Indian astronaut Shukla shares space journey insights
Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, an Indian Air Force officer, is heading home after spending approximately 21 days on the International Space Station. As part of the Axiom-4 private mission, he worked alongside astronauts from several nations.
His ride back—SpaceX's Dragon "Grace"—undocked on July 14 and will splash down off California's coast today at 3:01pm IST.
Preparing for India's 1st human spaceflight
Shukla's time in space was all about testing new tech for India's big Gaganyaan human spaceflight project coming up in 2027.
The team ran experiments on how humans live and work in microgravity, giving Indian scientists a head start as they prep for future missions.
How the Dragon will return home
Returning safely from orbit isn't easy. After undocking, Dragon fired its engines to re-enter the atmosphere—a move timed for today afternoon IST.
The final moments included landing in the Pacific Ocean.