Houston, Texas — After spending 18 days aboard the International Space Station (ISS), Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla finally reunited with his family in an emotional gathering that marked the end of a historic space mission and the beginning of a heartfelt homecoming.
Shukla, who became the first Indian to visit the ISS and only the second Indian in space after Rakesh Sharma in 1984, returned to Earth on Tuesday following a 22-hour journey aboard SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft, completing the private Axiom-4 (Ax-4) mission.
Waiting to welcome him in Houston for the homecoming were his wife, Kamna Shukla, and their six-year-old son, Kiash. The reunion was the first time Shukla had seen his family in nearly two months.
“Coming back to Earth and holding my family felt like home,” Shukla wrote in a heartfelt Instagram post. “Spaceflight is magical, but it’s made magical by the people we love.”
A Mission to Space, A Celebration at Home
Speaking to PTI, Kamna shared the overwhelming joy of being reunited after her husband’s incredible journey.
“Now that Shubhanshu is back, our focus is on his recovery and helping him ease back into normal life,” she said. “Just having him with us again is a celebration in itself.”
To bring warmth back into their lives, Kamna is already preparing some of Shukla’s favorite home-cooked meals—something he deeply missed while in orbit.
The couple, who have known each other since Class 3 and tied the knot in 2009, are both alumni of Lucknow’s City Montessori School.
Highlights from Space and Heartwarming Moments
Shukla was part of a four-member international team that included mission commander Peggy Whitson, Polish astronaut Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski, and Hungarian astronaut Tibor Kapu.
During his time aboard the ISS, Shukla conducted over 60 scientific experiments, ranging from plant biology to AI in space exploration. His work, particularly the Sprouts Project, which studies plant growth in microgravity, is expected to make significant contributions to future missions.
Kamna recalled one especially emotional moment: receiving a surprise call from her husband directly from the ISS.
“Hearing his voice and knowing he was safe meant the world to me,” she said. “Those 18 days were filled with conversations about his extraordinary daily life in space—so different from ours here on Earth. His calls became the highlight of my day.”
Next Stop: Gaganyaan Mission
With the Ax-4 mission behind him, Shukla’s journey into space may just be getting started. He is already being considered for ISRO’s upcoming Gaganyaan mission, India’s first crewed spaceflight, scheduled for 2027.
As India celebrates this milestone, Shukla’s story is not just one of scientific achievement, but also love, resilience, and the strength of human connection.