'Microgravity', 'gajar halwa': What Shubhanshu Shukla, PM Modi discussed in 18-min chat
Shukla told PM that his space sojourn wasn’t an individual journey but that of the country; PM said Shukla’s experiences would play crucial role in future missions
The slogan of 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' reverberated on the International Space Station as Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday (June 28) told astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla that his space travel marked the beginning of a new era and was the first step towards Mission Gaganyaan, India's human spaceflight project.
18-min chat
“Shubhanshu, today you are the farthest from the land of India, but the closest to the hearts of every Indian," Modi told Shukla in an interaction through a video link from the International Space Station (ISS), which is orbiting the earth at an altitude of 400 km.
Modi said Shukla's name carries the word 'shubh' (auspicious), and that his journey marked the auspicious beginning of a new era.
'Bharat Mata ki jai' chant filled up the space station as the prime minister raised the slogan towards the end of the 18-minute conversation, which was reciprocated by Shukla.
Also read: Axiom-4 mission LIVE: Excited about the next 14 days, says Shubhanshu Shukla
Space exploits
Shukla told the prime minister that his space sojourn was not his individual journey but that of the entire country and that he was absorbing the "new experiences like a sponge".
"Everything is different here," the astronaut said, sharing his experience in micro-gravity conditions on the space station.
"We trained for a year and I learnt about different systems... but after coming here, everything changed...Here, even small things are different because there is no gravity in space... Sleeping here is a big challenge... It takes some time to get used to this environment," he told the prime minister.
Feet tied to prevent floating: Shukla
Responding to how space differs from Earth, Shukla explained that everything in space feels different from the training on the ground. He added that his feet were tied while speaking to Prime Minister Modi; otherwise, he would start floating.
He said simple acts like drinking water or sleeping become significant challenges in space. Shukla explained that one can sleep on the ceiling, on the walls, or wherever, since orientation becomes fluid.
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"Adjusting to this altered environment takes a day or two, but the experience is a beautiful harmony of science and wonder," he said.
16 sunrises, 16 sunsets
The astronaut said that the space station orbits the Earth 16 times a day and that he was privileged to witness 16 sunrises and 16 sunsets every day.
"Right now, we are travelling at a speed of 28,000 kilometres per hour. This speed reflects how fast our nation is progressing and now, we must go even beyond this," Shukla said.
Shukla reached the ISS on Thursday along with three other astronauts as part of the commercial Axiom-4 mission for a 14-day stay during which the crew will be part of a series of science experiments.
"When I saw India for the first time from space it appeared much larger and grander than on the map," Shukla told the prime minister.
March towards Viksit Bharat: PM
"You can truly feel the sense of oneness – there are no borders, no lines. It feels as if this entire Earth is our home and we are all its citizens," Shukla said.
Modi told the Lucknow-born astronaut that his historic journey was not just limited to space, but would add fresh momentum to the march towards Viksit Bharat (developed India).
Watch | Shubhanshu Shukla becomes first Indian in space after 41 years
"We have to take Mission Gaganyaan forward. We must build our own space station. And we must ensure that an Indian astronaut lands on the Moon. Your experiences will play a crucial role in all these future missions. I am confident that you are diligently recording every bit of your experience," the prime minister said.
Sharing Indian grub with space mates
Shukla told the prime minister that he had brought with him Indian delicacies like ‘gajar ka halwa’, ‘moong dal halwa’ and ‘aam ras’ (mango nectar) which was relished by fellow astronauts on the space station.
"Yes, I brought 'gajar ka halwa', 'moong dal ka halwa' and 'aam ras'. I wanted everyone who has joined me from other countries to enjoy the rich Indian cuisine. All of us had it together and everyone liked it," Shukla told the prime minister.
Modi asked Shukla whether he had shared any Indian delicacies with his fellow astronauts.
Scientific experiments
During the interaction, Shukla also briefed the prime minister about various experiments being done in space.
Shukla said his stay on ISS involves studying whether specific supplements can delay muscle loss in microgravity conditions, which could help develop medicines for muscle degeneration in elderly people.
Also read: Axiom 4 mission: Shubhanshu Shukla makes history as his mother watches in tears
The Indian astronaut is scheduled to conduct an experiment on the growth of microalgae, which are highly nutritious, in microgravity conditions.
"If methods can be developed to grow them (microalgae) in larger quantities based on the findings in space, it could significantly aid food security on Earth," Shukla told the prime minister.
He said one major advantage of conducting experiments in space is the accelerated pace of biological processes, which enables researchers to obtain results much faster than on Earth.
(With inputs from agencies)