Mon Jul 14 15:47:51 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a summarized news article based on the provided text:
**Headline: Indian Astronaut Completes Landmark Microgravity Experiments Aboard ISS, Returning to Earth**
**Bengaluru -** Indian astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla is set to return to Earth after a successful 18-day mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS), marking a significant milestone for India’s space program. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) announced on Monday that Group Captain Shukla has completed all seven microgravity experiments assigned to him.
These experiments, proposed by Indian Principal Investigators (PIs) from across the country, focused on diverse areas, including the study of Indian strains of Tardigrades, Myogenesis, Sprouting of methi and moong seeds, Cyanobacteria, Microalgae, Crop seeds and Voyager Display. The successful completion of these experiments represents a major achievement for Indian scientific research in space.
Group Captain Shukla, the first Indian in space in 41 years, also engaged with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and interacted with students back in India via ham radio during his stay on the ISS.
The Ax-4 mission, of which Shukla was a part, included around 60 scientific studies and activities representing 31 countries. The Dragon spacecraft returning to Earth carries over 580 pounds of cargo, including NASA hardware and data from all the experiments conducted. The return marks a significant step forward for international collaboration in space research and a proud moment for India’s growing presence in space exploration.
First Piper 