Latest news with #Shubhanshu
Indian Express
an hour ago
- Science
- Indian Express
Before astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla's space mission, excitement anxiety & a little prayer
For the last few days, the sprawling white single-storeyed Anshu Niwas in one corner of Lucknow's Triveni Nagar has been seeing a steady stream of friends, relatives, well-wishers and the media. They are all there for one reason – to offer their good wishes to the owners of the house, the Shuklas, for their 39-year-old Air Force Group Captain Shubhanshu 'Gunjan' Shukla's maiden flight to space. On June 10 – over 10 months after the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) first announced his name as one of four astronauts as part of Axiom Space's fourth commercial mission to the International Space Station – Shubhanshu will take off on a two-week Indo-US mission. Commandeered by veteran US astronaut Peggy Whitson, the Axiom Mission-4 (Ax-4) mission will take off onboard SpaceX's Falcon-9 rocket from the Kennedy Space Centre, Florida, making Shubhanshu only the second Indian to travel to space after Rakesh Sharma's iconic spaceflight onboard Russia's Soyuz spacecraft in 1984. Shubhanshu is currently undergoing mandatory quarantine at the Kennedy Space Centre, and his family back at home is both excited and anxious about the mission, his parents Shambhu Dayal Shukla, a 73-year-old former civil servant, and Asha Shukla, 67, tell The Indian Express. 'We had been hearing about his space journey for a long time, and naturally, there were many questions that came to our minds. But there was no one we could turn to and ask what really happened up there and what he would be doing,' she says. That anxiety was allayed after a dinner and a conversation with Israeli astronaut Eytan Stibbe, who happened to be in Lucknow, on May 9. Over the dinner that lasted 3-4 hours, Stibbe, who was part of the historic Axiom-1 (Ax-1) mission to the ISS in 2022, told them in great detail about his own space mission and encouraged the couple to ask him questions. 'He brought along a presentation he made for us,' Shubhanshu's 40-year-old sister Suchi says. 'Over dinner, he told in great detail how they lived, ate, and slept in space. He didn't speak about the challenges he faced. Instead, he told us about the beauty of the journey. His face shone with the happiness of having seen, achieved, and experienced so much.' Shubhanshu's father Shambhu Dayal, who retired as a joint secretary in 2013 in Lucknow, adds: 'All our worries and doubts have now been put to rest. We are only praying for his safe journey'. Born in Lucknow on October 10, 1985, Group Captain Shubhanshu is the last of three children and has three older siblings — Nidhi, 43, an MBA graduate and a homemaker and Suchi, a school teacher. He is also the first in his family to join the armed forces, with his family initially encouraging him to take up civil services. From the premier National Defence Academy, Shubhanshu was commissioned into the fighter stream of the Indian Air Force on June 17, 2006. 'I wanted to ask him to prepare for civil services after his Class 12 exams in 2002,' Shambhu says. 'But a friend of his decided to apply to the National Defence Academy (NDA). When he discovered that he was too old to qualify for the exam, he gave the form to Shubhanshu.' Shubhanshu married his wife Kamna Shukla, a dentist, in 2009. Kamna is currently in Florida with the couple's six-year-old son to see the launch of the mission. Over the years, Shubhanshu has served in various parts of the country — including Bhuj, Jodhpur, and Srinagar — and was in Bengaluru when his name was announced for the mission. Those who know him describe Shubhanshu as 'not reserved but not one to talk to everyone'. 'He respects everyone but prefers to connect only with those he feels comfortable around,' his sister Suchi says. Even as a child, he was 'very focused and very prompt when it came to his work,' his father Shambhu. 'He had very few close friends, mostly kept indoors and never went out alone to buy anything from the market, so it's unlikely that many people in the neighbourhood knew him well,' he says. Indeed, in Triveni Nagar, not much is known about Shubhanshu. 'We only found out that Shubhanshu is from our area when we saw it on the news. After speaking to others, we got to know more about him. We had never seen him before and didn't even know he had cleared the NDA,' Rakesh Mishra, a resident of Triveni Nagar, says. But at Shubhanshu's City Montessori School, it's a different story. His math teacher Nageshwar Prasad, 55, remembers him as a good student. 'Shubhanshu would give equal importance to sports and studies,' Prasad, who also taught Shubhanshu's wife Kamna, says. Back at the Shuklas, the family says that while they are no longer anxious, they admit to feeling jittery as the date of the take-off approaches. Despite this, they know that their son is not one to stray away from challenges. 'We were initially scared when he said he wanted to join the armed forces. Then we were anxious when he said he would spend over a year training in Russia to become an astronaut, mainly because he's never one to ever go out anywhere alone. But he's adapted himself to challenges,' his proud mother Asha says. While Shubhanshu's parents had initially planned to travel to Florida to see their son off, plans changed after his mother Asha developed severe spondylitis that made travel difficult. As a result, they take comfort in the little things – such as daily video calls and phone calls that he makes to assure them of his well-being. 'We now plan to hold a puja before his mission,' Shambhu says.
