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First Post
an hour ago
- Science
- First Post
Shubhanshu Shukla is learning to walk again after space travel. Here's why
After spending nearly 20 days in microgravity aboard the International Space Station (ISS), Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla is now going through recovery and adjusting to life on Earth again. A video shared by Shukla on Instagram shows him relearning how to walk, with two people supporting him as he takes slow, steady steps. Notably, astronauts are unable to walk immediately after returning from space read more In a video posted by Shukla, he could be seen learning to walk again. Image: Instagram/ Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, who came back from space on July 15 after spending almost three weeks aboard the International Space Station (ISS), is now going through recovery and getting used to life on Earth again. Notably, he was one of four astronauts who flew to the ISS on June 25 aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft as part of the Axiom-4 mission. ALSO READ | Who is astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla's wife, Kamna Shukla? STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In a video posted by Shukla on Instagram, he could be seen learning to walk again, with two people helping him take slow and steady steps. Earlier this year, Nasa astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore were taken out of their SpaceX crew capsule on stretchers after returning from over nine months in space. When astronauts return to Earth from space, they are unable to walk immediately after landing. So, why does this happen? Let's find out: Why Shubhanshu Shukla is learning to walk again After spending close to 20 days in microgravity, Shubhanshu Shukla and his team landed safely on July 15. On Tuesday, he posted a video on Instagram showing himself trying to walk again and readjust to gravity. In the clip, he is seen placing one foot in front of the other, with two people supporting him. 'I have received many messages wishing me a speedy recovery. I want to thank everyone and give a quick update,' he wrote. Shukla explained that space travel affects the body in several ways, such as fluid movement, changes in heart rate, and reduced balance and muscle strength. 'These are adaptations to the new environment,' he said, adding, 'Once the body gets used to this and we return to gravity, these adjustments happen once again.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD He mentioned that while the recovery period varies for each astronaut, the body starts adapting soon after landing. 'I was surprised to observe the pace with which our body can adjust to new settings,' he said. During their time on the International Space Station, Shukla and his crewmates carried out more than 60 scientific experiments and outreach activities. Shukla is the second Indian to travel to space, after Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma, who made the journey in 1984. Why astronauts have to learn to walk again after space travel When astronauts return from space, they are often unable to walk on their own right away. Many need support to stand or move properly. This happens because of temporary changes that take place in the body during space travel. John DeWitt, director of applied sports science at Rice University in Texas and a former senior scientist at Nasa's Johnson Space Center, told Live Science that just like someone might feel sick on a roller coaster or a rough boat ride, astronauts can feel dizzy and nauseous when they come back to Earth. This is one reason why astronauts are usually moved out of the spacecraft on stretchers after landing, as a safety step. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The sensation occurs because our bodies rely on gravity to function normally. But on the International Space Station, astronauts experience weightlessness as the station constantly falls towards Earth. Their bodies slowly adjust to this changed setting. Recently, Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore were carried out on stretchers after their return from space. Sunita Williams was taken out of the SpaceX crew capsule on stretchers after returning from space. AP Another reason astronauts find walking hard is due to fluid shifts. In space, fluids move towards the upper body. When astronauts return, they may feel faint or dizzy from a sudden drop in blood pressure while standing, as their body needs time to relearn how to manage blood flow under gravity. Balance is also affected. The part of the inner ear that helps with movement and balance adapts to zero gravity. Once back on Earth, the brain takes time to adjust and process signals correctly. Movements that were easy in space now feel clumsy, as the brain relearns how to move with gravity, The Times of India reported. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD How do the astronauts recover? To recover from the effects of microgravity and adjust to Earth's gravity, astronauts go through careful rehabilitation. They take part in physical therapy sessions designed to rebuild muscle strength and bone density lost during their time in space. Balance training is also provided to help the vestibular system readjust to Earth's environment. As space travel has a major impact on cardiovascular health, astronauts slowly resume physical activity. This helps their heart and circulation return to normal levels.
