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'Furthest from motherland, closest to hearts': PM Modi to Shubhanshu Shukla
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday held a video call with Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, who is currently aboard the International Space Station (ISS) as part of the Axiom-4 mission — marking India's return to space after more than 41 years.
'You are furthest from the motherland, but closest to the hearts of Indians,' the Prime Minister told Shukla. He added, 'Aapke naam mein bhi shubh hai aur aapki yatra naye yug ka shubharambh bhi hai (Part of your name also means auspicious, and your journey is an auspicious start to a new age). Though only the two of us are speaking, the emotions of 140 crore Indians are with me. My voice carries the excitement of the entire country.'
'This journey belongs to the nation'
Shukla thanked the Prime Minister and said it was an honour to represent India in space. 'I am fine and safe here. This is a new and extraordinary experience. This journey is not only mine, but that of the entire nation,' he said.
He also acknowledged the changing aspirations of young Indians: 'Under your leadership, today's India offers many opportunities for people to fulfil their dreams. I am proud to represent the country on this global platform.'
Earlier, from space, Shukla had shared a message: 'This isn't the beginning of my journey to the ISS, but the beginning of India's human space flight programme.'
Successful docking with ISS marks key milestone
The SpaceX Dragon capsule carrying the Axiom-4 crew — including Shukla, whose call sign is 'Grace' — successfully docked with the International Space Station on Thursday, 26 June.
The capsule, launched from NASA's Kennedy Space Center a day earlier, performed a series of precise orbit-raising manoeuvres during its 28-hour flight to the ISS. Docking sensors were activated as the capsule aligned with the station, completing a soft docking at 16:02 IST. The full docking sequence was completed by 16:16 IST.
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India.com
37 minutes ago
- India.com
'Gajar ka halwa aur aamras lekar aaya hoon': Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla carries India's spirit to space
'Gajar ka halwa aur aamras lekar aaya hoon': Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla carries India's spirit to space In a truly historic moment for India, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla became the first Indian to travel to the International Space Station (ISS). He is now the second Indian ever to go to space, and his achievement has made the entire country proud. While orbiting 400 kilometres above Earth, Captain Shukla had a live video call with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The conversation was full of warmth and emotion and was watched by people all over the country. 'India look bigger than the map' One of the most touching things Captain Shukla said during the chat was: 'When I saw India from space, it looked much bigger than how it appears on the map.' This simple line moved many people. From space, there are no borders or divisions, just one land, one country, one identity. It was a powerful moment showing how far India has come. A New chapter for India PM Modi praised Shukla for making history and said that his journey marks the beginning of a new era for India in space. 'Even your name has 'shubh' (auspicious) in it, and your journey is a 'shubh aarambh' (a good start) to a new age,' the Prime Minister said. He also added with emotion: 'Right now, 140 crore Indians are feeling proud and connected to you. I am not speaking to you just as a Prime Minister, but as a voice for every Indian's pride and hope.' A Dream Come True Captain Shukla, calm and smiling from the ISS, replied: 'I'm safe, healthy, and thankful to be here. This is the start of a new era for India.' He also shared that he never imagined going to space would be possible for him. 'But under your leadership, India has not only learned to dream big but also found the courage to make those dreams come true.' Gajar Ka Halwa Travels to the ISS In the middle of a historic space mission, there was a warm and unexpected surprise aboard the spacecraft: gajar ka halwa, India's famous carrot dessert, along with aamras (mango pulp). Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, speaking with a smile, said: 'I brought gajar ka halwa and aamras with me… it's not just about taste, it's a piece of home and memories.' 'Main gajar ka halwa aur aamras lekar aaya hoon… yeh sirf swaad nahi, yeh ghar ki yaadon ka ek hissa hai,' Captain Shukla said in Hindi. This small but heartfelt gesture brought a bit of Indian culture and comfort to space. His fellow astronauts, Peggy Whitson from the US, Sawosz Uznanski from Poland, and Tibor Kapu from Hungary — got their first taste of Indian hospitality, floating 400 km above Earth. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, clearly pleased by the gesture, praised the cultural moment and gently reminded Captain Shukla of the great responsibility he carries, representing India not just in science, but in spirit. (With IANS inputs)
The Hindu
an hour ago
- The Hindu
When a U.S. shuttle docked with a Russian space station
