&w=3840&q=100)
A bit heavy-headed, but excited: Shubhanshu Shukla's 1st message from ISS
Rahul Goreja New Delhi
After entering the International Space Station (ISS), Indian astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla on Thursday said he was feeling a little heavy-headed, but that it did not matter because the excitement of the mission was greater.
Speaking in Hindi, Gp Capt Shukla said, 'A small message for my beloved fellow Indians, with your love and blessings, I have reached the International Space Station. It might seem easy, but our heads feel a little heavy, though none of that matters.'
'We'll get used to it in a few days. In the coming days, we will conduct many scientific experiments. I will continue to talk to you all. I am very excited, and I wear my country's flag on my shoulders with pride. I believe all of you are equally excited about this journey. Thank you. Jai Hind. Jai Bharat,' he added, as quoted by news agency PTI.
Gp Capt Shukla's crew includes former National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa) astronaut Peggy Whitson, European Space Agency astronaut Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski of Poland, and Tibor Kapu of Hungary.
What will he do at the ISS?
As part of the mission, Shukla will spend 14 days aboard the ISS, where he will conduct a series of scientific experiments focused on food and nutrition in microgravity. The experiments aim to advance space nutrition and support the development of self-sustaining life support systems essential for long-duration space exploration.
Shukla's research is part of a collaboration between the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro), the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and Nasa.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
43 minutes ago
- The Hindu
India, Australia launch joint research project on undersea surveillance
To enhance undersea surveillance technologies, India and Australia have launched a three-year joint research project. The inaugural project aims to improve the early detection and tracking of submarines and autonomous underwater vehicles. According to a statement from the Defence department of the Australian Government, the agreement outlines a three-year joint research project between the Defence Science and Technology Group's (DSTG) Information Sciences Division and its Indian counterpart agency, the Defence Research and Development Organisation's Naval Physical and Oceanographic Laboratory. The leading-edge research will explore using Towed Array Target Motion Analysis to improve the reliability, efficiency and interoperability of current surveillance capabilities. Discipline Leader in DSTG's Information Sciences Division, Amanda Bessell, said Target Motion Analysis was a collective term for target tracking algorithms, developed to estimate the state of a moving target. 'Target Motion Analysis is the crucial element in maintaining platform situational awareness, when a passive mode of operation is required,' Ms. Bessell said. This research project is unique in the way it utilises a towed array-based signal processing system. DSTG Senior Researcher, Sanjeev Arulampalam, explained that a towed array consisted of a long linear array of hydrophones, towed behind a submarine or surface ship on a flexible cable. 'The hydrophones work together to listen to the undersea environment from various directions,' he said. 'The sound signal is passed through a signal processor, which analyses, filters and detects underwater acoustic signals emitted from maritime targets.' The combination of the Target Motion Analysis with the towed array system is intended to manage noise corruption and explore possible performance improvements. The joint project will put novel algorithms to the test, using the strengths and shared knowledge of the two countries. 'The project arrangement will involve the sharing of ideas, investigation trials, algorithm demonstrations and performance analysis,' Mr. Arulampalam said. With the scope of the underwater battlespace changing, including the increased use of autonomous vehicles, improving surveillance capabilities is a priority. 'The output of this research program has the potential to guide the development of future algorithmic directions for our undersea combat system surveillance technologies,' Chief Information Sciences Division, Suneel Randhawa, said. Harnessing international partnerships enables Defence to access a greater range of expertise, infrastructure and technical data to help address mutual problems and deliver innovative technologies. 'We need to harness the best minds in innovation, science and technology to build new capabilities, to innovate at greater pace, and to strengthen our strategic partnerships,' Mr. Randhawa said. This project is the latest milestone in increasing maritime domain awareness cooperation between Australia and India.
NDTV
an hour ago
- NDTV
Massive Asteroid As Big As An Airplane To Zoom Past Earth On July 4, Says NASA
NASA has confirmed that asteroid 2025 MV89, a 120-foot-wide space rock approximately the size of a small passenger aeroplane, will safely pass by Earth on July 4. The asteroid will come as close as 1.22 million kilometres, travelling at a speed of 19,441 miles per hour. While this might sound far, it's relatively close in astronomical terms. Belonging to the Aten group of asteroids whose orbits often cross Earth's path, 2025 MV89 is being monitored closely by NASA. However, the agency has clarified that there is no threat from this flyby. For an asteroid to be classified as hazardous, it must be over 150 metres wide and come within 7.4 million kilometres. This object meets neither condition. Still, space agencies are vigilant. Even small orbital shifts could alter future paths, so tracking continues. India's space agency ISRO is also stepping up planetary defence strategies. ISRO Chairman S. Somanath recently emphasised the need to monitor larger objects like asteroid Apophis, expected to pass Earth in 2029. He also highlighted the importance of collaborating with NASA, ESA, and JAXA to develop stronger systems for asteroid detection and response. ISRO is working on missions that could land on asteroids to assess risks and study ways to protect Earth from potential impacts. While 2025 MV89 poses no danger, it acts as a reminder of the importance of constant space surveillance. Events like this reinforce the need for international collaboration in ensuring Earth remains safe from celestial threats.
Indian Express
2 hours ago
- Indian Express
After Shubhanshu Shukla, NASA's Anil Menon gears up for Expedition-75
As ISRO's Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla continues his Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4), NASA astronaut Anil Menon is preparing for his first mission to the International Space Station (ISS). Menon will serve as a flight engineer and Expedition 75 crew member aboard the Roscosmos Soyuz MS-29 spacecraft, scheduled to lift off in June 2026. He will be joined by Roscosmos cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov and Anna Kikina for an eight-month stint aboard the ISS adding to the growing Indian footprint in space. The trio will launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Once aboard the station, Menon will conduct a range of scientific investigations and technology demonstrations. Selected by NASA in 2021, Menon graduated with NASA's 23rd astronaut class in 2024. Born and raised in Minneapolis, he brings an impressive mix of skills to the table. He's an emergency medicine physician, mechanical engineer, and colonel in the U.S. Space Force. NASA Astro Class 23 The fly shape represents our class, 'the flies'. Twelve stars represent the candidates of class 23 and the UAE and US flags are both displayed. And of course the astronaut pose represents our faith in NASA's return to the moon while keeping an eye on Mars! — Anil Menon (@astro_anil) October 28, 2022 Menon also holds a bachelor's degree in neurobiology from Harvard University, a master's in mechanical engineering, and a medical degree from Stanford. He completed residencies in emergency and aerospace medicine at Stanford and the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston. It was worth the wait !!! — Anil Menon (@astro_anil) September 15, 2024 Outside of spaceflights and experiments, Menon still practices emergency medicine at Memorial Hermann's Texas Medical Center and teaches at the University of Texas residency program. Before joining NASA, he was SpaceX's first flight surgeon, supporting the historic NASA-SpaceX Demo-2 mission. He also served as crew flight surgeon for multiple ISS missions. It is the 75th long-duration mission to the ISS, which is currently scheduled to launch in June 2026. The primary purpose of the ISS is to enable long-term exploration of space and provide benefits to people on Earth. Expedition 75 will likely contribute to this by conducting various scientific experiments and research projects.