India Today
an hour ago
- Science
- India Today
About the length of a pickup truck: Nisar will launch with the most advanced radar
The Nasa-Isro Synthetic Aperture Radar (Nisar) satellite, set for launch aboard Isro's GSLV on July 30, boasts the most advanced radar system ever deployed on an Earth observation the size of a pickup truck, Nisar's core innovation is its dual-frequency radar payload: an L-band radar from Nasa and an S-band radar from Isro, marking the first time two different radar frequencies operate together in L-band system uses a 24-centimeter wavelength, while its S-band employs a 10-centimeter wavelength. These allow the satellite to detect a wide range of Earth features in unprecedented detail, from deep within forests to subtle shifts in soil moisture or glacial ice. Nisar will generate a staggering 80 terabytes of data products daily. (Photo: Nasa) Each radar band offers unique advantages. The longer-wavelength L-band penetrates dense vegetation and is optimal for monitoring landscape topography and forests, while the S-band excels at tracking soil and ice features with high sensitivity, particularly in polar mission's technological centerpiece is a 12-meter deployable mesh reflector, the largest ever launched by Nasa, attached to a 9-meter boom. This shared antenna supports both radars, enabling simultaneous or independent operation and covering swaths over 240 kilometers wide during each leverages the innovative 'SweepSAR' technique: instead of scanning from side to side like traditional radars, it rapidly transmits and receives pulses across the entire swath, capturing echoes in quick succession and processing the data in real approach provides continuous, high-resolution, wide-area mapping of Earth's surface. This historic collaboration between Nasa and Isro enables Nisar to systematically map the planet. (Photo: Nasa) Together, the L- and S-band radars operate in fully polarimetric mode (transmitting and receiving in multiple polarisations) and produce time-series data that can detect ground movement as small as 4 millimeters per will generate a staggering 80 terabytes of data products daily, all processed and distributed via the cloud for global scientific historic collaboration between Nasa and Isro enables Nisar to systematically map the planet with a spatial resolution as fine as 3 meters, revolutionising how scientists monitor earthquakes, volcanoes, glaciers, and vegetation change, and offering unparalleled insights into Earth's dynamic systems.- EndsMust Watch
Time of India
9 hours ago
- Science
- Time of India
World's most expensive Indo-US joint sat mission NISAR to lift off on July 30
Preparations for NISAR mission NEW DELHI: The world's most expensive earth observation satellite, NISAR, which has been jointly developed by Nasa and Isro, will be launched after much delay from the Sriharikota spaceport at 5.40pm on July 30, the Indian space agency has said. Both India and the US have been working on the Nasa-Isro SAR Mission (NISAR) for over a decade and it has cost them over $1.5 billion. "Historic Launch Ahead... NISAR will scan the entire globe every 12 days, providing high-resolution, all-weather, day-and-night data. It can detect even subtle changes in Earth's surface like ground deformation, ice sheet shifts, and vegetation dynamics," Isro posted on X. Speaking to TOI on Tuesday, space minister Jitendra Singh said, "NISAR will open a new horizon in Indo-US collaboration. The satellite will take images of every piece of Earth. It will not only have scientific applications but also provide new earth science". The minister, who wanted to witness the crucial launch but may not be able to go to Sriharikota due to Parliament being in session, said that "crucial data generated from NISAR will, besides being beneficial for the US and India, help other countries in disaster management. Thus, it will live up to PM Modi's dream of Bharat playing the role of Vishwa Bandhu." by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like No annual fees for life UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo India's GSLV-F16 rocket will inject the satellite into a 743-km sun-synchronous orbit with an inclination of 98.4 degrees. NISAR will observe Earth with a swath of 242 km and high spatial resolution, using SweepSAR technology for the first time. The satellite, weighing 2,392 kg, will be the first one to observe the Earth with a dual frequency synthetic aperture radar, with one each provided by Isro (S-band) and Nasa (L-band). The NISAR mission is designed to observe and measure some of the planet's most complex natural processes, including ecosystem disturbances and natural hazards like quakes, tsunamis, volcanoes and landslides.
