Shubhanshu Shukla to land on Earth, what's next? Adaptation to gravity, medical assessment follow
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How will Shukla cope with Earth's microgravity?
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Axiom-4 Pilot Shubhanshu Shukla , who travelled to the International Space Station (ISS) along with three other crew members, is set to return to Earth on July 15, 3:00 PM IST.The Dragon 'Grace' spacecraft, carrying Shukla and three other crew members - Commander Peggy Whitson, ESA astronaut Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski, and Hungarian astronaut Tibor Kapu undocked from the ISS on Monday at 4:45 pm IST, with splashdown expected in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California around 3:00 pm IST on Tuesday.The crew's journey back to Earth is expected to last approximately 22.5 hours.Following the vessel's splashdown in the ocean, Shux and his crewmates will be taken to NASA 's Johnson Space Center in Houston on a ship or plane. The astronauts will undergo post-landing protocols under medical supervision, Once this is cleared, they can return to their home countries. ISRO earlier announced that Axiom-4 mission crew members will undergo 7-day rehabilitation post arrival.IAF Commander Shubhanshu Shukla will undergo a series of psychological as well as medical evaluations that covers physical fitness, balance, reflexes, cardiovascular function, and immune response upon returning from space. These tests will be conducted by NASA's Human Health and Performance team.Shux and team will be debriefed about the Axiom-4 mission experience and research experiments conducted in space. The collected data will help space agencies to plan future collaborative space missions.Upon his return to Earth, Shukla is expected to be formally recognised by Indian scientific institutions, including ISRO and the Indian Air Force . He may receive honours from government bodies for his achievements in space exploration After spending 18 days in microgravity, the body of astronauts needs time to readjust to Earth's gravity because space travel leads to temporary loss of bone density and muscle mass. The fluid redistribution system is also impacted that can affect blood circulation and organ function in the body.NASA specialists note that astronauts' bodies undergo several changes with symptoms such as "puffy face," "chicken legs," vision changes, and even increased height during the early days in space.
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