Shubhanshu Shukla Healthy, Space Mission Highly Successful: ISRO Chief To NDTV
Speaking exclusively to NDTV, Dr V Narayanan, Chairman of ISRO, confirmed that Group Captain Shukla is "totally healthy and totally happy" following his successful splashdown. "His medical parameters are being continuously monitored, and the information available to me from the doctors is very reassuring," said Dr Narayanan, emphasising the mission's safety and success.
The mission, conceived by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, was designed to test India's capabilities in human spaceflight and gather critical data for the upcoming Gaganyaan programme. "This is a very satisfying mission," Dr Narayanan noted. "We sent Shukla ji to space very safely and brought him back safely. The entire country is happy because we are getting good input for our Gaganyaan programme."
Group Captain Shukla's journey to the ISS was not just a technological feat but also a symbol of national pride. Prime Minister Modi lauded the mission in both a Cabinet Resolution and a speech before the opening of the budget session of the Indian Parliament, underscoring its significance for India's future in space exploration.
Dr Narayanan elaborated on the unique challenges of human spaceflight compared to satellite missions. "The new thing is the human interface with the rocket system. That's why we are extremely happy that we could send him safely, bring him back safely, and gather valuable input," he said. He described the mission as "highly successful" and "fully satisfying," reflecting ISRO's confidence in its growing capabilities.
The mission's success is expected to accelerate preparations for Gaganyaan, India's first crewed spaceflight, which aims to send Indian astronauts into low Earth orbit by 2027. Group Captain Shukla's experience aboard the ISS will provide ISRO with crucial insights into astronaut health, spacecraft systems, and operational protocols in microgravity.
This achievement places India among a select group of nations capable of sending humans to space and collaborating on international space missions. It also signals India's readiness to take on more ambitious projects, including lunar and interplanetary exploration.
As the nation celebrates this historic milestone, ISRO continues to work diligently on the next phases of the Gaganyaan programme. With Group Captain Shukla's safe return and glowing health report, India's space odyssey has entered a bold new chapter - one that promises innovation, collaboration, and inspiration for generations to come.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India Today
an hour ago
- India Today
Nisar mission: Once a denier of cryogenic tech, Nasa is now an Isro customer
On July 30, 2025, the Nasa-Isro Synthetic Aperture Radar (Nisar) satellite is set to lift off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota aboard India's GSLV rocket, powered by an indigenous cryogenic is the world's single most expensive civilian Earth imaging satellite. A collaboration between Nasa and Isro, the mission represents a major technological achievement and an even more significant geopolitical three decades ago, the United States actively blocked India's access to cryogenic engine technology. Sanctions were imposed, diplomatic pressure was applied, and international agreements were disrupted, all to keep India out of the elite club of space-faring nations. A LOOK BACK INTO PAST It began in the early 1990s, a time when India's space programme was steadily gaining ground. By then, Isro had developed the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), a dependable rocket that could carry satellites weighing up to 1,750 kilograms into low Earth orbit (LEO) at altitudes of around 600–800 it had a crucial limitation: it could not lift heavier payloads into geostationary orbit (GEO), located about 36,000 kilometres above the Earth's surface. This is the orbit where most communication, weather, and broadcasting satellites reach that altitude with payloads typically weighing 2,000 to 2,500 kilograms or more, India needed a more powerful rocket and, more importantly, a more advanced needed a cryogenic engine. Nisar satellite. (Photo: Nasa) But cryogenic engines are extremely complex. Liquid hydrogen, the main fuel, must be stored at –253C, and liquid oxygen at –183C. Keeping these volatile substances stable inside a rocket, and then igniting them, demands precision ultra-low temperatures can cause metal components to crack, valves to seize, and seals to fail. Most importantly, the entire system must function flawlessly under immense pressure and temperature during launch.A LIKELY DEPENDENCYIn the early 1990s, India did not possess this technology. Without it, India remained dependent on foreign rockets for critical space missions. To gain full independence in space, Isro had two options: develop the technology in-house or acquire it from abroad. Given the complexity and urgency, India first sought to acquire the time, only a handful of countries, the United States, Russia, France, and Japan, had cryogenic was approached first, but negotiations failed to progress. Offers came from the United States and Europe. General Dynamics, an American firm, proposed a deal, as did Europe's Arianespace. The cryogenic engine developed by Isro. (Photo: Isro) However, both offers were expensive and included restrictive clauses that ruled out any transfer of technology. For India, which saw technology transfer as vital for long-term self-reliance, these deals offered little came a breakthrough. In January 1991, Isro signed a historic