Indian Astronaut Shukla speaks to ISRO Chief from ISS
International Space Station (ISS), where he is carrying our various experiments during his 14-day stay.
Shukla spoke to Dr Narayanan yesterday afternoon.
ISRO in a statement today said "On July 06, 2025, in the afternoon, Shubhanshu Shukla, the Indian Gaganyatri currently aboard the International Space Station (ISS) as part of the Axiom-4 mission,
had a telephonic conversation with Dr V Narayanan, Chairman, ISRO and Secretary, Department
of Space."
During the call, the Chairman expressed his keen interest in Shubhanshu's well-being and inquired about the various scientific experiments and activities being conducted on the ISS.
The Chairman emphasized the significance of documenting all experiments and activities meticulously after Shubhanshu's return to Earth, as this will provide valuable insights and inputs for the development of India's human spaceflight program, Gaganyaan.
The Gaganyaan program aims to demonstrate India's capability to launch a crewed spacecraft into low Earth orbit, and the experiences and knowledge gained from this mission will be crucial for its success. Shubhanshu Shukla's ISS mission has been executed under the ISRO-Axiom Spaceflight agreement.
The discussion was attended by several senior officials from ISRO, including Dr. Unnikrishnan Nair, Director of Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) and Chairman of the Program Management Council for Human Space Programme; Shri M Mohan, Director of Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC); Padmakumar E S, Director of ISRO Inertial Systems Unit (IISU); M Ganesh Pillai, Scientific Secretary of ISRO; and N Vedachalam, former Director of LPSC.
These officials also had the opportunity to interact with Shubhanshu Shukla during the call, discussed various aspects of the mission and the experiments being conducted.
Shubhanshu Shukla expressed his heartfelt gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for providing him with this incredible opportunity to represent India on the ISS.
He also shared updates on the progress of the experiments and activities being carried out on the space station, highlighting the scientific objectives and the challenges being addressed.
Shubhanshu Shukla acknowledged the efforts of Chairman, ISRO and the team ISRO in ensuring his safe travel to the ISS.
Dr Narayanan reiterated that the entire ISRO team is working closely to support him throughout the mission. He had regular meetings with Shubhanshu Shukla prior to the mission, motivating him for the journey and providing guidance on the scientific objectives and the importance of the mission for India's Space Programme.
The Chairman also interacted with Prashant Balan Nair, the standby astronaut, on a regular basis, ensuring that all necessary preparations were in place for a successful mission.
UNI GV 1530
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
ICAR official advocates for creation of Directorate of Agri Engg, visits PAU
Ludhiana: In a significant academic and policy-focused interaction, the deputy director general (agricultural engineering), ICAR, andthe president of Indian Society of Agricultural Engineers (ISAE), S N Jha, visited theCollege of Agricultural Engineering and Technology (COAET)atPunjab Agricultural University (PAU)to engage with faculty members on the strategic upliftment of agricultural engineering and the proposed creation of Directorate of Agricultural Engineering in Punjab. During the interaction, Jha emphasised the growing importance of agricultural engineering in transforming Indian agriculture throughmechanisation, energy efficiency, post-harvest management, and climate-smart technologies. He encouraged faculty to contribute to demand-driven research, skill-based training, and interdisciplinary innovation aligned with national priorities. A key highlight of the discussion was theproposal for the creation of a Directorate of Agricultural Engineering in Punjab, which is in line with the recent directive from the central govt to all states. Jhaupdated the faculty on the current status of this development in Punjab, stating thatthe process has been initiated at the state level as per the letter from the chief secretary, Govt of Punjab to the secretary, department of agriculture and farmers' welfare, ministry of agriculture and farmers' welfare, Government of India. Discussions are going on with relevant authorities to expedite the formation of theDirectorate, which would act as a central agency for planning, implementation, and coordination of agricultural engineering activities in the state, he said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Anvisa aprova solução para ajudar a reduzir gordura visceral da barriga em 7 dias! Você Mais Saudável Hoje Saiba Mais Undo Jha lauded the efforts of PAU and COAET in fostering innovation and assured continued ICAR support for strengthening agricultural engineering education, research, and outreach in Punjab. Manjeet Singh, dean, COAET, updated about the efforts made at the College level for the creation ofDirectorate of Agricultural Engineering in Punjab,and further emphasised that a committee would be formed to do follow-up of this important issue with the state govt. Faculty members of COAET shared their ongoing contributions, vision, and support for the proposed Directorate, which is expected to significantly enhance thedelivery of engineering services to farmersand promotetechnology-led agricultural growth. Dr Satish Kumar Gupta, Joint Secretary-cum-Treasurer, Punjab Chapter of Indian Society of Agricultural Engineers conducted the interactive session.
