Very proud of him, want him to be in the moment, says astronaut's IISc MTech guide
1
2
Kolkata: "I want
Shubhanshu Shukla
to be in the moment," said Aloke Kumar, assistant professor at Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, after watching SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft lift off from NASA's Kennedy Space Centre in Florida.
As mission pilot, Shukla will steer Dragon to dock with the International Space Station on Thursday afternoon. Kumar, an alumnus of South Point School and IIT Kharagpur, is Shukla's guide in the thesis-based master's in Mechanical Engineering that he is pursuing at IISc.
"Once the Dragon docks with the ISS, Shukla deserves to soak in the moment. He, along with Angad Pratap, Prashant Nair, and Ajit Krishnan, who were selected for the
Gaganyaan mission
, are all exceptional professionals.
Shukla is extremely motivated. He puts in as much effort in his academic pursuit as a 21-year-old student," the mentor said. Gaganyaan, India's maiden space flight mission, is scheduled sometime in 2027.
The four Indian Air Force test pilots pursued their MTech at IISc. The faculty at IISc has been conducting the academic training of the astronaut designates for the Gaganyaan mission after they returned from the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Russia, where they underwent mission-oriented training.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Perdagangkan CFD Emas dengan Broker Tepercaya
IC Markets
Mendaftar
Undo
You Can Also Check:
Kolkata AQI
|
Weather in Kolkata
|
Bank Holidays in Kolkata
|
Public Holidays in Kolkata
"All the four are part of an elite group. Before the training for the Axiom-4 mission at NASA's Johnson Space Centre in Houston, Shukla was at the laboratory, day in and day out. The training delayed the completion of his thesis. But I am confident he will complete it before the Gaganyaan mission," said Kumar, who did his PhD at Purdue University in Indiana, US. He returned to India in 2017 after joining IISc.
Group captain Shukla is a combat leader and seasoned test pilot with about 2,000 hours of flying experience in various aircraft, including the Su-30 MKI, MiG-21, MiG-29, Jaguar, Hawk, Dornier 228, and An-32.
While Shukla is the Axiom-4 mission pilot, the mission is led by Commander Peggy Whitson, with Hungarian astronaut Tibor Kapu and Poland's Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski as mission specialists.
Post docking, the crew members will spend 14 days onboard the ISS conducting science, outreach, and commercial activities.
"It will be a very busy fortnight for Shukla, but I hope he gets to enjoy his moment. I feel very proud of his achievement of being the first Indian to reach the ISS and the second Indian to venture into space," said Kumar, who felt the goosepimples when he looked skyward. "He was right next to me when we clicked the selfie. And now he is in ISS, 408 km away from Earth!"
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
34 minutes ago
- Time of India
SpaceX launches 27 Starlink satellites to expand global internet coverage
In the early hours of June 28, after a day of severe weather warnings and storm activity across Central Florida, SpaceX successfully launched a Falcon 9 rocket carrying 27 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The launch, which occurred at 12:26 a.m. from Launch Complex 40, followed hours of anticipation as meteorologists issued multiple thunderstorm alerts and lightning watches that could have delayed the mission. Fortunately, the skies cleared just in time, granting the launch team a window of calm, 10-mile visibility, and ideal conditions. This mission adds to SpaceX's expanding Starlink constellation, which aims to provide global broadband internet coverage, especially in remote and underserved regions. It also coincided with a significant date in SpaceX's history — the 10th anniversary of a Falcon 9 rocket explosion that occurred on June 28, 2015, during a NASA resupply mission to the International Space Station. The stark contrast between the two events underscores the remarkable technological and operational progress SpaceX has achieved over the past decade. SpaceX and Starlink reusability in action with veteran Falcon 9 booster The Falcon 9 rocket used for this mission was not a newcomer to the skies. SpaceX confirmed that the first-stage booster was flying its fifth mission, having previously launched CRS-32, NROL-69, GPS III-7, and another Starlink deployment. Once its primary task of lifting the payload into low-Earth orbit was complete, the booster executed a successful landing on the SpaceX drone ship A Shortfall of