Shubhanshu Shukla Axiom Mission 4 Farewell
The Axiom Mission 4 crew's departure from the ISS will be a significant moment, as they conclude their 17-day research mission and begin their journey back to Earth, with Shubhanshu Shukla set to undergo rehabilitation to readjust to Earth's gravity after his historic mission.
NASA is organizing a farewell ceremony for Axiom Mission 4 crew, including Pilot Shubhanshu Shukla, ahead of their undocking from the International Space Station on Monday, marking the end of a 17-day research mission involving around 60 scientific studies with 31 countries.
The ceremony will be broadcast live by Axiom Space and NASA at 7:25 PM IST on Sunday, allowing the public to bid farewell to the crew. Shukla's mission marks India's second astronaut since 1984, making it a significant event for the country. The crew is set to depart the ISS no earlier than Monday at 4:35 PM IST, with live coverage provided by NASA, Axiom Space, and SpaceX.
The Axiom Mission 4, a private astronaut mission from the International Space Station, is set to depart on July 14, 2025. The four-member crew, including Peggy Whitson, Shubhanshu Shukla, Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski, and Tibor Kapu, will undock from the Harmony module at 7:05 a.m. EDT and begin their return to Earth. The Dragon spacecraft will carry over 580 pounds of cargo, including NASA hardware and data from 60 experiments.
After splashdown, Shubhanshu Shukla will undergo a 7-day rehabilitation program to readjust to Earth's gravity, marking the final stage of his mission. The return journey involves a series of small thruster burns, orbital phasing, and a deorbit burn, followed by peak heating, parachute deployment, and splashdown, ensuring a safe and successful conclusion to the mission.