New Delhi, July 15 — IAF Group Captain Shubanshu Shukla’s historic journey aboard the International Space Station (ISS) will significantly contribute to India’s Gaganyaan human spaceflight mission, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said on Tuesday.
Shukla returned safely to Earth on Monday, along with three international astronauts aboard SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft “Grace,” which splashed down in the Pacific Ocean off the California coast at 3:01 p.m. IST.
Nilesh M Desai, Director of ISRO’s Space Applications Centre, said Shukla’s time on the ISS has provided crucial experience that will benefit the Gaganyaan mission scheduled within the next two years.
Union Minister of State for Science and Technology Jitendra Singh hailed the safe return as a historic moment for India, calling it a clear step forward in the country’s space ambitions. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh praised Shukla’s mission as a “proud stride for India,” noting it symbolizes the nation’s rising aspirations in space.
Shukla made history by becoming the first Indian to reach the ISS and only the second Indian in space, following Rakesh Sharma’s 1984 mission. He spent 18 days aboard the ISS after launching on June 26 as part of Axiom Space Mission-4 (Ax-4), completing over 310 orbits and covering 1.3 crore km — about 33 times the Earth-Moon distance.
Union Minister Hardeep Puri lauded the mission, saying it opens new horizons for India’s space sector under PM Modi’s leadership.
Shukla’s family expressed immense pride over his achievement, crediting national support for his success. The astronaut will now undergo a week-long rehabilitation program to readjust to Earth’s gravity.
