Bengaluru: India has entered its “second class” in space exploration – this time not only as a participant, but also with a clear intentions to lead. Shubhu Shukla (Shocks), the captain of the group of India’s newest spacefare, described his mission in his first conversation after returning from the International Space Station (ISS).Shax, who flew into space in a multinational private mission led by Axiom Space in collaboration with NASSA and SpaceX, marked India’s return to India’s human spaceflight after 41 years. “It was not a solitary leap. It was the beginning of the second grade of India. And this time, we are ready, not only to fly, but also to lead,” he said.For India, it was more than a symbolic milestone. It was also a rehearsal. PM Modi asked Shukla to document every aspect of his visit, a detailed assignment means that India’s first human spaceflight mission to feed in the Gaganan program. “I have done so well,” Shukla said, promising that knowledge gained will prove to be “priceless”.In his 20-day mission, Shukla made a suit of Indian science experiments, from stem cell studies to microgravity demonstrations. “I noticed that stem cells behave unexpectedly in space in a positive way. It was science in motion, 400 km above the planet,” he said.All this was not the laboratory work. One of his most talkeding microgravity performances included implicating a bubble inside a bubble-an attempt that turned into a group mission with fellow astronauts, which attracts laughter and attention to Earth. “Science in space is fun as it is challenging,” Shukla said.He emphasized how this flight was about motivating the youth of India because it was about technical verification. “The most common question I received from students was, ‘How do I become an astronaut?” This is the real success of this mission.To promote that curiosity, the crew held live stem sessions from the classroom. But the effect was not just educational – it was emotional. “Message, love, support of every corner of India filled me with some unexpected, a new kind of purpose,” he said.Shukla also reflected on the physical experience of the spaceflight. “By quitting the Earth’s gravity, I was shown how deep our body has been shaped in its shape. After being in 40 years of gravity, it was strange to adjust the microgravity. Then came back, coming back, the same phone in my hand felt heavy.” He said that no matter how simple tasks need to stand or walk. “Thankfully, the rehabilitation program works. Within days, I again felt normal- ready for another mission.,Humor tingered some of his stories. He remembered to wake up one morning after returning, shut down his laptop and let it fall – easily expected to float it. “Thankfully, the floor was carpet.”When asked about his greatest learning, Shukla talked about a single moment, but the entire machinery behind the mission. “Time zones and cultures people came together to make 20 days possible in space. The scale of cooperation is the one who is the most with me.”Just before the splashdown, he and the Hungarian astronaut Tibor Kapu saw pink and orange plasma streak across the window, as his capsules “Grace” re -entered the Earth’s atmosphere. We were watching the screen show 1G and realizing that it was heavy – we were already struggling by 1.8G, ”said Kapu. “But it was beautiful.”And then the earth was. Shukla said that the scene rejected all expectations. He said, “There are no limitations, no demarcation. It is all our homes. The sense of unity was very strong,” they repeated.For the country that prepares their own independent crew missions, these are not just reflections, they are building blocks. As Shaks said: “This is just the beginning.”
