Indian Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla to Return to Earth on July 14 — Delay Raises Questions

Texas (Uttam Hindu News): Indian-origin astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla is now scheduled to return to Earth on July 14, four days later than the originally planned date of July 10. The update was confirmed by NASA in a recent briefing.

Shukla is part of the Axiom-4 mission, launched on June 25, 2025, from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Alongside three international crew members, he traveled aboard SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft, which docked at the International Space Station (ISS) on June 26, following a 28-hour journey.

The mission, initially set for 14 days, has now been extended slightly. NASA has not yet disclosed the specific reason behind the delay.

Earlier this week, NASA released a few rare glimpses from the ISS showing Shukla observing Earth through the Cupola module, a dome-shaped observation deck with seven windows—designed for panoramic views of our planet. Shubhanshu Shukla’s space journey marks a significant moment for India’s presence in private space missions, and his safe return is being closely followed around the world.