• Source:JND
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Indian Air Force pilot Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla will be back home in a short while as he and three other crew members of the Axiom-4 (Ax4) mission will undock from the International Space Station (ISS) on Monday, July 14. Axiom Space, in a release, reported that the Ax4 crew will undock around 7:05 a.m. ET (around 4:30 p.m. IST), marking the conclusion of their extended stay in orbit. The mission was originally scheduled to conclude on July 10 but was prolonged by at least four days following mission changes, as the European Space Agency (ESA) has confirmed. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has not officially announced the new return schedule, however.

Launched on June 25 from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, the Axiom Mission 4 represents a significant milestone for private human spaceflight and India’s growing participation in global space missions. The crew's Dragon spacecraft docked at the ISS on June 26, attaching to the space-facing Harmony module port earlier than planned. Since then, the team, comprising Commander Peggy Whitson, Pilot Group Captain Shubhanshu “Shux” Shukla, and Mission Specialists Slawosz “Suave” Uznanski-Wisniewski and Tibor Kapu, has been engaged in a wide range of scientific experiments and technology demonstrations designed to push the frontiers of microgravity research and space exploration. Group Captain Shukla also led in conducting trailblazing experiments that would be of potentially useful application to life on Earth and upcoming space travel. One of his most notable projects, the Sprouts Project, involved the research of microgravity's effect on seed germination and early plant development. The seeds grown in space will be further tested on Earth across several generations to determine alterations in their genetics, microbes, and nutritional content, potentially offering insightful information for future sustainable agriculture in harsh environments.

Along with plant biology, Shukla also headed an experiment with microalgae, which are known to produce oxygen. They can grow food rich in nutrients and can also be a source of biofuels. These robust organisms are also being considered as a sustainable means of life support for long-duration missions to deep space, giving us a peek into the technologies that may make human habitation beyond the planet one day a reality.

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Family Awaits Homecoming Of India's Space Ambassador

At home in India, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla's family is eagerly waiting for the days to pass until they can give a warm welcome back to him after his triumphant space mission. His father, Shambhu Dayal Shukla, said with pride and relief “We are really excited, the entire family is excited. We pray to God for his safe return.” His mother, Asha Shukla, further informed that they were especially elated to hear from media reports that the seeds he handled have already germinated in space, describing it as a moment of great pride not only for their family but also for the nation. The family declared that they will give him a hero's welcome with open arms and great festivity upon confirmation of the final date of his return.\

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Ax4 mission is the fourth in a string of privately funded flights under Axiom Space's ambitious strategy to construct the globe's first commercial space station. Commander Peggy Whitson, an experienced astronaut, and Shukla and his fellow mission specialists have all played important roles in research that will make future human deep space exploration possible, facilitate international cooperation, and encourage the next generation of scientists and explorers. As the world waits for the safe return of the crew, Axiom Space's mission briefs reveal how private missions are taking over from conventional government-funded space missions, with space travelers such as Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla making India's presence more significant in the international space scene.