Shubhanshu Shukla Readjusting To Life On Earth, Says His Father
Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, the Indian astronaut who along with three others returned recently from a successful space mission, is in Houston in the US, as he readjusts to life on Earth, his father said on Thursday.
Mr Shukla, or "Shux", his call sign among colleagues and nickname for friends, splashed down on Earth on Tuesday after 18 days aboard the International Space Station (ISS). He is the first Indian on the ISS and the second after legendary Rakesh Sharma to venture into space.
Right now, he is in Houston. His wife Kamna, and their six-year-old son, Kiash, are already there. According to an official statement quoting Union Minister Jitendra Singh, Mr Shukla and the three other astronauts of the mission will remain in quarantine until July 23 to complete medical and re-adaptation procedures.
"From the 24th, they will begin discussions with ISRO. Debriefings with Axiom and NASA will follow," he added.
"He (Shubhanshu) said he is under excellent care; (it) is required for him to readjust to life on Earth. His wife and son are there too," Shambhu Dayal, Mr Shukla's father, told PTI in Lucknow.
"During our telephonic conversation, Shubhanshu appeared excited at the accomplishment that means so much for the country." The 39-year-old Indian Air Force officer, who became a national icon after his mission to ISS aboard the SpaceX's Dragon 'Grace' spacecraft, is currently with his family in Houston.
Speaking to PTI from the US, Mr Shukla's wife, Kamna Shukla, said, "We are in Houston and we have already met him. He is with us. 'Homecoming has happened.'" MrShukla's father said the family in Lucknow was overwhelmed by the public response to Shubhanshu's achievement and they are eager to welcome him.
"It will take a while (to come to Lucknow)...but, of course, whenever he comes there would be big celebration," he said.
"But to tell you the truth. These days every moment is celebration time for us; the entire locality is rejoicing with us. He is the toast of the nation. And his arrival here would only accentuate our happiness index," he added, his pride unmistakable.
The excitement is equally palpable at Mr Shukla's alma mater, City Montessori School (CMS), where students and staff are preparing to honour their star alumnus.
"I am like super motivated now for a career as an astronaut. I think space is going to be the latest fad among young, all thanks to Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, our illustrious senior," Aarav Singh Chauhan, a Class XII student at CMS, told PTI.
CMS Communications Head Rishi Khanna said the entire school community was proud of the astronaut's historic journey.
"Shubhanshu has stirred the imagination of youth and knowing well how much this space voyage of his means for India and its upcoming Gaganyaan programme, the entire 70,000-strong CMS family along with the rest of Lucknow would extend him a warm welcome whenever he visits his birth place," he told PTI.
Mr Shukla's mission, which ended with a safe splashdown off the coast of San Diego, marked a milestone for India's human spaceflight ambitions.
In an Instagram post on Wednesday evening, Mr Shukla shared heartwarming photos of him meeting his wife and son.
"It was challenging. Coming back to Earth and holding my family back in my arms felt like home. Human spaceflight missions are magical but they are made magical by humans. Space flight is amazing but seeing your loved ones after a long time is equally amazing," he said in the post.
"It has been 2 months since I entered quarantine. During the quarantine family visits we had to be 8 m apart. My little one had to be told that he had germs on his hands, and that is why he could not touch his father. Every time he would come for the visit he would ask his mom 'Can I wash my hands?' It was challenging," he wrote, advising people to value their loved ones.
"Find a loved one today and tell them that you love them. We often get busy in life and forget how important the people in our lives are," he said.
Mr Shukla is also part of ISRO's plan to launch the Gaganyaan, India's first human space flight, in 2027.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
an hour ago
- Business Standard
Shubhanshu calls his space mission start of India's second space orbit
Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla on Friday described his journey to space as the beginning of India's "second orbit" with the aim to lead in the area of human spaceflight. Addressing a virtual press conference, Shukla and his co-travellers of the Axiom-4 mission to the International Space Station shared their experiences of living in microgravity and conducting experiments that would help humanity. "In a realm like space exploration, in decades of global collaboration, the moment in this mission that stood out for me was speaking to the prime minister of Bharat while the Indian flag floated behind me," Shukla said. He said that moment symbolised India's re-entry into the conversation, not as a spectator but as an equal participant. "After 41 years, a Bharatiya returned to space. But this time, it was not a solitary leap, it was the beginning of India's second orbit. And this time, we are ready, not just to fly but to lead," Shukla said. Shukla became the second Indian to travel to space after Rakesh Sharma's sojourn as part of the Soviet Russian mission in 1984. India plans to launch its own human space-flight mission Gaganyaan in 2027. He thanked the government, ISRO, Indian Air Force and NASA for their unwavering support, coordination and belief in the mission that made it possible for him to travel to space as a messenger for what is now possible for the nation. Shukla said he was overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and support from across the country. "Nothing could have prepared me for the love and support that came through," he said.
