Shubhanshu Shukla dials ISRO from space: What did they discuss?
What's the story
Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, who is currently on the International Space Station (ISS) as part of the Axiom-4 mission, has spoken with Dr. V Narayanan, Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). The conversation mainly revolved around his well-being and the scientific experiments being conducted during this unique mission. During the telephonic exchange, Dr. Narayanan stressed on the need to document all experiments and activities conducted on the ISS in detail.
Importance
Gaganyaan program to benefit
The information gathered from activities aboard ISS will be instrumental in propelling India's human spaceflight program, Gaganyaan. This ambitious project aims to demonstrate India's capability of sending a crewed spacecraft into low Earth orbit, with the Axiom-4 mission serving as a valuable learning experience.
Official participation
Call attended by senior ISRO officials
The telephonic discussion was also attended by several senior ISRO officials. This included Dr. Unnikrishnan Nair, the Director of Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, M Mohan (Director of Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre), and Padmakumar E S, the Director of ISRO Inertial Systems Unit. They all interacted with Shukla during the call to discuss various aspects of the mission and scientific experiments currently being conducted on the ISS.
Mission update
Shukla updates ISRO on experiments at ISS
Shukla updated the ISRO officials on the progress and challenges of the experiments at the space station. He highlighted their scientific objectives and significance during this interaction. The Indian astronaut also thanked ISRO for their support, appreciating Dr. Narayanan and his team's efforts in ensuring a safe journey to the ISS.