Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla is scheduled to return to India on Sunday 17 August 2025 after his historical International Space Station (ISS) visit. ISRO (ISRO) is preparing to start its first human space flight in 2027. Shubhanshu’s experiences will play a big role in this. He will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi after coming to India and will also go to his hometown Lucknow.
Shubhanshu’s space trip
Shubhanshu Shukla, who is the group captain of the Indian Air Force, was in America for the last one year. There he took training for the Axiom-4 mission. On June 25, 2025, he arrived at ISS on 26 June after being launched from Florida from Florida. On July 15, he returned to Earth. In this 18-day mission, he performed more than 60 experiments and 20 awareness sessions with three other astronauts-Pegi Whitson (America), Slavos Ujnanski-Visnivski (Poland) and Tibor Kapu (Hungary)-.
Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla will visit Lucknow on 25 August. Shubhanshu will thank the people of Lucknow through a road show from the airport to his residence with his family. Shubhanshu will reach Lucknow to meet his family for the first time after creating history.
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Return and emotions
Shubhanshu shared a photo on Instagram, in which he is seen smiling in an airplane. He wrote, As soon as I sat in an airplane to come to India, many feelings are going on in my heart. I am saddened by taking away from those magnificent people, who were like my friend and family for the last one year. Also, there is a pleasure to meet your family, friends and countrymen for the first time. Perhaps this is life – everything together.
He further said that during and later during the mission, I got so much love and support that I am desperate to come to India and share my experiences. Farewell is difficult, but it is necessary to move forward in life. My commander Pegi Whitson says that space flight is the only permanent thing change. It also applies to life. Shubhanshu also recalled his playlist from his playlist to the song ‘Yun Hi Chali Chal -Chali Hai Time’ from the Bollywood film ‘Swades’, which was with him before the mission.
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As I sit on the plane to come back to India I have a mix of emotions running through my heart. I feel sad leaving a fantastic group of people behind who was my friends and family for the past one year during this mission. I am also excited about meeting all my friends, family… pic.twitter.com/RGQWO3UCQR
– Shubhanshu Shukla (@gagan_shux) August 16, 2025
Meeting and meeting with PM Modi
Shubhanshu will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi after coming to India. PM Modi said in a speech on the 79th Independence Day from the Red Fort on 15 August 2025 that our group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla has returned from the space station. He will return to India in the coming days. After this, Shubhanshu will go to Lucknow, where his family is waiting for him. On August 22-23, he will also participate in the National Space Day celebrations in New Delhi.
Shubhanshu and his backup astronaut Prashant Nair celebrated Independence Day at the Indian Consulate in Houston on 15 August. During this, PM Modi also mentioned India’s plan to build space stations and appreciated the achievement of Shubhanshu. (Input: Samarth Srivastava)
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