With love from Lucknow: Meet Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla headed to space
Born on 10 October 1985 in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, Shubhanshu Shukla's fascination with the skies began early.Educated at City Montessori School, his aspirations took flight following the 1999 Kargil War, inspiring him to pursue a career in the armed forces. At 16, he applied to the National Defence Academy (NDA) without informing his parents, a decision that set him on a path to the stars.Commissioned into the Indian Air Force (IAF) as a fighter pilot on 17 June 2006, Shukla has amassed over 2,000 hours of flight experience across various aircraft, including the Su-30MKI, MiG-21, MiG-29, Jaguar, and Hawk.
Gp Capt. Shubhanshu Shukla during a medical test. (Photo: IAF)
advertisementHis expertise led him to become a test pilot and a Fighter Combat Leader, roles that show his proficiency and dedication and the bravery to fly in systems never tested before, take them to the limit and make them better.Astronaut Selection and TrainingShukla's journey to space was formalised in 2019 when he was selected for India's Gaganyaan Mission.He underwent rigorous training at Russia's Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center, completing it in 2021.Further training at the Astronaut Training Facility in Bangalore and a Master's degree in Aerospace Engineering from IISc Bangalore equipped him for the challenges ahead.Axiom Mission 4: A Collaborative EndeavourAxiom Mission 4 is a big collaboration between Indian space agency Isro, Nasa, and private company Axiom Space. The mission will launch from NASA's Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A, the historic site of the Apollo 11 mission. Shukla will be part of a four-member crew, including veteran astronaut Peggy Whitson. During his 14-day stay aboard the ISS, Shukla will conduct five scientific experiments in partnership with NASA, focusing on areas such as space agriculture. He will also lead seven experiments designed by Isro.Additionally, he is scheduled to interact with students across India through a live broadcast from the ISS, aiming to inspire the next generation of scientists and explorers.Personal Life and LegacyadvertisementShukla is married to Dr. Kamna, a dentist, and they have a son. His family, including his parents and two elder sisters, have been pillars of support throughout his journey. As Shubhanshu Shukla prepares to embark on this historic mission, he carries with him the hopes and aspirations of 1.4 billion Indians. His journey from the classrooms of Lucknow to the vast expanse of space exemplifies the spirit of exploration and the boundless possibilities that lie ahead for India's space endeavours.Must Watch
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
42 minutes ago
- Time of India
What is a ‘sprite' which was spotted towering over the US by NASA
High above thunderclouds, where Earth's atmosphere transitions into space, some strange and fleeting flashes of red light can sometimes be spotted in silence. But what are these? Alien signals or some undiscovered phenomenon? These flashes of red lights are known as red sprites,and such bright, jellyfish-like bursts have fascinated pilots and puzzled scientists for nearly a century. Unlike lightning that strikes downward, red sprites shoot upward into the sky, disappearing in just milliseconds. They're so quick and hard to see that, for decades, many dismissed them as pilot myths or optical illusions. But with space-based observations and improved camera technology, came into some limelight. Astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) managed to capture stunning images of red sprites, offering a clearer look into these high-altitude discharges. How long has this phenomena existed for? For almost 100 years, pilots reported seeing strange flashes of red light above thunderstorms. While many atmospheric scientists were skeptical, the mystery took a turn in 1989 when a photo accidentally captured the first clear image of a red sprite. Since then, the search for understanding these elusive phenomena has grown and a view from the space above has become one of the best places to look. Astronauts aboard the International Space Station captured rare images of red sprites above thunderstorms over North and Central America. According to NASA 's Scientific Visualization Studio (SVS), the first sprite was photographed from over northwest Mexico, while the crew looked northeast. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Trending in in 2025: Local network access control [Click Here] Esseps Learn More Undo It appeared more than 2,200 kilometers away, likely above Missouri or Illinois. 'The sprite shoots up to the greenish airglow layer, near a rising moon,' NASA SVS said. The bright lights of Dallas, Texas, were visible in the foreground. Just under three minutes later, while the ISS was over Acapulco, Mexico, astronauts captured a second sprite over a storm near the coast of El Salvador. This one, about 1,150 kilometers (710 miles) away, showed more detail due to the closer distance. The yellow glow in the image comes from city lights shining through clouds. What exactly are these red sprites? Red sprites are massive electrical discharges that can go up to 100 kilometers above Earth's surface. They're not lightning in the usual sense. Unlike the hot, jagged lightning we see during storms, sprites are 'cold plasma', more like a giant version of what one can see in a fluorescent light tube. 'Because their pictures are so rare, very little is known about sprites,' European Space Agency astronaut Andreas Mogensen said in a ESA TV segment in 2016. They're extremely brief, lasting only milliseconds, and are usually hidden behind thunderclouds, making them hard to study from the ground. According to NASA, sprites occur when strong lightning discharges interact with Earth's ionosphere. As the discharge moves through the atmosphere and hits nitrogen molecules, it produces a reddish glow. These red flashes are part of a category called 'transient luminous events,' which also includes blue 'jets' and red 'elves', each a different form of upper-atmosphere energy release (ESA).
