Kolkata, July 15 -- West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her party TMC today congratulated Indian astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla on his safe return to earth after spending 18 days in space.

Shukla returned to earth as the Dragon spacecraft splashed down near the coast of California at 3.01 pm IST.

Shukla and three other astronauts of the Axiom-4 mission began their return journey to earth yesterday after the Dragon Grace spacecraft undocked from the International Space Station after an 18-day stay.

Shukla and three others, Axiom 4 (Ax-4) crew Commander Peggy Whitson, and Mission Specialists Slawosz "Suave" Uznanski-Wisniewski and Tibor Kapu embarked on the space odyssey on June 25 from Florida.

"Welcome home, Shubha...