In a landmark moment for India’s space journey, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, the first Indian astronaut to visit the International Space Station (ISS), safely returned to Earth on Tuesday, July 15, after completing a 14-day space mission.
Shukla, who served as the designated pilot on the Axiom-4 mission, also becomes only the second Indian to have ever traveled to space, following in the footsteps of the late Rakesh Sharma, who flew aboard a Soviet mission in 1984.
A Symbolic and Scientific Triumph for India
Shukla’s presence aboard the ISS is not just a personal milestone but a symbolic victory for Indian space exploration, marking a significant leap in India’s participation in international space missions.
Over the course of his two-week stay, he conducted seven critical microgravity experiments commissioned by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). These ranged from biological and agricultural research to human physiology, including:
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Muscle regeneration studies aimed at advancing medical treatment on Earth
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Observations of tardigrades, the microscopic creatures known for their extreme resilience
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Seed germination and algae cultivation under space conditions
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Analysis of crop resilience to explore future possibilities of space farming
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Examination of radiation exposure effects
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Studies on human physiology in microgravity, contributing to astronaut health and well-being
Reflections from Orbit: The Challenge of Stillness in Space
While scientific work occupied most of his schedule aboard the ISS, Shukla took a few moments for self-reflection and shared a rare personal glimpse with the world.
Posting on his Instagram account, he uploaded a short video of himself attempting to sit cross-legged and still—a meditative posture he admitted was incredibly difficult to hold in the zero-gravity environment of space.
“This video was a few days into the mission when I finally had better control over my movements,” he wrote. “What I wanted to do was be just still — but clearly, I failed.”
His candid revelation illuminated the often-overlooked physical challenges of space travel. In microgravity, even the slightest movement can send the body drifting, and mastering the art of staying still becomes a surprisingly tough task. Reflecting on this, Shukla drew a thoughtful comparison to life on Earth:
“Apparently, being still is a challenge with or without gravity. Kind of like our minds in this fast-moving world. Take some time to be still today. It is important to sometimes slow down to be fast.”