The four-member crew of NASA’s Axiom-4 mission, including Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, is set to begin their journey back to Earth on Monday, July 14, after spending nearly two weeks aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, which has been docked to the station’s Harmony module since June 26, is scheduled to undock at 7:05 am EDT (4:35 pm IST) on Monday.
The mission, a collaboration between NASA, Axiom Space, and SpaceX, marked a significant step in commercial space exploration. The return to Earth is expected with a splashdown off the coast of California on Tuesday, July 15, at approximately 5:30 am EDT (3:00 pm IST). However, the timeline remains subject to change based on weather and operational conditions, said Union Minister for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences Dr Jitendra Singh.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Shubhanshu Shukla confirmed the planned schedule, stating, “As of now, undocking has been scheduled for tomorrow, 14th July at 4:30 pm IST. Arrival back to Earth… splashdown scheduled for 15th July at 3:00 pm IST.”
The live coverage of the undocking and departure of the Dragon spacecraft will begin with hatch closure at 4:30 am EDT (2:00 pm IST), followed by crew entry at 4:55 am EDT (2:25 pm IST), and will end approximately 30 minutes after the spacecraft undocks at 7:05 am EDT (4:35 pm IST).
The Dragon’s re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere and splashdown will be streamed via NASA’s official website and YouTube Channel. Viewers can also watch the coverage at Axiom Space’s website (axiom.space/live), SpaceX’s official website, and their social media channels, including X.
For the unversed, the Axiom-4 crew was launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on June 25 and successfully docked with the ISS the following day. During their stay, the astronauts carried out more than 60 science and technology experiments aimed at future long-duration missions. On day 17, Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla performed centrifugation and freezing of microalgae samples, part of a study exploring how algae might help support life in extended space missions. He also contributed to the Voyager Displays study, which examined eye movement and coordination in microgravity.
The Axiom-4 crew is bringing back over 580 pounds of cargo, including NASA hardware and scientific data collected during the mission.