It was the fourth private astronaut mission funded by Houston-based Axiom Space and the second commanded by veteran astronaut Peggy Whitson.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — The International Space Station’s first visitors from India, Poland and Hungary headed back to Earth on Monday, wrapping up a private mission and catching a ride home with SpaceX. Their capsule undocked from the orbiting lab and aimed for a splashdown the next morning in the Pacific off the Southern California coast.

During his time aboard the International Space Station, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla carried out seven India-specific microgravity experiments, highlighting the country's advancing expertise in space science and technology.