To space and back

In a landmark space achievement, Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla created history by flying to space as part of the Axiom 4 mission aboard SpaceX's Falcon 9 spacecraft and returning safely back to the Earth.

- Nikunja Bihari Sahu

After undocking from the International Space Station on 14 July, the crew splashed down off the coast of California aboard SpaceX Dragon “Grace” on 15 July. Axiom 4 has been an extraordinary space mission with 300 plus sunrises and sunsets over nearly 20 days and a total journey of 1.3 crores km in space, 33 times the distance between the Earth and the Moon.

Over the course of their 18-day mission aboard the orbiting laboratory, the Ax-4 crew conducted more than 60 scientific experiments in zero gravity conditions across a wide range of disciplines, including life sciences, materials research, Earth observation, and technology demonstrations. These investigations represented the contributions of 31 countries, underscoring the mission's global impact in advancing science and innovation in microgravity conditions.