Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla will return to Earth on Monday, July 14. He will undock from the International Space Station (ISS) at 4:35 PM IST. This event will mark the successful end of India’s first mission to the ISS.

Shukla flew as part of the Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) crew. The team used the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft named “Grace.” Initially, the mission was planned for two weeks. However, it was extended due to technical needs and weather delays.

“The Axiom Mission 4 crew is set to undock from the International Space Station no earlier than Monday, July 14, at 7:05 AM ET (4:35pm IST), pending favourable weather conditions,” Axiom Space said on Friday.

Crew Wrapped Up Final Experiments

Meanwhile, the Ax-4 crew continued their scientific work in orbit. The crew included Commander Peggy Whitson, Pilot Shubhanshu Shukla, and Mission Specialists Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski from Poland and Tibor Kapu from Hungary.

Since docking on June 26, the team completed 60 scientific experiments. These projects involved 31 countries. Their studies focused on life sciences, human health, and advanced space technologies.

NASA Will Stream the Departure Live

Moreover, NASA will provide live coverage of the team’s return. Hatch closing will begin around 2:00 PM IST on July 14. Undocking coverage will follow at 4:15 PM IST. Viewers can watch the broadcast on NASA’s official platforms.

India and the US Strengthen Space Ties

In addition, this mission deepened the partnership between NASA and ISRO. The two agencies conducted five joint science experiments and two in-orbit demonstrations.

These efforts support India’s future space goals. They directly contribute to ISRO’s human spaceflight mission, Gaganyaan. Furthermore, they help lay the groundwork for India’s upcoming Bharatiya Antariksh Station.