
Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla to interact with students, ISRO scientists on Friday
Shukla, along with three other astronauts, is part of the Axiom-4 space mission, which is a 14-day scientific expedition to the International Space Station.
Friday's interaction will be held via ham radio, with a telebridge being set up at Bengaluru's U R Rao Satellite Centre, news agency PTI quoted the Amateur Radio on International Space Station (ARISS) as saying.
Ham radio is a non-commercial radio-communication service considered to be reliable during disasters, when conventional modes of communication are not accessible.
The interaction will be held under the ARISS programme, which facilitates radio communication opportunities between school students and astronauts at the ISS.
"Contact upcoming with India! @Axiom_Space #Ax4 crew member Shubhanshu Shukla, VU2TNI, will talk to the UR Rao Satellite Centre (URSC) in Karnataka via ham radio from the Space Station. Scheduled Fri. July 4 at 10:17 UTC, 6:17 AM ET, 3:47 PM ISS via K6DUE telebridge," ARISS posted on X. Axiom-4 crew's scientific experiments onboard ISS
During their time at the ISS, the Axiom-4 crew will be carrying out a string of scientific experiments. Shukla on Sunday conducted the space microalgae experiment, wherein he captured images of the algae strains after deploying sample bags at his orbital post.
Also Read | 'Sky is never the limit, not for me, you, or India': Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla tells PM Modi
Axiom Space said that the time organisms could play an important role in the future of space exploration, and could offer a sustainable and 'nutrient-rich food source' for space missions that last for longer durations.
Apart from this, the crew also worked on the Neuro Motion VR project, wherein the astronauts put on VR headsets and carried out attention-based tasks. During this, their brain activity is monitored using functional near-infrared spectroscopy.
The crew is also working on gathering data to comprehend how spaceflight missions impact cardiovascular and balance systems, which could help with real-time monitoring of health. -With PTI inputs
Hashtags

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
Struggling with maths? Study says this brain hack could help you solve problems faster and better
A University of Surrey study reveals that gentle electric currents applied to the brain enhance maths skills in young adults. The technique, transcranial random noise stimulation, targets the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, improving learning and focus. Participants with weaker brain connections showed significant improvement with stimulation, suggesting a potential new approach to support learning. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads What did the study find? 24 received stimulation to the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, 24 had stimulation to the posterior parietal cortex (an area involved in processing sensory information), 24 received a fake (placebo) treatment. How does it work? Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads A new study from the University of Surrey, UK, has found that applying gentle electric currents to the brain can help young adults solve maths problems better and used a technique called transcranial random noise stimulation , which involves sending weak, safe electric currents through the scalp to a part of the brain known as the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex . This area, located behind the forehead, plays a key role in learning, memory, and study involved 72 participants aged between 18 and 30. They took part in a five-day maths training programme. Out of these:The results showed that those with weak natural connections between the two brain regions, the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and the posterior parietal cortex, improved significantly when given brain stimulation. Those with strong natural connections performed well even without scans revealed that people with better brain connectivity in these regions performed better in maths. The stimulation appeared to help people with weaker brain links catch up. Improvements were also linked to lower levels of a brain chemical called GABA, which helps with learning and memory by stabilising new researcher Roi Cohen Kadosh said that while most education systems focus on things like better teaching and updated curricula, the brain's biology is often ignored. 'By understanding how the brain works during learning, we can develop new methods to support more people in reaching their potential,' he study, published in PLOS Biology, adds to growing research on how brain stimulation could be used safely to support learning, especially in key subjects like from PTI


