Lucknow, July 15 -- Ahead of the splashdown of the Dragon spacecraft led by Group Captain Shubanshu Shukla, Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak on Tuesday stated that it was a day of joy for the nation and was also the most awaited moment.

"It is a day of joy for us. Bharat Mata's son, Shubhanshu Shukla, is returning to the Earth. He will land in California. All of us are waiting for the moment he will touch down... My greeting to the family of Shubhanshu Shukla..." Pathak told ANI.

Notably, Group Captain Shubanshu Shukla spent almost 20 days in space with almost 19 days aboard the International Space Station (ISS) as part of the Axiom-4 mission (Axe-4), and has marked history by becoming the first Indian astronaut to vis...