The Hindu
an hour ago
- The Hindu
Homeward bound
Can you imagine fish swimming upstream, against the force of the current, to lay their eggs? The salmon of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans are well-known for this behaviour. But in Indian waters, the shad or hilsa also do that. The mature fish swim all the way from the ocean to the estuary that connects them to the river where they were born. This information is probably imprinted in their genes. Shifting from the ocean's saline water into the river's fresh water is no piece of cake. The body metabolism has to withstand the sudden change in density. Not only does the female hilsa have to build up energy for the formation of eggs inside her, but both male and female fish need excess reserves to swim long and arduous distances upstream against gravity, defying predators and other obstacles. There is another twist to the tale. While swimming upstream, the appearance of the male fish changes. It grows sharp teeth to be able to defend its young. In the case of salmon, certain species may develop a hump to make them more conspicuous so that the enemy's attention is diverted to the males. After all, the females play the more important role of propagating the species! How do they find the exact location of the estuary? They use magneto-reception; i.e. they detect the Earth's magnetic field and orient themselves accordingly. A natural GPS that never lets them down! After reaching their birthplace, the female hilsa releases her eggs into the water and the male fertilizes them with his sperm. Most adult hilsas that swam all the way up the river die. Their bodies decompose, adding rich nutrients to the river. The young fish that hatch make the reverse journey all the way back to the ocean. The river's various scents are imprinted into their brain so that, as adults, they can travel back. The return journey is dangerous. They may come across rapids and waterfalls. They leap as high as four metres to avoid waterfalls. Then there are predators waiting to get an easy meal. Not all the new born fish make it back to the ocean. The story of these fish whether salmon or shad — makes one realise what a difficult life they lead just to ensure the survival of their species.
News18
2 hours ago
- News18
Not Just Spaceflight, Meaningful Science On ISS Matters Most: ISRO Chief On AX-4
Last Updated: ISRO Chairman said that while the spaceflight will boost Shukla's confidence, it is the scientific research he will carry out in microgravity that holds immense significance With Indian pilot Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla currently aboard the International Space Station, ISRO Chairman Dr V Narayanan said that while the spaceflight will certainly boost Shukla's confidence and experience, it is the scientific research he will carry out in microgravity that holds immense significance. The Axiom Mission-4, which lifted off from the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida on Wednesday noon, marks ISRO's first-ever private spaceflight collaboration, with a total investment of Rs 550 crore. The 14-day mission, spearheaded by Axiom Space and NASA, has a four-member crew – one each from the US, India, Hungary and Poland – and marks the first visit of an Indian to the ISS. 'We sent Gaganyaan-astronaut designate Shukla to the ISS. Since the mission is led by another country, and given their expertise, we're confident that he will return safely. The journey was just a little more than an aircraft travel. But the key question is: what is the scientific output?" he said, while addressing scientists during a virtual event on Thursday. ISRO had shortlisted as many as seven experiments for Group Captain Shukla to conduct in microgravity during his 14-day mission. 'While the AX-4 will certainly boost Shukla's confidence and experience, the real value lies in the seven scientific payloads. The experiments focus on how the muscle system behaves in microgravity, how seeds respond when exposed to such an environment, and how their yield characteristics change when grown back on Earth. These are truly interesting areas of study," he emphasised. The noted rocket scientist had remained stationed in the US until the technical issues delaying AX-4 were resolved, with the SpaceX Falcon 9 finally lifting off on 25 June. The national space agency is also preparing for Chandrayaan-4, which plans to collect and bring back lunar samples. While the proposal has been approved by the Cabinet, work is underway to build the necessary infrastructure for the crucial mission. Earlier this year, ISRO also demonstrated in-space docking and undocking – a crucial capability for Chandrayaan-4, which will require two separate lift-offs. 'Everyone in India knows that Chandrayaan-3 soft-landed on the Moon, but how many of them know that it also helped in discovering minerals, and collected crucial data on the electronic cloud, seismic activity, and thermal profile of lunar soil? This knowledge needs to reach the village level. So, when we undertake Chandrayaan-4, the priority is not just bringing back a 300 kg lunar sample, but doing extensive experiments with it," he said. Highlighting ISRO's major mission targets through 2040 – including the setting up of the Bhartiya Antariksh Station and a crewed mission to the Moon – the space agency chief urged scientists to focus more on developing robust and meaningful science experiments. 'This is not the India of 40 years ago. As space scientists, we must be able to justify the crores of rupees spent on our missions and on sending astronauts to space," Dr V Narayanan continued. 'Why are we setting up a space station? Until we conduct useful, meaningful research, we cannot justify it. A lot of science needs to happen – each experiment must be meticulously planned." The ISRO chief on Thursday announced the space agency's flagship event – the 23rd National Science Symposium – to be organised at NESAC, Shillong, in February 2026. First Published: July 04, 2025, 08:44 IST
