Pioneering Space: Shubhanshu Shukla on India’s Astronautical Future

Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla highlights a transformative decade for India's space exploration, forecasting significant advancements and broader opportunities for aspiring astronauts. As the first Indian on the International Space Station, Shukla underscores the need for legal frameworks affecting space ethics and reflects on his experiences in zero gravity.

Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla predicts a transformative decade for India's space exploration, emphasizing unprecedented advancements and opportunities in the field. Speaking at an event coinciding with the inauguration of Skyroot's space startup facility, he noted that India's plans place it among a handful of countries leading in space innovation.

Shukla, the first Indian to travel to the International Space Station (ISS) via the Axiom-4 mission, highlighted the necessity of revising global space laws and frameworks to ensure ethical practices as space ventures expand. He also detailed his journey, including physical and psychological challenges faced in space.

Reflecting on his experiences, Shukla noted the physiological changes that occur in zero gravity and detailed an experiment growing moong and methi, labeling himself a 'space farmer.' As India prepares for the Gaganyaan mission in 2027, the astronaut remains hopeful for emerging talent in this domain.

(With inputs from agencies.)