Axiom Mission 4 Departs ISS After 18-Day Stay; Indian Pilot Shubhanshu Shukla Conducted Pioneering Experiments Ahead of India’s 2027 Gaganyaan Crew Flight
Pacific Ocean, July 14 – Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4), piloted by India’s Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, undocked from the International Space Station (ISS) on Monday evening around 4:50 PM IST and is set to splash down in the Pacific Ocean off California at approximately 3 PM IST on Tuesday, July 15. The journey from ISS to Earth will take roughly 22.5 hours aboard the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, nicknamed ‘Grace’.
The Ax-4 mission, which spent 18 days aboard the ISS, represents a watershed moment for India as it eyes its first independent crewed space mission, Gaganyaan, set for 2027.
India’s Giant Leap: Prelude to Gaganyaan
Group Captain Shukla’s journey aboard Ax-4 marks the return of Indian astronauts to crewed space missions after decades. His mission has laid crucial groundwork for India’s Gaganyaan project. The pride of the nation was evident when Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Shukla via video call on June 28, calling the flight a significant milestone for India’s space ambitions.
Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh also expressed enthusiasm on X, posting, “Welcome back Shubhanshu! The entire nation eagerly awaits your arrival back home.”
Alongside Shukla, the Ax-4 crew included Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski of Poland, Tibor Kapu of Hungary, and Commander Peggy Whitson, America’s most experienced astronaut and now an Axiom Space employee. For Poland, Hungary, and India, this was the first human spaceflight in over 40 years.
Science on the ISS: 60+ Experiments Conducted
Launched from the Kennedy Space Center on June 25, Ax-4’s mission was packed with scientific objectives. The crew conducted over 60 experiments focusing on space medicine, agriculture, biology, and mental health.
Group Captain Shukla’s work concentrated on muscle and bone degradation in microgravity, a critical issue for long-duration missions. He also ran a sustainability study involving microalgae as a food source and showcased a water experiment that created floating bubbles in zero gravity. “I’ve become a water bender here in the station,” he joked, delighting science enthusiasts back on Earth.
Other experiments focused on plant biology, cancer research, and cardiovascular responses in microgravity. The mission also featured a mental health study, emphasizing psychological resilience in isolated environments.
NASA confirmed that over 580 pounds (260 kg) of cargo, including experimental data and hardware, will return aboard Dragon Grace.
Farewell to ISS: Emotional Send-Off
At a heartfelt farewell ceremony, ISS Commander Takuya Onishi praised the Ax-4 crew: “Peggy, Shux, Suave, Tibor — your dedication to science and your profession definitely set a new standard for private astronaut missions.”
In his own farewell speech, Group Captain Shukla echoed Rakesh Sharma’s historic words, saying:
“Aaj ka Bharat abhi bhi saare jahaan se acha dikhta hai.”
(Today’s India is still more splendid than the entire world.)
Axiom and Commercial Space: The Future is Here
The Ax-4 mission was chartered by Axiom Space, a Houston-based private aerospace firm that partners with both sovereign governments and private clients. This was Axiom’s fourth mission to the ISS since 2022, reflecting NASA’s growing endorsement of commercial space collaboration.
The mission was not just a celebration of science but of international cooperation and the increasing democratization of human spaceflight.
The splashdown of Dragon Grace marks the end of a historic mission but the beginning of a new era for India — one where its astronauts are no longer visitors in space, but future leaders.