Many pictures of Shubhanshu Shukla surfaced before his return from space (Social media)
National News: After spending days floating above the Earth, Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla is finally coming home. As a crew member of the Axiom-04 mission, he traveled to the International Space Station through a partnership between ISRO and NASA. Along with three other astronauts, he will return to Earth today, marking the end of a memorable space journey.
But before leaving the ISS, Shubhanshu and his teammates took time to enjoy one last special moment together—a photo session in space.
Inside the ISS, astronauts from five countries, including India and the US, captured a rare group photo, standing side by side with cheerful smiles. This wasn’t just a group photo; it was a symbol of global teamwork, unity, and peace beyond borders.
The pictures were shared by NASA astronaut Jonny Kim on social media. He explained that the photos were clicked using a tripod and a time-lapse camera mounted on the wall. Usually, astronauts don’t wear their flight suits on the ISS, but on this day, everyone happened to be in uniform. So they decided to capture the moment.
Jonny wrote, “It’s a joy to work with people from across the world. These photos show how space brings people from around the world together."
Shubhanshu Shukla is set to leave the ISS today with his team, which includes Peggy Whitson (USA), Slavoj Ujnanski-Wisniewski (Poland), and Tibor Kapu (Hungary). They will travel back to Earth in SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft, which is scheduled to undock from the ISS at 4:30 PM IST.
Their journey will take several hours, and they are expected to land safely near California, USA, at around 3:00 PM IST on July 15.
This moment is not just a space event—it is a matter of great pride for India, especially as more Indian scientists and space experts are gaining global recognition.
We don’t get in our flight suits often, but chance had us all decked out so we took advantage and took some photos with our new crewmates.
— Jonny Kim (@JonnyKimUSA) July 13, 2025
In this picture we have eight astronauts representing the United States, Japan, India, Hungary and Poland. It’s been a pleasure getting to… pic.twitter.com/l3AWgG9quD
At an earlier stage of the mission, Shubhanshu addressed a farewell speech from aboard the ISS. He said, "Even today, India stands strong and ahead of many in the world." His words touched many hearts and reminded everyone of India’s growing presence in space research.
He also thanked his fellow astronauts and space agencies for the support and cooperation during the mission.
Shubhanshu’s return will be remembered as a major step in India’s international space efforts. It shows that Indian scientists and astronauts are now not just watching the stars but living among them.
From training on Earth to floating in zero gravity and now heading back home, Shubhanshu’s journey reflects hope, unity, and progress.
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