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Time of India
3 days ago
- Science
- Time of India
Did scientists just grow the first-ever space flower 'Zinnia' aboard ISS?
The idea of growing plants in space always looked like a distant dream until scientists almost made it possible. It's not just about the excitement of seeing greenery in zero gravity; it's also about the plant's survival, psychology, and the future of space missions. Humans dream of traveling beyond Earth, even to Mars one day, so the ability to grow food in space will be an important factor as fresh vegetables could reduce the dependency on packaged meals, provide mental comfort to astronauts on long missions, and play a key role in recycling air and water. Over the years, scientists and astronauts have tried to grow plants in orbit with mixed results. These efforts aren't just science experiments; they're a part of preparing for a future where long-duration missions will require sustainable life-support systems. Growing flowers, especially, has a psychological benefit as it brings beauty and a sense of home into the cold, metallic confines of a spacecraft. Did scientists grow the first-ever space flower ? One such memorable moment happened in 2016 when NASA astronaut Scott Kelly posted a photo of a blooming flower aboard the International Space Station (ISS), calling it the 'first ever flower grown in space.' He also added, 'Yes, there are other life forms in space!' along with the hashtag #spaceflower. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Rent Luxury Vacation Homes peoplediscovery Learn More Undo However, Zinnias had faced a mold outbreak and was close to dying. But by using new care instructions from NASA botanists and by using Kelly's close attention, known as "green thumb", the plants recovered and eventually bloomed. The flowers were part of NASA's Veggie experiment, which aims to test food production in space. Kelly's zinnias weren't actually the first flowers to bloom in space According to astronaut Don Pettit successfully grew a sunflower aboard the ISS in 2012 using plastic bags as makeshift pots. He described its progress in a blog post titled Diary of a Space Zucchini, writing, 'Sunflower is going to seed! His blossom is wilted-brown and has a few lopsided packed seeds.' Apart from that, cosmonauts on Russia's Mir space station in the 1990s grew dwarf wheat that flowered. And even earlier, in 1982, the Soviet crew aboard Salyut 7 grew Arabidopsis, a small flowering plant, which according to the Guinness Book of World Records, was the first to flower and produce seeds in space. But perhaps the earliest attempt dates to 1966, during the uncrewed Soviet Cosmos 110 mission. As described by authors Brian Harvey and Olga Zakutnyaya in Russian Space Probes (Springer, 2011), some beans on board germinated and even flowered, and that too, twice as fast as their Earth-based counterparts. What is the Veggie experiment? Even though Kelly's zinnia wasn't the first flower in space, its bloom still marked a milestone. The Veggie experiment was developed to grow edible crops like lettuce, which Kelly and his crew tasted. NASA's goal is to eventually grow tomatoes and other produce for long missions.
New Indian Express
16-07-2025
- Science
- New Indian Express
Being 'saare jahaan se achchha' in space too
At 3.02 pm on Tuesday, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla (call name Shux) and his three crewmates' space mission ended with the textbook splashdown of their return capsule in the Pacific Ocean off California. The Axiom 4 mission, which entailed 18 days of experiments and observations aboard the International Space Station (ISS), created history for the Indian space programme. Shux became the second Indian in space after Squadron Leader Rakesh Sharma's April 1984 sortie to the Soviet Salyut 7 space station. The 41 years between the two have witnessed significant progress in space technology. Therefore, a comparison between Sharma's eight-day venture then and Shux's 18-day mission now would be unfair. Besides, while the former mission was more of a diplomatic endeavour between India and the then USSR as a result of Cold War coddling; the Ax 4 mission was a commercial, public-private venture involving collaboration between Nasa, Indian Space Research Organisation and European Space Agency on one side, and Axiom Space and SpaceX on the other.
