Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], July 31 (HBTV): Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath congratulated Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla and his team for successfully completing the historic Axiom Mission 4 and returning safely to Earth.
In a post on X, the Chief Minister described the achievement as a proud moment for the nation, particularly for Uttar Pradesh, and praised the team's courage and commitment to scientific advancement.
'Welcome back to Earth. Heartfelt congratulations to Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla and his team for successfully completing the historic #AxiomMission4 and returning safely. Your achievement is a proud symbol of courage, dedication, and commitment to science. Today, every Indian, especially those from Uttar Pradesh, feels proud. India is eager to welcome you,' CM Yogi Adityanath posted on X.
SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft Grace landed safely in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California on Tuesday, marking the successful return of the Axiom-4 (Ax-4) crew, including pilot Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, the first Indian to visit the International Space Station (ISS).
The splashdown concluded a nearly 19-day mission aboard the ISS and marked a milestone in Indo-US space cooperation. SpaceX confirmed the successful landing in a post on X: 'Splashdown of Dragon confirmed. Welcome back to Earth, @AstroPeggy, Shux, @astro_slawosz, and Tibi!'
Earlier, SpaceX stated that the spacecraft's nosecone had been closed and secured for reentry. The return to Earth occurred approximately 22.5 hours after the Ax-4 undocked from the ISS. The deorbit burn and jettisoning of the trunk were successfully completed prior to splashdown.
NASA, in a mission update, confirmed that the Dragon spacecraft undocked at 7:15 a.m. EDT (4:45 p.m. IST) on Monday from the space-facing port of the ISS’s Harmony module, marking the conclusion of the fourth private astronaut mission to the orbiting laboratory.
Axiom Space noted during its live session on X that the Ax-4 mission included over 60 scientific studies and more than 20 outreach events.
The Ax-4 crew comprised Commander Peggy Whitson, Pilot Shubhanshu Shukla of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), European Space Agency (ESA) project astronaut Slawosz “Suave” Uznanski-Wisniewski of Poland, and Hungarian to Orbit (HUNOR) astronaut Tibor Kapu. Over the 18-day mission, they actively participated in scientific research and public engagement activities aboard the ISS.
(ANI)