Finally, India's Gaganyatri Inside Iconic Cupola Of International Space Station
Smiling and beaming, looking healthy and happy, India's own Gaganyatri Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla looks out of the famous cupola of the International Space Station (ISS). Group Captain Shukla reached the ISS on June 26 on a 14-day mission and is now completing his assigned scientific tasks. He earlier told Prime Minister Narendra Modi he sees no borders from space.
Axiom Space says the crew - commander Peggy Whitson, pilot Shubhanshu "Shux" Shukla, and mission specialists Slawosz "Suave" Uznanski-Wisniewski and Tibor Kapu - have now completed nine productive days aboard the ISS.
Since their arrival, the crew has been fully dedicated to their packed schedule of scientific research, technology demonstrations, and global outreach. Each day has marked steady progress toward accomplishing mission objectives as the crew contributes to experiments that could shape the future of space exploration and benefit life on Earth.
When PM Modi asked about his first thoughts upon seeing space, Group Captain Shukla shared a profound realisation: "From space, you don't see any borders. The Earth looks united."
He emphasised the vastness of India, which appears much larger from orbit than on a map, and spoke of the deep sense of unity and shared humanity that space evokes.
Incidentally, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has not released any photos of Group Captain Shukla in space looking out of the cupola and how he views India from space.
On July 3 and 4, Group Captain Shukla had participated in outreach events with schoolchildren in Thiruvananthapuram, Bengaluru and his own alma mater, City Montessori School in Lucknow, where over 500 students had a direct interaction with Group Captain Shukla. But till date the Human Space Flight Center (HSFC) of ISRO has not released any of the videos of the heart-warming interactions he may have had in this space to Earth bridge.
A much delayed release by ISRO said "through its student outreach activities aims to stoke curiosity of younger minds in space activities, technology and application."
In this context, ISRO has planned outreach activities with the Indian student community on the sidelines of the first mission of ISRO's Gaganyatri to the ISS. These events mark a significant moment in ISRO's efforts on awareness of space activities in the younger generation which will drive them to take up challenging careers in the field of science and technology in future and contribute in realising the vision of Viksit Bharat (developed India)".
"Thousands across India and the 1.4 billion population are eagerly waiting to see how Group Captain Shukla mesmerised India's youngsters and ignited the minds of the youth to become future Gaganyatri's. Hopefully the HSFC will release these videos soon.
Axiom Space said Group Captain Shukla documented the myogenesis investigation, which explores how the absence of gravity accelerates muscle atrophy. This research examines cellular and molecular mechanisms behind skeletal muscle weakening, with the goal of developing countermeasures to preserve muscle health.
In another task, Group Captain Shukla deployed and stowed samples for the Space Micro Algae experiment. These microscopic organisms could potentially serve as sources of food, oxygen, and biofuel in future missions and provide sustainable life support systems in deep space exploration.
Group Captain Shukla irrigated crop seeds as part of the 'Sprouts project', an experiment designed to explore how spaceflight affects seed germination and plant growth. Following the mission, the seeds will be cultivated over multiple generations on Earth. Researchers will analyze changes in their genetic makeup, microbial communities, and nutritional content.
The goal of the 'Sprouts project' is to advance humanity's understanding of sustainable crop production in space for future long-duration missions.
Group Captain Shukla recorded a STEM demonstration to illustrate the differences between physical and chemical changes in microgravity. This hands-on experiment highlighted how the absence of gravity alters familiar processes such as mixing substances, phase transitions, and reactions that produce gases or heat.
In his 18-minute interaction with PM Modi, Group Captain Shukla said "Bharat looks bhavya". This brought back a flashback to what Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma said in 1984 about India as being "saare jahan se achha".
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