Isro announces Shubhanshu Shukla's post-space mission recovery plans
Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, the first Indian to visit the International Space Station (ISS) on a private mission, is set to return to Earth on July 14.
He launched with the Axiom-4 crew and has been part of some exciting science in space.
Shukla's schedule for July 14-15
Shukla will leave the ISS aboard SpaceX's Crew Dragon at 4:30pm IST on July 14.
After some orbital maneuvers, his capsule will splash down in the Pacific near California around 3:00pm IST on July 15.
Shukla led 7 Indian experiments at ISS
While at the ISS, Shukla led seven Indian experiments focused on things like tardigrades (tiny "water bears"), muscle cells, and crop seeds in microgravity. Four are done; three are wrapping up before he heads back.
ISRO says he's healthy and will spend a week recovering after splashdown to get used to gravity again.
A step toward India's human spaceflight plans
Shukla's mission is a big step for India's human spaceflight plans—his work helps pave the way for future projects like Gaganyaan and Bhartiya Antariksha Station.
Missions like Axiom-4 push science forward and help build tech for more ambitious journeys ahead.