The Irish Sun
11 hours ago
- Science
- The Irish Sun
Three-year trips to Mars in 2030s, spaceship holidays & budget rocket trips to race around Earth, UK space hero predicts
SPACE isn't just for scientists and celebs – it'll be a hot holiday destination and will offer a shortcut to slash flight times too. They're just some of the predictions from British space hero Tim Peake, who sat down with The Sun for a chat about our off-Earth future . 9 Space hero Tim Peake was Britain's first European Space Agency astronaut Credit: Getty 9 Peake, who hails from Sussex, spent half a year on board the ISS Credit: Publicity - Getty Tim, 53, spent about 186 days in space, returning from the ISS on June 18, 2016. But when humans start making the first trips to Mars in the next decade or so, they'll be in space for a lot longer – potentially for three years. It sounds nightmarish, but Tim says we've done it all before, hundreds of years ago. 'A lot of people today forget about what we used to do in terms of exploration, the hardships, the torture, the kind of risk that was taken,' Tim told The Sun at Goodwood Festival of Speed's Future Lab earlier this month. Read more on space 'And in the early 1800s, nothing was thought about disappearing off on a three year expedition. 'That was pretty standard if you were in the Royal Navy. You say goodbye to your family and your mum. 'You say goodbye. You don't really know where you're going or what you're going to be doing, but you're just going to be away for a long time. 'So when I talk to people about in the mid 2030s, we're going to be on a three year mission to Mars and they kind of have this shock and horror that, well, that's so long, you'll never get people to go away for that long. Most read in Science 'Well, you will. We've done this before. 'It's only in the last 150 years that it hasn't been normal to have a three year expedition away, finding new lands and discovering new things. Nasa reveals mesmerising footage of Northern Lights from ISS 'And we're going to kind of go back into that kind of mindset. It's just that it won't be on Earth. It will be out into space.' Nasa hopes to make manned trips to Mars as soon as the 2030s, although no firm date has been set. But whenever those first visits happen, the astronauts will likely be a lot more comfortable than explorers of the past. 'The levels of resilience and self-sufficiency they needed was unbelievable. I mean, again, when we do Mars, the crew will have enough food, they'll have enough water, they'll have enough life support,' Tim said. 9 Six-month trips to the ISS will be nothing compared to a three-year Mars trek Credit: Getty He continued: 'We've mapped the surface, we'll have habitation modules for them. 'So it'll probably be a lot more comfortable than it would be setting off on endurance or HMS Wager back in the day.' SPACE STAYS For now, going to space is largely the preserve of professional astronauts, celebs and the ultra-wealthy. But in the future, Tim thinks that Tim credits Musk's company SpaceX with making space travel a lot cheaper. 'They've brought the cost of getting to space down so much, which is really exciting. 'Because that opens up whole markets of things you didn't think were possible because they were cost-prohibitive five or 10 years ago, that are now economically viable. 'So that's really exciting, but SpaceX is just the Uber that gets you there and back. 9 A return trip to and from Mars will be long and arduous – but Tim says explorers will be more than capable of surviving the time away from home Credit: Getty 'What's even more exciting is: now what can you do when you're up there?' Tim tells me that space tourism has been around for a long time – but it's becoming more frequent. And that's a trend that will only grow with time. 'It's part of the democratisation of space,' Tim told The Sun. 'I think fast-forward 100 years and there'll be an awful lot of people going to space for a variety of different reasons. 'Some for science, some for exploration, some for entertainment, and some for a different holiday.' Unsurprisingly, Tim reckons that we'd all be better off if we'd taken a trip to space. He says it gives you a different view of the world – and not just literally. WHO IS TIM PEAKE? Here's what you need to know... Major Tim Peake is a British Army officer and astronaut He is the first British astronaut with the European Space Agency He's also the sixth Brit to go aboard the International Space Agency Peake was born in Chichester, West Sussex in 1972 In 1990 he attended the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst In 1992, he joined the Army Air Corps Then two years later Peake became a qualified helicopter pilot Peake left the army in 2009 to follow his dream of becoming an astronaut He beat more than 9,000 applicants for one of six spots on the ESA's astronaut training programme He had to endure a rigorous selection process that tested his intellect and fitness Peake was launched to the ISS on December 15, 2015 In April the next year, he ran the 2016 London Marathon from the ISS treadmill And in June 2016, he finally returned to Earth, landing in Kazakhstan on a Soyuz descent module During his time in space, Peake completed roughly 3,000 orbits of Earth Picture Credit: Getty Images 'I think it is amazing. The more people that can witness Earth from space – Earth would be a better place. Definitely,' Tim said. 