
American woman applauds India's space programme after Shubhanshu Shukla enters ISS: ‘Top space power'
In a heartfelt and widely-shared Instagram video, an American woman has praised India's growing stature in space exploration, shortly after Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla made history by becoming the first Indian to enter the International Space Station (ISS). An American woman's video praising India's space feats went viral.(Instagram/kristenfischer3)
Kristen Fischer, the woman behind the viral video, took to Instagram to celebrate India's recent space milestone, saying, "India just successfully launched their astronaut into the International Space Station. While this is an accomplishment on itself, did you know these other facts about the Indian Space Program?"
(Also read: American woman leaves 'average' life in US for extraordinary journey in India, calls it life-changing) A powerful tribute to ISRO
Fischer went on to highlight several key achievements of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), noting that it was founded in 1969 and is one of only six space agencies globally. She added, "India's Mars mission, Mangalyaan, was the first interplanetary mission and cost only $74 million. To put that into perspective, NASA spent over a billion dollars on their first Mars mission."
Emphasising India's reputation for low-cost innovation, she continued, "India was the first nation to reach Mars on the first try and the third nation to reach Mars overall. Also, India's Chandrayaan-1 mission in 2008 was the first to detect water molecules on the moon, which was then later confirmed by NASA."
Fischer also pointed out that ISRO holds several world records, including launching the lightest satellite and the most satellites in a single mission. Caption applauds India's progress
Her video, viewed over 36,000 times, was shared with a caption that read, "Did you know that India's space program was so impressive!? First founded in 1969, the ISRO is one of only 6 national space programs worldwide… India is definitely on track to be a top space power in the world."
She added, "When people talk about India, they often talk about underdeveloped parts. They don't often talk about the parts where India is excelling in technology and worldwide advancement. I think it is worth acknowledging the successes India has had in their amazing space organisation!"
Watch the clip here: Viewers applaud her passion
The video struck a chord with Indian and international audiences alike. One viewer remarked, 'You look more excited than Indians. You love India more than Indians!' Another added, 'Yes, it's a proud moment for us. Jai Hind.' Others praised her research and sentiment, saying, 'Well researched information! India has the potential to give its best!!' and 'Kudos to you, Kristen, for recognising the advancements in our space program.'
A particularly thoughtful comment read, 'Wow, you know more than so many people about ISRO. Thank you for sharing this information and congratulations to the Indian space programme.' Historic mission to the ISS
Kristen's video came on the heels of India's proud moment in space exploration. On 26 June, the Axiom-4 mission's Dragon spacecraft successfully docked with the ISS after a 28-hour journey. Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, serving as mission pilot, joined veteran astronaut Peggy Whitson and two other crew members on this milestone mission.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)

First Post
34 minutes ago
- First Post
'Metro In Dino' actress Sara Ali Khan on her mother Amrita Singh's reaction to her social media trolling: 'I wish I could confiscate her phone because...'
The actress revealed, 'I have always been like 'jo bolna hai bolo. Whenever someone says something bad, my only thought is 'oh God, I don't want my mom to read this'. That's the only thing that's hurtful.' read more Sara Ali Khan who gears up for Metro In Dino, has spoken about how social media trolling affects her and how she wants to hide her mother Amrita Singh's phone at times. The actress revealed, 'I have always been like 'jo bolna hai bolo. Whenever someone says something bad, my only thought is 'oh God, I don't want my mom to read this'. That's the only thing that's hurtful.' Sara added, 'I can fully understand that this is some nameless, frustrated person. But maa toh maa hoti hai. That's the only thing that really gets to me. If I could block her social media, I wouldn't give a damn!' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Sara Ali Khan and her fondness for going to Kedarnath is no secret to her fans and audience. While she has received hatred for 'being a Muslim going to a Hindi religious site,' the actress has learnt to tune out the negative noise. In a recent interaction, the Sky Force star said her mother taught her to identify herself as an Indian instead of being described by a religion or a caste. 'I was very young, in school, and even when my parents were married and we used to immigrate together abroad, I used to always wonder… Amrita Singh, Saif Pataudi, Sara Sultana, Ibrahim Ali Khan, what is going on? Who are we? And I remember asking my mom, what am I? And she told me, you are Indian. And I will never forget that.' Sara said at the Times Now Summit 2025 When asked about her mom Amrita Singh's Sikh background, and her dad Saif Ali Khan's Muslim religion, the actress said that India is a secular country. 'We are a secular nation and I think that all these concepts, all these boundaries are made and manipulated by people and I don't adhere to them. I just don't give it the importance that the other person maybe does,' she said. While the trolls bother her, Sara shared that she has learnt to tune out the negativity. 'It's a fool's errand to change the way other people think. I have to tune it out,' she added..


