Union minister Jitendra Singh said Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, who on Tuesday returned to Earth after an 18-day stay aboard the International Space Station (ISS), is expected to arrive in India by August 17 following a series of post-mission procedures.
"There are certain SOPs to be followed... His rehabilitation, debriefing sessions and a series of discussions with Team ISRO. We might expect him in Delhi by August 17," Singh told PTI video.
Calling the mission "unprecedented", Singh said the experiments conducted by Shukla during his stay in the orbital laboratory were closely linked to human survival and life in microgravity.
"These experiments will be useful not just for Indians, but for all of humanity," he said.
"It is a moment of immense joy for India that a worthy son of Bharat Mata has returned successfully today," Singh said.
The minister said Shukla's journey reflected India's growing role in the global scientific community.
"As Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi always teaches us about the principle of 'Vasudaiva Kutumbakam' and reminds us that India must fulfil its role as a global friend, today, Shubhanshu has truly acted as a representative of India on the global stage. He carried out this mission with that spirit."
Shukla, a Group Captain in the Indian Air Force and a native of Lucknow, became the second Indian to travel to space after Rakesh Sharma's 1984 mission and the first to visit the ISS.
He also spent the longest time -- 20 days -- in orbit among Indian astronauts.
He was part of the Axiom-4 private space mission that lifted off from Florida on June 25 and docked at the ISS on June 26. Along with three other astronauts, Peggy Whitson (US), Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski (Poland) and Tibor Kapu (Hungary), Shukla conducted over 60 experiments and 20 outreach sessions during the 18-day mission. -- PTI
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