Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla returns to Earth after an 18-day mission aboard the International Space Station, marking a significant milestone for India's space program and carrying out crucial scientific experiments.
Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla and three others are expected to travel to the International Space Station on June 19, after SpaceX successfully resolved the liquid oxygen leak in its Falcon-9 rocket, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) announced on Saturday.
After 18 days of experiments, Shubhanshu Shukla and the Axiom-4 crew are set to return to Earth, marking the end of their mission at the International Space Station.
Shukla said the two missions presented a major opportunity for the country and the sustained commitment of the government to the space sector, despite setbacks such as the Chandrayaan-II mission was laudable.
Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla concludes his 18-day stay at the International Space Station, praising India's ambition, confidence, and pride as seen from space. He echoes Rakesh Sharma's iconic words and expresses gratitude to all involved in the Axiom-4 mission.
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has put off Sunday's launch of the Axiom-4 mission carrying Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla and three others to the International Space Station and a new date will be announced in the coming days.
The Axiom-4 mission marked the return to space for India, Poland and Hungary after over four decades.
Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla will undergo a rehabilitation program after returning from an 18-day mission to the International Space Station (ISS) as part of the Axiom-4 mission. The mission involved various experiments and research activities.
The Axiom-4 has successfully undocked and is making its way back to Earth, as observed by Axiom Space and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) on Monday.
As the first stage was crossed, Shukla sent a first message from space, saying he, along with the crew, was orbiting Earth at a speed of 7.5 km per second.
Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, the Indian astronaut who along with three others returned recently from a successful space mission, is in Houston in the United States, as he readjusts to life on Earth, his father said on Thursday.
Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla and the Axiom-4 mission crew successfully returned to Earth, splashing down off the coast of San Diego after an 18-day stay at the International Space Station.
India took another leap in space infrastructure with the foundation stone laid for a new launch pad at the country's second rocket port in Kulasekarapattinam.
Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla returns to India after his mission to the International Space Station (ISS). He was welcomed by Union Minister Jitendra Singh, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, and ISRO Chairman V Narayanan. Shukla is expected to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and participate in National Space Day celebrations.
Following the postponement of the Axiom 4 mission, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla's father, Shambhu Dayal Shukla, said that his family is 'mentally' prepared for the mission.
Special prayers were offered in Lucknow on Tuesday for the success of the thrice-postponed lift-off of Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, on board SpaceX's Falcon-9 rocket, that would propel him into history as the first Indian to step onto the International Space Station.
"I've always been a dreamer. My mum taught me to never give up and to reach for the stars. On July 11, it's time to turn that dream into a reality aboard the next @VirginGalactic spaceflight," Branson wrote on his Twitter page.
Shubhanshu Shukla's first seven days in space have combined science, ceremony, and moments of levity.
'As humans, we haven't changed much'
The interaction is planned via a telebridge set up at the U R Rao Satellite Centre in Bengaluru, said the Amateur Radio on International Space Station (ARISS), which facilitates interaction of school students with astronauts on the orbital laboratory.
Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla and the Axiom-4 crew are completing experiments on the International Space Station (ISS) before their scheduled return to Earth.
Unveiling his launch day playlist, the Indian pilot revealed that he loves to listen to Shah Rukh Khan's Swades song Yuh Hi Chala Chal.
NASA, Axiom Space, and SpaceX are now targeting 12.01 PM (IST), Wednesday, June 25, for launch of the fourth private astronaut mission to the International Space Station, Axiom Mission 4, NASA said.
Anil Menon, the latest to join the list of American astronauts with Indian roots, will fly to the International Space Station in June 2026 as a flight engineer.
The 10-minute flight went up more than 60 miles above Earth. On board the flight was Jeff Bezos, his brother Mark Bezos, pilot Wally Funk and 18-year-old Oliver Daemen.
Kamna Shukla, wife of astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, shares plans for his homecoming after his 18-day mission on the International Space Station, emphasizing family time and simple pleasures.
The celebrations are set to continue through the day. CMS also arranged a live AXIOM mission broadcast, a replica of the ISS Cupola module, a "Defy Gravity" photo booth, telescope viewings, and a simulated Mission Control Centre.
Shukla created history on Wednesday by embarking on a journey to the International Space Station (ISS) as part of a commercial mission operated by Axiom Space, along with three other astronauts.
Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, the first Indian astronaut at the International Space Station (ISS), conducted a critical biomedical experiment aboard the ISS on flight day 6 of the Axiom 4 Mission, focusing on how microgravity contributes to muscle loss.
Shukla, who goes by the nickname "Shux", will be the second Indian to travel to space, 41 years after his idol Rakesh Sharma undertook a spaceflight in 1984 onboard erstwhile Soviet Union's Soyuz spacecraft for an eight-day stay in orbit.
Artificial Intelligence, innovation and next-generation technologies figured prominently during the high-stakes discussion between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump at the White House, as the two sides announced transformative measures, including the US-India TRUST initiative, roadmap on accelerating AI infrastructure and INDUS Innovation, to boost tech ties.
The mission was originally scheduled for lift-off on May 29 but was put off multiple times when engineers detected a liquid oxygen leak in the boosters of the Falcon-9 rocket and NASA also detected leaks in the ageing Russian module of the ISS.
Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, aboard the International Space Station, interacted with students in Lucknow, answering questions about life in space, the challenges of readjusting to Earth, and the benefits of space exploration.
SpaceX, National Aeronautics Space Administration (NASA) and Axiom Space are closely watching weather patterns at the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida where Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla and three others look forward to their travel to the International Space Station (ISS), now scheduled for Wednesday.
The Lucknow-born Shukla, former NASA astronaut Mission Commander Peggy Whitson, Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski of Poland, and Tibor Kapu of Hungary are part of the Axiom-4 mission that marks the return to space for the three nations.
Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla Shukla says Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma -- the first Indian to travel to space --has been advising him about the space flight.
Virgin Galactic spaceship Unity carrying a crew of four, including British billionaire Richard Branson, dabbled into space and returned to Earth safely, a live stream of the event showed on Sunday.
The Indian government has approved the construction of a third launch pad at Sriharikota, capable of sending heavier spacecraft into orbit. This new facility will support India's ambitious space program, including the Gaganyaan human spaceflight mission and a lunar landing. The launch pad will be built at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre and is expected to be operational within four years.
Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore have been stranded on the International Space Station since June 2024.
After being marooned in space for nine months, Astronaut Sunita Williams is back on earth along with her fellow astronaut Butch Wilmore.
