‘Yun hi chala chal rahi…’: Shubhanshu Shukla on homecoming after ISS mission

INdian beam drive aggroup chieftain Shubhanshu Shukla returned to bharat on Sunday after completing the historic AX-4 mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS), marking the country’s first human presence in space in 41 years.Shukla landed in New Delhi in the early hours of Sunday following an 18-day stay on the ISS. His mission was part of Axiom Space’s AX-4 programme, launched on June 25 aboard SpaceX’s Falcon rocket.On Saturday, before boarding his flight to New Delhi, Shukla shared his reflections on X, writing about his mixed emotions after the mission.“As I sit on the plane to come back to India I have a mix of emotions running through my heart. I feel sad leaving a fantastic group of people behind who were my friends and family for the past one year during this mission. I am also excited about meeting all my friends, family and everyone in the country for the first time post mission. I guess this is what life is - everything all at once,” he wrote.He added, “Goodbyes are hard but we need to keep moving in life. As my commander @astro_peggy fondly says, ‘the only constant in spaceflight is change’. I believe that applies to life as well. I guess at the end of the day – ‘Yun hi chala chal rahi – jeevan gaadi hai samay pahiya’.”The Dragonfly spacecraft docked with the ISS on June 26, where Shukla conducted multiple scientific experiments in microgravity.Boost to India’s Gaganyaan programmeThe mission, conducted in collaboration with NASA and SpaceX, was aimed at providing practical experience for India’s upcoming Gaganyaan human spaceflight programme.According to ISRO, Shukla carried out multiple experiments aboard the ISS and the Space Shuttle, with findings expected to directly support the Gaganyaan project.The programme will begin with an unmanned flight later this year, followed by two more unmanned missions. Eventually, an Indian astronaut will spend 2–7 days in space aboard the Gaganyaan spacecraft.Shukla’s mission was also seen as a symbol of growing India-US space cooperation. During Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Washington, ISRO and NASA signed an agreement to enable an Indian astronaut’s participation in a US-led mission to the ISS.Meanwhile, the Lok Sabha will is set to hold a special discussion on India’s space journey and Shukla’s milestone mission on Monday. The debate, titled “India’s first astronaut aboard the ISS – critical role of space programme for Viksit Bharat by 2047”, will highlight the country’s achievements in space exploration.(With ANI inputs)