Axiom-4 mission crew to undock from ISS on July 14, arrival on July 15: Jitendra Singh

NEW DELHI: Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology Jitendra Singh on Sunday, providing an update on the Axiom-4 mission, informed that Indian astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla and three other crew members are scheduled to undock from the International Space Station (ISS) on July 14 at 4:30 pm.

He further added that their arrival is scheduled for July 15 at 3:00 pm

“Update: Axiom 4 International Space Station ISS Mission: As of now, undocking has been scheduled for tomorrow, 14th July at 4:30 PM IST. Arrival back to Earth…. Splashdown scheduled for 15th July at 3:00 PM IST. These timings have a margin window of approximately 1 hour. Further updates, if any, shall be shared accordingly,” Jitendra Singh wrote on X.

The crew was slated to embark on a return journey on July 10. However, the crew 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).

Axiom Mission 4 was launched on June 25 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Centre in Florida. The Dragon spacecraft successfully docked with the ISS on June 26 at 4:05 pm IST, ahead of schedule, connecting to the space-facing port of the station’s Harmony module.

The crew include Indian astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, veteran NASA astronaut Commander Peggy Whitson, European Space Agency (ESA) project astronaut Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski of Poland, and Hungarian to Orbit (HUNOR) astronaut Tibor Kapu.

The Axiom Mission 4 crew members, conducted a wide range of research activities aimed at advancing scientific studies, testing new technologies, and continuing global outreach efforts in space exploration, Axiom Space shared on its mission blog on Tuesday.

On Tuesday, the crew held microgravity research. Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla conducted three experiments. In the first instance, he worked on the sprouts project to study how microgravity affects germination and early plant development. On return to Earth, the seeds will be cultivated over several generations to examine changes in their genetics, microbial ecosystems, and nutritional profiles.

In another experiment, he deployed and stowed microalgae, which are being investigated for their potential to produce food, oxygen, and even biofuels. Their resilience and versatility make them ideal for supporting human life on long-duration missions, Axiom Space’s blog observed. (ANI)