Gravitas, stationed in the Atlantic Ocean. This routine yet remarkable display of reusability continues to demonstrate the economic and environmental efficiency of SpaceX's design. Each recovered booster reduces the cost of subsequent missions and supports SpaceX's long-term vision of sustainable space travel and interplanetary missions. A decade after failure, SpaceX looks ahead June 28 also marks a solemn moment in the company's history. On this day in 2015, a Falcon 9 rocket carrying over 5,000 pounds of cargo aboard a SpaceX Dragon capsule for NASA broke apart just over two minutes into flight. The explosion was a major setback at the time, but it became a pivotal learning moment that shaped the company's future approach to reliability and design improvements. This latest launch occurred under the watch of newly appointed commander Col. Brian Chatman, who now leads Space Launch Delta 45 and oversees operations at Patrick Space Force Base and the broader Eastern Range. Responsible for ensuring safety over a vast 15-million-square-mile operational area, Chatman's leadership coincides with a period of increasing launch activity, making the success of such missions a reflection of both technical coordination and operational precision.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
'Gajar Ka Halwa In Zero Gravity': PM Modi's Fun Chat With Shubhanshu Shukla
During a live interaction from the International Space Station, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla responded to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's light-hearted question about sharing 'gajar ka halwa' with his teammates. Shukla revealed that he brought along 'gajar ka halwa', 'moong dal ka halwa', and 'aam ras' to ISS. He told PM Modi that he wanted everyone from other countries on the mission to enjoy the rich flavors of Indian cuisine. #shubhanshushukla #pmmodi #iss #gajarkahalwa #moongdalhalwa #aamras #indianfoodinspace #axiom4 #internationalspacestation #indianastronaut #spacemissionindia #gaganyaan #zerogravity #astronautlife #indiainspace #spaceexploration #isro #nasa #toi #toibharat Read More
The Hindu
2 hours ago
- The Hindu
Axiom-4 mission: Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla commences research activities aboard ISS
Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, who is aboard the International Space Station (ISS) has commenced research activities at the orbiting laboratory According to Axiom Space the crew members are fully immersed in their mission aboard the ISS having transitioned smoothly from arrival protocols to hands-on research. Axiom Space said that Shux (Group Captain Shukla mission call sign) spent time in the Life Sciences Glovebox (LSG) working on the Myogenesis experiment. 'This study aims to uncover the biological pathways behind skeletal muscle degradation in space—a major challenge for astronauts. By identifying these mechanisms, researchers hope to develop targeted therapies that could not only protect space travelers but also aid people suffering from muscle-degenerative diseases on Earth,' Axion Space said. ISRO has shortlisted seven microgravity research experiments proposed by Indian (PIs) from various national R&D laboratories and academic institutions which Group Captain Shukla would be conducting during his 14-day stay at the ISS. Myogenesis is one of the them which has been proposed by the Bengaluru based Institute of Stem Cell Science and Regenerative Medicine (InStem). ISRO has said the experience gained through this effort in implementation of the seven experiments is expected to nurture a microgravity research ecosystem in India resulting in the induction of advanced microgravity experiments in various disciplines in the Indian space programme. In addition to the seven experiments ISRO and NASA will also be participating in five joint science investigations and two in-orbit STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) demonstrations. Axiom said that the crew initiated the Cerebral Hemodynamics study, completing the first session after installing the necessary software. 'Using ultrasound technology, this research explores how blood circulates in the brain under microgravity conditions. The findings could improve our understanding of cardiovascular adaptation in space and inform medical diagnostics and treatments for conditions like stroke and hypertension on Earth,' it said. The Axiom-4 mission research complement includes around 60 scientific studies and activities representing 31 countries, including the U.S., India, Poland, Hungary, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, Nigeria, UAE, and nations across Europe.
