The Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4), which launched on June 25, 2025, is nearing its conclusion as the crew prepares to return to Earth today, Tuesday, July 15. The mission, which lasted 18 days aboard the International Space Station (ISS), included Indian payload specialist Shubhanshu Shukla, along with three international crewmates.
The team lifted off in the Dragon spacecraft named "Grace", launched atop a SpaceX Falcon-9 rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
After undocking from the ISS at 4:50 PM IST on Monday, the Dragon spacecraft began a 22.5-hour return journey to Earth. The capsule is scheduled to splash down in the Pacific Ocean, off the coast of San Diego, California, at approximately 3:01 PM IST on Tuesday.
SpaceX confirmed via a post on X (formerly Twitter) that the spacecraft is on track for a safe re-entry, noting that it will create a brief sonic boom before splashdown.
“Dragon and the @Axiom_Space Ax-4 crew are on track to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere and splash down off the coast of San Diego at ~2:31 am PT tomorrow,” SpaceX stated.
The four-member crew of Ax-4 includes:
Peggy Whitson (Commander) – Veteran NASA astronaut
Shubhanshu Shukla (Payload Specialist) – Representing India
Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski – From Poland
Tibor Kapu – From Hungary
These astronauts worked together on a packed science and research schedule aboard the ISS for nearly three weeks.
During their time aboard the ISS, the Ax-4 crew conducted more than 60 experiments. The research focused on:
Human health in microgravity
Space agriculture
Mental well-being during long-duration missions
Development of space suit materials
The mission also carried out payload research from India, led by Shubhanshu Shukla.
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) confirmed that Shukla completed all seven planned microgravity experiments, marking a major milestone for Indian space science.
In a public statement, ISRO noted:
“Experiments on Indian strain of tardigrades, myogenesis, sprouting of methi and moong seeds, cyanobacteria, microalgae, crop seeds, and voyager display have been completed as planned.”
These experiments were aimed at understanding plant growth, cellular changes, and biological resilience in space environments, which are crucial for future deep space missions and long-term habitation.
The Dragon spacecraft is bringing back over 580 pounds (approx. 263 kg) of cargo, which includes:
Scientific equipment
Research samples
Experimental data
Upon return, all crew members will undergo a week-long rehabilitation program to readjust to Earth’s gravity. This step is essential to monitor health parameters and assist in full physical recovery after prolonged exposure to microgravity.
The Ax-4 mission marks another milestone for Axiom Space, a private company working toward building the first commercial space station. It also underscores the increasing role of international collaboration and commercial partnerships in human space exploration.
For India, Shubhanshu Shukla’s participation represents a significant step toward greater involvement in human spaceflight missions beyond national programs like Gaganyaan.
Conclusion
As the Axion-4 mission concludes, the successful return of the crew—especially with scientific contributions from Indian payloads—demonstrates the growing global footprint in space research. The upcoming splashdown off California’s coast marks the end of a high-impact mission that will further science and pave the way for future space collaborations.
Stay tuned as Shubhanshu Shukla and his crewmates touch down safely on Earth today.