New Delhi [India], July 15 : Union Minister for Science and Technology and Space, Jitendra Singh on Tuesday said that the experiments conducted by Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla are going to be of relevance for the whole world.
The IAF officer Shukla or 'Shux' had piloted the Axiom-4 (Ax-4) crew, which included three other astronauts, who splashed down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California in the US this afternoon in their SpaceX Dragon spacecraft titled 'Grace' after completing their 18 days to the International Space Station (ISS).
"It is indeed a moment of pride for the world and a moment of glory for India because one of her sons is coming back with a successful voyage..." Jitendra Singh told reporters
"The experiments conducted by Shubhanshu are going to be of relevance for the whole world. India has already proven its capabilities, and we are going one step ahead. We are in a stage where we can also tell the world that look here we can take upon ourselves the responsibilities of performing maiden experiments which are not ventured by anyone else..."
During his over two-week stay aboard the orbiting laboratory, ISRO said that Shukla completed all seven planned microgravity experiments, achieving all mission objectives.
"Experiments on Indian strain of tardigrades, myogenesis, sprouting of methi and moong seeds, cyanobacteria, microalgae, crop seeds, and the Voyager display have been successfully completed," Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said in a statement.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today welcomed Group Captain Shukla upon his return to Earth from the International Space Station (ISS), saying he has inspired a billion dreams through his dedication. The PM termed the achievement a significant step towards India's Human Space Flight Mission Gaganyaan.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said today that Group Captain Shukla's successful return from the historic Axiom-4 mission is a proud moment for every Indian and lifted the country's aspirations to new heights.
"Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla's successful return from the historic Axiom-4 mission is a proud moment for every Indian. He has not just touched space, he has lifted India's aspirations to new heights. His journey to the International Space Station and back is not just a personal milestone, it is a proud stride for India's growing space ambitions. Wishing him great success in his future endeavours," the Defence Minister wrote in a post on X.
After the Dragon spacecraft splashed down, a smiling 'Shux' egressed and waved to onlookers.
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 Indian Air Force pilot Shukla, flew alongside veteran US astronaut Peggy Whitson, Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski of Poland, and Tibor Kapu of Hungary.