Indian Express
35 minutes ago
- Indian Express
In photos: Here are top 10 iconic space photos of all time
Since the advent of space exploration, cameras have been silent companions on nearly every mission, capturing some of the most extraordinary sights ever witnessed. With the advancement of technology, high-performance cameras are being designed to be increasingly ultra-lightweight for space where every gram counts. However, the pursuit of bettering the quality remains uncompromised to illuminate distant worlds in stunning detail through the lenses of astronauts, robotic explorers, and powerful telescopes. As India established a step ahead in its space program, with Shubhanshu Shukla at the International Space Station (ISS) as part of the Axiom-4 mission, we take a look at the top 10 most iconic space photographs ever clicked. On Christmas Eve 1968, Apollo 8 astronaut William Anders captured the first colour photograph of Earth rising above the lunar horizon. The blue-and-white sphere of Earth, set against the stark gray of the Moon, was taken during humanity's first journey around the Moon. The 'Blue Marble' was taken by the Apollo 17 crew en route to the Moon, showing a fully illuminated Earth. Captured with a hand-held Hasselblad camera, it reveals Africa, Antarctica, and the swirling clouds of our atmosphere. During the first Moon landing, Neil Armstrong photographed Buzz Aldrin standing on the lunar surface, with Armstrong and the lunar module reflected in Aldrin's visor. This image captures the achievement of the Apollo program. NASA's Mars Pathfinder mission delivered the Sojourner rover to the surface of Mars, where it sent back images of the Martian terrain and itself exploring the rocky landscape. These photos marked the first time a rover operated on another planet. The Curiosity rover has sent back several self-portraits from Mars, stitched together from images taken by its robotic arm. As Voyager 1 left the solar system, it turned its camera back toward Earth and captured our planet as a tiny dot suspended in a sunbeam. This image was made famous by Carl Sagan. On July 19, 2013, as NASA's Cassini spacecraft captured a mosaic of Saturn, its rings, and several moons, it also photographed Earth as a tiny blue dot nearly 900 million miles away. Planetary scientist Carolyn Porco, who led the imaging team, encouraged people around the world to reflect on their place in the cosmos and to step outside and 'smile' as their photo was being taken from deep space. Shortly after its launch, the Hubble Space Telescope captured its 'first light' image. Though not as visually stunning as later Hubble images, this photograph demonstrated the telescope's power and set the stage for decades of discovery. Hubble's high-resolution image of Jupiter and its moon Europa reveals intricate details of the planet's atmosphere and the icy surface of its moon. This Hubble image shows the irregular galaxy NGC 4449, a star-forming galaxy in the constellation Canes Venatici. (With inputs from Space, NASA, ESA, BBC)
&w=3840&q=100)

Business Standard
36 minutes ago
- Business Standard
How Anna Wintour reshaped fashion over 37 years at Vogue magazine
After 37 years at the helm, fashion industry heavyweight Anna Wintour is stepping down from her position as editor-in-chief of American Vogue. It's not a retirement, though, as Wintour will maintain a leadership position at global fashion and lifestyle publisher Condé Nast (the owner of Vogue and other publications, such as Vanity Fair and Glamour). Nonetheless, Wintour's departure from the US edition of the magazine is a big moment for the fashion industry – one which she has single-handedly changed forever. Fashion mag fever Fashion magazines as we know them today were first formalised in the 19th century. They helped establish the 'trickle down theory' of fashion, wherein trends were traditionally dictated by certain industry elites, including major magazine editors. In Australia, getting your hands on a monthly issue meant rare exposure to the latest European or American fashion trends. Vogue itself was established in New York in 1892 by businessman Arthur Baldwin Turnure. The magazine targeted the city's elite class, initially covering various aspects of high-society life. In 1909, Vogue was acquired by Condé Nast. From then, the magazine increasingly cemented itself as a cornerstone of the fashion publishing. The period following the second world war particularly opened the doors to mass fashion consumerism and an expanding fashion magazine culture. Wintour came on as editor of Vogue in 1988, at which point the magazine became less conservative, and more culturally significant. Not afraid to break the mould Fashion publishing changed as a result of Wintour's bold editorial choices – especially when it came to the magazine's covers. Her choices both reflected, and dictated, shifts in fashion culture. Wintour's first cover at Vogue, published in 1988, mixed couture garments (Christian Lacroix) with mainstream brands (stonewashed Guess jeans) – something which had never been done before. It was also the first time a Vogue cover had featured jeans at all – perfectly setting the scene for a long career spent pushing the magazine into new domains. Wintour also pioneered the centring of celebrities (rather than just models) within fashion discourse. And while she leveraged big names such as Beyonce, Madonna, Nicole Kidman, Kate Moss, Michelle Obama and Oprah Winfrey, she also featured rising stars as cover models – often helping propel their careers in the process. Wintour's legacy at Vogue involved elevating fashion from a frivolous runway to a powerful industry, which is not scared to make a statement. Nowhere is this truer than at the Met Gala, which is held each year to celebrate the opening of a new fashion exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute. The event started as a simple fundraiser for the Met in 1948, before being linked to a fashion exhibit for the first time in 1974. Wintour took over its organisation in 1995. Her focus on securing exclusive celebrity guests helped propel it to the prestigious event it is today. This year's theme for the event was Superfine: Tailoring Black Style. In a time where the US faces great political instability, Wintour was celebrated for her role in helping elevate Black history through the event. Not without controversy However, while her cultural influence can't be doubted, Wintour's legacy at American Vogue is not without fault. Notably, her ongoing feud with animal rights organisation PETA – due to the her unwavering support for fur – has bubbled in the background since the heydays of the anti-fur movement. Wintour has been targeted directly by anti-fur activists, both physically (she was hit with a tofu cream pie in 2005 while leaving a Chloe show) and through numerous protests. This issue was never resolved. Vogue has continued to showcase and feature fur clothing, even as the social license for using animal materials starts to run out. Fashion continues to grow increasingly political. How magazines such as Vogue will engage with this shift remains to be seen. A changing media landscape The rise of fashion blogging in recent decades has led to a wave of fashion influencers, with throngs of followers, who are challenging the unidirectional 'trickle-down' structure of the fashion industry. Today, social media platforms have overtaken traditional media influence both within and outside of fashion. And with this, the power of fashion editors such as Wintour is diminishing significantly. Many words will flow regarding Wintour's departure as editor-in-chief, but nowhere near as many as what she oversaw at the helm of the world's biggest fashion magazine.