New Delhi, Jul 14 (PTI) The entire nation eagerly awaits your return, Science and Technology Minister Jitendra Singh said on Monday as astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla embarked on the journey back to earth after an 18-day stay at the International Space Station (ISS).

"Welcome back Shubhanshu! The entire nation eagerly awaits your arrival back home…as you begin your return journey, after successful undocking of #Axiom4," Singh said in a post on X.

Also Read | Shubhanshu Shukla Returning to Earth: Axiom-4 Astronauts Board SpaceX Dragon Spacecraft, Begin Journey Back Home After Historic ISS Mission.

Shukla, who became the second Indian astronaut to travel to space after Rakesh Sharma's 1984 odyssey, and three other astronauts of the Axiom-4 mission boarded the Dragon spacecraft on Monday that undocked from the ISS at 4:45 PM IST as it began its 22.5-hour journey back to Earth.

The Dragon is expected to splash down on Tuesday at 3:01 pm IST off the California coast. The spacecraft will be hauled up on a special recovery ship where the astronauts will be brought out from the capsule.

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The Axiom-4 crew will undergo a series of medical checks onboard the ship before boarding a helicopter for a ride back to the shore.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)