agreement with Russia's Glavkosmos to procure two cryogenic engines along with full technology transfer, for a relatively modest $200 million. The engines on offer, the RD-56 or KVD-1, had originally been developed for the Soviet manned moon that opportunity soon came under FOLLOWEDAs the Cold War ended and Russia turned toward the West for economic support, the United States began exerting diplomatic pressure. Under the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), the United States claimed the engine transfer could aid missile development. In 1992, it imposed sanctions on both Isro and Glavkosmos, effectively blocking the its place came a heavily revised arrangement. It allowed the delivery of seven fully assembled engines, but with no accompanying blueprints, training, or transfer of technology. Adding to the humiliation, the agreement included a clause restricting India from using the engines only for peaceful purposes and prohibited any modification or re-export without Russian irony was hard to ignore: this was the same technology the United States had earlier offered India, without objections, and at a much higher imported engines powered the early flights of the GSLV programme. But even as India used them, then Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao recognised the strategic vulnerability of relying on foreign technology. In April 1994, the government launched an indigenous cryogenic engine development programme with an initial budget of 300 crore. The decision would lay the foundation for India's future self-reliance in heavy-lift the formal restrictions, cooperation between Russian and Indian scientists did not completely end. Many within Glavkosmos had developed deep respect for Isro engineers and discreetly supported their components and technical inputs were quietly sent to India, sometimes through covert means. Ural Airlines, a Russian carrier, agreed to transport equipment discreetly in exchange for extra compensation. Many sources state that Nambi Narayanan, who headed Isro's cryogenic programme at the time, later confirmed that he personally accompanied some of these these backchannel efforts were India pushed ahead with its indigenous programme, the United States appeared to shift tactics—from diplomatic pressure to disruption. In late 1994, Nambi Narayanan and his colleague Sasi Kumaran were suddenly arrested on false charges of espionage. They were accused of leaking confidential cryogenic engine data to Pakistan through two Maldivian women, whom Nambi Narayanan had never case shocked the scientific community and the Narayanan was subjected to brutal interrogation and intense media scrutiny. The cryogenic project came to a standstill. Eventually, the case was handed over to the CBI, which found no evidence of wrongdoing. Nambi was acquitted, and years later, on September 14, 2018, the Supreme Court acknowledged the injustice he had scars of the espionage case did not stop AND STEADYProgress was slow and often marked by failure. Multiple test flights of the GSLV in the early 2000s faced setbacks. Engines underperformed, missions failed mid-flight, and questions were raised about whether India had taken on more than it could handle. And western media was in full glee at our breakthrough came on January 5, 2014, when Isro successfully launched the GSLV-D5 mission using a 100% indigenous cryogenic marked a turning point, not just for Isro, but for India's standing in the global space community. Since then, India has routinely used the GSLV for placing heavy satellites in orbit and has become a trusted launch partner for other same cryogenic engine that the world once refused to share has now become a symbol of India's resilience. And in a fitting turn of history, it is now all set to carry an American satellite into space. The deniers are now our customers.(This is an authored article by Srijan Pal Singh. He is an author and an IIM Ahmedabad graduate, who was the Advisor for Policy and Technology to Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, 11th President of India.)- EndsMust Watch
News18
2 hours ago
- News18
NISAR Satellite Will Monitor Earth Like Never Before, Says NASA As India Prepares For Lift-Off
Last Updated: Equipped with dual-frequency radar and the largest-ever antenna ever deployed in space, NISAR is the most expensive earth-observation satellite ever built, at $1.5 billion. At 5:40 pm on July 30, India's heaviest rocket GSLV, will lift off from Sriharikota carrying the most sophisticated radar satellite ever built. The 2393-kg satellite developed at a cost of $1.5 billion, marks the culmination of a decade of hard-work by scientists from NASA and ISRO who persevered through the pandemic to bring the mission to fruition. 'Everything looks good. The rocket is set. The weather is fine. We are ready to go," said Phil Barela, NISAR Project Manager from Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in the pre-launch briefing 48 hours before the lift-off. A team of scientists from NASA-JPL is currently in India working closely with ISRO scientists, as the much-anticipated Indo-US satellite mission gears up for take-off. The much-anticipated NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) is one of the biggest Indo-US satellite missions – that will provide a three-dimensional view of Earth in unprecedented detail. The first-of-its-kind satellite will scan nearly all the Earth's land and ice surfaces twice every 12 days, observing changes as small as a centimeter with high-resolution imagery, collecting earth observation like no other NASA satellite before it. 