'People would have perhaps have a different perspective when they're making decisions. 'Having kind of seen how we all share one planet. And it looks fairly remote and isolated from space.' So your Moon vacation in 2065 won't just be a relaxing break, but an upgrade for your mind too. 9 Space tourism could be big business – Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin has already shown off concepts for an Orbital Reef space station that could host holidaymakers Credit: Blur Origin 9 Travellers could pay large sums of money to enjoy off-Earth hols Credit: AFP EARTH, VIA SPACE Of course, space tourism isn't the only way rockets will help your holidays . Tim reckons it'll make moving around Earth easier too. Holidays to the Moon will involve blasting off from Earth and landing on the rocky satellite. But that's not the only version of going space – you can also take suborbital flights that skim space, and descend back to Earth. 9 'Some of those missions they're launching, say, from New Mexico . They're going up and landing in New Mexico ,' Tim explained. 'Having been into space, well, there's no reason why you couldn't launch in New Mexico and land in Paris on that same kind of mission. 'And that could be a new form of suborbital transportation that becomes very popular in the future.' It sounds nightmarishly expensive – and it probably would be at the start. 9 Tim Peake was the Randox Future Lab Ambassador at this year's Goodwood Festival of Speed Credit: Nicole Hains / Goodwood Festival of Speed But eventually, Tim thinks, we could see the cost come down. Speaking to the astronaut, I joke that we could see Ryanair-style budget flights that only cost a tenner. 'I mean, if you if you went back to those early 1920s, 1930s transatlantic carriers, you would have found very wealthy people on board traveling in relative luxury ,' Tim told me. 'And if you'd have said, you know, in 100 years time, we're going to have the EasyJets and the Ryanairs – a mass global transportation at the same cost of a train ticket – they would never have believed it. 'So you never know what we can do with future changes in technology.' 9 The Sun's tech editor Sean Keach sat down with astronaut Tim Peake for a chat Credit: Sean Keach
Scottish Sun
11 hours ago
- Science
- Scottish Sun
Three-year trips to Mars in 2030s, spaceship holidays & budget rocket trips to race around Earth, UK space hero predicts
The astronaut even gazes 100 years into the future PEAKE AT THE FUTURE Three-year trips to Mars in 2030s, spaceship holidays & budget rocket trips to race around Earth, UK space hero predicts SPACE isn't just for scientists and celebs – it'll be a hot holiday destination and will offer a shortcut to slash flight times too. They're just some of the predictions from British space hero Tim Peake, who sat down with The Sun for a chat about our off-Earth future. 9 Space hero Tim Peake was Britain's first European Space Agency astronaut Credit: Getty 9 Peake, who hails from Sussex, spent half a year on board the ISS Credit: Publicity - Getty Tim, 53, spent about 186 days in space, returning from the ISS on June 18, 2016. But when humans start making the first trips to Mars in the next decade or so, they'll be in space for a lot longer – potentially for three years. It sounds nightmarish, but Tim says we've done it all before, hundreds of years ago. 'A lot of people today forget about what we used to do in terms of exploration, the hardships, the torture, the kind of risk that was taken,' Tim told The Sun at Goodwood Festival of Speed's Future Lab earlier this month. 'And in the early 1800s, nothing was thought about disappearing off on a three year expedition. 'That was pretty standard if you were in the Royal Navy. You say goodbye to your family and your mum. 'You say goodbye. You don't really know where you're going or what you're going to be doing, but you're just going to be away for a long time. 'So when I talk to people about in the mid 2030s, we're going to be on a three year mission to Mars and they kind of have this shock and horror that, well, that's so long, you'll never get people to go away for that long. 'Well, you will. We've done this before. 'It's only in the last 150 years that it hasn't been normal to have a three year expedition away, finding new lands and discovering new things. Nasa reveals mesmerising footage of Northern Lights from ISS 'And we're going to kind of go back into that kind of mindset. It's just that it won't be on Earth. It will be out into space.' Nasa hopes to make manned trips to Mars as soon as the 2030s, although no firm date has been set. But whenever those first visits happen, the astronauts will likely be a lot more comfortable than explorers of the past. 