Indian Air Force Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, the first Indian to set foot on the International Space Station (ISS), is returning to Earth aboard the Axiom-4 (Ax-4) mission, which undocked on Monday. Splashdown is expected off the California coast on 15 July at 3:00 PM IST, Xinhua reported.
Shukla, a decorated Indian Air Force pilot, was part of the four-member Ax-4 crew that arrived at the ISS on 26 June. The team conducted 60 scientific experiments, including seven from India’s space agency ISRO.
Shukla is only the second Indian to travel to space, following Rakesh Sharma in 1984. His mission, backed by ISRO, is seen as a key step toward India’s upcoming human spaceflight programme, Gaganyaan, planned for 2027, according to Xinhua.