'We already have over two dozen missions in orbit observing Earth, but NISAR is a groundbreaking mission. It will advance our understanding significantly, with the ability to detect changes as small as a centimetre – regardless of the weather conditions. It has brought India and the US together to study Earth like never before," said Karen St Germain, Director of Earth science at NASA on Monday. The satellite will provide a detailed record of how Earth's land and oceans are changing over time – boosting climate research. The data will help scientists see the precursors to natural hazards like landslides, earthquakes and volcanoes to aid in disaster warnings and preparedness. The satellite worth $1.5 billion with NASA accounting for roughly $1.2 billion is one of the most expensive earth-imaging satellites ever built. While NASA has contributed the L-band Synthetic Aperture Radar – a high-rate telecommunication subsystem, GPS receivers and a deployable 12-meter unfurlable antenna. ISRO, on its part has provided the S-band SAR payload, the spacecraft bus to accommodate both payloads, the GSLV rocket and all associated launch services. The spacecraft will bounce microwave signals off Earth's surface and receive the return signals on a radar antenna reflector measuring 12 meters. Result – about 80 terabytes of data products per day over the course of NISAR's prime mission. The information will be processed, stored and distributed via the cloud – freely accessible to all. 'Any process that moves the land – even by just a few millimeters – NISAR will observe. No other Earth-monitoring mission offers this level of detail and frequency," noted Gerald Bawden, NISAR Program Scientist at NASA. view comments First Published: July 29, 2025, 12:35 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.
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Isro set for major milestone in earth observation with NISAR, an India-Nasa joint mission
ISRO is preparing to launch the NISAR satellite, a joint Earth observation mission with NASA, on July 30. The satellite, equipped with dual-frequency radar, will provide global data accessible to all, monitoring environmental changes and supporting various sectors. This five-year mission marks a significant collaboration, enhancing global understanding and management of our planet. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Global relevance Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads All-corner coverage Multi-sectoral impact The Indian Space Research Organisation ( ISRO ) is preparing to launch the NISAR satellite, a joint mission with NASA, marking a major milestone in Earth observation and international collaboration. The launch is scheduled for July 30 at 5:40 pm IST from Sriharikota's second launch short for NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar, will be placed into a Sun-Synchronous Polar Orbit aboard India's GSLV-Mk II rocket, designated GSLV-F16. This marks the 18th flight of the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle and its 9th operational flight using an indigenous cryogenic launch countdown is expected to begin later on Tuesday, news agency PTI reported citing ISRO a significant first, this will be the GSLV's debut mission to a Sun-Synchronous Polar Orbit. The 51.7-metre rocket will lift off from the coastal launch site, around 135 km east of Chennai. Within approximately 19 minutes, the satellite is expected to reach its designated the world watches closely, NISAR is set to not only mark a technological achievement for India, but also shape how we understand and manage our planet in the years NISAR Project Manager and Ground Segment Engineer, Radha Krishna Kavuluru, highlighted the mission's global relevance. Unlike ISRO's earlier observation satellites -- such as the Resourcesat and RISAT series, which primarily served India and nearby regions -- NISAR is designed for worldwide operational satellite will carry dual-frequency radar systems, with NASA contributing the L-Band and ISRO the S-Band. Together, they form a high-resolution radar capable of scanning and collecting data from nearly every corner of the Earth, including remote and challenging environments such as Antarctica, the North Pole and deep oceanic emphasised that NISAR data will be freely accessible worldwide. Governments, researchers, and commercial users from all countries are expected to benefit from its findings. The satellite will revisit every location on Earth every 12 days, providing about 2.5 observations per month and 10 in a span of 120 global coverage will enable critical tracking of changes in forests, glaciers, and mountain ranges -- especially in vulnerable regions like the Himalayas and Antarctica. The mission is designed to monitor seasonal changes and long-term environmental shifts with unmatched precision."NISAR is one of the key missions that will receive large-scale operational feedback from across the globe," Kavuluru said, pointing to its expected impact on sectors such as agriculture, disaster response, and environmental also underlined the strategic importance of the collaboration, noting that this is ISRO's first major Earth observation partnership with NASA. 'It's not just about the satellite. It's about technical exchange, joint planning, and building capabilities on both sides,' he of the data processed by ISRO will be made open-source, reinforcing India's role as a contributor to global science and space technology. The mission is slated to last five years.'This is a highly significant, high-value, and ambitious mission for ISRO,' the news agency quoted Kavuluru as saying.
