One last click: Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla joins final photo session with crew before ISS departure

Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla Joins ISS Crew for Final Photo Session (Image: @JonnyKimUSA/X)

Before saying goodbye to space, the Axiom Mission 4 team paused for a moment. Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla and his fellow astronauts gathered aboard the ISS for a special photo session.

Eight Nations, One Crew, One Shared Space

The photos feature eight astronauts smiling in their flight suits. They represent the United States, India, Japan, Hungary, and Poland. The moment captured unity and collaboration above Earth’s surface.

NASA astronaut Jonny Kim shared the images online. He explained they used a wall-mounted tripod and a time-lapse camera. “We don’t wear flight suits often,” he wrote, “but when we do, we make the most of it.” He added that the team had enjoyed working across national lines, calling it an honour to share space with such dedicated professionals.

We don’t get in our flight suits often, but chance had us all decked out so we took advantage and took some photos with our new crewmates.

In this picture we have eight astronauts representing the United States, Japan, India, Hungary and Poland. It’s been a pleasure getting to… pic.twitter.com/l3AWgG9quD

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— Jonny Kim (@JonnyKimUSA) July 13, 2025

The photo session included members of Axiom Mission 4 and Expedition 73. It was one of their final group moments before returning home.

Axiom Crew to Undock and Return on July 15

The Axiom Mission 4 team is set to undock on 14 July at 4:30 PM IST. The returning crew includes Peggy Whitson, Shubhanshu Shukla, Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski, and Tibor Kapu.

Whitson is a former NASA astronaut and now director at Axiom Space. Shukla represents ISRO, Uznanski is from ESA, and Kapu is part of Hungary’s HUNOR programme.

The team launched from Kennedy Space Center on 25 June. They docked with the ISS the following day. If weather remains stable, they will splash down safely on 15 July. ISRO has confirmed the splashdown time as 3:00 PM IST.

The crew’s journey marks another chapter in international space collaboration. Their return brings back valuable experience and shared memories from orbit.