'Moment Of Pride And Glory': Jitendra Singh On Shubhanshu Shukla's Return From Space Mission
Calling it a historic milestone, Dr Singh said India's space capabilities are no longer limited to supporting roles but are now actively shaping global space exploration.
Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh hailed the return of an Indian-origin astronaut from a groundbreaking space mission as a 'moment of pride and glory" for the country, emphasising India's rising stature in the global space community.
Speaking to reporters, Dr Singh said, 'It is a moment of pride and glory as one of our illustrious sons is back. Bharat has found a space in the world of space."
He highlighted the significance of the mission, saying, 'These are experiments that have never been done before. This marks a new era for India's scientific and technological ambitions."
Singh also outlined the next steps in the astronaut's return protocol. 'Everyone will be in quarantine till the 23rd, and then from the 24th, they will have discussions with ISRO," he said. 'Debriefings with Axiom and NASA will follow."
Calling it a historic milestone, Dr Singh said India's space capabilities are no longer limited to supporting roles but are now actively shaping global space exploration. 'This is a moment of glory for India for the successful mission, and it inspires a new generation to dream bigger," he added.
Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla and three others of the commercial Axiom-4 mission returned to Earth as the Dragon 'Grace' spacecraft made a splashdown off the San Diego coast in southern California on Tuesday, capping a 22.5-hour journey after an 18-day stay at the International Space Station.
The spacecraft carrying Shukla, commander Peggy Whitson, and mission specialists Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski of Poland and Tibor Kapu of Hungary, undocked from the space station at 4:45 pm IST on Monday.
'Splashdown of Dragon confirmed – welcome back to Earth, @AstroPeggy, Shux, @astro_slawosz, and Tibi," SpaceX said in a post on X.
Speed boats of SpaceX, the transporter for the mission, were seen moving towards the spacecraft to bring it to the recovery ship, Shannon, where the astronauts will be brought out from the capsule.
The Axiom-4 crew will undergo a series of medical checks on board the ship before boarding a helicopter for a ride back to the shore.
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July 15, 2025, 15:18 IST
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