Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, who is currently on the International Space Station (ISS), had a conversation with ISRO chief V Narayanan on Sunday, July 6. Shukla thanked ISRO for its support in making his journey safe as part of the Axiom-4 mission.
During the video call, Narayanan asked Shukla about his health and how the team was doing in space. He also showed interest in the scientific experiments the Axiom-4 crew is performing aboard the ISS.
Shukla gave updates about the activities and experiments they are working on. He explained the purpose behind the studies and the problems they aim to solve. These experiments are expected to provide useful insights for India’s future human space missions, especially the Gaganyaan programme.
Narayanan emphasized the importance of documenting all the experiments and experiences once Shukla returns to Earth. These records will help ISRO improve future space missions.
The call was also attended by senior ISRO scientists, including Dr. Unnikrishnan Nair, Director of the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, and Chairman of the Program Management Council for the Human Space Programme.
“Most Difficult Part Is Sleeping,” Says Shukla
Earlier, on July 4, Shukla interacted with school students through a Ham Radio session. He shared that the hardest part of living in space was trying to sleep.
“You know you’re here for a short time, and you want to do as much as possible,” he said. Still, he acknowledged that rest is important, especially with a packed schedule of scientific work ahead.
Shukla is set to stay two weeks on the ISS. During his mission, he will carry out seven Indian-designed experiments and five scientific studies.
He also described his rocket launch experience as “exhilarating,” saying, “As you go higher, you go faster. The acceleration was quite intense.”
This mission marks an important step for India’s space journey and will help shape future human space exploration.