Deccan Herald
2 hours ago
- Deccan Herald
Phone felt heavy, dropped laptop: Shubhanshu Shukla on readjusting to life on earth
Addressing a virtual press conference, Shukla and his Axiom-4 mission colleagues shared the experiences of their 20-day space mission and the 18-day stay at the International Space Station.
NDTV
3 hours ago
- NDTV
"Ready for Gaganyaan": Shubhanshu Shukla To NDTV After Historic Space Mission
New Delhi: In his first public interaction since returning from a landmark 20-day space mission, India's astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla spoke to NDTV, offering a deeply personal and inspiring account of his journey beyond Earth. From completing the "homework" assigned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to a humorous moment of post-space disorientation, Group Captain Shukla's reflections mark a pivotal moment in India's human spaceflight ambitions. "Completed Homework That PM Modi Gave" In a candid exchange, Group Captain Shukla confirmed that he had fulfilled the task entrusted to him by PM Modi to document every aspect of his mission for the benefit of India's upcoming Gaganyaan programme. "I remember very well the homework given to me by the Prime Minister. And I completed it very well. I am very excited to come back and share it with you all. I am confident that all that knowledge is going to prove extremely useful and crucial for us, for our own Gaganyaan mission," Group Captain Shukla said. He emphasised that his participation in the international mission launched by Axiom Space in collaboration with NASA and SpaceX was not just a personal milestone, but a national investment. "India has spent almost $70 million on you," NDTV's Science Editor Pallava Bagla pointedly noted. "Did we benefit or not?" Group Captain Shukla's response was unequivocal: "This mission has been very successful and will be very beneficial for our mission." "India's Second Orbit Has Begun" Reflecting on the symbolic and emotional weight of the mission, Group Captain Shukla described a defining moment: speaking to PM Modi from space with the national flag fluttering behind him. "That moment symbolised India's re-entry in space, not as a spectator, but as an equal participant," he said. "After 41 years, a Bharatiya returned to space. But this time, it wasn't a solitary leap. It was the beginning of what I like to call India's second orbit." He credited the mission's success to the seamless collaboration between ISRO, the Indian Air Force, NASA, Axiom Space, and SpaceX. "Each of these institutions played a pivotal role in transforming this mission from an idea into a reality," he said. Group Captain Shukla expressed that the experience of living and working in microgravity was vastly different from training simulations on Earth. "The actual experience when you are up there is totally different," he said. "Understanding how your body reacts to the microgravity and the environment of space added on to the completeness of the entire training." "This Is Only the Beginning" Group Captain Shukla described the mission as a transformative experience, one that has filled him with a renewed sense of purpose. "The mission itself exceeded every one of my expectations. But nothing, literally nothing could have prepared me for what came after," he said. "The love, the messages, and the support from every corner of Bharat... it filled me with something which I did not expect. A new kind of purpose." Axiom-4 Or Mission Akash Ganga Group Captain Shukla is the first Indian to have visited the $150 billion orbiting space laboratory and Axiom Space, the private space company that brokered this visit for NASA and ISRO, which cost India nearly $70 million. After approximately 433 hours, 18 days, and 288 orbits around Earth covering nearly 12.2 million kilometres since docking with the International Space Station, the Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) crew returned safely to Earth. This would be about 32 times the distance between the Earth and Moon. Group Captain Shukla is India's second astronaut after Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma to go to space. Wing Commander Sharma flew to space in 1984 on an Indo-Soviet Mission. Ready For Gaganyaan As India prepares for its first indigenous human spaceflight mission, Gaganyaan, Group Captain Shukla's experience is expected to play a critical role in shaping astronaut training, mission protocols, and public engagement. His readiness, both physical and mental, is a testament to the rigorous training and support systems in place. "There is a properly incubated rehabilitation and recuperation programme," he said. "And step by step, you gain your strength and your balance. I feel perfectly normal. It feels as if I am ready to go on the space mission again."
