New Delhi: Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, the second Indian to travel to space and the first to visit the International Space Station (ISS), is expected to return to India this weekend, Union Minister Jitendra Singh announced on Thursday.
Singh added that Shukla is likely to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his brief stay in Delhi before heading to his hometown, Lucknow, to reunite with his family.
The minister also noted that Shukla will return to Delhi for the National Space Day celebrations on August 23.
Shukla participated in the Axiom-4 private space mission, which launched from Florida on June 25 and docked at the ISS on June 26. Alongside fellow astronauts Peggy Whitson (USA), Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski (Poland), and Tibor Kapu (Hungary), he carried out over 60 experiments and 20 outreach activities during the 18-day mission.
The Dragon spacecraft carrying the Axiom-4 crew successfully splashed down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego on July 15, marking the mission’s completion.
This mission is seen as a major milestone for India’s Gaganyaan human spaceflight programme, which aims for a launch by 2027.
Prime Minister Modi praised the mission, saying Shukla has “inspired a billion dreams” and made a significant contribution to advancing India’s space ambitions.
