Axiom-4 crew's 22.5-Hour journey home begins
The Ax-4 crew—including Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, who serves as the pilot—are on their way back to Earth after wrapping up a successful stint on the International Space Station.
Their SpaceX Dragon capsule undocked early July 14, 2025, and is set to splash down off California after about 22.5 hours in orbit.
Over 60 experiments in microgravity
During their approximately 18 days in space, the crew ran more than 60 experiments, including seven from ISRO. They explored everything from biomedical science to microalgae growth and muscle stimulation.
The Dragon is also bringing back over 263kg of NASA hardware and research samples.
How the return process works?
The return isn't just a ride home—it's a careful process with maneuvers to slow the capsule from orbital speeds before parachuting into the Pacific.
Once they land, recovery teams will help them out for quick medical checks, followed by about 10 days of quarantine so their bodies can readjust to gravity (and researchers can learn more about life after microgravity).
Fun fact: Shukla is the first Indian astronaut to visit the ISS!