International Space Station: “Even stars are attainable,” Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, now lovingly called ‘Shux’ – India’s first astronaut to reach the International Space Station (ISS) and spend nearly 17-days there – said in his farewell address on Sunday evening.
“This was an incredible journey …… It was almost magical ….. I thank ISRO …. NASA … and the team at ISS for this experience,” Shux said in English before switching to Hindi.
“Even stars are attainable ….. My time here at ISS is coming to an end, but my time with you all will be a long one when I get back home ….. Today India looks ambitious, fearless, confident and proud from space. Nearly 41 years ago, my predecessor in Space had said something, and I repeat that India is still Saare Jahan se Accha,” Group Captain Shukla said in an emotional address at the farewell ceremony.
The ceremony marked the conclusion of Shux’s historic mission as part of the Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) crew. The mission lifted off on June 26 (Indian time) from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center with Shukla as pilot, Peggy Whitson (USA) as flight commander, Sawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski (Poland) as mission specialist and Tibor Kapu from Hungary.
At ISS, they met up with NASA’s Expedition 73 crew on June 27. Since then, the Ax-4 mission has seen the crew complete over 250 orbits of Earth, travelling over six million miles.
During their 17-day stay, the astronauts conducted over 60 scientific experiments, including studies on microalgae and advanced centrifugation techniques, contributing valuable data to international research efforts.
The undocking of their SoaceX Dragon spacecraft is scheduled for Monday, July 14, at 4.34 pm IST. The crew will board the spacecraft at 2.25 pm IST to perform pre-flight checks before beginning their journey back to Earth.
Splashdown is expected off the California coast on July 15 at approximately 3 pm IST.
Upon return, Group Captain Shukla will undergo a seven-day rehabilitation program to readjust to Earth’s gravity, as confirmed by ISRO. His family, filled with pride, eagerly awaits his arrival, with plans for a grand welcome in his hometown.
His experiences will provide vital inputs for India’s future missions to space, including a manned one.
