Shubhanshu Shukla to Return to Earth on July 14 Aboard Axiom-4 Mission: NASA

New Delhi: Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla and three other members of the Axiom-4 crew are scheduled to return to Earth from the International Space Station (ISS) on July 14, NASA announced on Thursday.

“We’re monitoring Axiom-4’s progress closely. The current plan is to undock the mission on July 14, following the end of the high beta period,” said Steve Stich, Manager of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, during a press briefing on the upcoming Crew-11 mission to the ISS.

The Axiom-4 mission launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on June 25, with the Dragon spacecraft docking at the ISS a day later after a 28-hour flight.

A “high beta period” occurs when the angle between the ISS's orbit and the sun exceeds 70 degrees, causing prolonged exposure to sunlight. This results in significant thermal stress on the station, requiring heightened monitoring and energy management.

During their stay on the ISS, Shukla and the Ax-4 crew, Peggy Whitson, Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski, and Tibor Kapu, completed nearly 230 orbits around Earth and covered a distance of approximately 96.5 lakh km. They also witnessed 230 sunrises in orbit.

Shukla engaged with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, interacted with ISRO scientists, addressed students via live sessions, and connected to ISRO centres using HAM radio during his two-week mission.

“From 250 miles above Earth, the crew spent time during their off-duty hours capturing photographs, filming, observing Earth’s beauty, and reconnecting with family,” Axiom Space said in a statement, highlighting a rare moment of leisure in the mission's otherwise packed schedule.

The Ax-4 mission marked a milestone in private spaceflight with over 60 scientific experiments conducted in fields including biomedical research, materials science, neuroscience, agriculture, and space technology. These investigations aim to advance human space exploration and offer potential solutions for conditions like diabetes and cancer, as well as improve human performance monitoring in space.

The crew continues to carry out scientific tasks as part of their commitment to microgravity research, demonstrating the growing role of commercial missions in space exploration.

“Each experiment and observation on board brings us closer to the vision of a thriving community living and working in low-Earth orbit, and eventually beyond,” Axiom Space added.