Overview

• Shukla and his Axiom-4 crewmates were retrieved by SpaceX teams after their Dragon Grace capsule splashed down off California on July 15 and completed initial medical checks on recovery vessels.
• The former Air Force pilot has begun a planned seven-day rehabilitation programme under flight surgeons to readapt to Earth’s gravity following an 18-day ISS mission.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed Shukla’s return as “another milestone” toward India’s own Gaganyaan human spaceflight programme, inspiring a billion dreams through his pioneering spirit.
• Reliable sources indicate Shukla is scheduled to arrive in New Delhi around August 17, when a formal reception is expected to be hosted by national leaders.
• Data from the crew’s 60-plus experiments—including seven India-specific microgravity studies—will directly inform the 2027 Gaganyaan mission and bolster public-private partnerships in Indian spaceflight.