After a historic 18-day sojourn to the International Space Station (ISS), astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla is likely to return to India during the week when the nation will celebrate the 78th Independence Day. Shukla, who piloted the Axiom-4 mission, and his three crew mates : mission commander Peggy Whitson, and mission specialists Tibor Kapu and Slawosz Uznanski, returned to Earth on Wednesday. Following a picture-perfect splashdown off the California coast, the crew were ferried on a chopper to Houston for medical examination, mission debriefing and other procedures.
“He is expected to arrive in New Delhi. There are plans to arrange a grand reception for Group Captain Shukla in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” an official said.
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