Indian astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla and the Axiom4 crew are scheduled to undock from the International Space Station (ISS) on July 14, 2025, marking the end of a groundbreaking 14day mission that advanced India’s space ambitions and global scientific collaboration.
Mission Overview
-
The Axiom4 mission launched from Kennedy Space Center on June 25 and docked at the ISS on June 26 after a 28hour journey aboard SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft.
-
The crew includes Commander Peggy Whitson (USA), Pilot Shubhanshu Shukla (India), and Mission Specialists Slawosz Uznanski (Poland) and Tibor Kapu (Hungary).
Scientific Contributions
-
Over 60 experiments were conducted, spanning neuroscience, agriculture, biomedical science, and space technology.
-
Shukla led seven Indiaspecific microgravity experiments and five under ISRONASA collaboration, including space farming trials with moong and methi seeds, and microalgae studies for oxygen and biofuel generation.
Global Impact
-
The mission is the most researchintensive private astronaut expedition to date, with findings expected to influence diabetes care, cancer treatment, and astronaut health monitoring.
-
The crew completed 230 Earth orbits and traveled over 9.6 million kilometers.
Return Timeline
-
Undocking is scheduled for July 14 at 7:05 a.m. ET (4:35 p.m. IST), with splashdown expected off the California coast.
-
The mission, dubbed Akash Ganga, is a key precursor to India’s Gaganyaan human spaceflight program.
Sources: NASA, Axiom Space, News18, Times of India, India TV News, MSN, NewsonAir.