Former foes cooperate Fuelled by the Cold War between the U.S. and the Soviet Union, the space race saw the two nations compete to achieve superior spaceflight capability. The end of the Cold War, however, saw the Soviet Union collapse and form independent nations, including Russia, which had been at its core. Less than five years after the end of the Cold War came about a historic moment of cooperation between space programmes that had been rivals not long ago. Daniel Goldin, who was NASA's chief at the time, called it the beginning of 'a new era of friendship and cooperation' between the two nations. This cooperation enabled the U.S. space shuttle Atlantis to dock with Russian space station Mir to form what was then the largest human-made object ever to orbit the Earth. And if that weren't enough, the STS-71 mission was also the 100th human space mission in American history. Launching and docking The primary objectives of the STS-71 mission were to rendezvous and perform the first docking between the space shuttle and the Russian space station. Originally planned for May 1995, the launch was pushed to June in order to make room for Russian space programme activities to facilitate the first space shuttle, space station docking. This was done through a series of spacewalks that reconfigured Mir for docking. The launch, which was then set for June 23, had to be pushed again due to inclement weather. Rainy weather and lightning prevented the loading of the external tank on the day. The stormy weather persisted the following day, and along with a short 10-minute launch window, the attempt on June 24 was scrapped at the T-9 mark. The launch was further moved to June 27, when it took place without incident. Smooth docking Compared to the launch, the docking was much more straightforward, even though it was the first time ever that these two were coming together. The entire process took two hours, but it was completed at 1 p.m. GMT on June 29, just two seconds off the targeted arrival time! The docking was accomplished using the R-Bar or Earth radius vector approach as it allows natural forces to brake the orbiter's approach better than the standard approach directly in front of the space station. Additionally, this method helps minimise the number of orbiter jet firings needed for approach. As a result, Atlantis closed in on Mir from directly below, with the manual phase of the docking beginning when the shuttle was about 800 m below Mir. The commander of STS-71, Robert L. Gibson, also held the delicate task of manoeuvring the shuttle towards the space station. When the shuttle was just 250 feet from Mir, stationkeeping was performed, seeking approvals from U.S. and Russian flight directors before proceeding further. Once Gibson moved the shuttle to just about 30 feet from Mir, the final phase of the docking began. For this final stage, Gibson had to move the Atlantis at a targeted speed of 0.1 feet per second – that's a rate of no more than a foot every 10 seconds! The closing velocity was approximately 0.107 feet per second at contact and the interface contact was nearly flawless as the lateral misalignment was less than an inch and the angular misalignment was less than 0.5-degrees per axis. The docking had been successfully achieved at a distance of 400 km (216 nautical miles) above Lake Baykal region of the Russian Federation. What after docking? With the primary objective turning out to be a splendid success, the astronauts and cosmonauts involved quickly turned their attention to other matters without further ado. Linked together and orbiting some 400 km above Earth, Mir and Atlantis – weighing nearly 225 tonnes – formed the largest spacecraft ever in orbit. When the hatches on both sides were opened, STS-71 crew members passed into Mir for the welcoming ceremony. After greeting each other and clasping hands to mark the moment, gifts were exchanged formally. While the astronauts from Atlantis offered chocolates, fruits, and flowers, the Mir cosmonauts welcomed with bread and salt – traditional Russian welcoming gifts. On that day itself, the first shuttle changeout of a Mir crew took place as Mir 18 crew transferred responsibility for the space station to Mir 19 crew. The two crews switched spacecraft once the transfer was officially complete. Scientific investigations Over the next 100 hours, the U.S. and Russia jointly conducted nearly 15 biomedical and scientific investigations in the docked shuttle-station, in addition to transferring equipment to and from Mir. The experiments conducted covered seven different disciplines: cardiovascular and pulmonary functions; human metabolism; neuroscience; hygiene, sanitation and radiation; behavioural performance and biology; fundamental biology; and microgravity research. Three three Mir 18 crew members, meanwhile, followed an intensive programme of exercises. These were to help them prepare to re-enter an environment with gravity after over three months in space. Among the things transferred from Mir to Atlantis were also all the samples from the Mir 18 crew members, including urine and saliva samples, blood samples, surface samples, air samples, water samples, and even breath samples. After a farewell ceremony on July 3, the hatches on both the space shuttle and the space station were closed 16 minutes within each other. Prior to undocking on July 4, Mir 19 crew briefly abandoned the space station in order to fly away in their Soyuz spacecraft and record images of the Atlantis and Mir separating from each other. Commander Gibson likened the separation sequence to a 'cosmic ballet.' The returning crew of eight landed safely at the Kennedy Space Center on July 7. The STS-71 mission had lasted just 9 days, 19 hours, 22 minutes, 17 seconds, but enough was achieved to talk about it even 30 years later.
