Latest news with #Ax4
NDTV
a day ago
- Entertainment
- NDTV
Explained: How A Hair Cut In Space Differs From One On Earth
Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla has made history by becoming the first Indian to get a haircut in microgravity, while living aboard his home away from home at the International Space Station. Captain Shukla had spent nearly 30 days in quarantine at the Kennedy Space Center as his flight repeatedly got postponed from the first announced date of May 29 to finally lifting off on June 25. This is why American astronaut, Nichol Ayers gave him a haircut when he was in space. Many astronauts who stay for long durations in space also get haircuts. So, that is a normal thing. But how does a haircut in space even work? Is it a lot different from one on Earth? Turns out, not really! In space, hair doesn't fall, it floats Getting a haircut in space is not very different from getting a haircut on earth. The only difference is in space, when the hair has been cut, it can fly all over the place. So, one needs a vacuum cleaner, which pulls in the hair that is being cut. Just like how bread is not allowed in space because crumbs can float, hair too needs to be managed carefully. No shower after haircut In India, especially for men, a post-haircut bath is almost necessary. But at the ISS, the astronauts cannot take a bath as there is no running water available. So, astronauts usually do a dry cleaning of their body using soap and wet towels. No Hair Stylists in Space Unlike Earth, one does not have a hairstylist at the International Space Station. It is a fellow astronaut who is doing the haircuts. So, no hairstyles. American astronaut Nichole Ayers was seen giving Shukla a rare hairdo in space. Astronaut Ayers remarked, "We said goodbye to our Ax4 friends today. I was just reminiscing about the haircuts from last weekend. After a long quarantine, I think it was nice for them. We joked about how I might have a future in the haircutting business when I get back on Earth, but the reviews are still out." Ayers is a Major in the US Air Force and has spent 122 days in space. She has conducted spacewalks totalling about six hours. This would probably make her the most qualified hair stylist Shukla would ever get in his life.
News18
a day ago
- Science
- News18
Shubhanshu Shukla Got Haircut In Space Before Undocking: How Astronauts Reach The ‘Mane' Point
Shubhanshu Shukla, who was floating 400 km above Earth aboard the International Space Station, got the haircut just hours before undocking for his return trip home Apart from the other distinctions, Indian astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla also made history for another unconventional reason — becoming the first Indian to get haircut in space. Shukla, who was floating 400 km above Earth aboard the International Space Station (ISS), got the haircut just hours before undocking for his return trip home. He is set to return today. Who gave Shubhanshu Shukla the haircut? Astronaut Ayers wrote on X, 'We said goodbye to our Ax4 friends today. I was just reminiscing about the haircuts from last weekend. After a long quarantine, I think it was nice for them. We joked about how I might have a future in the haircutting business when I get back on Earth, but the reviews are still out." Ayers is a Major in the US Air Force and has spent 122 days in space. She has conducted spacewalks totalling about six hours. Here's how it works: Special Clippers: NASA provides hair clippers modified with a vacuum hose. Suction System: The vacuum sucks up the hair as it is being cut, preventing the tiny strands from floating around. Crew Assistance: Sometimes astronauts cut each other's hair, but they can also do it themselves using mirrors and a steady hand. How do astronauts maintain hygiene in space? Astronauts maintain hygiene in space without running water by using no-rinse wipes and rinseless body wash to clean their skin, along with no-rinse shampoo for hair. They brush their teeth with regular toothbrushes and swallow the toothpaste or spit it into a towel. Clothes aren't washed but worn multiple times before being discarded. The toilet uses air suction to manage waste, and urine is often recycled into drinking water. These methods keep astronauts clean and healthy in the microgravity environment of space. 📸 Gp Capt Shubhanshu Shukla gets a haircut in space 💇♂️ — ISRO Spaceflight (@ISROSpaceflight) July 15, 2025 When will Shubhanshu Shukla return? Astronaut and Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla and three other astronauts of the Axiom-4 mission began their return journey to Earth on Monday as the Dragon Grace spacecraft undocked from the International Space Station after an 18-day stay. Following a series of orbital manoeuvres after undocking, the Dragon spacecraft is expected to splash down near the coast of California on Tuesday at 3.01 pm IST. This mission not only marks Shukla as the second Indian astronaut in space, following Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma's historic flight in 1984, but also positions India as a serious contender in the global space community. Shukla and Axiom 4 (Ax-4) crew Commander Peggy Whitson, and Mission Specialists Slawosz 'Suave" Uznanski-Wisniewski and Tibor Kapu embarked on the space odyssey on June 25 from Florida. With Agency Inputs view comments Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