India Today
an hour ago
- India Today
Meet the toys that have floated in space: From Joy to Buzz Lightyear
Space missions involve high-tech equipment and elaborate science; however, many astronauts also travel with soft toys. Shubhanshu Shukla carried Joy with him on the Axiom-4 NASA project. Joy is a white baby swan soft toy, and along with being an adorable companion, Joy serves as a zero-gravity indicator and carries significant cultural was chosen by Shukla's six-year-old son to accompany them on the spacecraft. Once in orbit, Joy becomes "weightless," serving as a clear visual cue that the crew is in this, Joy symbolises wisdom and purity in Indian culture, loyalty in Poland, and grace in Hungary, reflecting the crew's diverse backgrounds. Shukla highlighted that Joy serves as a meaningful companion, helping the team focus on what truly matters during their mission in space. When people think of space missions, they think in terms of complex machines, satellites, and scientific experiments. However, behind the scenes, astronauts sometimes take toys with them to help them remember home, inspire inquisitive children watching from Earth, and sometimes help to demonstrate science concepts. Either towards the end of a school year, many of the toys have not only been fun, but have also had realistic the years, many toys, from characters popularised in memorable movies to handmade stuffed animals, have floated inside the International Space Station (ISS). Each toy has a story to tell and a reason to be in are the most interesting toys for travelling in Yoda joined the crewIn 2020, during SpaceX's Crew-1 mission, a Baby Yoda toy from The Mandalorian series joined NASA astronauts Mike Hopkins, Victor Glover, Shannon Walker, and Japanese astronaut Soichi Noguchi on their journey to the ISS. Astronaut Victor Glover playfully told mission control, 'Baby Yoda says you guys can come back on board,' after the cameras had briefly turned off, making the toy an instant hit on social media. Meet the toys that have floated in space: From Joy to Buzz Lightyear Dinosaurs, Planets, and Buzz LightyearMany other toys have made memorable space trips:Tremor the sparkly dinosaur plush: Chosen by astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley for SpaceX's Demo-2 mission because both have children who love dinosaurs. Tremor became famous worldwide and quickly sold out the toy planet: Sent as a zero-gravity indicator on SpaceX's Crew Dragon test flight in 2019. It floated as the spacecraft entered orbit, showing the crew had reached buddy, that's your Mother Earth. Isn't she beautiful? COL Anne McClain (@AstroAnnimal) March 4, 2019Buzz Lightyear: In 2008, NASA sent a Buzz Lightyear toy to the ISS, finally fulfilling the character's dream of flying in space. Buzz stayed in orbit for 15 months before returning to Earth, where he now lives at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. NASA/Steven Siceloff TOYS THAT TAUGHT AND INSPIREDSome toys also helped astronauts explain science to children on Earth:Angry Birds plush: In 2012, astronaut Don Pettit took a plush Red Bird to the ISS to help explain microgravity in an educational chessboard: NASA astronaut Gregory Chamitoff played a long-distance chess game against schoolchildren on Earth, with moves exchanged online every couple of days. The kids eventually ISS model: Japanese astronaut Satoshi Furukawa built a Lego model of the International Space Station while on board to show scientific ideas AND SPECIAL TOYSA few toys carried personal and cultural meaning:Smokey Bear: A soft toy symbol of fire safety travelled with NASA astronaut Joe Acaba and Russian cosmonauts in 2012, highlighting the importance of Earth research from dinosaur plush: In 2013, astronaut Karen Nyberg sewed a small toy dinosaur aboard the ISS for her son Jack using scraps of fabric and materials available on the station—the only toy on the list made entirely in Astronauts, including Peggy Whitson in 2002, used yo-yos to show how objects move differently in solo baseball: Japanese astronaut Satoshi Furukawa famously pitched, batted, and caught the same baseball thanks to zero gravity, turning an ordinary game into something truly ASTRONAUTS TAKE TOYS TO SPACETo many people, toys in space may seem playful or even unnecessary. But they serve important roles:Acting as zero-gravity indicatorsHelping astronauts share science in creative waysBringing comfort and reminders of family and homeMaking space missions feel closer and more human to people on EarthFrom Joy the swan to Baby Yoda and Buzz Lightyear, these toys remind us that even on the most advanced space missions, astronauts carry a piece of Earth-and often, a piece of love—with them beyond the stars.- Ends


India Today
2 hours ago
- India Today
Shubhanshu Shukla to speak to students and ISRO scientists this Friday
Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla is set to engage in a special interaction with school students and scientists from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Friday, July 4. The unique event will be conducted via ham radio, with the telebridge established at Bengaluru's U R Rao Satellite Centre, according to the Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS).Shukla, currently aboard the International Space Station (ISS) as part of the 14-day Axiom-4 (Ax-4) mission, will participate in this interactive session facilitated by ARISS—a global programme designed to connect students with astronauts in space using amateur radio systems. The conversation is scheduled to begin at 10:17 UTC (3:47 PM IST) and will be relayed through the K6DUE telebridge in the radio, often relied upon during emergencies when conventional communications are down, is used by ARISS to create meaningful learning moments for students by allowing them to speak directly with astronauts on the ISS. The official ARISS X handle confirmed the event, posting:'Contact upcoming with India! @Axiom_Space #Ax4 crew member Shubhanshu Shukla, VU2TNI, will talk to the UR Rao Satellite Centre (URSC) in Karnataka via ham radio from the Space Station. Scheduled Fri. July 4 at 10:17 UTC, 6:17 AM ET, 3:47 PM ISS via K6DUE telebridge.'SCIENTIFIC EXPERIMENTS ON THE AXIOM-4 MISSIONWhile aboard the ISS, Shukla and his fellow Axiom-4 crew members are conducting several path-breaking scientific experiments. Recently, Shukla worked on a space microalgae study—deploying sample bags and capturing images of algae strains to observe how they respond in microgravity. Axiom Space has emphasized that such organisms may hold promise for sustainable food systems in future long-duration space addition, the crew has participated in the Neuro Motion VR experiment. During this task, astronauts wear virtual reality headsets and perform attention-based activities, while their brain activity is tracked through functional near-infrared mission also includes studies aimed at understanding how spaceflight affects cardiovascular function and balance systems. The data gathered could pave the way for better real-time health monitoring during extended missions in Axiom-4 mission reflects the growing role of private space companies in advancing science aboard the ISS, while also creating opportunities for education and outreach on Earth.(With PTI inputs)- EndsTune InMust Watch