Shubhanshu Shukla Returns To Earth After Historic Space Mission | All About India's Star Astronaut

Last Updated:July 15, 2025, 15:03 IST

The mission makes Shukla the first Indian astronaut to visit the International Space Station (ISS) and only the second Indian in space after Rakesh Sharma's 1984 Soviet mission

Shubhanshu Shukla Return LIVE: Commissioned as a fighter pilot in 2006, Shukla has accumulated over 16 years of service and more than 2,000 flying hours. (News18)

Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, India’s trailblazing astronaut aboard the Axiom-4 mission, returned safely to Earth on Tuesday afternoon, marking a historic milestone for Indian space exploration. The SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule Grace, carrying Shukla and three other astronauts, splashed down in the Pacific Ocean at around 3pm IST, off the coast of California.

The mission makes Shukla the first Indian astronaut to visit the International Space Station (ISS) and only the second Indian in space after Rakesh Sharma’s 1984 Soviet mission.

Shukla, hailing from Lucknow, is an alumnus of City Montessori School in Aliganj. Commissioned as a fighter pilot in 2006, he has accumulated over 16 years of service and more than 2,000 flying hours.

Fondly called Gunjan, Shukla is the youngest of three siblings and the first in his family to join the armed forces. He is also father to a four-year-old son.

Shukla was commissioned into the Indian Air Force on June 17, 2006, and describes his career as a “rollercoaster ride." He has excelled in his field, becoming a fighter combat leader and test pilot with experience in various aircraft, including the Su-30MKI, MIG-21, MIG-29, Jaguar, and Hawk.

In 2019, Shukla received a momentous call from ISRO, the official website of Axiom Space read. He embarked on rigorous training at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Moscow, Russia—a year-long preparation that would shape his destiny. On February 27, 2024, Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled Shukla as one of the elite astronauts undergoing intensive training for India’s maiden human spaceflight mission, Gaganyaan, scheduled for launch in 2025.

During the live uplink with the astronauts, Shukla, speaking about his first 24 hours in space, said: “What a ride!" adding that it has been “an amazing feeling to be just floating in space" and that “it’s been fun time".

“I was not feeling great when we got shot into vacuum, but I’m told I’ve been sleeping a lot, which is a great sign," he said. “I’m enjoying the view, the experience and learning anew, like a baby, how to walk, to control yourself and to eat and read," he added.

Earlier, Shubhanshu Shukla’s colleagues praised his sharp intellect and ability to absorb and apply knowledge. Mission commander and former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson described his technical expertise as an outstanding asset to the mission.

Apoorva Misra

Apoorva Misra is News Editor at News18.com with over nine years of experience. She is a graduate from Delhi University's Lady Shri Ram College and holds a PG Diploma from Asian College of Journalism, Chennai. S...Read More

Apoorva Misra is News Editor at News18.com with over nine years of experience. She is a graduate from Delhi University's Lady Shri Ram College and holds a PG Diploma from Asian College of Journalism, Chennai. S...

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