Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, along with his fellow Axiom-4 (Ax-4) mission teammates, is preparing to leave the International Space Station (ISS) aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule, nicknamed Grace. The departure is scheduled for 4:35 PM IST on July 14, with the spacecraft expected to splash down in the Pacific Ocean near California by 3 PM IST on July 15, provided all conditions remain favorable.
Before leaving the ISS, the astronauts will don their space suits and secure themselves inside Grace. After sealing the hatch connecting the capsule to the ISS, engineers will conduct thorough system checks and leak inspections to ensure a safe undocking. Once the spacecraft is cleared, Grace will detach from the ISS and perform a series of controlled thruster burns to enter a new orbital path, preparing for re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere.
This phase, known as orbital phasing, aligns the capsule’s descent trajectory with the designated landing site. Depending on orbital mechanics and weather conditions at sea, this process can take several hours or longer. When the timing is right, SpaceX will initiate the deorbit burn, using onboard thrusters to slow the capsule and commit it to re-entry. Before this, Grace will jettison its trunk section, which houses solar panels and radiators.
During re-entry, Grace will face intense heat, with temperatures soaring above 1,900°C, as it streaks through the atmosphere at 28,000 km/h. A heat shield will protect the crew, but a brief radio blackout is expected due to the formation of ionized gases around the capsule.
At about 5,500 meters altitude, two small drogue parachutes will deploy, followed by four large main parachutes to slow the descent to around 24-32 km/h. After a gentle ocean splashdown, recovery teams will assist the astronauts, who will undergo medical checks before beginning a seven-day rehabilitation to adjust back to Earth’s gravity.
