Time for feasts, farewells for Shubhanshu Shukla, Axiom-4 Astronauts

After 18 days of intense science experiments at the International Space Station, it is time for farewells and feasts for Shubhanshu Shukla and three other astronauts of the Axiom-4 mission who are set to begin their return journey to Earth on Monday.

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The Axiom 4 (Ax-4) crew—Commander Peggy Whitson, Pilot Shubhanshu “Shux” Shukla, and Mission Specialists Slawosz “Suave” Uznanski-Wisniewski and Tibor Kapu—are nearing the completion of their research and preparing to undock no earlier than at’7.05 am ET (4:35 pm IST) on Monday.

“Arrival back to earth.... splash down scheduled for 15th July at 3:00 PM IST,” Science and Technology Minister said in apost on X.

A formal farewell for the Axiom-4 crew is scheduled for Sunday evening, India time.

As the Axiom-4 mission drew toa close, astronauts on board the ISS gathered for a feast witha diverse menu from the six nations they represent.

Currently, there are 11 astronauts on the ISS, seven of Expedition 73and four of the Axiom-4 commercial mission.

“One of the most unforgettable evenings I've experienced on this mission was sharing a meal with new friends, Ax-4, aboard the International @ Space_Station,” US astronaut Jonny Kim said in a post on X last week.

“We swapped stories and marveled at how people from diverse backgrounds and nations came together to represent humanity in space,” he said.