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Shubhanshu Shukla, AX-4 crew complete two weeks in orbit, science going strong
As the Axiom-4 (Ax-4) mission marks two weeks aboard the International Space Station (ISS), the four-member crew — Commander Peggy Whitson, Pilot Shubhanshu 'Shux' Shukla, and mission specialists Slawosz 'Suave' Uznanski and Tibor Kapu — remain focused on scientific work, technology demonstrations and health monitoring studies. All four crew members have been in good health throughout their mission so far. After docking with the ISS on June 26, the crew spent the first evening unpacking and the next day familiarising themselves with station systems. Since then, their work has covered areas ranging from plant biology and cognitive science to space health and materials research. Shux, the Indian Air Force test pilot turned astronaut, has been closely involved in space biology experiments. In the last couple of days, he documented seed development in petri dishes and stored them in the Minus Eighty-Degree Laboratory Freezer. These seeds, once returned to Earth, will be grown over several generations to assess the influence of microgravity on their genetics, microbial environments and nutritional value. In another experiment, Shux worked on deploying and stowing microalgae — being studied for their potential to produce oxygen, food, and biofuels during long-duration missions. Their ability to adapt to the space environment makes them a key candidate for future life-support systems. He also photographed specimens for a parallel crop seeds study. Six seed types will undergo post-mission cultivation to isolate desirable genetic traits that could help build resilient, sustainable farming systems in space. On the health front, Shux and others supported the 'AstroMentalHealth' study, which investigates behavioural health and stress during missions. They also performed a neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) session — an exercise method using electrical impulses to prevent muscle loss in weightlessness. The crew's work extended into neurology and human physiology. Through the 'Voyager Displays' study, they helped assess how spaceflight alters eye movement, gaze control and hand – eye coordination — factors critical to designing intuitive spacecraft interfaces for future astronauts. They also took part in the 'Acquired Equivalence Test', designed to understand how spaceflight impacts learning and pattern recognition in an altered spatial environment. Finally, Axiom said, radiation safety remained a priority. 'All four astronauts wore the 'Rad Nano Dosimeter', collecting real-time exposure data to evaluate shielding efficacy and long-term health risks of space travel,' the firm said. The Ax-4 mission is expected to wrap up soon now that the planned tenure is complete. However, there has been no formal date announced for the crew to depart from ISS and splashdown.
Hindustan Times
3 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
India's Shubhanshu Shukla turns space farmer, grows methi and moong seeds on ISS
Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, who is in the final week of his stay at the International Space Station, tried his hand at space farming as part of a study. Shukla, who is on the space station as part of the Axiom-4 mission, will be returning to earth after July 10. (Axiom Space) Shukla turned farmer onboard the ISS, growing moong and methi seeds, PTI reported. He also took photographs of the seeds sprouting in petri dishes and while keeping them in a storage freezer. The activity is part of a study into the influence of microgravity on germination and early plant development. These seeds will be cultivated over multiple generations after their return to eath, with researchers looking into changes in their genetics, microbial ecosystems and nutritional profiles, Axiom space said in a statement. Shukla, who is on the space station as part of the Axiom-4 mission, will be returning to earth after July 10. NASA is expected to announce the date for the undocking of the space mission soon, depending on the weather conditions off the Florida coast. The experiment for the germination of sprouts is part of a study headed by scientists Ravikumar Hosamani and and Sudheer Siddapureddy, according to PTI. While Hosamani is an assistant professor at the University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad, Siddapureddy is from the Indian Institute of Technology, Dharwad. Six varieties will be grown over generations under the crop seeds experiment in order to identify any desirable traits for genetic analysis in regards to sustainable space farming. Shukla on his research tasks onboard the space station Speaking about his research tasks on the ISS, Shukla said they had been 'fantastic'. "Right from doing stem cell research and looking at the effect of microgravity on seeds, evaluating the cognitive load on astronauts while they are interacting with screens onboard the station," PTI quoted him as saying. He added that he felt 'proud' to be acting as a 'bridge' between the researchers and the space station, and conduct these experiments on their behalf. He further said that he was 'really excited' about the study on stem cells. Under this, scientists are trying to determine whether the growth, recovery and repair process can be accelerated in stem cells by adding supplements. 'It has been great to work in the Glove Box doing this research for them. I am really excited to be doing this,' Shukla said. With PTI inputs