'The levels of resilience and self-sufficiency they needed was unbelievable. I mean, again, when we do Mars, the crew will have enough food, they'll have enough water, they'll have enough life support,' Tim said. 9 Six-month trips to the ISS will be nothing compared to a three-year Mars trek Credit: Getty He continued: 'We've mapped the surface, we'll have habitation modules for them. 'So it'll probably be a lot more comfortable than it would be setting off on endurance or HMS Wager back in the day.' SPACE STAYS For now, going to space is largely the preserve of professional astronauts, celebs and the ultra-wealthy. But in the future, Tim thinks that this will soon change – and Elon Musk is partly to thank. Tim credits Musk's company SpaceX with making space travel a lot cheaper. 'They've brought the cost of getting to space down so much, which is really exciting. 'Because that opens up whole markets of things you didn't think were possible because they were cost-prohibitive five or 10 years ago, that are now economically viable. 'So that's really exciting, but SpaceX is just the Uber that gets you there and back. 9 A return trip to and from Mars will be long and arduous – but Tim says explorers will be more than capable of surviving the time away from home Credit: Getty 'What's even more exciting is: now what can you do when you're up there?' Tim tells me that space tourism has been around for a long time – but it's becoming more frequent. And that's a trend that will only grow with time. 'It's part of the democratisation of space,' Tim told The Sun. 'I think fast-forward 100 years and there'll be an awful lot of people going to space for a variety of different reasons. 'Some for science, some for exploration, some for entertainment, and some for a different holiday.' Unsurprisingly, Tim reckons that we'd all be better off if we'd taken a trip to space. He says it gives you a different view of the world – and not just literally. WHO IS TIM PEAKE? Here's what you need to know... Major Tim Peake is a British Army officer and astronaut He is the first British astronaut with the European Space Agency He's also the sixth Brit to go aboard the International Space Agency Peake was born in Chichester, West Sussex in 1972 In 1990 he attended the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst In 1992, he joined the Army Air Corps Then two years later Peake became a qualified helicopter pilot Peake left the army in 2009 to follow his dream of becoming an astronaut He beat more than 9,000 applicants for one of six spots on the ESA's astronaut training programme He had to endure a rigorous selection process that tested his intellect and fitness Peake was launched to the ISS on December 15, 2015 In April the next year, he ran the 2016 London Marathon from the ISS treadmill And in June 2016, he finally returned to Earth, landing in Kazakhstan on a Soyuz descent module During his time in space, Peake completed roughly 3,000 orbits of Earth Picture Credit: Getty Images 'I think it is amazing. The more people that can witness Earth from space – Earth would be a better place. Definitely,' Tim said. 'People would have perhaps have a different perspective when they're making decisions. 'Having kind of seen how we all share one planet. And it looks fairly remote and isolated from space.' So your Moon vacation in 2065 won't just be a relaxing break, but an upgrade for your mind too. 9 Space tourism could be big business – Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin has already shown off concepts for an Orbital Reef space station that could host holidaymakers Credit: Blur Origin 9 Travellers could pay large sums of money to enjoy off-Earth hols Credit: AFP EARTH, VIA SPACE Of course, space tourism isn't the only way rockets will help your holidays. Tim reckons it'll make moving around Earth easier too. Holidays to the Moon will involve blasting off from Earth and landing on the rocky satellite. But that's not the only version of going space – you can also take suborbital flights that skim space, and descend back to Earth. 9 'Some of those missions they're launching, say, from New Mexico. They're going up and landing in New Mexico,' Tim explained. 'Having been into space, well, there's no reason why you couldn't launch in New Mexico and land in Paris on that same kind of mission. 'And that could be a new form of suborbital transportation that becomes very popular in the future.' It sounds nightmarishly expensive – and it probably would be at the start. 9 Tim Peake was the Randox Future Lab Ambassador at this year's Goodwood Festival of Speed Credit: Nicole Hains / Goodwood Festival of Speed But eventually, Tim thinks, we could see the cost come down. Speaking to the astronaut, I joke that we could see Ryanair-style budget flights that only cost a tenner. 'I mean, if you if you went back to those early 1920s, 1930s transatlantic carriers, you would have found very wealthy people on board traveling in relative luxury,' Tim told me. 'And if you'd have said, you know, in 100 years time, we're going to have the EasyJets and the Ryanairs – a mass global transportation at the same cost of a train ticket – they would never have believed it. 'So you never know what we can do with future changes in technology.'
