Latest news with #Shux
New Indian Express
4 days ago
- Science
- New Indian Express
Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla shares stunning photographs of space
BENGALURU: Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, who returned from the International Space Station (ISS) recently after completing the Axiom-4 mission with three other astronauts, shared some of his stunning pictures of M42 (aka Orion Nebula), which he had taken from the Bengaluru sky. The Orion Nebula is an interstellar cloud of gas and dust that is located in the Orion constellation. Shux on X said as the photographs clicked on the ISS will take some time to be received, verified and cleared because of the multiple space agencies' involvement, he wanted to share his astrophotography story. 'I started into astrophotography upon returning to India after my first leg of training at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre (GCTC) in Russia. The pictures in sequence are of the same interstellar object M42 (M Stands for Messier- Name of the catalogue that maintains all night sky objects),' Shux posted. He added that over time, it has gotten better, and it is evident from the last photograph. 'All the pictures were clicked from the night sky of Bengaluru,' he posted on X. Shux, who has turned into an inspiration for students and the youth keen on the space fraternity, posted an encouraging message, 'Slow or fast, if you keep moving, progress is guaranteed.'
Hans India
19-07-2025
- Science
- Hans India
Cosmic Twist: City-based astronomers discover a new kind of stellar chemistry
Bengaluru: While India was focused on the International Space Station and a Gaganyaatri code-named Shux, researchers from Bengaluru-based Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) have quietly uncovered a cosmic twist. That, in the far away Ophiuchus Constellation, a peculiar star named A980, some 25,800 light years away, is rewriting what we know about stellar chemistry. Gajendra Pandey, Senior Professor at IIA, an autonomous institute of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), said, it all began when his PhD student, Ajay Saini proposed to study 27 newly identified hydrogen-deficient carbon stars in high resolution spectrum for his thesis work. According to Pandey, a hydrogen-deficient carbon star is a peculiar breed of cool star that lacks hydrogen -- the most common element in the universe. 'Until 2022, only five stars were known to be hydrogen deficient. But in 2022, 27 stars, including A980, were identified. The problem is, it was done in a low-resolution spectrum. So, we decided to look at them in high resolution as well as study their chemical composition,' said Pandey to PTI. A closer look by Saini and Pandey, using the Hanle Echelle Spectrograph on the Himalayan Chandra Telescope in Ladakh, showed something strange. A980's spectrum -- essentially a stellar fingerprint -- did not match what they expected. Instead, this mysterious star that belongs to a rare class called Extreme Helium (EHe) stars, carries a surprisingly high amount of germanium -- a metallic element never before observed in this type of star. EHe stars, said Pandey, are almost entirely made of helium, and they are likely formed when two white dwarf stars --one carbon-oxygen rich and the other helium-rich --merged in a spectacular cosmic collision.' According to Pandey, they were surprised to see singly-ionized germanium (Ge II) lines in the A980's optical spectrum. 'These are the first-ever detections of germanium lines in an EHe's observed spectrum,' explained Pandey. More surprises awaited the duo. They found that germanium is eight times more abundant in A980 than in the Sun, which is evidence for the synthesis of germanium in EHe stars. 'Germanium has never been detected in these stars before, and here it was -- eight times more abundant than in the Sun,' said Saini. The discovery is important, as every new clue helps astronomers' piece together the cosmic story of how matter came to be, added the researcher duo. The detection of germanium, for instance, means that there are other plausible scenarios than the long-held theory that EHe stars originated from the merger of a carbon-oxygen white dwarf with a less massive helium white dwarf, said Pandey. Pandey and Saini suspect that A980's unusual chemistry could trace back to a phase in stellar evolution called the Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB) -- a stage when stars puff up and start producing heavy elements like barium, strontium, and germanium. These stars eventually shed their outer layers, and their cores become white dwarfs. And then there are Thorne-Zytkow Objects (TZO) -- theoretical hybrid stars that have a neutron star at their core. 'They are also known to produce lots of germanium, using a different method called the rp-process (rapid proton capture). While A980 does not fully match the expected properties of a TZO, the similarities are intriguing,' added Pandey. The discovery, said Pandey, pushes the boundaries of what we thought we knew about stellar chemistry. 'It also shows how powerful high-resolution spectroscopy can be used in uncovering the hidden stories written in starlight,' he added.
New Indian Express
18-07-2025
- Health
- New Indian Express
Shubhanshu Shukla's health stable: ISRO
BENGALURU: Soon after India's group captain and astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla made a textbook-perfect splashdown landing after completing the Axiom-4 space mission, his health parameters were checked and the research team in Houston on Thursday said his health is stable and there was nothing to be concerned about. The Gaganyatri's preliminary health check was done soon after he came out of the Dragon spacecraft named Grace on July 15, immediately after splashdown by the SpaceX and NASA team at the recovery ship Shannon. 'Initial assessments indicated Gaganyatri Shux is in a stable condition, with no immediate concerns reported,' the ISRO team said. Shux was airlifted by helicopter from the recovery ship to the mainland for further medical evaluations and debriefing sessions. He was then flown to Houston. 'He will undergo a week-long rehabilitation programme to mitigate any adverse effect of microgravity. This is being administered by Axiom's flight surgeon and ISRO's flight surgeon is also participating in this programme,' ISRO said. The series of medical checks will include cardiovascular assessments, musculoskeletal tests and psychological debrief. Shux's rehabilitation activities will focus on monitoring physical and mental health, addressing any effects of microgravity and preparing him to return to normal activities.
