What next for Shukla, Ax-4 crew & Axiom Space

With over 20 days and greater than 60 experiments aboard the International Space Station (ISS), the Axiom-4 (Ax-4) crew, together with Shubhanshu Shukla, which returned to Earth Tuesday, will enter a week-long rehabilitation programme.The crew, which has accomplished preliminary medical evaluations, will undergo the intensive rehab programme, following which mission debriefs and different procedures will unfold. According to sources from Axiom Space, upon completion of the seven days, the crew is predicted to get per week’s break earlier than the debriefing commences.Meanwhile, the greater than 580 kilos of scientific samples and {hardware} from the 60+ scientific experiments protecting life sciences, supplies analysis, Earth commentary, and expertise demonstrations from 31 international locations, will now be returned to respective companies.Principal investigators of the experiments, together with research on microgravity, go well with materials, muscle stimulation, micro‑algae techniques, and environmental psychology, will analyse the samples and information within the coming weeks . Scientific publications are anticipated to take extra time.Beyond science, the crew engaged in additional than 20 outreach occasions, interacting with college students, officers, and researchers worldwide.“The Ax-4 mission is a powerful demonstration of what’s possible through commercial space. By enabling astronauts from India, Poland, and Hungary to carry out scientific research aboard the space station, we are supporting these nations in their contributions to human spaceflight. This mission reflects Axiom’s vision of a thriving low-Earth orbit economy, where access to space is no longer limited to a few, but extends to all who seek to explore, discover, and innovate,” Axiom Space CEO Tejpaul Bhatia, mentioned.Reiterating that for every of those international locations, Ax-4 signalled a return to human spaceflight after over 40 years, Axiom Space mentioned: “It was also the first time astronauts from India, Poland, and Hungary conducted a mission on the ISS.” With Ax‑4 accomplished, Axiom Space’s consideration shifts to the Axiom-5 mission, presently focused for no sooner than May 2026 — a 14‑to‑21‑day ISS mission that may carry a brand new crew.