India Today
03-07-2025
- Science
- India Today
Shubhanshu Shukla breaks mentor Rakesh Sharma's 41-year-old space record
Rakesh Sharma is India's first astronaut to go to space. (Photo: India Today) Rakesh Sharma was the first Indian to go to space Shubhanshu Shukla calls Rakesh Sharma his mentor Shukla has been conducting critical muscle health research Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla has made history by becoming the longest-staying Indian astronaut in space, surpassing the 41-year-old record set by Rakesh Sharma. As of July 3, 2025, Shukla has spent over 7 days, 21 hours, and 40 seconds in orbit, overtaking Sharma's milestone from his 1984 mission aboard the Soviet Salyut 7 space station. Shukla, 39, is currently serving as the mission pilot for the Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) to the International Space Station (ISS), a landmark collaboration between NASA, SpaceX, and ISRO. Rakesh Sharma is India's first astronaut to go to space. (Photo: AFP) Launched from NASA's Kennedy Space Center on June 25, 2025, Shukla's journey marks India's return to human spaceflight after more than four decades. He is the first Indian astronaut to visit the ISS and only the second Indian to travel to orbit, following Sharma's pioneering flight. The Ax-4 crew, led by veteran astronaut Peggy Whitson, includes Shukla as pilot and mission specialists Sawosz Uznaski-Winiewski and Tibor Kapu. Their mission involves conducting around 60 scientific experiments, with Shukla leading seven of them, focusing on microgravity research and international collaboration. The mission also shows India's growing role in global space exploration and the evolution of ISRO into a world-class space agency. Shuykla recently partnered with astronaut Sawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski in the Space Station's Columbus laboratory module to analyse near-infrared technology to record brain activity. Gp Capt Shubhanshu Shukla enters Space Station. (Photo: Nasa) He has been working on seven Indian studies in space that will bolster India's human spaceflight program, Gaganyaan Mission. Shukla has been conducting critical muscle health research inside the Kibo laboratory's Life Sciences Glovebox aboard the ISS. His work focuses on muscle stem cell cultures to understand how microgravity causes muscle degradation and how this loss might be prevented or mitigated. Shux, who considers Rakesh Sharma as his idol, had said befoe leaving for space that he is carrying something special for his mentor and will give it to him when he returns. "I owe much of my inspiration and guidance to India's first astronaut, Rakesh Sharma. He has been a mentor in every sense, supporting me from the early stages of selection to the Ax-4 mission preparation. As a fellow IAF test pilot, he understands the physical and mental readiness this journey demands. Although he won't be traveling to US due to certain constraints, he has been with me every step of the way," Shukla had said before launch. As Shux continues his two-week stay aboard the ISS, his record-breaking mission not only honours India's space heritage but also inspires a new generation of Indian scientists and explorers, reaffirming the nation's commitment to advancing human spaceflight. Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla has made history by becoming the longest-staying Indian astronaut in space, surpassing the 41-year-old record set by Rakesh Sharma. As of July 3, 2025, Shukla has spent over 7 days, 21 hours, and 40 seconds in orbit, overtaking Sharma's milestone from his 1984 mission aboard the Soviet Salyut 7 space station. Shukla, 39, is currently serving as the mission pilot for the Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) to the International Space Station (ISS), a landmark collaboration between NASA, SpaceX, and ISRO. Rakesh Sharma is India's first astronaut to go to space. (Photo: AFP) Launched from NASA's Kennedy Space Center on June 25, 2025, Shukla's journey marks India's return to human spaceflight after more than four decades. He is the first Indian astronaut to visit the ISS and only the second Indian to travel to orbit, following Sharma's pioneering flight. The Ax-4 crew, led by veteran astronaut Peggy Whitson, includes Shukla as pilot and mission specialists Sawosz Uznaski-Winiewski and Tibor Kapu. Their mission involves conducting around 60 scientific experiments, with Shukla leading seven of them, focusing on microgravity research and international collaboration. The mission also shows India's growing role in global space exploration and the evolution of ISRO into a world-class space agency. Shuykla recently partnered with astronaut Sawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski in the Space Station's Columbus laboratory module to analyse near-infrared technology to record brain activity. Gp Capt Shubhanshu Shukla enters Space Station. (Photo: Nasa) He has been working on seven Indian studies in space that will bolster India's human spaceflight program, Gaganyaan Mission. Shukla has been conducting critical muscle health research inside the Kibo laboratory's Life Sciences Glovebox aboard the ISS. His work focuses on muscle stem cell cultures to understand how microgravity causes muscle degradation and how this loss might be prevented or mitigated. Shux, who considers Rakesh Sharma as his idol, had said befoe leaving for space that he is carrying something special for his mentor and will give it to him when he returns. "I owe much of my inspiration and guidance to India's first astronaut, Rakesh Sharma. He has been a mentor in every sense, supporting me from the early stages of selection to the Ax-4 mission preparation. As a fellow IAF test pilot, he understands the physical and mental readiness this journey demands. Although he won't be traveling to US due to certain constraints, he has been with me every step of the way," Shukla had said before launch. As Shux continues his two-week stay aboard the ISS, his record-breaking mission not only honours India's space heritage but also inspires a new generation of Indian scientists and explorers, reaffirming the nation's commitment to advancing human spaceflight. Join our WhatsApp Channel
NDTV
29-06-2025
- Science
- NDTV
"Saare Jahan Se" To "Bharat Mata Ki Jai": 2 PMs, 2 Astronauts 41 Years Apart