Hindustan Times
14 hours ago
- Science
- Hindustan Times
Moong Dal Halwa to Aamras, know what Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla is carrying for Axiom Space's Ax-4 mission
India is poised to make a historic return to space as Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, an Indian Air Force pilot and astronaut, will take off as a part of Axiom Space's Ax-4 mission. He, along with three other astronauts, will leave from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida (USA) on June 10 (IST 5.52pm) to the International Space Station (ISS) that they will dock in 28 hours (on June 11). Back in the 39-year-old's hometown, Lucknow (UP), his family is praying for a successful mission, as it will make him the second Indian astronaut to pilot a spaceflight since Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma's 1984 mission. 'He has been quarantined for a fortnight now, but once a day, he joins us for a group call, as his wife, Dr Kamna Shubha Shukla, and five-year-old son, are with him in Florida. We are all so excited, but also very nervous,' says Shubhanshu's sister Suchi Shukla, a science teacher in Lucknow. Suchi adds, 'He is very hopeful and wants this mission to motivate the upcoming generations. I have shifted into my parents' home for a few days and our eldest sister is also coming down from Noida so that all of us can cheer for him together.' Shubhanshu is carrying a few Indian delicacies with him. 'He is carrying moong dal halwa, gajar ka halwa, aamras and rice. He is excited to share the delicacies with the other astronauts too. Since Indian food is high on spices, he wasn't getting the permission to carry them. But finally, they did allow a few varieties. He is a fitness-freak and highly into yoga so I am sure he will balance it,' says Suchi. Shubhanshu's father, Shambhu Dayal Shukla, a retired government employee, tells us that a 'Satyanarayan Swami katha and a hawan' are being organised to pray for a successful mission. 'The entire family is praying for him and we are all very confident and positive. Ab darr nahin lag raha hai. We are happy that his name will go in history books,' he says. Shubhanshu's mum, Astha Shukla, adds, 'Woh khud bahut excited hai ki woh Bharat ke liye kuch naya karne jaa raha hai. Bas jaldi se mission khatam kar ke wapas aa jaaye.' While he is not allowed to disclose the personal belongings he's carrying, Shubhanshu's sister feels her brother is 'carrying our photos'. She adds, 'He cannot disclose due to protocol. Once you take anything to space, it becomes a certified object that has travelled to space. So, he will bring those back and it will be memorabilia for us. We will only get to know what those things are once he's back.' City Montessori School in Lucknow, Shubhanshu's alma mater, is celebrating the feat by organising a YyomNite carnival at its Kanpur Road branch. 'All the students and staff are electrified that our alumnus Shubhanshu is undertaking this extraordinary journey, carrying the hopes of 1.4 billion Indians with him. The research he does there will push the boundaries of scientific knowledge and will be used for the advancement and prosperity of humankind,' says school manager Prof Geeta Gandhi Kingdon. They will live stream the event and the carnival will have exploration areas, space photoshoots, activity camp and mission control centre. His family members will also join the event.
New Indian Express
4 days ago
- General
- New Indian Express
Joy and pride laced with anxiety grip Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla's family ahead of his space sojourn
LUCKNOW: The excitement is palpable at a modest home in the city of Nawabs as Indian Air Force (IAF) Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, 39, prepares to join Axiom Space's fourth private astronaut mission to the International Space Station, set to launch on June 10 from the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida. The launch has been postponed to June 10 due to ongoing pre-flight quarantine protocols and operational adjustments. The mission, part of Axiom Space's Ax-4 programme, was initially set for May 29 and later rescheduled to June 8 before being pushed back again. Emotions are high as Group Captain Shukla's parents and elder sister in Lucknow share their happiness and hope tinged with a little anxiety about his upcoming celestial sojourn. A proud father, Shambhu Dayal Shukla is praying for the successful completion of the 14-day space mission to the International Space Station (ISS). 'Shubhanshu calls us up daily to check our well-being and to make us feel comfortable before his space voyage,' he adds. Shubhanshu has been undergoing rigorous training for a year-and-a-half and has not met his family during this period. Discussing his childhood and dedication, a deep emotional current runs through the home ahead of Shubhanshu's mission. Mother Asha Shukla's eyes well up several times while speaking about her son's extraordinary journey. 'I take pride in the fact that he has been chosen for the mission, but am also deeply anxious,' she says. She adds that Shubhanshu has always been determined and diligent, but as a mother, she can't stop worrying. 'He's going into space. Every day I pray for his safe return," she says while making efforts to remain composed.
