PM Modi welcomes Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla after historic space mission

New Delhi, Jul 15: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday extended a warm welcome to Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla on his return to Earth, hailing the astronaut's pioneering journey to the International Space Station (ISS) as a “defining moment” in India’s space exploration journey.

Group Captain Shukla, the first Indian to travel to the ISS, landed safely in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego at 3:02 pm IST aboard SpaceX’s Dragon capsule Grace, completing the 18-day-long Axiom-4 (Ax-4) mission.

In a post on X, the Prime Minister wrote: “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 the 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.”

Shukla and three international crew members undocked from the ISS at 4:45 pm on Monday. The capsule’s-controlled descent began with a de-orbit burn at 2:07 pm Tuesday, followed by the successful deployment of its parachutes before splashdown. Axiom Space confirmed that weather conditions were favourable at the recovery site, allowing smooth retrieval operations. According to a report in The Times of India, recovery teams promptly reached the capsule, conducted safety checks, and lifted it aboard a recovery vessel. The astronauts were then flown to land for medical evaluation, mission debriefings, and recovery protocols.

During the Ax-4 mission, the crew conducted over 60 scientific experiments representing 31 countries, with seven projects led by India’s space agency ISRO. Shukla’s participation is seen as a major leap forward in India’s aspirations in commercial spaceflight and international space cooperation.

His mission is also expected to contribute valuable experience as India prepares for its first human spaceflight programme, Gaganyaan, targeted for launch in the coming years.