Shubhanshu Shukla Extracted Safely, ISRO Begins Health Checks

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Tuesday (July 15, 2025) announced that Indian astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla is currently undergoing a structured post-mission medical evaluation and recovery protocol, supervised jointly by Axiom Space and ISRO flight surgeons.

ISRO stated that the capsule was swiftly recovered by SpaceX’s recovery teams, and Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla was extracted in stable condition.

ISRO added that Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla’s post-mission medical evaluation and recovery protocol is expected to last seven days.

ISRO stated that the post-mission medical evaluation and recovery protocol includes cardiovascular assessments, musculoskeletal tests, and psychological debriefings to ensure complete physiological recovery and gather vital data for future missions.

As part of India’s involvement in the Axiom-04 mission, a high-level ISRO delegation and a dedicated Mission Operations Team were stationed at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida ahead of the launch.

Following the liftoff, both teams relocated to the Johnson Space Center in Houston to participate in the docking operations.

The Mission Operations Team remained at the Johnson Space Center, gaining invaluable hands-on experience in managing human spaceflight operations.

“The team was embedded alongside NASA and Axiom flight controllers, actively participating in real-time decision-making, telemetry tracking, crew timeline management, and monitoring the health of both the astronaut and the science payloads,” ISRO said. “This exposure offered crucial insights into international crewed mission coordination, emergency response protocols, and the intricate dynamics of orbital operations.”

ISRO further noted that the collaborative mission would serve as a critical stepping stone in developing India’s own human spaceflight operations infrastructure, significantly boosting preparedness for upcoming indigenous missions such as Gaganyaan and the Bharatiya Antariksha Station (Indian Space Station).

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