How 'Grace' will bring Shubhanshu Shukla back to Earth
BENGALURU: Indian astronaut
Shubhanshu Shukla
and his three Axiom-4 (Ax-4) mission crewmates are expected to undock from
International Space Station
(ISS) at 4.35 pm IST on July 14, according to current plans. If everything goes as planned,
Crew Dragon
- nicknamed "
Grace
" - is expected to splash down off the coast of California around 3 pm IST on July 15 after a series of re-entry manoeuvres.
Following his return, Shukla will undergo a rehabilitation programme of approximately seven days under supervision of flight surgeons to readjust to Earth's gravity. As the crew prepares to
journey homeward
, TOI gives a lowdown on how Grace will bring Shukla and others back to Earth:
Prep in new orbit: Grace's return journey begins with a carefully planned departure from ISS. Astronauts will suit up and strap into their seats inside the capsule, after which the hatch connecting Grace to ISS will be closed and sealed.
Engineers on the ground and crew on board will then conduct leak checks and system diagnostics to ensure the spacecraft is ready for autonomous undocking. Once cleared, Crew Dragon will separate from ISS and begin a series of small thruster burns to distance itself and shift into a new orbit in preparation for re-entry.
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Orbital Phasing: This orbital "phasing" manoeuvre can last from a few hours to over a day, depending on orbital mechanics and readiness of the designated splashdown site.
When conditions are optimal,
SpaceX
will command a deorbit burn - the most critical manoeuvre of the return. Just before this, the spacecraft will jettison its trunk section, housing solar panels and radiators. The deorbit burn uses onboard thrusters to slow the capsule down and drop it out of orbit. With it, the spacecraft is committed to Earth re-entry.
Peak Heating Phase: Once Grace begins plunging through the upper atmosphere at speeds near 28,000 km/h, it will encounter intense friction that heats the exterior to over 1,900°C. A protective heat shield will deflect this energy, keeping the cabin safe. During the hottest phase, the spacecraft will be surrounded by ionised gases, leading to a brief communications blackout lasting around six to seven minutes.
Once through peak heating, the spacecraft will slow rapidly. Around 5,500 metres above the ocean, two small drogue parachutes will deploy to stabilise the vehicle. A few seconds later, four large main parachutes will unfurl, significantly reducing descent speed to a safe range of around 24-32 km/h.
Splashdown & Recover: Grace will then splash down in the ocean, usually within a predetermined recovery zone. Waiting nearby will be a
SpaceX recovery
ship equipped with fast boats carrying medical and technical teams. These teams will be first to reach the capsule, perform safety checks, and prepare it for lifting onto the ship using a hydraulic cradle.
Once aboard, astronauts will be carefully helped out of the capsule and given preliminary medical assessments. They will be then transported back to land - usually via helicopter or ship - and taken for further medical evaluations, mission debriefs, and recovery procedures.
Grace itself is expected to be later refurbished for potential reuse. The entire operation is designed for precision, safety and efficiency, with most of the sequence being fully automated but capable of manual override if needed, and, if it comes to that, it will be Shux's responsibility.
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