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Soft toy floats in front of Shubhanshu Shukla as Indian astronaut speaks from space
Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, speaking during a live webcast from space, said that a swan toy accompanying him to the ISS is more than just a Zero-G indicator
Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, speaking during a live webcast from space, said that a swan toy accompanying him to the International Space Station is more than just a Zero-G indicator. He introduced the swan toy as “Joy” and explained the importance of the swan in Indian culture during the live broadcast.
Who is Shubhanshu Shukla and what is the Axiom-4 Mission?
Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla had embarked on a journey to the International Space Station as part of Axiom Mission 4 yesterday. The Axiom Mission 4 was launched aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Centre in Florida at 2:31 am Eastern Time (12 Noon IST) on Wednesday.
Group Captain Shukla, an Indian Air Force officer, is part of the international crew aboard the spacecraft. Peggy Whitson, former NASA astronaut and director of human spaceflight at Axiom Space, is in command of the mission, while European Space Agency project astronaut Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski of Poland and Tibor Kapu of Hungary are also part of the crew.
The symbolism of the swan
During his broadcast from space, the Indian astronaut began with the quintessential Indian greeting – a namaste – before describing how nervous he felt before the launch. As he spoke, a white swan stuffed toy floated in front of him.
Holding the stuffed toy up, Shukla said: “We showed you Joy and Grace. You know this is a swan, it looks really cute but we have a very important swan in our Indian culture.”
“The swan symbolises wisdom. It also has the ability to discern… what needs to be focused on, and what does not.
“So this means a lot more. It’s not just a Zero-G indicator,” explained Shukla. “And I think we all have some symbolism – in Poland, in Hungary, in India as well. So I think it looks like a coincidence but it is not that. It has more meaning.”
What is a Zero-G indicator?
A Zero-G indicator (short for Zero Gravity indicator) is an object placed inside a spacecraft to visually show when the spacecraft has entered microgravity (commonly referred to as “zero gravity”).
When a spacecraft reaches orbit and enters microgravity, everything inside it begins to float. The Zero-G indicator is typically a small plush toy, doll, or trinket hung on a string near the crew – as soon as it begins to float freely, it's a signal to everyone on board (and often to viewers watching live) that the spacecraft has entered weightlessness.
(Also read: Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla's emotional note for wife before journey to space)
