Shubhanshu Shukla Learns To Walk Again After Spending 18 Days In Space
Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, one of four astronauts on the Axiom-4 mission, launched aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft on June 25.
Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, who returned from space on July 15 after nearly three weeks aboard the International Space Station (ISS), is now undergoing recovery and physical readjustment on Earth.
Shukla, one of four astronauts on the Axiom-4 mission, launched aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft on June 25. After spending nearly 20 days in microgravity, he and the team splashed down safely off the coast of California.
In a video shared on Instagram, Shukla is seen relearning how to walk, supported by two individuals as he takes slow, deliberate steps.
'I have received many messages wishing me a speedy recovery. I want to thank everyone and give a quick update," he wrote in the post.
He explained that during space travel, the body undergoes several physiological changes due to the absence of gravity, such as fluid shifts, changes in heart rate and balance, and muscle loss. Now, back on Earth, he said, the body has to adapt again.
'Though the rate of recovery varies for each astronaut, I was amazed at how quickly the human body begins to readjust," he noted. 'In the pursuit of the unknown (space), you get to know more about yourself."
According to Union Minister Jitendra Singh, Shukla and the other three astronauts will remain in quarantine until July 23. The period will include medical monitoring and support to aid their re-adaptation.
Minister Singh, in an interview with PTI, said Shukla's mission has provided India with valuable practical insights as it prepares for its human spaceflight programme, Gaganyaan.
'It has added to India's capabilities and positioned us more strongly for future international space collaborations," he said.
During their stay aboard the ISS, Shukla and his crewmates conducted over 60 scientific experiments and outreach activities.
Shukla is only the second Indian to travel to space, after Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma, who flew in 1984.
view comments
First Published:
July 23, 2025, 08:46 IST
Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Mint
24 minutes ago
- Mint
Let the countdown begin: NISAR is a splendid example of space collaboration
Earlier this month, Wing Commander Shubhanshu Shukla returned to earth after spending 18 days in space. He is only the second Indian to have been to space, and piloted the Space X Dragon with its Axiom-4 crew to the International Space Station (ISS) and back. While this mission was commercially arranged, the activities and experiments that Shukla conducted will aid India in its Gaganyaan human spaceflight programme in the coming years. Also Read: How ISRO's partnership with NASA will boost India's space industry Gaganyaan 1 and 2 are expected to place unmanned crafts in low-earth orbit that will be launched in late 2025 and 2026, respectively. Gaganyaan 3 is expected to launch a crewed craft later in 2026 or early 2027. Shukla himself was trained both at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre in Moscow and subsequently at the Johnson Space Center in Houston. Another remarkable area of collaboration between the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa) will come to fruition with the launch at the end of July of a jointly-developed satellite called NISAR. The acronym stands for Nasa-Isro Satellite Aperture Radar. The mission is organized to collect an unprecedented amount of information about our planet's environment. It will scan nearly all of Earth's land and ice surfaces twice every 12 days. This will let us track the expansion and contraction of ice sheets, sea ice and glaciers, plus the deformation of its crust due to natural hazards as well as natural and man-made changes to terrestrial ecosystems. These measurements will be carried out by two radar systems—an L-band system and an S-band system. This dual-band system is the first of its kind in the world. The L-band system was built in the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) at Nasa and the S-band system at the Space Applications Centre (SAC), Ahmedabad. JPL will additionally provide a high-rate telecom subsystem for scientific data, a solid-state recorder and a payload data subsystem. Isro will provide the satellite bus, a solid-state recorder and a payload data system, in addition to launch services and a launch vehicle. Also Read: Mint Quick Edit | Space tourism: Can Isro beat Blue Origin? The NISAR satellite, which weighs nearly 2400kg, has been moved to Sriharikota in preparation for its launch at the end of this month. It will lift off on Isro's GSLV-F16 rocket and then be placed in a 743km sun-synchronous orbit. There are many exciting space missions around the world this year and the next. These span lunar spaceflight, asteroid and planetary missions, climate and earth science missions and orbital innovation (of which NISAR is an example). Nasa, JAXA, ESA, Isro and CNSA lead almost all these programmes. Today, 55 countries have signed the Artemis Accords—a set of principles guiding peaceful and transparent space exploration, especially of the Moon and Mars. At a time when countries are at loggerheads on earth, civilian space collaboration continues apace. If you look deeper, you will find threads of countries going it alone. The most obvious example is the CNSA, particularly Tiangong, China's space station launched in 2021. While China's stated goal is to make it a collaborative international project, it is currently operated by China alone. Tiangong is technically the third space station, since it follows the Mir Space Station that the Soviet Union (and later Russia) had stationed in low-earth orbit from 1986 to 2001, and the ISS, which was launched nearly 25 