restoration vessel, the Shannon.

Rehab programme

The primary to return out of the Dragon was Ax-4 mission Commander Peggy Whitson of america, adopted by Group Captain Shukla, who was the pilot for the mission, Mission Specialist Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski of Poland, and Mission Specialist Tibor Kapu of Hungary.

Smiling and waving on the cameras, the astronauts have been assisted by the group aboard the rescue ship as they went for routine medical checks after spending virtually 20 days in microgravity circumstances. In response to the Indian House Analysis Organisation, Group Captain Shukla will bear a rehabilitation programme for a few week beneath the supervision of flight surgeons to assist him adapt again to Earth’s gravity.

Axiom-4 crew return LIVE

320 orbits of Earth

The 4 astronauts flew to the area station on the Dragon after it was launched by the Falcon 9 from the Kennedy House Middle in Florida on June 25. In the course of the 20-day mission, the crew accomplished 320 orbits across the Earth, overlaying 8.4 million miles of spaceflight, Axiom House stated. In addition they accomplished over 60 analysis actions and 23 outreach occasions. The Ax-4 crew members departed from the orbiting laboratory on July 14.

Early on Tuesday, SpaceX introduced that the Dragon was on monitor to re-enter the Earth’s environment and splash down off the coast of San Diego as per schedule. At round 2:09 p.m., the deorbit burn section of the splashdown commenced, lasting for about 18 minutes.

Following the completion of the deorbit burn, the truck was jettisoned, and the Dragon’s nostril cone was closed and secured for entry into the Earth’s environment. A couple of minutes later, the Dragon’s two drogue parachutes deployed above the Pacific Ocean, adopted by deployment of the 4 most important parachutes, and the Dragon had a textbook splashdown into the ocean.

A view of the SpaceX Dragon spaceship after it splashed down off the coast off San Diego on July 15, 2025. Picture: YouTube/ Axiom House

Protected splashdown

“Thanks for the good experience and protected journey and comfortable to be again,” Ms. Whitson stated in her first message publish splashdown.

Quickly, a few quick boats with restoration personnel approached the Dragon to make sure that the spacecraft was protected.

The restoration personnel then accomplished sniff checks to make sure there have been no hazardous chemical compounds across the car and after they picked up the principle parachutes, the principle restoration vessel Shannon approached the Dragon.

The Dragon was then lifted to the restoration vessel and positioned on the restoration nest earlier than being moved to the hangar aboard the ship for the opening of the spacecraft hatch. After the hatch was opened, the astronauts exited the Dragon one after the other, finishing their mission.

Axiom House stated that they may bear their first medical checks onboard the restoration vessel, earlier than flying on a helicopter again to land. From there, the crew can be flown to Houston the place they are going to be reunited with their respective groups.