Axiom‑4 Mission Extended: Shubhanshu Shukla’s Return to Earth from ISS Delayed
Shubhanshu Shukla, alongside his crew of the Axiom-4 (Ax-4) mission, will not return to Earth according to the original schedule, extending their stay on the International Space Station by at least four days. According to the European Space Agency (ESA), the astronauts will continue with the mission until at least July 14 without a confirmation of the return date. However, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has not confirmed a delay in Shukla’s return.
In the historic mission, commissioned by Axiom Space — a Houston, Texas-based space company — Shukla is joined by US veteran astronaut Peggy Whitson, Poland’s mission specialist Sławosz Uznański, and a fourth mission specialist from Hungary, Tibor Kapu. The mission, sponsored by the respective governments of the four countries, kicked off on June 26 as the four astronauts were tasked with conducting scientific experiments and research in various fields, including health, materials science, and space technology. In addition to the participating nations, 31 countries have contributed to the Ax-4 mission.
ESA said the return of its project astronaut, Uznański, to the European Astronaut Centre (EAC) in Cologne, Germany, is unlikely before July 14. “Please note that the date is not yet confirmed and depends on the undocking of the Dragon spacecraft,” said ESA. The agency also said Uznański’s return to the EAC and the German Aerospace Centre’s (DLR) ‘envihab’ facility will be crucial in formulating future crewed missions. The Polish astronaut will be monitored before the briefing, after which he will be sent for rehabilitation.
“ESA’s space medicine team, which includes ESA flight surgeons, physiotherapists, and physical trainers, will monitor Sławosz as he readapts to Earth’s gravity with a dedicated recovery programme,” ESA said in a statement.
