NEW DELHI: Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, the country’s second astronaut, returned to India early Sunday after completing the Nasa-led Axiom-4 mission to the International Space Station (ISS). Shukla, who splashed down off the coast of California on July 15 after an 18-day stay aboard the ISS, was received at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport by his wife Kamna, Union minister Jitendra Singh, and Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta. The Indian Air Force test pilot became the first Indian in 41 years—since Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma in 1984—to travel to space, and the first ever to visit the ISS. The mission launched from Nasa’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on June 25. Ahead of his return, Shukla posted an emotional note on X, writing:“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 were my friends and family for the past one year during this mission. I am also excited about meeting all my friends, family and everyone in the country for the first time post mission. I guess this is what life is – everything all at once.He added that his commander, veteran astronaut Peggy Whitson, often reminded him: “The only constant in spaceflight is change.”During his stay aboard the ISS, Shukla conducted multiple scientific experiments. According to Isro, his work will feed directly into preparations for India’s Gaganyaan human spaceflight programme, which begins with an unmanned mission later this year. The Axiom-4 mission marked a significant step in India’s growing human spaceflight ambitions, with Shukla’s contributions expected to lay the groundwork for sending an Indian astronaut to space aboard an indigenous spacecraft in the coming years.