New Indian Express
an hour ago
- New Indian Express
'I am absorbing every knowledge like a sponge for India's upcoming space missions': Shubhanshu Shukla tells PM Modi
PM: Shubhanshu, parikrama (circumambulation) is an age-old practice in India. You have got the privilege to circumambulate the Earth. At this moment, which part of the Earth are you over? Shubhanshu: At present, I cannot tell exactly, but sometime back we were crossing over Hawaii. We go around the Earth 16 times a day. We see 16 sunrises and 16 sunsets in one day from orbit. It is astonishing. I am moving at a speed of 28,000 km per hour as I speak to you. We do not feel this speed inside the International Space Station, but in some way, this speed reflects the pace at which our country is moving forward. I am here now, but we have to go even further. PM: Looking at the vastness of space, what was the first thought that came to your mind? Shubhanshu: The first time we reached orbit, the first thing I saw was the Earth. Looking at it from space, the first thought that came to my mind was that the Earth looks like one—there are no visible borders. When we study India on the map, we see a particular size, but that is not accurate. On paper, in 2D or 3D, it seems smaller. From space, India actually looks much grander and bigger than what we see on the map. The feeling of oneness, our motto Anekta mein Ekta (unity in diversity), is truly understood from space. There are no countries, no states, no borders—we are all part of humanity. The Earth is one life, and we are all its citizens. PM: Shubhanshu, you are the first Indian to enter the ISS. You have undergone extensive training for this. But now, in reality, how different is the situation there? How are you adapting to it? Shubhanshu: Everything is different here. We did year-long training. I learnt about all the systems, processes, and experiments. But once we landed here, everything suddenly changed. Our bodies are so used to gravity that our entire way of functioning is based on it. But after arriving here, with no gravity, even the smallest things become difficult. I have strapped my feet to the chair to sit and talk to you; otherwise, I would be floating. Since everything keeps floating, we have to secure all items. Drinking water, walking, and sleeping are big challenges. You can sleep on the ceiling, the walls, the floor—anywhere. We know all this, the training has been good, but when the environment changes, it takes a couple of days to adapt. PM: India's strength is both science and spirituality. While you are in space, I know India is flying in your heart too. Does meditation and mindfulness help in such an environment? Shubhanshu: I completely agree with you. I believe that India is already on the move. This mission is just the first step in that grand journey. We are working towards building our own space station, and many Indians will visit it in the future. Mindfulness plays a major role here. There are many stressful situations even during normal training, and mindfulness helps us stay calm. When you are calm, you can make better decisions. People say you can't eat while running—so the more calm you remain, the better decisions you can make. Mindfulness is crucial here. If you develop both scientific discipline and mindfulness, you can adapt very quickly in such challenging environments. PM: You are conducting many experiments in space. Is there any experiment that could benefit the agricultural or health sector in the future? Shubhanshu: I can proudly say that Indian scientists have designed seven unique experiments that I've brought with me to the ISS. The first one, which I will be conducting as per schedule on Saturday, is on stem cells. In zero gravity, muscles tend to degrade faster. Through this experiment, I am trying to understand whether supplements can prevent or delay muscle loss. This has direct relevance for people on Earth, especially the elderly who suffer from muscle loss. Another experiment I am working on involves growing microalgae. These are very small but highly nutritious. We are studying their growth in space to see if they can be cultivated in large quantities to address nutrition and food security issues on Earth. The big advantage in space is that these processes happen much faster—we don't have to wait for months or years. PM: After the success of the Chandrayaan mission, a new interest has emerged among the children and youth of India. Their determination to explore space has grown. Your historic journey has now further strengthened this resolve. Today, children don't just look at the sky—they dream of reaching it. This mentality and spirit are the true foundation of India's future space missions. What message would you like to give the youth of India? Shubhanshu: If I could send one message to the youth of India, I would say: India is moving forward boldly and dreaming big. To fulfil these dreams, we need all of you. Success doesn't have just one path—each person can take a different route. But what is common to every path is this: never stop trying. If you make this your motto—that you will never give up, no matter what path you choose—success will surely follow. PM: I am sure all Indians will be inspired by your words. You know me well—I always give homework! We have to take forward the Gaganyaan mission, build our own space station, and land an Indian astronaut on the moon. Your experience will be invaluable for these missions. I hope you are recording all your experiences. Shubhanshu: Yes, I am absorbing all the lessons I learnt during the training and everything I am experiencing on this mission. I am sure these learnings will prove very useful for our future missions. The people here with me have asked when we can go on the Gaganyaan mission. I felt proud to say—very soon. The lessons I am learning here will help us complete our missions quickly and successfully. PM: I am sure your message will inspire everyone. When we met before your mission, I also met your family. I could see how emotional and proud they were. I have thoroughly enjoyed speaking with you. I know you have a lot of work to do—and you have to work at 28,000 kmph! (smiles) So I won't take much of your time. But I can confidently say this is the first step towards the success of India's Gaganyaan mission. Your historic journey is not just limited to space—it will accelerate India's journey towards Viksit Bharat (Developed India). India is about to open new opportunities for the world in the space sector. Now India will not just fly—it will create its own launch and landing platforms. I am eager to hear anything else you would like to share. Shubhanshu: I have learnt a lot during this journey to space—from the training to actually reaching here. Although this is a personal achievement, it is truly a collective achievement for the entire country. I would like to tell every child and every young person: If you strive to build a good future for yourself, you are building a good future for the country. Always remember: The sky is never the limit—not for me and not for India. If you always carry this belief, you and the country will shine bright. I am very emotional, happy, and proud to speak to you and, through you, to all Indians. The tricolour you see behind me was not there when I arrived yesterday—it has now been put up for the first time since I came here. This makes me very emotional and proud—India has reached the ISS. PM: I wish you and the entire team all the very best for the success of your mission. We are all waiting for your safe return. Take care of yourself and continue to take India's glory to greater heights. Best wishes from all Indians—and thank you for your efforts and dedication to take India to space. Shubhanshu: Thank you to all Indians from space—Bharat Mata ki Jai!
