New Delhi: With a wave and a smile, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla walked out of the ‘Grace’ space capsule that brought him and his three colleagues back to Earth after an 18-day stay on the International Space Station (ISS).The feat held promise to herald India’s own human spaceflight ambitions and was hailed as a landmark moment for the Indian space establishment. ‘Grace’ made a safe splashdown in the Pacific Ocean, off the coast of California, at 3.01 pm IST ((2.31 am Pacific Time), after a 22-hour journey from the ISS and fiery atmospheric reentry during which all radio contact was cut off for about seven minutes. Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed Gp. Capt. Shukla’s return, calling the event a “historic milestone.” Modi posted on X: “As India’s first astronaut to visit the ISS, Shubhanshu Shukla has inspired a billion dreams through his dedication, courage and pioneering spirit.” He said: “It marks another major step towards our Human Space Flight Mission – Gaganyaan.” Gp Capt. Shukla, a native of Uttar Pradesh, is expected to arrive in India by August 17 following a series of post-mission procedures. He will first undergo rehabilitation, debriefing and discussions with Team Isro. Union minister Dr Jitendra Singh hailed the safe return of Gp Capt. Shukla stating that “One of Mother India’s illustrious sons is back. India has found a lasting space in the world of space.” AP Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu said that Shukla’s Mission has inspired countless young minds to dream big and reach for the stars. Gp Capt. Shukla’s international team included Peggy Whitson of the USA, a veteran NASA astronaut; Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski of Poland; and Tibor Kapu from Hungary. The crew capsule had undocked from the ISS at 4.45 pm IST on Monday, after a fond farewell from astronauts on board the ISS. Travelling at over 28,000 km per hour, the spacecraft executed a series of manoeuvres to gradually slow down and enter the Earth’s atmosphere, braving intense heat before a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. The mission was historic on multiple fronts — not only did Shukla become India’s second astronaut in space after Rakesh Sharma’s 1984 mission aboard a Soviet spacecraft, but Poland and Hungary also sent their first astronauts to the ISS. The team launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Centre in Florida on June 25, reaching the ISS the following day. During his over two-week stay, Shukla circled the Earth more than 310 times, covering approximately 13 million km — equivalent to 33 trips to the Moon and back. He witnessed over 300 sunrises and sunsets from orbit, conducting a packed scientific schedule. According to Isro, Shukla completed all seven planned microgravity experiments, contributing valuable data for India’s space research: • Study of the Indian strain of tardigrades (resilient microscopic life forms) • Research on myogenesis (muscle development in space) • Sprouting trials for methi (fenugreek) and moong seeds • Cultivation of cyanobacteria and microalgae • Analysis of crop seed behavior in space • Evaluation of the Voyager display experiment “These experiments achieved all mission objectives,” Isro confirmed in a statement, calling the mission a “major milestone” in India’s roadmap toward the Gaganyaan human spaceflight, scheduled for 2027.
Source link
