Lucknow, July 10 -- As the date for the return of Axiom Space's Axe-4 mission crew from the International Space Station (ISS) to Earth nears, the parents of mission pilot IAF Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla expressed their excitement to welcome their son, who, they say, made them proud.

"We are really excited, the entire family is excited. We pray to God for him to come back soon. We pray for his safe return," Shambhu Dayal Shukla, the father of Shubhanshu Shukla, told ANI.

"It is a matter of pride for us that he is coming back after completing the mission, we thank God for it...They will return after a date is set...Everything will be taken into consideration and then a date will be set...He is healthy and his mission is going on well,...