Time of India
18-07-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Shubanshu Shukla healthy, on a medical routine to restore baseline health
Shubanshu Shukla healthy, on a medical routine to restore baseline health BENGALURU: Indian astronaut Shubanshu Shukla (Shux), who returned from the International Space Station (ISS) on July 15, is 'healthy' with initial medical evaluation showing 'no immediate health concerns'. Shux, India's first astronaut to fly as part of a commercial space mission — Axiom-4 (Ax-4) — has begun his week-long post-flight rehabilitation in Houston. According to Isro, he is now on a medical routine that will involve cardiovascular assessments, musculoskeletal tests, and mental health monitoring. The goal is to restore his physical baseline and prepare him for a normal return to Earth activities. 'After splashdown, Shukla was extracted by SpaceX recovery teams and underwent preliminary health checks aboard the recovery ship. Initial assessments confirmed that he was in stable condition. He was then airlifted to the mainland for detailed medical evaluations and mission debriefing sessions,' Isro said. Shux is currently under the care of Axiom Space 's flight surgeon in Houston, with Isro's medical team participating in his rehabilitation. This phase focuses on mitigating the effects of microgravity, which can impact cardiovascular health, muscles, bones, and psychological well-being. His medical routine involves cardiovascular assessments, musculoskeletal tests, and mental health monitoring. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Buy the Dip: Top 5 Dividend Stocks with Growth Potential Seeking Alpha Read More Undo 'Shubhanshu Shukla worked in close partnership with members of Axiom-4 crew and Expedition 73, contributing to the daily rhythm of ISS operations and supporting joint science, maintenance, and outreach efforts. He participated in integrated crew timelines, shared resources aboard the Harmony module, and coordinated multiple crossover activities, fostering international cooperation in space,' Isro said. Meanwhile, the more than 580 pounds of scientific samples and hardware from the 60+ scientific experiments covering life sciences, materials research, Earth observation, and technology demonstrations from 31 countries, will now be returned to respective agencies. Principal investigators of the experiments, including studies on microgravity, suit fabrics, muscle stimulation, micro‑algae systems, and environmental psychology, will analyse the samples and data in the coming weeks . Scientific publications are expected to take more time. Beyond science, the crew engaged in more than 20 outreach events, interacting with students, officials, and researchers worldwide. Commenting after the conclusion of the mission, Axiom Space CEO Tejpaul Bhatia, said Ax-4 was a powerful demonstration of what's possible through commercial space. 'By enabling astronauts from India, Poland, and Hungary to carry out scientific research aboard the space station, we are supporting these nations in their contributions to human spaceflight. This mission reflects Axiom's vision of a thriving low-Earth orbit economy, where access to space is no longer limited to a few, but extends to all who seek to explore, discover, and innovate,' he added.
United News of India
17-07-2025
- Health
- United News of India
Post ISS mission, Shux in good health
Chennai, July 17 (UNI) The health condition of decorated piot Shubhanshu Shukla, who became the first Indian astronaut to travel to International Space Station and returned after a 18-day stay, was stable and in good health, ISRO said today. After Gaganyatri Shubhanshu Shukla was extracted by SpaceX's recovery teams on July 15, 2025, preliminary health checks were carried out at recovery ship. Initial health assessments indicated that Gaganyatri Shukla was in stable condition with no immediate concerns reported. He was airlifted by helicopter from the recovery ship to the mainland for further medical evaluations and debriefing sessions. Later, Shubhanshu Shukla was flown to Houston for a week-long rehabilitation program to mitigate any adverse effect of microgravity. This is being administered by Axiom's flight surgeon and ISRO's flight surgeon is also participating in this program. This includes a series of medical checks especially cardiovascular assessments, musculoskeletal tests psychological debrief. The rehabilitation activities of Gaganyatri focus on monitoring physical and mental health, addressing any effects of microgravity, and preparing him for a return to normal activities. Shux and three other crew members from US, Hungary and Poland, took off for ISS on June 25 and docked the next day after a 28 hr flight journey. After an extended 18 day stay, during which Shux conducted seven microgravity experiments of iSRO, undocked from ISS on July 14 and the Dragon spacecraft splashed down off California coast after a 22.5 hr journey the next day. Shux was the second Indian to travel to space after a gap of 41 years when Rakesh Sharma travelled in 1984. UNI GV 1515
