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India's Shubhanshu Shukla updates ISRO chief on Axiom-4 mission activities. What he said
Shukla held a call with ISRO chief V Narayanan on Sunday (July 6), during which the latter asked about the Gaganyatri's well-being.
Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, on a call with ISRO chief V Narayanan, acknowledged the efforts of the space agency in ensuring his safe travel as part of the Axiom-4 mission.
Shubhanshu Shukla, who is onboard the International Space Station (ISS) talked to V Narayanan on Sunday (July 6), during which the latter asked about Gaganyatri's well-being. Narayanan also inquired about the scientific experiments that the crew of the Axiom-4 mission is undertaking at the ISS.
Shukla updated Narayanan on the experiments and activities, also talking about the scientific objectives these were supposed to achieve and the challenges they would address.
The ISRO chief highlighted the significance of the crew's experiments and activities, stressing the importance of documenting them after Shukla's return to Earth. Narayanan said doing so would provide insights and inputs to further India's human spaceflight programme, Gaganyaan.
The discussion between Shukla and Narayanan was attended by top ISRO officials, including Dr Unnikrishnan Nair, Director of Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) and Chairman of the Program Management Council for Human Space Programme.
‘Most difficult task is to go to sleep’: Shukla on ISS stay
Shukla, in an interaction held with school students on July 4, said that the most difficult task onboard the ISS was “to go to sleep”.
“You know you are here for a short time and you want to do more and more,” Shukla said in his 10-minute communication via the Ham Radio.
He also highlighted the need to rest, given the scientific experiments and activities that are planned for the crew.
Shukla is scheduled to stay two weeks on the ISS, and will be conduct seven home grown experiments and five scientific studies.
He also recounted the rocket launch, calling it “exhilarating”. “…As you go higher you go faster. The accelerations were quite high,” he said.
