Shubanshu Shukla's Parents Visit Temples, Pray To Lord Hanuman On His Return To Earth

Shukla, who became the first Indian astronaut to visit the International Space Station (ISS) as part of the Axiom-4 (Ax-4) mission, is scheduled to return to Earth around 3 pm.

Group Captain Shubanshu Shukla spent almost 19 days aboard the ISS.

Source : X

As the Dragon spacecraft carrying Group Captain Shubanshu Shukla prepared for splashdown after nearly 20 days in space, his parents expressed overwhelming pride and emotion, calling the moment historic, not just for their family but for the entire nation.

Shukla, who became the first Indian astronaut to visit the International Space Station (ISS) as part of the Axiom-4 (Ax-4) mission, is scheduled to return to Earth off the coast of San Diego, California, around 3 pm IST today. The crew's journey back, aboard the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft ‘Grace’, will conclude after a 22.5-hour-long descent, with the capsule expected to announce its re-entry with a brief sonic boom.

Our Son Belongs To The Nation: Shubanshu's Father

Speaking to ANI, Shukla’s father Shambu Dayal Shukla shared his emotions, saying, “We are very excited that our son is returning from the mission and landing on Earth. He had made us so proud. It will be noted down in history... We are waiting for his safe landing. It is a day of joy for the entire nation. I thank the entire nation for their prayers... He is our son, but he belongs to the entire nation... We prayed and remembered God...”

His mother, Asha Shukla, also spoke of the emotional journey the family had been on. “We are very excited... When we saw the undocking, we knew he was on his way now... We are waiting for our son. He will reach by evening. We prayed for his well-being. We went to the temple and took Hanumaji's Darshan. We did a Sundarkand recitation... We are proud that our son wrote his name in history... We will give him a grand welcome...”

Group Captain Shubanshu Shukla spent almost 19 days aboard the ISS, participating in various scientific and technical experiments as part of the Ax-4 mission, the fourth private astronaut mission to the orbiting laboratory, organised by Axiom Space and facilitated by NASA and SpaceX.

The Dragon spacecraft undocked from the ISS’s Harmony module on Monday at 4:45 pm IST (7:15 am EDT). According to NASA, this marks the successful conclusion of Ax-4’s stay aboard the space station.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), SpaceX confirmed, "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 a.m. PT tomorrow.”

As India watches closely, the safe return of Group Captain Shukla is set to become a moment of national celebration and a milestone in India’s space journey, inspiring countless others back on Earth.