'We're All Very Excited': Shubhanshu Shukla's Father Eagerly Waits For His Return From Space

Last Updated:July 13, 2025, 11:38 IST

The Axiom-4 space mission carrying Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla is expected to undock from the ISS on July 14 at 4:35 pm. The spacecraft will reach Earth at 3 pm on July 15.

Shubhanshu Shukla at International Space Station (Image: Axiom Space)

As Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla spends his final days at the International Space Station (ISS), his father, Shambhu Dayal Shukla, is eagerly anticipating his son’s return from a historic flight to space on July 14 (Monday).

“We are all very excited! His return will begin tomorrow on 14th July, and we are eagerly waiting for him to arrive on Earth on the 15th," Shambhu Dayal Shukla told reporters. He also thanked Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and his wife Dimple Yadav for extending their best wishes to the astronaut.

Shukla, an Indian Air Force Group Captain, is the first Indian astronaut to reach space in more than 40 years since Rakesh Sharma’s historic spaceflight in 1984. His father said Shubhanshu’s family is eagerly waiting for his return.

NASA had earlier announced that the Axiom-4 mission carrying Shubhanshu Shukla and three fellow crewmates is expected to undock from the International Space Station no earlier than July 14.

The four astronauts are scheduled to undock from the ISS on Monday, July 14, at 4.35 pm IST (7.05 am ET), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration said in a statement. After a series of orbital manoeuvres, the Crew Dragon spacecraft is expected to splash down near the coast of California on July 15, 2025, at 3 pm IST.

The Axiom-4 mission, which launched from Kennedy Space Centre in Florida on June 25, successfully docked at the ISS on June 26 following a 28-hour flight aboard the Dragon spacecraft, after a series of delays.

The Axiom-4 crew comprises IAF Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, Poland’s Slawosz Uznanski and Hungary’s Tibor Kapu. They completed their 14-day stay at the ISS on Thursday.

The crew collected data for a study to explore how astronauts perceive and interact with their environment in orbit, which is critical for designing mentally supportive habitats for long-duration missions. Another study focused on cerebral blood flow, investigating how microgravity and elevated carbon dioxide levels affect cardiovascular function.

Shubhanshu Shukla had worked on the microalgae experiment, deploying and stowing samples that could one day provide food, oxygen and biofuels for deep-space missions, according to Axiom Space. He will undergo a seven-day rehabilitation programme after his splashdown off the California coast on July 15 as he returns to the Earth.

ISRO paid approximately Rs 550 crore for Shukla’s travel to the ISS – an experience that will help the space agency in planning and execution of its human spaceflight programme, Gaganyaan, set to take to orbit in 2027.

Aveek Banerjee

Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master's in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international...Read More

Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master's in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international...

Read More

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