Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla arrived in India early Sunday following his landmark journey to the Worldwide House Station (ISS).
Shukla was the pilot of NASA’s Axiom-4 House Mission, which took off from NASA’s Kennedy House Centre in Florida, US on June 25. He returned to Earth on July 15.
After reaching Delhi on Sunday, the Indian astronaut was welcomed by Union Minister of State for Science and Expertise, Dr Jitendra Singh, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan.
“India’s area glory touches Indian soil… as the enduring son of Mom India, #Gaganyatri Shubhanshu Shukla, lands in Delhi within the early hours of this morning,” Jitendra Singh mentioned in a put up on X.
The Union Minister mentioned, “Accompanying him, one other equally completed Group Captain Prashanth Balakrishnan Nair, one of many astronauts chosen for India’s first human mission Gaganyaan, who was India’s designated backup for the mission to the Worldwide House Station #ISS.”
‘I’ve a mixture of feelings’
Earlier on Saturday, Shukla had posted a smiling {photograph} of himself sitting in an aeroplane on Instagram, saying he was stuffed with blended feelings as he left the US and regarded ahead to returning to India to share his experiences with everybody again residence.
Forward of touchdown in India, Shukla posted on X, “As I sit on the aircraft to return again to India, I’ve a mixture of feelings operating by my coronary heart.”
“I really feel unhappy leaving a incredible group of individuals behind who had been my family and friends for the previous one yr throughout this mission. I’m additionally enthusiastic about assembly all my buddies, household and everybody within the nation for the primary time put up mission. I suppose that is what life is – all the things unexpectedly,” he posted on X.
Shukla dded, “Having obtained unbelievable love and help from everybody throughout and after the mission I can not wait to return again to India to share my experiences with all of you.”
“Goodbyes are arduous however we have to hold transferring in life. As my commander @astro_peggy fondly says “the one fixed in spaceflight is change”. I consider that applies to life as properly. I suppose on the finish of the day -“Yun hello chala chal rahi – jeevan gaadi hai samay pahiya.“
Shubhanshu Shukla to fulfill PM Modi?
Shukla is predicted to fulfill Prime Minister Narendra Modi and journey to his hometown, Lucknow, shortly. He’s additionally anticipated to return to the capital to take part within the Nationwide House Day celebrations on August 22–23.
Shukla and his backup astronaut Prashanth Nair participated within the Independence Day celebrations on the Indian Consulate in Houston on Friday.
Addressing the 79th Independence Day celebrations on the Pink Fort, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday mentioned India was growing its personal area station and famous that Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla had returned from an area mission.
“Our Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla has returned from the area station. Within the coming days, he’s returning to India,” PM Modi had mentioned.
Shukla was a part of the Axiom-4 non-public area mission that lifted off from Florida on June 25 and docked on the Worldwide House Station on June 26. He returned to Earth on 15 July.
Together with three different astronauts — Peggy Whitson (US), Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski (Poland), and Tibor Kapu (Hungary) — Shukla carried out over 60 experiments and 20 outreach classes in the course of the 18-day mission.
(With inputs from businesses)
