Updated: July 14, 2025 19:52 IST Axiom-4 mission, featuring Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, has undocked from the International Space Station. (Photo Credit: X/Axiom Space) Shubhanshu Shukla Return From ISS LIVE News Updates: The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, with India’s Shubhanshu Shukla and three other astronauts on the Axiom-4 Mission, has undocked the Harmony module of International Space Station (ISS) approximately 7.05 am EDT (4.35 pm IST) today (July 14) and is aiming for a splashdown the next afternoon in the Pacific off the Southern California coast. The splashdown off the coast of California, US, is expected at 5.30 am EDT (3 PM IST) on July 15. “These timings have a margin window of approximately 1 hour,” Union Minister for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences Dr Jitendra Singh said. Shukla’s farewell message: “41 years ago, an Indian came to space and he told us how India looks from up above. Today’s India looks ambitious from space, today’s India looks fearless, today’s India looks confident, today’s India looks full of pride… today’s India still looks ‘saare jahan se acha,’” said Shukla in his farewell address aboard the ISS. He spoke both in English and Hindi on the eve of the commencement of the Axiom-4 crew’s return journey to Earth. “Our journey ahead into space exploration may be long and arduous, but it has begun,” he added. Story continues below this ad What was Shukla’s mission? One of the key experiments Shukla has conducted during his time at ISS involves the study of space microalgae to understand their potential to produce food, oxygen and biofuels. Their resilience and versatility could be useful in supporting human life on long-duration missions to space. Performing centrifugation of cyanobacteria, Shukla compared the two strains of these photosynthetic microorganisms, aiming to understand how microgravity affects their growth, cellular behaviour and biochemical activity. Live Updates 19:52 (IST) 14 Jul 2025 Shubhanshu Shukla Return LIVE News Updates: What studies did Shubhanshu Shukla conduct at ISS Group Captain spacecraft Shubhanshu Shuklam, currently aboard the SpaceX Dragon, conducted a series of experiments on the International Space Station. The experiments included muscle loss under microgravity, digestion in space, and astronauts’ mental well-being. 18:19 (IST) 14 Jul 2025 Shubhanshu Shukla Return LIVE News Updates: 'Entire nation awaits your arrival back home', Jitendra Singh welcomes Shubhanshu Shukla The entire nation eagerly awaits your return, Science and Technology Minister Jitendra Singh said on Monday as astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla embarked on the journey back to earth after an 18-day stay at the International Space Station (ISS). "Welcome back Shubhanshu! The entire nation eagerly awaits your arrival back home…as you begin your return journey, after successful undocking of #axiom4," Singh said in a post on X. (PTI) 17:24 (IST) 14 Jul 2025 Shubhanshu Shukla Return LIVE News Updates: Dragon spacecraft begins re-entry journey SpaceX Dragon space craft now on 22.5-hour journey to earth with splashdown off California coast on Tuesday at 3:01 pm IST. 17:21 (IST) 14 Jul 2025 Shubhanshu Shukla Return LIVE News Updates: Dragon space craft exits approach ellipsoid The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft has exited the approach ellipsoid of the International Space Station (ISS), a 4 km by 2 km three dimensional safety zone around the space station. 17:03 (IST) 14 Jul 2025 Shubhanshu Shukla Return LIVE News Updates: Dragon spacecraft exits the 'keep out sphere' of ISS, a 200 metre line around the space station The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, carrying Shubhanshu Shukla and three other astronauts, has exited the 'keep out sphere' of ISS, a 200-metre line around the orbiting lab. 16:38 (IST) 14 Jul 2025 Shubhanshu Shukla Return LIVE News Updates: What will happen in the final stages of re-entry? Final preparations include detaching the capsule's trunk and orienting the heat shield ahead of atmospheric entry, which will expose the spacecraft to temperatures nearing 1,600 degrees Celsius. Parachutes will deploy in two stages -- first stabilising chutes at about 5.7 km altitude, followed by the main parachutes at roughly two km. (PTI) 16:23 (IST) 14 Jul 2025 Shubhanshu Shukla Return LIVE News Updates: At what time is splashdown expected? Splashdown is expected off the coast of California approximately 22.5 hours after undocking, and the space capsule will be recovered by a specialised ship. The splashdown is expected to take place off the coast of California at 3:01 pm IST on Tuesday. (PTI) 14:57 (IST) 14 Jul 2025 Shubhanshu Shukla Return LIVE News Updates: Teams conducted a weather briefing Weather at the splashdown site remains favourable. 14:45 (IST) 14 Jul 2025 Shubhanshu Shukla Return LIVE News Updates: Hatches have been closed Hatches have been closed and everyone is on-board ahead of the Axiom-4 launch. Splashdown is expected to be at 3 am IST. 13:34 (IST) 14 Jul 2025 Shubhanshu Shukla Return LIVE News Updates: Explained | ‘Realising the return’— how an Indian became part of Axiom-4 In June 2023, during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s state visit to Washington, India and the US announced a decision to finalise a strategic framework for human spaceflight cooperation. It was also revealed that Indian and American space agencies, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), would mount a joint effort to enable an Indian astronaut to travel to the International Space Station (ISS) by 2024. The announcement came as a surprise. Till then, it was understood that the first Indians to travel to space after Rakesh Sharma’s historic flight in 1984 would ride the Gaganyaan mission which ISRO had been preparing for since 2018, when Modi unveiled India’s ambition to send humans into space by 2022. The 2022 timeline could not be adhered to. But astronauts had been selected and trained, and systems were under development and being tested. The 2023 announcement offered India an opportunity to get real-life experience for one of its astronauts ahead of the Gaganyaan mission.