Axiom Mission 4: Shubhanshu Shukla splashes down in Pacific Ocean aboard Dragon spacecraft; Crew safe

India’s second-ever manned space outing, where Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla piloted the Axiom Mission 4, came to a dramatic close on July 15 2025 after the SpaceX Dragon  ‘Grace’ spacecraft carrying him and three other astronauts splashed down successfully in the Pacific Ocean near San Diego, California.

With Shukla are Peggy Whitson from the US, Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski from Poland, and Tibor Kapu from Hungary.

Shukla and the Ax-4 crew returned to Earth after spending 18 days on the International Space Station (ISS). The spacecraft began its journey back to Earth on July 14, 2025, in a meticulously engineered, carefully planned way to ensure the astronauts and the scientific experiments they bring are safe.

During their stay aboard the ISS, the astronauts travelled around the Earth more than 310 times. In its ‘free flight’ journey back, the Dragon circled Earth at a speed of nearly 28,000 kilometres per hour and descended from orbit once it reached 400 kilometres above the surface, as it slowed to about 27,000 km/h.

As it closed in on Earth, the capsule slowed down as the deorbit burn was completed with the trunk being jettisoned. The ground teams confirmed that the Dragon’s nosecone was closed and secured for reentry, 26 minutes before the splashdown.

Just minutes before the splashdown, the spacecraft decelerated rapidly thanks to the parachutes.  

Following the splashdown, three rescue boats approached the capsule, along with the medical officers. One of the boats checked for any issues on the outside of ‘Grace’. 

Mission Commander Peggy Wilson confirmed that the crew was all safe, even quipping that “they are ready.” 

From the visuals, it was clear what the Dragon capsule went through after its maiden spaceflight, as the once pristine pearly ship was covered with brown stains, possibly from the burns it endured during reentry. 

Following initial medical checks, Shukla exited the Dragon capsule after Wilson—all four sporting wide smiles. And with that, Shukla officially became the second Indian to ever go to space and return safely, and the first in the country to complete a round-trip to the International Space Station. The Ax-4 crew will now go through a quarantine and safety process. 

Sci/Tech