• Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, along with three other crew members, is scheduled to return to Earth from the International Space Station (ISS) on July 14, after a 14-day mission.
• The Dragon spacecraft will undock from the ISS and embark on a 22.5-hour journey, culminating in a splashdown off the California coast on July 15.
• Before undocking, the crew will conduct thorough checks of the spacecraft's systems, secure cargo, and ensure a proper seal to maintain the cabin environment.
• Shukla, the first Indian to visit the ISS and the second Indian astronaut in space, conducted over 60 experiments during his mission.
• During the farewell ceremony, Shukla expressed his gratitude and highlighted India's ambition and progress in space exploration.
• In a separate development, Colossal Biosciences is undertaking a project to genetically engineer modern birds to resemble the extinct South Island giant moa.
• The de-extinction process involves extracting DNA from moa remains, comparing it to living birds, and using CRISPR gene-editing to insert key genetic markers.