New Delhi: Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, speaking from the International Space Station (ISS), looked down upon the subcontinent and said, " Jab pehli baar Bharat ko dekha, Bharat sach mein bohat bhavya dikhta hain." (When I first saw India, it looked truly grand.) It sent goosebumps down the spines of a billion citizens. More than that, it echoed across four decades of Indian space history. Because India had heard something like it before. Back in 1984, Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma, the first Indian in space, had answered Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's now-historic question, " Upar se Bharat kaisa dikhta hai aapko?" (How does India look from up there?) with words that would etch themselves into the Indian psyche forever. " Saare Jahan Se Achcha."(Better than the entire world.) Rakesh Sharma And Indira Gandhi In April 1984, aboard the Soviet space station Salyut 7, Rakesh Sharma became the first Indian to travel to space as part of a joint Indo-Soviet mission. When Indira Gandhi asked how the view from space was, Mr Sharma's reply wasn't rehearsed. " Ji main bina jhijhak ke keh sakta hu, saare jahan se accha." (I can say this without hesitation, 'better than the whole world.) He had recited the line from Allama Iqbal's famous patriotic song. The moment became a historical bookmark in India's post-Independence imagination. Every schoolchild learned about it. Every aspiring scientist saw new horizons. Shubhanshu Shukla And Narendra Modi Fast forward to June 2025. The world has changed. So has India. No longer only a spacefaring hopeful, India is now building its own human spaceflight programme, planning its Bhartiya Antariksha Station, and setting its sights on the Moon. And now, aboard the ISS, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, a 39-year-old Indian Air Force pilot, became the first Indian to reach the ISS. In an 18-minute video call with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he reflected on the moment that had brought him there. "From here, you don't see borders. You see one Earth," Mr Shukla told PM Modi. "India looks huge from here, bigger than on any map." PM Modi said, "Today you are farthest from the motherland but closest to the hearts of 140 crore Indians." The two discussed everything from microgravity to meditation. Shukla described how small tasks like drinking water or sleeping become difficult. He had to tie his feet to keep from drifting during their call. There were jokes too, about carrot and moong dal halwa floating in microgravity, shared among international colleagues aboard the station. "Everyone liked it very much," Mr Shukla said. "They want to visit India someday." At last, Mr Shukla declared, "This is not just my achievement. This is a collective leap for our country." And ended with, " Bharat Mata ki Jai." Now, Shubhanshu Shukla floats in the vast stillness of orbit, with the Tiranga affixed beside him.
Time of India
25-06-2025
- Science
- Time of India
Rakesh Sharma: Meet another IAF pilot who pierced skies in a Russian spacecraft 40 years before Shubhanshu Shukla
Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel Well before IAF Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla etched a new chapter in India's human space programme, Astronaut Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma made the nation proud when he spent seven days, 21 hours, and 40 minutes in space on board the Salyut 7 space station Rakesh Sharma became the first Indian to travel to space. This achievement came with a joint Indian Space Research Organisation ( ISRO ) and the Soviet Interkosmos space Sharma joined the National Defence Academy (NDA) in July 1966 as an air force freshman, and in 1970 he got commissioned as a pilot in the Indian Air Force (IAF) and became a fighter pilot. He joined Hindustan Aeronautics in 1987 as its chief test pilot. In 2001, he moved out to take on the chairman of the board of Automated Workflow (a Bengaluru-based process-management company).It was in 1982 that Rakesh Sharma got chosen to become part of a joint Soviet-Indian spaceflight as a cosmonaut. On 3 April 1984, he and two cosmonauts from the Soviet Union (flight engineer Gennady Strekalov and commander Yury Malyshev) flew on board Soyuz T-11 to the space station Salyut 7. At the space station, Rakesh Sharma conducted various exercises and experiments, such as yoga's effects on the human body in weightlessness and taking photographs of India from outer Group Captain Shukla, this will be an opportunity to emulate fellow Indian Air Force Officer Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma, who flew aboard Soyuz T-11 on 3 April 1984 as part of the Soviet Interkosmos programme. Sharma spent seven days in space on board the Salyut 7 space the space station, Rakesh Sharma conducted experiments, such as understanding yoga's effects on the human body in weightlessness and taking photographs of India from outer space. When PM Indira Gandhi asked him how India looked from space, he replied, "Saare Jahan Se Achha", a phrase that has become an iconic milestone in India's Space astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla scripted history by embarking on a space odyssey along with three others to the International Space Station as part of a commercial mission by Axiom Space on much-delayed Axiom-4 mission blasted off from the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida at 12:01 pm IST towards the ISS amid cheers from watch parties organised across the world, including at Shukla's City Montessori School in Lucknow where his parents witnessed the historic Lucknow-born Shukla, former NASA astronaut Mission Commander Peggy Whitson, Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski of Poland, and Tibor Kapu of Hungary are part of the Axiom-4 mission that marks the return to space for the three became the first astronaut to travel to the International Space Station, a journey that comes 41 years after Rakesh Sharma's eight days in orbit as part of the then Soviet Union's Salyut-7 space station in 1984."Greetings from India.. have a fun time guys," Sharma said in a video targeted docking time is approximately 4.30 pm IST on Thursday, June 26, NASA said in a statement.