NDTV
a day ago
- Science
- NDTV
Shubhanshu Shukla Gets Rare Haircut In Space, With No Option For A Shower
Indian astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla has become the first Indian to get a haircut in micro-gravity, while he was at his home away from home, at the International Space Station. American astronaut Nichole Ayers was seen giving Shukla a rare hairdo in space. Astronaut Ayers remarked, "We said goodbye to our Ax4 friends today. I was just reminiscing about the haircuts from last weekend. After a long quarantine, I think it was nice for them. We joked about how I might have a future in the haircutting business when I get back on Earth, but the reviews are still out." Ayers is a Major in the US Air Force and has spent 122 days in space. He has conducted spacewalks totalling about six hours. This would probably make her the most qualified hair stylist Shukla would ever get in his life. The normally very nattily dressed Indian Air Test Pilot had spent nearly 30 days in quarantine at the Kennedy Space Center as his flight repeatedly got postponed from the first announced date of May 29 to finally lifting off on June 25. Incidentally, Shukla had no bath while he was in space. There is no running hot or cold water at the $150 billion orbiting laboratory, and the astronauts must dry clean themselves using wet towels. Upon his arrival, Shukla was initially seen with a stubble beard, but was later seen with a nice clean shave when he was looking down from the cupola of the station. European astronaut Thomas Pesquet, who has spent over a year aboard the International Space Station, told NDTV, hygiene in space is another area of adaptation. "There's no running water, obviously. So, we use wipes, wet wipes, and dry wipes. We also have wet towels. Put a bit of soap, put some water on the towel, and then you can wash yourself. No showers, no bathtub, no spa. Very rough conditions," he said. Pesquet reassured that despite the lack of showers, astronauts remain clean. "You're actually very clean. It was one of the questions I had. I thought you must be pretty dirty when you come back, but you're not. First of all, because there's much less dust and perspiration, and things in the air, it's much more controlled. So, it's a clean environment. And secondly, also because you're wiping yourself with wet towels and it works really well," he added. Among the memories Shukla is carrying back is of this rare haircut while travelling at 28,000 kilometres per hour around Earth.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Science
- Yahoo
SpaceX spacecraft carrying crew to splash down with sonic boom off San Diego coast
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — A sonic boom is expected to break the silence in the middle of the night Tuesday as a SpaceX spacecraft carrying a crew is expected to splash down off the coast of San Diego. SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft undocked from the International Space Station at 7:15 a.m. Monday, carrying Ax-4 astronauts Peggy Whitson, Shubhandshu Shukla, Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski, and Tibor Kapu. SpaceX launch seen from San Diego area The crew will return to Earth at 2:31 a.m. PT on Tuesday, which will be streamed live on X @SpaceX. After performing a series of departure burns to move away from the International Space Station, SpaceX says Dragon will conduct multiple orbit-lowering maneuvers, jettison the trunk, and re-enter Earth's atmosphere before splashing down off the coast of California 22.5 hours later. SpaceX spacecraft splashes down off coast of Oceanside SpaceX Monday evening on X said Dragon and the Ax-4 crew are on track to reenter Earth's atmosphere and splash down off the coast of southern San Diego County at 2:31 a.m. PT Tuesday. The spacecraft is expected to create a sonic boom just before it splashes down in the Pacific Ocean. The Ax-4 crew had been onboard the ISS since Falcon 9 launched the spacecraft from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Wednesday, June 25. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Deccan Herald
2 days ago
- Science
- Deccan Herald
Shubhanshu Shukla, other astronauts begin return journey to Earth after 18-day stay
Live: @Axiom_Space 's #Ax4 crew is ready to return to Earth! Watch as they undock and head home.
