After a historic 18-day Sojourn for the International Space Station (ISS), astronaut Shubhinhu Shukla is likely to return to India during the week when the nation will celebrate the 78th Independence Day.
Shukla, who operated the Axiom-4 mission, and his three crew colleagues: Mission Commander Paigi Whitson, and Mission expert Tibor Kapu and Slavose Uznanski, Returned to earth On Wednesday. Following a picture-perfect splashdown from the California coast, the crew was reshuffled on a helicopter for Houston for medical examination, mission debrifling, and other procedures.
The Indian Express The Space Department (DOS) has learned from reliable sources that group captain Shukla is expected to come after August 14 or two-three days.
“He is expected to come to New Delhi. He plans to arrange a grand reception for the group captain Shukla in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” an official said.
On Wednesday, President Draupadi Murmu and PM Modi gave messages congratulating Shukla on social media platform ‘X’, welcomed him on Earth after the successful mission.
Meanwhile, Poland’s Uznanski reached Cologne Bonn in Germany on Thursday, representing the European Space Agency (ESA). He will undergo post-space mission debrifing and other mandatory activities in the next few days.
Meanwhile, Union Minister Jitendra Singh said that group captain Shubanshu Shukla is expected to reach India after a series of processes after coming to India by August 17.
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Singh told PTI video, “Some SOPs are to be followed … his rehabilitation, debrifling session and a series of discussion with team ISRO. We can expect him in Delhi by 17 August.” Calling the mission “unprecedented”, Singh said that the experiments conducted by Shukla during their stay in the Orbital Laboratory were closely linked to life in human existence and micrograti. “These experiments will be useful not only for Indians, but for all of humanity,” he said. “This is a very happy moment for India,” he said.
(With PTI input)
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