NewzVille Desk
Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh on Tuesday hailed the safe return of Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla from the Axiom-4 space mission as a “moment of pride for the world, a moment of glory” for India, stating that the country had secured its rightful place in the global space ecosystem.
“One of Mother India’s illustrious sons is back. India has found a lasting space in the world of space,” he said, while addressing scientists, media personnel, and senior officials after watching the live splashdown.
Group Captain Shukla, India’s astronaut and a key member of the four-person Axiom-4 commercial mission, returned to Earth in the SpaceX Dragon capsule Grace, which splashed down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego shortly after 3 PM IST on Tuesday. The spacecraft completed a 22.5-hour descent following an 18-day stay aboard the International Space Station (ISS).
Dr. Jitendra Singh said the mission demonstrated India’s growing stature in global space exploration. “These are experiments that have never been done before. This marks a new era for India’s scientific and technological ambitions,” he noted, adding that the mission’s success would have long-term implications for humankind.
The Axiom-4 crew included veteran U.S. astronaut and mission commander Peggy Whitson, Poland’s Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski, Hungary’s Tibor Kapu, and India’s Shukla. The spacecraft undocked from the ISS at 4:45 PM IST on Monday.
