Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla reunited with his wife, Kamna Shukla and six-year-old son Kiash Shukla after his 18-day mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS).

Kamna and Kiash are already by his side in Houston, Texas. It was the first time Shukla saw his family in two months. He wrote in an Instagram post, “It was challenging. Coming back to Earth and holding my family back in my arms felt like home.” He added, “Human spaceflight missions are magical but they are made magical by the humans.”

“Now that Shubhanshu has safely returned, our immediate focus will be on his rehabilitation and ensuring he smoothly readjusts to life on Earth,” Kamna told PTI from Houston. She added, “For us, simply being reunited after this incredible journey is a celebration in itself.”

After his mission in space, his wife plans to bring warmth, routine and togetherness back to their family life. “I am already preparing some of his favourite dishes, knowing how much he must have missed home cooked meals during his time in space”, she said.

Shukla, along with three other astronauts – commander Peggy Whitson, and mission specialists Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski of Poland and Tibor Kapu of Hungary, splashed down on earth on Tuesday after completing the private Axiom-4 mission.