years ago and is still operational. Surprisingly, Russia is part of the ISS and has committed to remaining so at least until 2028. China, though, has never been part of the ISS. Also Read: Space race: Is competition among Indian startups ready for lift-off? Geopolitics on Earth is beginning to shape some country collaborations in space. The International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) announced by Roscosmos and CNSA in 2021 is led by Russia and China but includes several other countries like Azerbaijan, Belarus, Pakistan and South Africa. The ILRS has announced plans to power a permanent station on the Moon with a nuclear plant to be operational beginning in 2031. After the Soviet Union's space programme, this is the first space mission that seems like an alternative to Western efforts. Brazil, South Korea and India operate space programmes that are not just independent, but also open to wide global collaboration. India's civilian space effort has distinguished itself with its frugal missions, ability to master complex engineering feats like landing near the Moon's south pole, and its overall success in terms of speed and design effectiveness. Missions that explore the far reaches of our solar system and beyond are better left to countries that have very large space budgets. Also Read: Space mission Axiom 4: The universe can be a family one day Nasa has several telescope-based missions for interstellar space and craft-based missions for Jupiter, Saturn and beyond. India has a fast-growing private space sector, but its best returns on space investment are likely to come from parts of space that are close to earth, like near-earth orbits and the Moon. This priority is reflected in Isro's next few missions, be it the planned launch of large and small payloads, uncrewed and crewed missions to low-earth orbit, or its directional tilt towards an Indian Space Station by 2035. Renewed interest in this sector has brought about a new momentum and opened up exciting possibilities for Indian discoveries in space. P.S: 'We are just an advanced breed of monkeys on a minor planet of a very average star. But we can understand the Universe. That makes us something very special," said cosmologist Stephen Hawking. The author is chairman, InKlude Labs. Read Narayan's Mint columns at
Economic Times
29 minutes ago
- Economic Times
International Space Station will be in the skies above your house on these dates; when and where to watch in major US cities
ISS is visible across major US cities, no equipment needed to spot it. (Image: NASA) The International Space Station (ISS) will be visible in the night sky across the United States over the next several days, at the end of July, offering a great viewing opportunity for skywatchers. The ISS adds to the celestial show as summer nights bring clear skies and stargazing events like meteor showers and lunar station orbits the Earth every 93 minutes, traveling at about 28,000 kilometers per hour (17,500 mph). Also Read: Europe and US doors shut, North Korean air hostesses welcome Russian guests after medical check as Moscow resumes Pyongyang flight It doesn't pass over the same spot each time due to its orbital inclination of 51.6 degrees to the equator. Still, it circles the planet 15.5 times daily, and it can be spotted frequently at certain times of year. In Los Angeles, the ISS will be visible twice Monday night, first at 8:43 PM PT, then again at 10:17 PM. The next opportunity comes Tuesday at 9:29 PM, with similar viewing times continuing through July 27 and New York, residents can catch the station tonight and tomorrow at 10:11 PM ET and 9:22 PM, respectively. Additional sightings are expected on July 28 and viewing opportunity is not limited to the coasts; people across the US will have chances to watch the ISS this week. You won't need a telescope or binoculars. The ISS is bright enough to be seen with the naked eye. It is around the size of an American football field and orbits 400 kilometers (250 miles) above Earth, reflecting sunlight. It appears as a steady, fast-moving white light gliding across the sky, not blinking or flashing like a plane. To track the ISS and know precisely when it will be visible from your location, you can use NASA's official Spot the Station tracker or download their mobile app, which sends notifications about upcoming flyovers.
News18
an hour ago
- News18
DTU welcomes new batch with orientation-cum-induction ceremony
New Delhi, Jul 28 (PTI) Delhi Technological University (DTU) on Monday held its annual orientation-cum-induction programme for the incoming undergraduate batch. Delhi Education Minister Ashish Sood joined the event virtually as the Chief Guest, a DTU statement said. Sood, in his address, congratulated the new students for gaining admission to one of India's premier technical institutions and encouraged them to not only excel academically but also contribute meaningfully to society. Calling upon students to participate in Swachhta Abhiyan, the minister emphasised the importance of sustainable urban development and urged students to devise innovative, research-based solutions for Delhi's unique challenges. 'Your journey at DTU should prepare you not just as engineers, but as responsible citizens aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals," he said. The event commenced with a ceremonial lamp lighting by the chief guest, Karnal Singh, former chief of the Enforcement Directorate and a 1979 batch alumnus of the erstwhile Delhi College of Engineering (DCE). To mark the occasion, the university launched the 68th edition of DTU Times and premiered a special documentary by DTU Studio, capturing the event's spirit, the statement said. The revised Regulation and Scheme of Teaching and Evaluation Ordinance was also released, it added. PTI MHS MHS AMJ AMJ view comments First Published: July 28, 2025, 16:45 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