News18
5 days ago
- Politics
- News18
'Eagerly Waiting': Shubhanshu Shukla's Family, Friends Begin Countdown To Space Mission
Last Updated: Shubhanshu Shukla is set to become the first Indian to step onto the ISS since Rakesh Sharma's 1984 mission. His family eagerly awaits his June 10 launch on SpaceX's rocket. As Shubhanshu Shukla is all set for his historic space journey as an Indian after Rakesh Sharma's 1984 odyssey, his family is anxiously waiting for his mission's lift-off moment. Group Captain Shukla is seven days shy of his blast off on board SpaceX's Falcon-9 rocket that will propel him into history as the first Indian to step onto the International Space Station (ISS). The highly anticipated space voyage of the 39-year-old Lucknow native is scheduled for June 10 from the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida. This feat will also mark India's return to human spaceflight after Rakesh Sharma's 1984 space adventure. Shukla's father felt proud over his son's upcoming endeavour, news agency PTI reported. 'It's true that as our son stands on the brink of history and is set to represent India in NASA's AXIOM-4 mission to the ISS. It's an immensely proud moment not just for us but for the country, and we are praying for the success of this space mission each day," PTI quoted, Shukla's father Shambhu, a retired government employee, as saying. 'He calls us up each day to check on our well-being and to make us feel comfortable before his space trip that holds its own significance for the country," Shukla's father added. Shubhanshu has been undergoing rigorous training for a year-and-a-half period and has not met his family since then. Speaking to PTI, his elder sister Suchi Mishra revealed that Shubhanshu would always talked about aircraft in excitement in his childhood. 'We keep our conversation as normal as possible. We are eagerly waiting for the mission's success and for our brother to be back home with us," Suchi Mishra told PTI. 'As a child he had once been to an air show, and he later told me how he was fascinated by the speed and sound of the aircrafts. Then he had spoken of his dream to fly, but of course there was no telling at the time how quickly he would embrace his dream. As an Indian and as his sister, it's definitely a very proud moment, for this space journey of my brother is carrying with them the hopes and blessings of a billion Indians," Suchi added. Shubhanshu's 14-day space flight is being seen as preparatory to the Indian Space Research Organisation's (ISRO) own Gaganyaan human-spaceflight programme panned for 2027. The City Montessori School (CMS), from where Shukla received education from the beginning till grade 12, is also brimming with excitement. To inspire its students, the school management is making special arrangements to watch the action live on the D-day. Over 62,000 students across all its branches will be watching to celebrate Shukla's journey from classrooms to space, said CMS manager Geeta Gandhi Kingdon. 'We are all behind Shubhanshu and praying for his success, as his journey also embodies our motto of 'Jai Jagat' one that will inspire each student to aim for the stars," Kingdon told PTI. It was sheer providence that saw Shukla take his National Defence Academy (NDA) exam, his father recalled. 'Some of his CMS classmates had brought up a form for NDA. One of them realized that he was overage by a few days and inquired from Shubhanshu if he would like to apply instead. That's how it all started." Shambhu still remembers the exact moment when the family got the news of Shukla's selection for the NDA. 'Now, of course, the phones keep buzzing incessantly as my son is set to represent India in NASA's AXIOM-4 mission to the ISS. But, truth be told, back then in 2001-2, we had a landline phone on which one of Shubhanshu's friends had called. Mistaking me for my son, he had excitedly shared Shubhanshu's result. That's how we came to know about it. After that he went to take his interview and got selected there," said Shambhu. He added that the family aspired to see him as a civil servant. But that was then. 'Back then we nursed that dream but today we feel so proud of his achievements as we bask in reflected glory," said the father. First Published:
